Entrepreneurial intention amongst postgraduate students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Abstract

Whilst the rate of growth of unemployed graduates is gradually increasing, entrepreneurship is considered to be one of the factors that can increase employment and be a significant factor for economic growth in developing countries. Students’ entrepreneurial intentions may be affected by different factors. A students’ entrepreneurial intention is found to determine the students’ willingness to engage into entrepreneurial behaviour in future. The main objective for this study is to investigate how attitude towards behaviour, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control, entrepreneurship education and personality traits affect the entrepreneurial intentions of postgraduate students. A quantitative survey design was utilised in this study and the primary data was collected by distributing 129 survey questionnaires to respondents at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville campus. The Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability test which ensures high reliability result was conducted on every variable. Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Linear Regression Analysis were conducted in this study to test relationships of the independent variables (i.e. attitude towards behaviour, entrepreneurship education, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and personality traits) and the dependent variable (Entrepreneurial Intention). The findings show a positive relationship to exist between the independent variable and the dependent variable. The study focused on two postgraduate degrees (MBA and Masters) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville campus; therefore, the results may neither be generalised for the entire university nor for the entire South African population. However, they could be used to form the basis for further studies. Lecturers, Practitioners, and students can use the findings of this work to come up with interventions that promote the development of an entrepreneurial culture within the South African context.