Engineering Students: What factors effects their entrepreneurial intention?

Abstract

Despite the large number of studies on entrepreneurial intention among tertiary students, there is a lack understanding of factors that lead entrepreneurial intention among engineering students. The objective of this quantitative study examines the factors that contribute entrepreneurial intention of engineering student by applied Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Participants were 328 final year engineering students from a public technical university in Malaysia. Using Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire (EIQ), the descriptive analyses found that entrepreneurial intention of engineering students were in moderate level. T-test and Annova One Way analyses revealed that no statistical difference of entrepreneurial intention of male and female, but engineering courses taken in the university play a role in explaining entrepreneurial intention. The study confirmed that students in engineering field did not possess high entrepreneurial intention. Among the three determinants in TPB that were examined, the highest mean score was recorded in perceived behavioral control. The study suggests that university management should provide resources planning of the university that related to entrepreneurship. The study contributes to the literature about the impact of entrepreneurship initiatives in Malaysia, particularly in a technical higher institution setting