Entrepreneurial Intention of Final Year Undergraduate Students of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Aims: The scientific literature on Entrepreneurial Intention (EI) among agricultural university students in Sri Lanka is meager. Therefore, the focus of this study was to evaluate the EI and to understand what factors affect on EI of the final year undergraduate students of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Study Design: The study adopted a cross-sectional survey research design. A stratified simple random sample of 100 final year undergraduates that represented 50% of each of the three degree programs of the Faculty of Agriculture, university of Peradeniya were selected for the study. The primary data was collected through a self-administered structured questionnaire. Place and Duration of Study: Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka from October 2018 to February 2019. Methodology: The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was used to measure the EI. Thus, it examined the influence of personal attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control factors on EI. Short-term risk taking, perceived structural support and social capital on business start-up were examined as additional variables to the theory. Results: The results revealed that each of the TPB variables significantly (P = 0.05) affect on EI, with an overall R2 = 0.606. Attitudes were the strongest predictor of EI, followed by subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. However, overall level of EI of the students was neutral. Awareness programmes, financial support, introducing and updating the entrepreneurial subjects were some major suggestions of the respondents to improve entrepreneurship among the students. Conclusion: Attitudes toward entrepreneurship is the strongest predictor of EI. However, overall EI of the students was neutral. Improving individual attitudes through motivational programmes, providing an approving nature of the staff towards entrepreneurship (subjective norms), mechanisms to develop entrepreneurial capabilities among students and linking entrepreneurship to the present curriculum, would be important to improve the EI of the students leading to a greater entrepreneurship.