The impact of entrepreneurship education program on students' entrepreneurial intentions in Nigerian universities

Tools

Goje, H, 2017. The impact of entrepreneurship education program on students' entrepreneurial intentions in Nigerian universities. PhD, Nottingham Trent University.

Preview

Text
HUSSAINA GOJE 2017.pdf - Published version
Download (2MB) | Preview

Abstract

The importance attached to entrepreneurship education has become recognized and important by the Nigerian government and Universities that these programs are made compulsory for undergraduates. However, the impact of the existing entrepreneurship education programs in Nigerian Universities in aiding the decision to become self-employed after graduation still remains unclear. A comprehensive examination of the impact of these specific programs have not been examined since their establishment over a decade. This study examines the impact of entrepreneurship education on students' entrepreneurial intentions in Nigerian Universities, and identifies the factors that influence their entrepreneurial intentions. It also considers the suggestions that address the design of entrepreneurship education programs for Nigerian University students. The need of this research developed as a result of the high rise of unemployment among Nigerian graduates, and the scantiness of empirical research on entrepreneurship education in Nigeria. This research followed a pretest post test quasi experimental control group designs by using a group of third year students that participated in entrepreneurship programs and as a control group, students who do not participate in the entrepreneurship programs to measure their entrepreneurial intentions and its antecedents at the beginning and after a semester long entrepreneurship program.

Results revealed that there is a positive link between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions for Nigerian University Students. It indicates that there is a significant difference between the two groups, the entrepreneurship students showed a higher perceived desirability for entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial self-
efficacy, entrepreneurial intentions than the non participants. It also showed that the entrepreneurial learning gained from the program can benefit students with an improved desire and capability to embark on entrepreneurship. The results also showed that perceived desirability for entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial self efficacy were the most significant factors than other control factors in influencing entrepreneurial intentions. Added to this, the element of perceived desirability was found to be stronger than entrepreneurial self efficacy in the influence. Also, among the control factors tested, it was only students' course of study that was found to be a significant influencing factor entrepreneurial intentions.

This thesis has made contributions to the existing body of knowledge in the fields of entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions in a number of ways. Firstly, it conducted one of the pioneer research on entrepreneurship programs that have received no attention in the last decade in Nigeria, by providing more evidence on the applicability of theory of planned behavior in examining the impact of the program on entrepreneurial intentions. Secondly, it also provides more evidence that non-business students specifically, science-based can also develop higher entrepreneurial intentions. Thirdly, through a pre-test post-test quasi experimental control group design in a developing country, this thesis contributes to the methodology used for assessing the impact of entrepreneurship education by providing a robust approach in the assessment. Fourthly, it also adds to the debate on the most influential elements for determining students' entrepreneurial intention as perceived desirability for entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Fifthly, it provides more insight into the benefits of entrepreneurship education by revealing the positive impact that entrepreneurial learning has on perceived desirability for entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Sixthly and finally, it also provides suggestions for improving the design of entrepreneurship education programs for the Nigerian Universities. It was also proposed that with these suggestions, the entrepreneurship education programs in Nigeria may further consider the suggestions in the program by piloting the test of its impact on students' entrepreneurial intentions.

Item Type:	Thesis
Creators:	Goje, H.
Date:	December 2017
Rights:	This is to certify that this thesis has not been submitted in part or whole as paperwork for a degree at any other university or institutions of learning. Queries or requests for any other use, or if a more substantial copy is required, should be directed by the owner (s) of the intellectual property rights. You may copy up to 5% of this work for private study, or personal, non-commercial research. Any re-use of the information contained in this document should be fully referenced, quoting the author, title, university, degree level and pagination. I also declare that the work in this thesis was carried out in accordance with the regulations of Nottingham Trent University.
Divisions:	Schools > Nottingham Business School
Record created by:	Linda Sullivan
Date Added:	15 Nov 2018 15:35
Last Modified:	15 Nov 2018 15:35
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/35004