The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Entrepreneurship in Postgraduate Students of Sport Management at Payame Noor University

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and entrepreneurship in postgraduate students of sport management at Payame Noor University. Statistical population included 700 M.A. students of sport management at Payame Noor University. 248 students were selected as the sample by cluster random sampling method. To achieve the research goals, Siberia Shrink Questionnaire of Emotional Intelligence, and Skarbove and Zimer Entrepreneurship Questionnaire were used. For data analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics including Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Single Sample t student test, liner regression, and multiple regression were used with SPSS. The results indicated that the emotional intelligence of the students was not desirable while their entrepreneurship was average. Besides, there was a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and entrepreneurship of the students, that is to say emotional intelligence could predict their entrepreneurship. From sub-components of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, empathy and social skills only could predict their entrepreneurship. So it is suggested that students’ emotional intelligence should be improved by instructional courses and it is necessary to include an entrepreneurship course in their syllabus to strengthen their entrepreneurship.