Effectual Entrepreneurial Intent among University Students in Pakistan

Abstract

The entrepreneurial behavior is largely determined by the entrepreneurial intent. The research aim is to study the antecedents that effect the entrepreneurial intent of the students studying at Pakistan universities.  Theory of planned behavior have been utilized in this study and uses the effectual scale for measuring the entrepreneurial intentions. The study empirically examines the effect of the personality traits and contextual factors on the attitude and the entrepreneurial intent on 230 university students. The research employs the quantitative approach to collect data through survey questionnaires. The data collected was analyzed using the partial least square structural equation modelling, and Smart PLS 4 software was used for the calculations. The research evidence suggests that attitude towards entrepreneurship is the most influential factor regarding the perceived intent of engaging in entrepreneurship to start a business. Most of the personality traits affect the intent through the mediating effect of attitude except the locus of control. The perceived support also has an impact on the intent. This study contributes significantly to the literature that exist on testing the effectual entrepreneurial intent scale on the students and its important implications for the policy makers both at the government and university level.