THE INFLUENCE OF THAI MBA EDUCATION ON THE ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS CROSS-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This study explores how Thai MBA education influences the entrepreneurial intention of Chinese students through psychological and cross-cultural mechanisms. Thailand is increasingly becoming a regional education hub attracting Chinese MBA students, but empirical research on how transnational educational experiences shape entrepreneurial development remains insufficient. Based on planned behavior theory and social cognitive theory, this study proposes a framework: MBA program quality directly or indirectly affects entrepreneurial intention through cross-cultural adaptation and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. The study conducted a quantitative survey of 385 Chinese MBA students in Bangkok. Correlation analysis and multiple regression showed that entrepreneurial self-efficacy (β = 0.584, p <0.001) and cross-cultural adaptation (β = 0.221, p <0.001) had significant predictive effects on entrepreneurial intention. Although MBA program quality showed strong correlations with other constructs, its direct effect was not significant, suggesting the presence of a mediating effect. The results highlight the developmental value of cross-cultural exposure and confidence-building pedagogy in entrepreneurial education.