Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire
Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire (EIQ) · Also known as: EIQ, Liñán Intention Scale
The Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire (EIQ) is a 6-item self-report instrument designed to measure an individual's intention to start a new business. Developed by Liñán and Chen in 2009, it is grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior and has become widely used across entrepreneurship research and education. The scale captures readiness and commitment to pursuing entrepreneurial ventures.
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When to use it
Use the EIQ in educational settings (business schools, entrepreneurship training programs) to identify students with strong entrepreneurial intentions. It is also appropriate for longitudinal studies tracking intention to business creation, and for evaluating the impact of entrepreneurship interventions. The scale is particularly valuable when initial prediction of business launch is needed before formal business planning.
Strengths & limitations
- Theory-grounded design based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, ensuring strong conceptual validity.
- Brevity and ease of administration—completed in under 5 minutes with minimal respondent burden.
- Cross-cultural validation across 10+ countries (Spain, Germany, Ireland, Chile, China, and others) with consistent psychometric properties.
- Predictive validity: entrepreneurial intention measured by the EIQ correlates with actual business creation within 2–3 years.
- Widely adopted in academic research and entrepreneurship education, facilitating comparison across studies.
- Self-report format may be susceptible to social desirability bias, especially in classroom settings where students anticipate evaluation.
- Does not measure competence or actual business knowledge; high intention does not guarantee successful implementation.
- Unidimensional structure may obscure distinct components (personal motivation vs. social pressure vs. perceived feasibility).
- Cultural context significantly influences interpretation; cutoffs developed in Western populations may not apply equally to non-Western samples.
Frequently asked
Is the EIQ a diagnostic tool for identifying future entrepreneurs?
The EIQ measures current intention, which is a strong predictor of business creation but not a guarantee. It should be used alongside assessment of skills, market opportunity, and financial resources. Intention alone does not diagnose entrepreneurial success.
What does a score of 25 indicate, and is it 'high' or 'low'?
A score of 25 (midpoint = 24 on a 6-item, 7-point scale) falls in the moderate range, suggesting mixed commitment. Scores above 30 are generally interpreted as high intention. However, interpretation depends on the reference sample and cultural context; compare scores to the specific population studied.
Can the EIQ be used with non-student populations?
Yes, the EIQ has been validated with employed adults, entrepreneurs, and unemployed job seekers. Wording remains consistent, but cutoff thresholds may differ. For employed adults, higher baseline intention is often observed.
How stable are EIQ scores over time?
Test-retest reliability over 2–4 weeks is typically strong (r > 0.80). Over longer periods (1+ years), intention may shift based on life events, economic conditions, and personal development. Repeated measurement is recommended for longitudinal studies.
Is the EIQ copyrighted, and can I use it freely in research or teaching?
The scale is published in an open-access peer-reviewed journal and is not proprietary. You may use it freely in academic research and educational settings without fee. Citation of Liñán & Chen (2009) is required.
Sources
- Liñán, F., & Chen, Y. W. (2009). Development and cross-cultural validation of a specific instrument to measure entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of International Entrepreneurship, 7(3), 238–259. link ↗
- Lortie, J., & Côté, R. R. (2002). The role of personality in novice entrepreneurial performance. Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, 22, 434–449. link ↗
- Schlaegel, C., & Koenig, M. (2014). Determinants of entrepreneurial intention: a meta-analytic test and integration of competing models. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 38(2), 291–332. DOI: 10.1111/etap.12087 ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire (EIQ). ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/organizational-behavior/entrepreneurial-intention-questionnaire
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