Attitude of Students Towards Entrepreneurship
Attitude of Students Towards Entrepreneurship
Attitude of Students Towards Entrepreneurship
Student ID
Latrobe University
Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................4
2. Formulation of variables..............................................................................................................4
4. Hypothesis...................................................................................................................................6
6. Reliability Analysis...................................................................................................................14
7. Descriptive statistics..................................................................................................................15
8. Hypothesis testing..................................................................................................................18
References......................................................................................................................................31
Appendices....................................................................................................................................32
List of Figures
Figure 1 Campus Location...............................................................................................................8
Figure 2 Gender...............................................................................................................................9
Figure 3 Age group........................................................................................................................10
Figure 4 work status.......................................................................................................................11
Figure 5 Self eemployment status..................................................................................................12
Figure 6 Unemployment status......................................................................................................13
Figure 7 Study Major.....................................................................................................................14
1. Introduction
World needs more creative, innovative and smart entrepreneur which could be challenging
during shrinking economies (Iqbal et al, 2012). Currently, job market is offering limited number
of opportunities for the graduates. Due to the importance of entrepreneurship on economic
revival, it make its vitality to study among young students. The process of entrepreneurship
commences with managing activities with the motive of earn profits. Education is the easy mode
to develop entrepreneurial skills among young adult population. Due to the digital revolution,
younger generation are more attracted towards the entrepreneurship. The relevance of student’s
attitude and educational background cannot be underestimated while considering
entrepreneurship. Once the young individuals completely aware the importance of
entrepreneurship, they can effectively shape the growing economic demands. Athulya (2017)
revealed that entrepreneurial knowledge plays vital role in developing attitude and perceptions
towards entrepreneurial development. This enables to identify and categorize the new venture
opportunities in her studies on commerce student’s attitude towards entrepreneurship. Monika et
al (2013) also reported that there is a lack relationship between crucial factors that drive students
towards entrepreneurial development. Normal et al (2016) reported that attitude of students
towards entrepreneurial development is affected by severe challenges such as poor funding, lack
of technical knowledge and poor business opportunities in Australia. This study is devoted to
quantify the Latrobe university students’ attitude and perceptions towards entrepreneurship.
2. Formulation of variables
The attitudes of students towards entrepreneurship are influenced based on desire, intentions,
performance of entrepreneurial tasks and financial factors etc. According to the survey
questionnaire designed, the researcher has formulated two independent variables and one
dependent variable basically to test the relationship.
The questionnaire formulated this variable with the formulating the dimensions including the
questions of F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10, F113. Methodology and Conceptual
Framework
Conceptual Framework
Perceived
Desirability Intentions to
become
entreprenuer
Availability of
business
opportunities
The main aim of the study is to evaluate the students’ attitude towards pursuing entrepreneurship
in future. The study has employed quantitative research methods to estimate the attitude of
students towards entrepreneurship. A sample of 1694 students studying in Latrobe University
were recruited for the close ended survey. The primary data were gathered and analyzed using
SPSS software version 21. The students from two different campus location were chosen namely
Bundoora and Bendigo. The study employed empirical research methods and involves statistical
hypothesis testing for quantifying the relationship between critical factors of entrepreneurial
development on Student’s age, gender, campus location, study major and current employment
status. The study employed descriptive statistical testing involving mean, standard deviation,
minimum and maximum values to summarize the dataset. The study also conducted Cronbach’s
reliability analysis to quantify the reliability of the primary data gathered via survey. The study
employed linear regression analysis, one sample T test, Independent sample T-test, one way
ANOVA and Chi-Square testing to test the hypothesis. The results were expressed in the form of
tables.
4. Hypothesis
H0a: Current work status have no statistical impact on students’ attitude towards developing
entrepreneurial tasks
H1a: Self-employment work status pose significant impact on students’ attitude towards
developing entrepreneurial tasks
H0d: Students major subject have no statistical significant impact on choosing different career
options.
