JUNIOR COMPANIES: CELLS THAT PROMOTE THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS OF SÃO LUÍS - MA

Resumen

Objective: To analyze the role of entrepreneurship in the professional development of students belonging to Junior Companies (JCs) of the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in São Luís. Methodology: Quali-quanti approach applied to an online assessment that targeted the members of the 15 federated JCs of the capital. This is an exploratory research that intends to show elements of reality, quantify them and qualify the aspects described by the participants. Results: Data collected reveal that entrepreneurship enhances market characteristics in university students by contributing to human development and organizational growth; besides, the JCs work as the underlying basis for the manifestation of entrepreneurial skills that affect the academic and professional life of the members of the JCs. Theoretical/ Methodological contributions: this research introduced a quali-quanti approach completely immersed in the universe of entrepreneurship and junior companies, adapted to the reality of the various members of the participating companies. Relevance/Originality: Since there is a lack of studies on entrepreneurship in academic centers and JCs, this study contributes to the representativeness of this phenomenon in the development of university students. It promotes the development of the studies on the subject and raises knowledge about it in order to contribute to scientific progress, especially by portraying the reality the reality of São Luís, which is still experiencing a timid entrepreneurial evolution. Social contributions: This article can guide other researchers through the theme and through the approach since it works as a basis for future studies by elaborating ideas from the literature investigated.