Exploring Entrepreneurial Motivations and Intentions of Students in Public Universities in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria: A Moderated Research Framework
Keywords:
Entrepreneurial motivation, entrepreneurial intentions, entrepreneurial knowledge, entrepreneurial attitude, perceived behavioural controlAbstract
Entrepreneurial motivation is seen as a crucial link to entrepreneurial intention and action. Hence, this study explores the entrepreneurial motivations and intentions of students in public universities in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria with a moderated research framework. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 346 final-year undergraduate pharmacy students from two public universities in the Niger Delta Region, Nigeria. Descriptive and inferential statistics provided the basis for the analysis. This study argues that strong entrepreneurial motivation (EM) will enable entrepreneurial intentions (EI) and that entrepreneurial knowledge can enhance individuals’ EI and accelerate their propensity to embark on new venture creation. Consequently, it proposes a comprehensive predictive model for entrepreneurial motivation that incorporates both cognitive-psychological dimensions from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and individual-level motivational dimensions to evaluate their direct effects on entrepreneurial intentions. The results support the view that individual behavioural tendencies to develop and sustain entrepreneurial intentions are positively attributed to the level of entrepreneurial motivation.
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