Modeling entrepreneurial intent as a predictor of frugal innovation in university students

TLDR: In this paper, the influence of entrepreneurial intention on the frugal innovation (FI) dimensions: open innovation (OI), sustainable innovation (SI), cost innovation (CI), and product innovation (PI), in the university context under the students' perception was analyzed.

Abstract: This study aimed to analyze the influence of entrepreneurial intention (EI) on the frugal innovation (FI) dimensions: open innovation (OI), sustainable innovation (SI), cost innovation (CI) and product innovation (PI), in the university context under the students’ perception. The quantitative approach and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used for a sample of 694 undergraduate students at a Brazilian university. The analyzes confirmed a positive relationship between entrepreneurial intention and open innovation (H 1 ); entrepreneurial intention and sustainable innovation (H 2 ); entrepreneurial intention and cost innovation (H 3 ); entrepreneurial intention and product innovation (H 4 ). Thus, it was found that EI-FI is useful to demonstrate the degree that the student intends to undertake in a future moment, guided by the low cost technologies (CI) process, listed in new social and institutional structures (OI), which insert quality products and services (PI), using fewer resources (SI). As limitations, it is considered the lack of behavioral studies on the intention to undertake innovations, mainly in frugal innovations. Finally, it is recommended to carry out theoretical studies that contribute to the conceptualization, terminologies and attributes of frugal innovations.