Transversal Skills of Students: A Major Asset for Their Entrepreneurial Intention

Abstract

This study aims to explore the links between students' transversal skills, defined according to the OECD theoretical framework, and their entrepreneurial intention. Data were collected through a questionnaire administered to a sample of 224 students from various academic fields. The analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM) with AMOS and multiple regression. The results show that students' cognitive, socio-emotional, and practical skills are positively and significantly correlated with their desire to start their own business. Skills such as critical thinking, creativity, communication, and initiative appear to be essential assets for future entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that the balanced development of these different transversal skills is necessary to foster a strong entrepreneurial intention among students, regardless of their field of study. Some types of transversal skills, however, seem to be more decisive depending on the discipline, highlighting the importance of considering the disciplinary context. Digital skills were also identified as a crucial but relatively weak element among some students, indicating a need for enhancement. Although the self-reported nature of the data may be subject to bias, this study provides valuable practical implications by emphasizing the multidimensional concept of transversal skills, moving beyond the traditional focus on technical or managerial skills in entrepreneurship research.

Keywords : Transversal competencies; Entrepreneurial intention; Cognitive competencies; Socio-emotional competencies; Practical competencies

Classification JEL : A0, A2

Paper type : Empirical Research