Entrepreneurial characteristics amongst university students: insights for understanding entrepreneurial intentions amongst youths in a developing economy

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-84
Author(s):  
Ayodotun Stephen Ibidunni ◽  
Dumebi Mozie ◽  
Adebanji Wlliam A.A. Ayeni
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Sample Size ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Risk Tolerance ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entrepreneurial Characteristics ◽  
Business Opportunities ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis study focussed on investigating the impact of entrepreneurial characteristics on the entrepreneurial intention of university students in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachThis research adopted a survey research design via a well-constructed questionnaire. The study's sample size consisted of 354 aspiring student entrepreneurs.FindingsThe result from the statistical analysis revealed that the entrepreneurial characteristics, especially risk tolerance, the need for achievement and the locus of control (LoC) significantly influence students' entrepreneurial intentions.Research limitations/implicationsOne implication of this study is that risk tolerance has a positive influence on the ability to identify business opportunities. Thus, when persons pay adequate attention to tolerating risks, they have more chances of identifying business opportunities. Despite the valuable contribution made by this research, an important area of future research is to carry out investigations that use a more robust sample size and a multivariate analysis to identify the impact of entrepreneurial competencies on entrepreneurial intentions of university youths from a cross-country perspective amongst developing economies.Originality/valueThere are very little understanding and empirical evidence about how the entrepreneurial characteristics of the youths, especially those in the formal university system of developing countries like Nigeria, can determine and direct their intentions to venture into entrepreneurship endeavours. This study, therefore, undertakes an interventionist role to investigate the relationship between entrepreneurial characteristics and entrepreneurial intentions of university students in Nigeria.

Exploring entrepreneurial orientation and intentions among technical university students

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (6) ◽  
pp. 718-736
Author(s):  
Swagatika Sahoo ◽  
Rajeev Kumar Panda
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Entrepreneurial Orientation ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the impact of the contextual antecedents on the individual entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) of university graduates, which, in turn, affects their entrepreneurial intentions (EIs). Design/methodology/approach Primary data were collected in the form of 510 valid responses from engineering students across two technical universities in India, through a structured questionnaire consisting of scales adapted from the extant literature, and the data were empirically validated in this study. The reliability and validity measures of the constructs were validated through the confirmatory factor analysis, and the proposed hypotheses were validated using structural equation modelling. Findings The results of this empirical analysis validate that the contextual antecedents have a significant positive impact on students’ entrepreneurial orientation (EO), which, in turn, has a significant positive influence on EIs. Research limitations/implications This analysis depicts the significance of EO as a perceptual driver at the individual level and substantiates that the availability of resources such as startup capital, access to business information, social networks and supportive university context significantly affects the decision-making process of an individual to venture into an otherwise uncertain occupation of entrepreneurship. Practical implications The study has the likely potential to help university administrators and policymakers to allocate resources, develop strategies and provide effective entrepreneurial learning in entrepreneurship-oriented courses aimed at honing entrepreneurial skills and self-confidence of the university students. This holistic model can be used as a tool for resource planning and prioritising in order to provide the desired contextual support essential for fostering the IEO of the university students towards adopting entrepreneurial career, thereby assisting them to achieve their career goals and the broader objective of nation-building. Originality/value This study adopts an innovative approach to empirically validate the EO construct at the individual level, which has been studied at the organisation (firm) level till today. This research explores the relevant contextual antecedents and analyses their impact on IEO as well as the explanatory capacity of IEO to explain students’ EIs in the contextual backdrop of universities in a fast transitioning economy like India.

Intention towards social entrepreneurship of university students in an emerging economy: the influence of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurship education

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 133-151
Author(s):  
H.M. Kamrul Hassan
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intention ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Entrepreneurial Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
University Support

