Entrepreneurship, social welfare, and cultural values: young people's social attitudes in Finland

Abstract

In this study, we analyze young people’s attitudes toward entrepreneurship and social welfare in the Helsinki-Uusimaa region of Finland. The theoretical framework of this study is first linked to attitude research, in particular, Ajzen's (1991) theory of planned behavior. The second perspective of the study derives from the theory of cultural values. Third, the analysis is based on discussions of the welfare state and social values. We ask, what social psychological and societal factors explain young people's entrepreneurial intentions? Survey data (N=725) was collected in electronic format from high schools and vocational schools. The questions were mainly multiple-choice Likert-scale questions, and the analysis was performed using statistical methods. The results show that the relationship among welfare attitudes, cultural values, and entrepreneurial intention is complex in the Finnish context. The results are mainly consistent with the theory of planned behavior.