Title: Developing entrepreneurial intentions: what matters?

Authors: Saeed Mujahid; Muhammad Shujaat Mubarik; Navaz Naghavi

Addresses: Department of Management Sciences, Faculty of Business Administration and Social Sciences, Mohammad Ali Jinnah University, 22E Block 6 PECHS, Karachi, Pakistan ' Faculty of Business Administration and Social Sciences, Mohammad Ali Jinnah University, 22E Block 6 PECHS, Karachi, Pakistan ' Faculty of Business and Law, Taylor's Business School, Taylor's University, Lakeside Campus, No 12, B1 Academic Suites, Jalan Taylor's, 47500, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Abstract: This study aims to identify the major personality traits and their impact on entrepreneurial intentions of Pakistani business students, specifically in terms of perceived support and perceived barriers. The study used a close ended questionnaire adopted from previous studies to collect data from 200 business students studying in business schools of Karachi, Pakistan, and applied the partial least square (PLS) method to analyse the relationships. Results revealed that attitude, innovativeness and risk taking ability have a profound effect on entrepreneurial intentions. Furthermore, study analysed results by dividing students into two categories education system, i.e., matric system and Cambridge system. Interestingly, risk taking ability and innovativeness were high among those students who studied from matric system which is contrary to perceived wisdom. Based on these findings, our study suggests devising awareness programs aimed at fostering student's attitude toward entrepreneurship and nurturing their creativity. For an in-depth analysis, study suggests focusing on high risk taking, innovative individuals to further understand what drives them.

Keywords: entrepreneurial intention; partial least square; PLS; attitude towards entrepreneurship; psychological formation; risk taking; innovativeness; creativity; perceived wisdom; awareness.

DOI: 10.1504/MEJM.2020.105225

Middle East Journal of Management, 2020 Vol.7 No.1, pp.41 - 59

Received: 20 Sep 2018
Accepted: 07 Oct 2018
Published online: 22 Feb 2020 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article