CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The continuously expanding rates of unemployment has caused increasing global concern and particularly so in most developing countries, where the youths have been identified as the most affected groups. Concerted efforts have been on how to ameliorate this condition. Governments and Higher Education Institutions believe that entrepreneurship exerts a positive influence on job creation, reduction in graduate unemployment and poverty, growth in economic activities, as well as transformation in the informal sector. The European Commission for example, noted that the primary purpose of entrepreneurship education at higher levels of education aims to develop entrepreneurial capacities and mindsets (European Commission, 2008); and thus recommends integrating entrepreneurship training into university curricula. The final report of the European Commission Expert Group for Entrepreneurship Education underlined the important role of education in promoting more entrepreneurial attitudes and behaviours (European Commission, 2008). In Nigeria, various governmental and non-governmental organizations have initiated policies through support agencies such as National Directorate for Employment (NDE), the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP),Small Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN), National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Raw Materials & Development Council (RMRDC) to address the problems of unemployment among Nigerian citizens (Olayinka, 2010; Emannuel, 2012; Akhuemonkhan, Raimi & Sofoluwe, 2013). Nigerian Government and Higher education institutions have demonstrated strong commitments to encourage undergraduates to embrace entrepreneurship. Public policy makers recognize the importance of entrepreneurship as a promoter of economic development and hence support instruments like entrepreneurship education to increase entrepreneurial activity (Fayolle, Gailly, & Lassas-Clerc, 2006). These examples provide evidence of the widespread belief in the positive impact of entrepreneurship education. By offering entrepreneurship education programmes, the initiators follow the principles of ‘conventional wisdom’ (Souitaris, Zerbinati, & Al-Laham, 2007) that to become an entrepreneur, the concerned individual needs to learn the "how" first. Research has, to date, contributed to this belief and underlined the positive impact of entrepreneurship education (Chrisman, 1997; Peterman & Kennedy, 2003; Zhao, Seibert, & Hills, 2005). Investment in entrepreneurship programmes is still on the increase (Gwynne, 2008); and the growth can be seen as indicative of widespread governmental belief in the positive impact that entrepreneurship can have on the socio-economic and political infrastructure of a nation (Matlay, 2008). In 2004 for instance, the National Universities Commission (NUC), which is the regulatory body for university operations in Nigeria, mandated all universities in the Country to introduce a compulsory twosemester undergraduate level course on entrepreneurship. The goal was to stimulate and reinforce entrepreneurial mind-set among Nigerian undergraduates and to inculcate necessary entrepreneurship knowledge and skills, with the intention to reducing unemployment among fresh graduates in Nigeria (AjaOkorie and Adali, 2013). It is argued that the undergraduates, however, must first intend to become entrepreneurs before they can later realize such desire. This is in consonance with Ajzen’s (1991, 2005) theory of planned behavior which posits that intention is the best predictor of action or behaviour. Not being unmindful of the possibility of unrealized intentions, it remains logical, safe and reasonable to first nurse an intention that will trigger the planning activity as necessary precursor to engaging in a line of business or entrepreneurial endeavour (Ekundayo & Babatunde, 2014). Although it would appear that there is a strong belief that entrepreneurship education would influence entrepreneurial intention positively, especially in the context of increased effort investments, by the public and private sectors to promote entrepreneurial education, the bulk of existing literature have generally focused only on the perceived positive effects of the adoption of entrepreneurship courses in university curricular, to the seeming incognizance of whether a relationship really exists between students taking courses in entrepreneurial development study (EDS) and their intentions of becoming entrepreneurs. This study therefore seeks to close this identified research gap by examining the impact of entrepreneurial education on the prospects of entrepreneurship intentions among a sample of Nigerian Students.
1.2 RESEARCH PROBLEM
Despite the importance of entrepreneurship to economic development, the role of students in promoting entrepreneurship remains largely unstudied. Thus a better understanding of the factors that affect students’ and their entrepreneurial intentions could have theoretical and practical implications to policy makers (both the government and university). Lack of empirical evidence on entrepreneurial tendencies and intentions in Nigeria largely informed us in undertaking this unique study. The rising unemployment level is one of the most challenging problems faced by our leaders today, hence the youths are littered everywhere not having jobs to do.
1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
The general objective of this study is to determine the impact of entrepreneurial education, personal attitude, social norm and perceived behavioural control on entrepreneurial intentions (EI).
The specific objectives are to:
1 Determine the impact of personal attitude and EIs among undergraduate students
2 Ascertain the relationship between Social Norm and EI among undergraduate students
3 Access the relationship between Perceive Behavioural Control and EI among undergraduate students
4 Determine the impact of entrepreneurial education on entrepreneurial intentions among undergraduate students
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The study seeks to answer the following research questions:
1 What is the impact of personal attitude and EIs, among undergraduate students?
2 What is the relationship between Social Norm and EI among undergraduate students?
3 What is the relationship between Perceive Behavioural Control and EI among undergraduate students?
4 What is the relationship between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial intentions among undergraduate students?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
In order to answer the above mentioned research questions, the following hypotheses were formulated:
HO1 There is no significant impact of personal attitude and EIs among undergraduate students.
HO2 There is no significant relationship between Social Norm and EI among undergraduate students.
HO3 There is no significant relationship between Perceive Behavioural Control and EI among undergraduate.
HO4 There is no significant relationship between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial intentions among undergraduate students
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study would be of immense benefit to the development of entrepreneurship among Nigerian youths which would help boost the economy as the SME sector is a critical sector that influences any economy. The study would also be of immense importance to students, researchers and scholars who are interested in developing a further study on the subject matter.
1.7. SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The study is restricted to the impact of entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial intentions among undergraduates using the delta state university Abraka, Delta state as the case study.
Financial constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview)
Time constraint: The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.
Can't find what you are looking for? Hire A Researchproject Writer To Work On Your Topic or Call 0806-703-7559.
Proceed to Hire a Writer »