H1d: There is a statistical significant mean differences on choosing career options based on
student’s major subject
H0e: There is no significant variations on desire to develop entrepreneurial mindset among
students studying Bundoora and Bendigo campus
H0f: The current work status pose no significant variations on Student’s attitude on developing
career options on entrepreneurship
H1f: The Current work status of students pose strong statistical significant variations on their
attitude on developing career options on entrepreneurship
campus location
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
The above chart clearly infers that 77% Bundoora campus students participated and only 23% of
Bendigo students participated in this survey.
gender
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Missing System 1 .1
The above chart infers that proportion of female respondents were high (53%) than male
respondents (47%) in this study.
age
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Missing System 7 .4
Most of the students were from 20 - 29 age category (67%), as the survey was conducted. 25%
were under 20 age group. However, 4.5% students were from 30-39 age group. 40 – 50 age
group students accounted up for the 1.80% and 1.30% among above 50 age group.
I work for
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Most of the students participated - 69% working in private company. 24% working in public
company and 7% working in non profit organisations.
I am self employed
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
52% students work as freelancers, 32% students work in partnership firms and 15.5% work in
initial startup companies in this study.
I am unemployed
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
92% individuals attended this survey were students and 8% were unemployed.
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Missing System 5 .3
The above graphs shows that both business (50.4%) and non-business (49.5%) major students
have participated in slightly equal proportion in this study.
6. Reliability Analysis
Reliability Statistics
Cronbach's Cronbach's N of Items
Alpha Alpha Based on
Standardized
Items
.965 .961 102
The Cronbach’s alpha value is 0.965, 95% C.I. This infers that this survey data is 96.5% reliable
to perform statistical analysis. The Cronbach’s alpha above 0.70 is ideal for data analysis.
7. Descriptive statistics
The above descriptive statistics shows that mean female population slightly outnumber male
population in this survey. Most of the survey responses of the students are above 3, inferring that
most of the students agree on the attitude for developing entrepreneurship. The mean work status
of the students shows 1 inferring that they work in private company, working as freelancer as a
student. The average major of the students is 1.63 meaning that most of the students ail from
non-business major background.
8. Hypothesis testing
8.1. Linear Regression on Student’s work status on entrepreneurial task
performance
H0a: Current work status have no statistical impact on students’ attitude towards developing
entrepreneurial tasks
H1a: Self-employment work status pose significant impact on students’ attitude towards
developing entrepreneurial tasks
Model Summary
Model R R Adjusted R Std. Error of Change Statistics
Square Square the Estimate R Square F df1 df2 Sig. F
Change Change Change
1 .376 a
.142 .037 .730 .142 1.349 11 90 .212
a. Predictors: (Constant), Persist in the face of adversity, Define your business idea and strategy of your company., Identify
potential sources of funding., See new market opportunities for new products/services., Work productively under continuous
stress, pressure and conflict. , Design products or services that solve current problems., Develop and maintain favorable
relationships with potential investors and banks. , Write your business plan (do a market research, financial analysis, etc.) ,
Tolerate unexpected changes in business, Complete the necessary and administrative and bureaucratic work to create your
own business, Develop relationships with key people who are connected to capital sources.
The R squared value is 0.37, hence, this model is 37% accurate to predict the relationship among
student work status on attitudes on entrepreneurial development at 95% C.I.
Coefficientsa
Model Unstandardized Standardized t Sig. 95.0% Confidence Interval
Coefficients Coefficients for B
B Std. Error Beta Lower Upper
Bound Bound
1 (Constant) 1.130 .413 2.735 .008 .309 1.951
Define your business -.044 .076 -.076 -.587 .559 -.195 .106
idea and strategy of
your company.
Write your business .158 .084 .288 1.881 .063 -.009 .325
plan (do a market
research, financial
analysis, etc.)
Complete the -.041 .087 -.073 -.476 .636 -.214 .131
necessary and
administrative and
bureaucratic work to
create your own
business
Develop and maintain .093 .072 .183 1.302 .196 -.049 .236
favorable relationships
with potential
investors and banks.
Work productively .069 .068 .118 1.006 .317 -.067 .205
under continuous
stress, pressure and
conflict.
See new market -.100 .075 -.172 -1.325 .188 -.249 .050
opportunities for new
products/services.
Develop relationships .014 .085 .027 .169 .866 -.155 .184
with key people who
are connected to
capital sources.
Tolerate unexpected -.051 .093 -.076 -.547 .586 -.235 .133
changes in business
Identify potential .105 .070 .184 1.488 .140 -.035 .244
sources of funding.
Design products or -.063 .079 -.106 -.803 .424 -.219 .093
services that solve
current problems.