Purpose Entrepreneurial intention plays a crucial role in the research and application of social entrepreneurship (SE). The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of the factors affecting students’ intention towards social entrepreneurship (ISE). The study has taken entrepreneurial self-efficacy, along with entrepreneurial education, entrepreneurial network and perceived university support that have an impact on intentions, which instills interest amongst students in being future entrepreneurs. Design/methodology/approach Data were primarily taken from a survey of 380 university students from public and private universities in Chattogram, the business capital of Bangladesh. Students were preliminarily selected, focussing on different profiles such as male/female, age, socio-economic status, education level, university status and employment level. Initially, using factor analysis factors were analyzed and later multiple regression analysis was used to identify the relationship with ISE. Findings The study on the student reveals that four aspects significantly impacted the preference of students’ ISE. This study reinforces the influence of entrepreneurial self-efficacy, along with entrepreneurial education, as the factors contributing to aid young graduates recognizing and fostering an ISE. Entrepreneurial networks and perceived university support were found to have no association with social entrepreneurial intentions. Originality/value This paper contributes to the understanding of the factors and provides a basis for explaining factors that affect the intention of students towards SE. It can contribute to future research related to social entrepreneurial intention. Furthermore, it was concluded that forming social entrepreneurial intention is highly influenced by entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurship education.

A review of the role of HEI’s in developing academic entrepreneurship

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lalit Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Developing Economies ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Knowledge Level ◽  
Entrepreneurial Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ex Post ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The prime purpose of the study is to assess the role of education in general and entrepreneurship education in particular in developing youth entrepreneurship in Uttarakhand State, India. The study also tested the methodology based on effectiveness and compared it with the traditional ex post method to find if there is any difference in results. Alternatively, the study also checked whether the students of developing economies are more likely to take up entrepreneurship as a career, which has strongly been contended by some of the recent studies. Design/methodology/approach – The role of education was assessed on two grounds: increase in general awareness and knowledge about entrepreneurship, and development of entrepreneurial intentions and inclination of students. A structured questionnaire was administered on 530 final-year students. The questionnaire tested the interest and intentions of students towards taking up entrepreneurship as a career and also evaluated the level of awareness and knowledge of entrepreneurship among the students. Cross-tabulation, mean values and t-test were used to analyse the results. Findings – The research confirmed that higher education institutions (HEIs) of Uttarakhand have not been very effective in building entrepreneurial awareness and knowledge level of students. Students who studied entrepreneurship subject showed a little better awareness and knowledge level of entrepreneurship, which was found to be statistically significant in comparison to their counterparts, but the mean scores indicated poor knowledge level. As the authors used an ex post method and method based on effectiveness of entrepreneurship education, the authors got two different results for impact of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intentions. More appropriate one being that with the observed level of awareness and knowledge level of entrepreneurship (which was very low); the authors cannot possibly determine the actual impact of entrepreneurial education on entrepreneurial intentions. Practical implications – The research has direct implications for research scholars working in the field of determining the impact of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intentions, entrepreneurship education institutions and also the policymakers. Originality/value – In comparison to most of the earlier studies done to find the impact of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intentions, this study differs in its methodological approach and first of all evaluates the effectiveness and impact of entrepreneurial education in developing entrepreneurial awareness and knowledge of student. The author undertakes that if entrepreneurship education is ineffective in developing the desired level of awareness and knowledge of entrepreneurship, the actual effect of entrepreneurial education on entrepreneurial intentions cannot actually be determined and the authors may not be able to get accurate outcomes of such studies. To justify the stand, author compares the traditional ex post approach with the approach based on effectiveness of the programme and brings into light the difference in outcomes. The proposed approach rests on the premises that education must be absorbed and not just delivered to assess its impact.

Entrepreneurial intention of academic students in the time of COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamel Krichen ◽  
Haithem Chaabouni
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Financial Risk ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intention ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Social Risk ◽  
Educational Support ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Contextual Support ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate the consequences of the economic shock caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the entrepreneurial intentions of academic students. In addition, this research examined whether the pandemic reinforces the tendency to operate new businesses or represents a barrier to the pursuit of entrepreneurial opportunities.Design/methodology/approachThis study was conducted with a sample of university students. Risk perception and contextual variables were measured. Information was collected from 308 university students enrolled at the University of Sfax (Tunisia) who participated by responding to a structured questionnaire distributed in electronic form by email.FindingsThe results show that university students perceive higher levels of personal entrepreneurial risk than other types of entrepreneurial risks (financial risk and social risk). Perceived financial risk only has a significant effect on entrepreneurial intention for students who view the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity. Regarding perceived contextual support, only perceived educational support has a significant and positive effect on entrepreneurial intention.Research limitations/implicationsThe results have important practical implications for identifying entrepreneurial intentions. They indicate that universities have an essential role in providing educational support for students by implementing awareness and training programs for entrepreneurship. Furthermore, they reveal the differentiated effect of the COVID-19 crisis on the risk perceptions of participants according to their views of the crisis as a threat or as an opportunity.Originality/valueThis is one of few studies that have examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (positive or negative) on the entrepreneurial intention of academic students.

