Designing a model for entrepreneurial intentions of agricultural students

What is it about?

The authors used Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior and Shapero’s entrepreneurial event model as well as entrepreneurial cognition theory to identify the relationship among entrepreneurial skills, self-efficacy, attitudes toward entrepreneurship, psychological traits, social norms, perceived desirability, social support, and entrepreneurial intentions. The authors defined the antecedents of entrepreneurial intention in agricultural students. The data were collected from a survey given to students at Iranian Azad University. The survey received 146 effective responses. Based on the findings from the structural equation model, the order of effect of latent variables on entrepreneurial intention was entrepreneurial skill (63%), self-efficacy (44%), attitude toward entrepreneurship (38%), psychological traits (11%), and social norms (0.08%).

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Why is it important?

The results show that entrepreneurial skill had the strongest effect on entrepreneurial intention. The following entrepreneurial skills are suggested for development of entrepreneurship: Assessment of student abilities and skills needed for entrepreneurship and self-employment according to the requirements of each discipline; developing the content required for knowledge, insight, and skills; using problem-solving methods and critical and creative thinking skills. Belief in self-efficacy was the second most influential variable on entrepreneurial intentions. To increase belief in self-efficacy, the following suggestions are proposed: educational proficiency; emphasis on practical courses, especially completing training courses; psychological characteristics and social norms influential to entrepreneurial intentions; visitation to successful entrepreneurial projects in agriculture; invitation of entrepreneurs to share their experiences for business; establishing and strengthening the entrepreneurial characteristics that will lead to the entrepreneurial behavior development in students using influential factors (risk-taking, self-confidence, achievement, independence, creativity, and innovation); and removal of governmental and legal obstacles to creating and launching entrepreneurial businesses to encourage graduates.