Persist in the face of -.024 .074 -.041 -.321 .749 -.171 .123
adversity
a. Dependent Variable: I am self employed
The self-employed students show negative relationship on defining business idea (-0.44),
necessary administrative skills (-0.41), seeing new market opportunities (-1.00), tolerance for
unexpected changes (-0.51), designing products or problem solving (-0.63) and persisting face of
adversity (-0.24) and positive relationship on writing new business plan (0.51), developing
investor relationship (0.93), productive work (0.69), developing relationships (0.14) and
identification of potential funding sources (0.10) at 95% C.I. Hence, null hypothesis is rejected.
Self-employment work status have strong impact on entrepreneurial development.
8.2 Linear Regression on Impact of student’s gender on perceptions
towards entrepreneurship
H0b: No gender bias is observed among students on perceptions towards entrepreneurship
Model Summary
Model R R Square Adjusted R Std. Error of the
Square Estimate
1 .133 a
.018 .015 .496
a. Predictors: (Constant), I positively value to be part of the entrepreneur’s
group., I identify with the entrepreneurs., I feel I have a strong bond with
other entrepreneurs, Being an entrepreneur is an important aspect of the
persona that I am., I feel a strong solidarity with others entrepreneurs.
The R squared value is 0.133, hence, this model is 13% accurate to predict the relationship
among gender on attitudes on entrepreneurial development at 95% C.I.
Coefficientsa
Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized t Sig.
Coefficients
B Std. Error Beta
1 (Constant) 1.694 .032 52.566 .000
Gender has statistical significant impact on the agreeing with entrepreneurial career. Most of the
values are negative except forming strong bonding among other entrepreneurs (0.003). This
infers that there exists a strong gender bias on attitudes towards entrepreneurs among students at
95% C.I. Hence, null hypothesis is rejected.
Model Summary
Model R R Square Adjusted R Std. Error of the
Square Estimate
1 .301a .091 .089 .477
a. Predictors: (Constant), With what probability do you consider to create
your own business from present to five years time? , If you had the
opportunity to choose freely the career to follow, what would you prefer? ,
Nevertheless, considering your actual situation and the limitations towards
your options (e.g. lack of money) indicate which career is more probable to
be chosen? , Do you think that in the future you will create your own
company?
The R squared value is 0.30, hence this model is 30% accurate to predict the relationship
between student’ s study major and entrepreneurial development at 95% C.I.
Table 8 Coefficients
Coefficients
Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized t Sig.
Coefficients
B Std. Error Beta
1 (Constant) 1.842 .032 57.360 .000
Do you think that in the future -.051 .011 -.184 -4.652 .000
you will create your own
company?
If you had the opportunity to .011 .009 .041 1.151 .250
choose freely the career to
follow, what would you
prefer?
Nevertheless, considering -.003 .008 -.012 -.362 .718
your actual situation and the
limitations towards your
options (e.g. lack of money)
indicate which career is more
probable to be chosen?
With what probability do you -.045 .009 -.166 -4.777 .000
consider to create your own
business from present to five
years of time?
a. Dependent Variable: What is your major?
Based on the students major, most of the students posed negative response for creating new
company (-0.05), poor funding (-0.03), developing new business in next five years (-0.45) and
free will to career choices (0.11) at 95% C.I. The null hypothesis is rejected. Hence, it is
concluded that student major on attitude towards entrepreneurship.
9. One Way ANOVA
H0d: Students major subject have no statistical significant impact on choosing different career
options.
H1d: There is a statistical significant mean differences on choosing career options based on
student’s major subject
Effects
Working in a Business 852 3.58 1.788 .061 3.46 3.70 1 7
Non Profit
Non-Business 838 3.86 1.859 .064 3.73 3.98 1 7
Organization Total 169 3.72 1.828 .044 3.63 3.81 1 7
0
Mode Fixed 1.824 .044 3.63 3.81
l Effects
Rando .136 2.00 5.44 .033
m
Effects
a. Warning: Between-component variance is negative. It was replaced by 0.0 in computing this random effects measure.