Multiculturalism, positive psychological capital and students' entrepreneurial intentions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmet Maslakcı ◽  
Harun Sesen ◽  
Lütfi Sürücü
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
University Students ◽  
Psychological Capital ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Psychological Capital ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeGlobalisation has made higher education increasingly multicultural. Although multicultural university students' attitudes and interactions with different cultures affect their academic success as well as entrepreneurial intentions, only a few studies have analysed this topic. Therefore, this study examined the assumption that positive psychological capital (PsyCap) mediates the relationship between attitudes towards multiculturalism and entrepreneurial intentions.Design/methodology/approachA model was proposed and empirically tested 564 university students in Northern Cyprus. Data were analysed using SPSS 23 and AMOS 18 using the PROCESS Macro and Bootstrap methods.FindingsThe results indicated that improving university students' attitudes towards multiculturalism will have a beneficial effect on their entrepreneurial intentions. Moreover, PsyCap is a mediator variable on the relationship between multicultural attitudes and entrepreneurial intentions.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to the literature by theoretically and empirically examining how attitudes towards multiculturalism and PsyCap impact university students' entrepreneurial intentions. Its limitations can be overcome through future research.Practical implicationsThe study's findings are valid in two areas: (1) assisting policymakers, researchers and academics to better understand the critical influence of university students' attitudes towards multiculturalism on their entrepreneurial intentions, particularly since this topic had not been extensively studied; (2) advancing theoretical discussions by examining the positive effects of internal factors such as PsyCap in terms of multicultural attitudes and entrepreneurial intentions.Social implicationsThe study provides empirical evidence that academics and university administrators should pay attention to multicultural attitudes to increase university students' entrepreneurial intentions. Hence, it focused on the relationship between multicultural society, entrepreneurial intentions, and PsyCap.Originality/valueAttitudes towards multiculturalism influence students' entrepreneurial intentions through PsyCap. The context of cultural values and multiculturalism determines the premises of entrepreneurial intentions. This study is unique and innovative as it brings a new focus to academic literature.

Entrepreneurial intention in the time of crisis: a field study

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 835-859 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Arrighetti ◽  
Luca Caricati ◽  
Fabio Landini ◽  
Nadia Monacelli
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intention ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intent ◽  
New Business ◽  
Severe Recession ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of a prolonged economic recession on the entrepreneurial intentions of young people (university students) distinguishing between propensity to start a new business (i.e. degree of interest in entrepreneurship) and perceived likelihood of becoming an entrepreneur (i.e. probability to start a business in the future). Furthermore this study verifies if the recession strengthens the orientation to exploit new market opportunities, or simply supports self-employment objectives. Design/methodology/approach Entrepreneurial intention was measured in terms of propensity to start a new business and perceived likelihood of becoming an entrepreneur. Psychosocial and economic variables were measured as well. Information was gathered through questionnaires distributed in both electronic and paper-and-pencil form to a sample of 3,684 Italian University students enrolled in 12 different faculties. Findings First, this study found that while the perception of the economic crisis as an obstacle to new business creation does not impact on the propensity toward entrepreneurship, it has a negative and highly significant impact on the likelihood to start a business. Second, when a distinction is made between opportunity- and necessity-based types, results show that while for the latter the crisis impacts only on the perceived likelihood to become an entrepreneur, for the former it affects both dimensions of entrepreneurship, i.e., both propensity and perceived likelihood. Moreover, neither family support nor economic institutions are perceived as relevant in sustaining entrepreneurial intentions. On the contrary, the university is considered as a key support entity. Research limitations/implications Reliance on cross-sectional questionnaires instead of an experimental design imposes caution about the causal relationships between predictors and entrepreneurial intent. Originality/value The present paper is one of the few studies concerning the influence of rapid worsening of external economic context (severe recession) on the entrepreneurial intent.

