Entrepreneurial educational orientation level of engineering university students in Ecuador and Peru

González R.A.; Vera F.R.; Franco D.M.Q.; Goicochea S.B.; Zavala J.A.; García R.T.M. · ETCM 2025 - 9th Ecuador Technical Chapters Meeting (2025) · DOI: 10.1109/etcm67548.2025.11304292

Resumen

The general objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between entrepreneurial competence and financial literacy in engineering students from Ecuador and Peru, identifying the differences in their entrepreneurial orientation and the factors that influence the conversion of entrepreneurial intention into action. The research problem lies in the lack of effective integration between entrepreneurial and financial education in university education, which could limit the ability of students to manage successful ventures. A quantitative methodology based on structural equation models (PLS-SEM) and difference of means tests using the Student T test was used, with a sample of 384 students (192 from each country). The results show that in Ecuador students have a higher entrepreneurial orientation and financial knowledge than in Peru (p< 0.001). However, PLS-SEM analysis revealed that the relationship between entrepreneurial competence and financial literacy is weak in Ecuador (β=0.166, R2=0.028) and negative in Peru (β=-0.233, R2=0.054), suggesting that financial education is not adequately integrated into entrepreneurial training in both countries. The findings indicate the need to strengthen educational programs so that financial education and entrepreneurial training are complementary, ensuring that students develop entrepreneurial skills along with sound financial knowledge.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional de Trujillo; Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal