ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS INFLUENCING ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTIONS OF UNIVERSITY BUSINESS STUDENTS IN LILONGWE, MALAWI
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to analyse the factors influencing
entrepreneurial intentions of university business students in Lilongwe, Malawi. The
study also assessed the relationship between entrepreneurial intention and family
background, government support and policies and education system. The data of this
study was gathered using a close ended questionnaire which was administered to a
sample of 228 students from a population of 532 university business students in
Lilongwe, Malawi. The sample was selected using stratified sampling technique. One
hundred and seventy eight questionnaires were returned making a 78% return rate.
Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study found that the
level of entrepreneurial intention of university business students was moderate as the
researcher found a total average mean of 4.65. The study also found that family
background and education system influenced entrepreneurial intention to a moderate
extent as evidenced by the means of 4.03 and 4.71 respectively while government
support and policies influenced entrepreneurial intentions to a lesser extent as
evidenced by a mean of 3.65. The study found that there was a significant relationship
between entrepreneurial intentions and family background, government support and
policies and education system (sig = 0.000). In view of the findings, the researcher
recommended that the programs conducted in the universities on the subject of
entrepreneurship should be made as a compulsory subject to all university students in
the country. The researcher also recommended that the government should play a
more active role in the development of entrepreneurship by providing more assistance
to the SMEs through funds and parents should encourage their children to be involved
in entrepreneurial activities.
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- SCHOOL OF BUSINESS [30]