Trust, personality, risk taking and entrepreneurship

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachid Zeffane
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Important Variable ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Nascent Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Courses ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of trust, personality and risk taking on entrepreneurial intentions (EIs). In this perspective, it explores gender differences among nascent and actual entrepreneurs in the context of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach – Survey data were collected from two sets of populations: 370 students attending business courses in a university in the UAE (as proxies to nascent entrepreneurs) and 324 small business owners/operators (as proxies to actual entrepreneurs). The scales used in the study were borrowed from previous research and were also empirically confirmed through reliability tests. Findings – In support of previous research, analyses of variance confirmed the hypotheses that females are less inclined to become entrepreneurs and are less likely to take risk. Females were also found to be less trusting than males. Regression analysis revealed that, the intention to engage in entrepreneurship is most significantly affected by the propensity to trust. These confirm the study hypotheses. Research limitations/implications – This study is set in a single country and as such, its findings may be constrained by cultural/national specificities. Future research could consider examining the variables of this study (particularly gender differences and their relevance to the effects of trust and risk taking on EIs) in a wider cross-national context. Practical implications – The findings of this study clearly indicate that trust is an important variable that can be cultivated at the pre-entrepreneurial stage so that future entrepreneurs (females in particular) are appropriately equipped and geared to cope with risk in entrepreneurship activities. Originality/value – Research on gender, trust, risk taking and entrepreneurial behaviors in the UAE/Middle East context remains lacking. Also, studies using samples of both actual and nascent entrepreneurs remain lacking. This study fills these gaps and also provides a platform for further understanding the importance of gender differences in relation to trust, personality, risk taking and EIs.

Research on entrepreneurial orientation: current status and future agenda

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 556-583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Dai Prá Martens ◽  
Fabrício Martins Lacerda ◽  
Ana Claudia Belfort ◽  
Henrique Mello Rodrigues de Freitas
Keyword(s):  
Entrepreneurial Orientation ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
The Body ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Knowledge Generation ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emerging Themes ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – Research on entrepreneurial orientation (EO) has attracted researchers’ attention for over 30 years. The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively analyze the body of literature resulting from 30 years of research in EO, and to answer the following questions: what are the major themes that have emerged? What areas are missing? What degree of convergence do we see in the field of EO, and what concepts/topics has the field converged around? Design/methodology/approach – A bibliometric study with a sample of 405 articles published from January 1987 to July 2014 was developed. Techniques of bibliometric, lexical, and content analysis were used. The analysis involved: the evolution of published articles; the main authors, their nationalities, and institutional affiliations; citation and co-citations analysis; the journals that have published the most articles; and the most frequently-searched topics. Opting for bibliometric techniques permit an analysis of a larger number of articles and a greater variety of articles than other methodologies such as meta-analyses and systematic review studies. Accordingly, a more comprehensive look at the field of EO can be taken. Findings – Two distinct but complementary classifications are proposed to characterize the body of the literature resulting from 30 years of research in EO. The first one demonstrates that the field presents a convergence of the themes in four axis which together comprise studies on EO: performance, strategy, entrepreneurial attitude, and management. The second one presents the frequency of occurrence of the themes in the field: high-frequency themes or classical themes, frequently in the literature; moderate-frequency themes or emerging issues have not been sufficiently explored; low-frequency themes or potential opportunities related to understudied issues and contexts less frequently surveyed. A future research agenda is proposed for emerging themes and specific contexts. Practical implications – The identification of key themes in the field of EO contributes to assess the research evolution in order to recognize emerging themes and contexts, and the research gaps. With this, it is possible to lead new studies to cover a lack of research and advance knowledge in the field. The themes most studied also show the contribution for EO to organizational practice, especially in relation to the impact on the performance, the stimulus to the development of innovations, and the effects on organizational growth. Additionally, the identification of the authors most cited, most productive on the theme and the identification of the core journals for publishing of the area is recommended as a general reference for researchers interested in the topic of EO. Social implications – Although EO literature has been widely developed in Anglo regions (especially in the USA and UK) and Germanic Europe (especially Spain), there are others lacking these studies, especially Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, and Middle East, with rare articles published internationally. The results can guide the advancement of research in these different contexts and realities where even issues more widely treated in the literature have been unexplored. The lack of studies in certain contexts can lead to new studies for inserting new insights into EO, such as potential differences between developed regions and in development. For regions where the studies on EO are more developed, the results of this paper contribute to signaling issues and contexts little explored that may be the focus of attention. Originality/value – The generation of literature indicators of EO through bibliometric fills a research gap on the theme, providing a more comprehensive view of the field and of the current status of the research on EO. Identifying the most frequent topics in EO literature, and little-explored themes and contexts makes it possible to propose an agenda for future research and knowledge generation on EO. Thus, it is suggested the development of studies focus on emerging themes like growth, learning, knowledge, resources, and capabilities; also in specific contexts with potential for aggregating new knowledges in the EO field such as family firms, non-profit organizations, social contexts, the public sector, university, spin-off, firms in emerging and developing economies.

