Practices of Entrepreneurial Orientation Among Students in Universities: The Role of the New Entrepreneurs Program

Abstract

Entrepreneurship education is increasingly recognized as a vital tool for equipping students with the skills to create ventures that deliver both economic and social value. This study aims to examine how the New Entrepreneurs Program (NEP), grounded in Social Entrepreneurship Theory (SET), influences the Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) of university students in Taiwan. A qualitative multiple-case study was conducted using in-depth interviews with students from Chang Jung Christian University and the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology who participated in the NEP. The findings reveal that NEP participation enhances key EO dimensions— innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking—through academic learning, mentorship, experiential activities, and an emphasis on social value creation. SET helps explain how students develop the capacity to align entrepreneurial opportunity recognition with social mission orientation, leading to ventures that are both economically viable and socially responsible. The study suggests that universities and policymakers should expand programs like the NEP to foster socially aware entrepreneurial capabilities, while future research could investigate the long-term effects of such initiatives across diverse cultural and educational contexts.