ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

Entrepreneurs play an important role in the economic development of a country. At a local level, they are capable of meeting market demand, create jobs, and create value for themselves, customers, as well as employees. Therefore, Higher Education Commission of Pakistan has recently stressed upon the entrepreneurial education at university level. Also, government and private sector firms have invested in initiatives to foster and train aspiring entrepreneurs. This research develops the need for understanding entrepreneurial intention of university students belonging from different levels and disciplines. The research model is built using Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), with attitudes, subjective norm. The research model is further enriched including educational support which plays pivotal role in developing mind set of students towards career orientation of university students. Education has been divided into two segments; generic education and the entrepreneurship focused education. This way a detailed cross-sectional analysis could be done to analyse which factors have the strongest relation with entrepreneurial intention which could result entrepreneurial action. This research will help in identifying the key factors in developing the entrepreneurship behaviour, in Pakistan so that correct measures can be taken to address the issues by covering the existing gaps. Further this study could serve as the bedrock for the future studies which can be done on longitudinal basis to analyse the pattern of entrepreneurial behaviour and to what extent education can play its part.