Impact of Technological Entrepreneurship on Venture Creation among Science and engineering Students in Nigeria.
Loading...
Date
2014
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Obafemi Awolowo University
Abstract
The study evaluated entrepreneurship education given to science and engineering students in selected Nigerian Universities and assessed their capacity for technical venture creation. Factors that influence the participation of science and engineering students in technical entrepreneurship were also determined. This was with a view to evaluate the impact of entrepreneurship training on venture creation.
Primary and secondary data were used. Primary data was collected through the use of questionnaire and interviews. Twelve universities in Nigeria comprising four Federal universities, four State universities and four private universities were purposively selected for the study. Three set of questionnaires were designed for the study. The first set of questionnaire was administered on one hundred and twenty purposively selected science and engineering students to elicit information on factors such as the attitude of undergraduates toward entrepreneurship education, number of business opportunities identified, feasibility studies carried and ventures that were started by students both as a group or individuals among others. The second set of questionnaire was administered on one hundred and twenty fresh science and engineering graduates to elicit information on factors such as technical, business management and, entrepreneurial skills and so on. The third set of questionnaire were administered on thirty-six entrepreneurship lecturers in the selected universities to elicit information on factors such as availability and adequacy of entrepreneurship education, student interest and performance in entrepreneurship courses among others. Secondary data were sourced from the entrepreneurship curriculum of selected Nigerian universities. Data obtained were analysed using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics.
Analysis of variance revealed that there were significant differences (F = 9.62, P < .05) in the responses of the students of the rating of the entrepreneurship education received. The study revealed that the entrepreneurship education received was adequate. The students rated the relevance of entrepreneurship courses attended (4.08) the highest, followed by feasibility of entrepreneurship principles taught (3.60), sufficiency of courses for venture creation (3.60) and content of entrepreneurship courses (3.20) among others. The study also revealed that the students were capable of venture creation. There were significant differences (F = 6.85, P < .0001) in the mean ranks of the parameters for venture creation. The ratings showed that self confidence had the highest mean rank (4.42) of the parameters, followed by persistence (4.29), opportunity and information seeking (4.20), while risk taking had the lowest mean rank (3.76). In addition, there were significant differences (F = 36.30, P < .0001) in the ratings of the factors that influence the participation of science and engineering students in technical entrepreneurship. Lack of technical training (.98), start-up capital (.88), managerial skills and technical skills (.67) were found to be critical hindrances to participation in technical venture creation.
The study concluded that entrepreneurship education enhanced venture creation among the science and engineering graduates. Nevertheless, entrepreneurship training should be extended to include, practical learning to equip students with the needed managerial and technical skills and, access to start-up capital.
Description
xvi,148 P
Keywords
Technological entrepreneurship, Nigeria, venture creation, Engineering student, Science student
Citation
Oyebola, A.I. (2014). Impact of Technological Entrepreneurship on Venture Creation among Science and engineering Students in Nigeria.