What Makes Students Create Their Own Jobs?: Institutional Factors Affecting College Student Startups in Korean Universities

[Purpose]This research adopts a resource－based approach to investigate the institutional factors influencing the number of student startups in universities and how these factors impact their performance. [Methodology]The study formulates 12 hypotheses that link institutional resources to student startups and their performance. Data from 130 South Korean universities spanning from 2017 to 2021 are utilized for the panel－data analysis. [Findings]The research findings reveal that professors play a crucial role in influencing students’ venture creation decisions through their research activities, academic paper publications, and direct involvement in venture creation to commercialize their own technologies and ideas. On the other hand, the factors playing a crucial role in facilitating the success and performance of student startups do not necessarily affect students’ initial decision to start a venture. Additionally, it shows that universities’ academic performance and students’ involvement in startup courses and clubs are crucial factors. [Implications]University and government policy－makers need to provide more opportunities for professors and students to interact and collaborate on commercialization and startup activities. In addition, since certain factors play a critical role in supporting the success and performance of student startups, it can be more effective to strike a balance in supporting both venture creation and the subsequent growth of startups. Furthermore, providing education and training for students in startup courses and clubs can play a consistently significant role in empowering them to establish their own.