Entrepreneurial intention : an empirical study among Open University Malaysia (OUM) students

• Main Author: Leong , Chee Keong
• Format: Thesis
• Published: 2008
• Subjects: HC Economic History and Conditions; HD28 Management. Industrial Management
• Online Access: http://library.oum.edu.my/repository/306/1/Entrepreneurial_Intention_An_Empirical_Study_among_OUM_Students.pdf; http://library.oum.edu.my/repository/306/

It has always been the interest of our government to promote entrepreneurship and new venture in business as a mean to enhance economic growth for the nation and creating jobs to help to solve the problem of unemployment. The research conducted particularly among the students of Open University Malaysia (OUM) has attempted to understand the factors that stimulate or impede their entrepreneurial intention. The study has also focused on examining how many OUM students possess the entrepreneurial intention towards self-employment, how the relationship of demographic factors affecting their entrepreneurial intention, and lastly but not least how is the curriculum offered in OUM has helped to promote students' interest in entrepreneurship. It appears that the students find entrepreneurship both personally and generally desirable which suggests that entrepreneurial career in future might become more typical and popular among university graduates. However, training and skill development programs are necessary to increase the personal capabilities and generate interest and intention among students to have positive attitudes towards entrepreneurship. This survey has also confirmed the previous studies by others that the male persons at their prime age of 31-45 years old continue to be the most active group in terms of entrepreneurship and the role of entrepreneurial role models in the family has a positive effect on the entrepreneurial perception and intentions. It also appears that the entrepreneurial intention among female students is fairly low. This paper suggests that there should be continuous effort to promote female entrepreneurship and continuous effort from university to work closely with a variety of business support agencies or other government agencies to raise students' awareness of various avenues of support and programs available to assist them in their business start-ups. (Author's abstract)