An evaluation of used objects in bank TV commercials in Ramadan

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1219-1229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oguzhan Aydin ◽  
Selcuk Burak Hasiloglu
Keyword(s):  
Sample Size ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Muslim Country ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Fuzzy Logic Method ◽  
Tv Commercials ◽  
Religious Objects ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Larger Sample

Purpose The purpose of this study is to find the most effective objects used in Ramadan TV ads of banks operated in Turkey and to determine superiority of the objects among these ads. Design/methodology/approach This research examines used objects in bank TV advertisements for the month of Ramadan by applying content analysis and fuzzy logic method. Findings The most prominent of the findings, as a result of the research, are kids and the elder objects in bank TV commercials. The research findings also reveal the importance of religious objects of Ramadan ads. Research limitations/implications The limitation of this research is non-generalization of the results because of sample size. Future research could explore the impact of objects used in TV ads on consumers with a larger sample size. Practical implications The banks are eager to look for opportunities by launching campaigns during the period of Ramadan. Special occasions such as religious holidays are seen as a new market that should not to be missed by the finance sector, and therefore, the number of bank TV commercials increase dramatically in this term. However, it is important for banks to know which objects are more effective. In this study, it is revealed that objects used in TV ads are more effective. Originality/value This is the first study to examine bank TV commercials during the period of Ramadan. It is also important to reflect Turkish consumers’ perspective and banks’ promotion activities in a Muslim country.

scholarly journals Does the quality of voluntary disclosure constrain earnings management in emerging economies? Evidence from Middle Eastern and North African banks

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rami Ibrahim A. Salem ◽  
Ernest Ezeani ◽  
Ali M. Gerged ◽  
Muhammad Usman ◽  
Rateb Mohammmad Alqatamin
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Regression Model ◽  
Least Squares ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to examine the influence of the quality of voluntary disclosure (QVD) on earnings management (EM) amongst a sample of commercial banks in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Design/methodology/approach Using a sample of 1,060 bank-year observations for the period 2006–2015, this paper developed a three-dimensional framework to measure the QVD, which considers the quantity, spread and usefulness of the information. Furthermore, this study examines the QVD-EM nexus using an ordinary least squares regression model. This technique is supplemented with conducting an instrumental variable regression model and a two-stage least squares model to overcome the potential occurrence of endogeneity problems. Findings The findings suggest that QVD is negatively attributed to EM in the context of MENA banks. The findings also confirm that the quality of financial reporting is enhanced by QVD dimensions that were considered in the framework, leading banks to less engagement in EM practices. In contrast, the influence of the quantity dimension (level) of the disclosed information has an insignificant impact on EM, while the spread and usefulness dimensions of VD are negatively and significantly associated with EM in the region. Research limitations/implications Although the results are robust to various measurements and to the possible occurrence of endogeneity problems, there are a few limitations should be acknowledged, which provides opportunities for future research. For example, the sample size is relatively small due to data accessibility issues. Likewise, the findings of the research might not be appropriate for non-financial sectors. These limitations provide a good opportunity for future studies to expand on the research by covering other developing economies and, thereby, enriching the understanding offered by this study. Practical implications This study offers several implications for bank managers, academics and policymakers. Firstly, it may help managers to appreciate the function and the importance of QVD in mitigating EM. Secondly, for academics, the study provides suggestive evidence on the impact of QVD on EM; however, future research may need to consider the role of morality and ethical behaviour across different environments in reducing excessive risk-taking and constraining earnings manipulation. Finally, it provides insights for policymakers and regulators to develop a framework or guidance that can help banks in providing high-QVD in the context of developing economies. Originality/value The study distinctively develops an innovative measurement for QVD using a new multi-dimensional model. This paper also bring new evidence on QVD complexity and its impact on EM practice from an under-researched developing context, namely, the MENA region.

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