Socio-Demographic Determinants for Entrepreneurial Intention of University Students: The Case of University of Gondar Graduating Students

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is one of the best economic development strategies being a source of job opportunity, promoting balanced regional development, improving the living standard of the common people, ensuring self-reliance and balancing import–export transaction of a given country. Cognizant of these facts, this research examined the entrepreneurial intention of 2011/2012 graduating students of University of Gondar, Ethiopia. Cross-sectional study was conducted through mixed research method with sequential explanatory strategy. The findings of this study were based on information drawn from 310 sample respondents, two discussion sessions with 6 individuals and 10 key informants. Binary logistic regression, Chi-square test, percentage and bar graph have been used. About 56% of graduating students were not entrepreneurially intended. Taking entrepreneurship course, role model occupation, using of learning by doing approach, gender and family work expectation were significant predictors of entrepreneurial intention with Exp (B) of 5.821, 4.167, 2.94, 2.93 and 0.048 respectively. The study recommends that entrepreneurial orientation of the content and methods of teaching, the awareness level of role model and the surrounding community to the nature and role of entrepreneurship should be enhanced.

Keywords: entrepreneurial intention, socio-demographic variable and university graduating students