ANOVA table
Squares Square
servant for the Groups Linear Unweighted 2.381 1 2.381 .708 .400
government Term Weighted 2.381 1 2.381 .708 .400
The above One way ANOVA table reports that there exists a statistical significant mean
differences in attitudes on choosing career option based on the student’s major subject. The
students were classified into two major groups namely business and non-business. Creating new
company F(185) = 0.00, developing career in private company, F(35.46) = 0.00, working as civil
servant for government, F(2.38) = 0.00 and working for non-profit organization, F(9.335) = 0.00,
95% C.I. Most of the students preferred career path for new company. The null hypothesis is
rejected. There is a statistical significant difference in choosing career path based on their study
major.
10. One Sample T-test
H0e: There is no significant variations on desire to develop entrepreneurial mindset among
students studying Bundoora and Bendigo campus
One-Sample Statistics
Test Value = 1
The one sample t test results reported that there is a mean difference among students from two
campus on desire for entrepreneurial development. Most of the students from Bundoora campus
desired to become entrepreneur on facing new challenges df(22.57) = 2.31, creating new jobs (df
111.23 = 3.95), insure earnings df(58.88) = 2.7, to be innovate df(125.95) = 4.38, high earnings
df(150) = 4.75, taking calculated risks df(107) = 3.69 and to be own boss df(105) = 4.23 at 95%
C.I. p= 0.00<0.005. Hence, null hypothesis is rejected.
The Chi square test infers that there exists a statistical significant difference among student’s
working status and attitude to become entrepreneur. The Pearson’s Chi square is 574.45,
354.099b, 467.652c, 782.596b, 524.153b, 245.919b, 323.055b, p = 0.000>0.005 at
95% C.I. This infers that there is no statistical significant differences in work status towards
perception on entrepreneurial development. The null hypothesis is rejected. There are three kinds
of work status namely employed, self-employed and working for type of organization. Most of
the students possess positive intentions on becoming entrepreneur.
12. Independent sample T-test
H0g: No gender variation in student attitude on becoming entrepreneur
Group Statistics
Gender N Mean Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean
Equality of
Variances
95% Confidence
Interval of the
Difference
Facing new Equal variances 1.835 .176 - 1692 .157 -.090 .064 -.216 .035
Creating new Equal variances .183 .669 -.420 1692 .674 -.029 .070 -.166 .107
jobs. assumed
not assumed
Economic Equal variances .699 .403 - 1690 .015 -.171 .070 -.309 -.033
To be creative Equal variances .239 .625 - 1692 .289 -.069 .065 -.197 .059
Obtaining high Equal variances 1.526 .217 3.954 1692 .000 .273 .069 .138 .408
incomes assumed
not assumed
Taking Equal variances .024 .878 -.142 1690 .887 -.009 .065 -.137 .119
not assumed
To be my own Equal variances 9.669 .002 2.316 1691 .021 .159 .069 .024 .294
boss assumed
(independence) Equal variances 2.326 1688.344 .020 .159 .068 .025 .294
not assumed
The independent sample t test table infers that there exists a statistical significant gender
variations on perception of becoming entrepreneur, facing new challenges (male = 5.73, female
= 5.82), creating new jobs (m = 5.29, f = 5.32), economic risks (m = 5.21, f = 5.38), to be
innovative (m = 5.70, f = 5.77), earning high incomes (m = 5.41, f = 5.14), taking calculated
risks (5.40, f = 5.14), to be own boss (m = 5.90, f = 5.74) at 95% C.I. Hence, null hypothesis is
rejected.
References
Athulya, V. 2017, A Study On The Attitude Of Commerce Students Towards Enterpreneurship
With Special Refernce To Calicut District, Kerala, Nehru e-Journal, Available online: Article
(nehrucolleges.net)
Iqbal, A., Melhem, Y.&Kokash, H. 2012. Readiness of the university students towards
entrepreneurship in Saudi private university: An exploratory study. European Scientific Journal,
8(15): 109-131.
Norman, R., Doughlas, S., Takaruza, W, Morgan, M. 2016. Attitudes of Students towards
Entrepreneurship Education at Two Selected Higher Education Institutions in Botswana: A
Critical Analysis and Reflection, Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Vol.5, Iss.2.
Volkmann, C.K. & Tokarski, K.O. 2009. Student attitudes to entrepreneurship. Management and
Marketing, Vol.4, No.1, pp. 17- 38, ISSN 1842-0206.
Appendices
1. Chi square statistics
I work for
Observed N Expected N Residual
My closest friends
Observed N Expected N Residual