Entrepreneurial Competencies of Rural-based University Students

Abstract

Studies have shown that entrepreneurial competencies are learnable and that entrepreneurship education aims to develop the entrepreneurial competencies and intentions of students [1]. Higher education institutions are developing these competencies among students to better prepare them for an entrepreneurial career and enable them to adapt to change. The purpose of this study is to determine the personal entrepreneurial competencies, as identified by Management Systems International, of seventy-three (73) students who have successfully completed an entrepreneurship subject. Descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney and Spearman Rho tests were used to analyze the collected data. Results showed that the students’ top possessed entrepreneurial competency is Goal Setting but they are weak in Persuasion and Networking. A moderate significant correlation exists between their entrepreneurial intent and Goal Setting and a low but statistically significant correlation between entrepreneurial intent and Persistence as well as with entrepreneurial intent and Self-Confidence. Other competencies were not found to be significantly correlated to entrepreneurial intent. However, there is an opportunity to further improve the competencies if students are exposed to start-up activities that will enable them to collaborate, create, and commercialize. The results of this study provided inputs in enhancing the entrepreneurship curriculum of a rural-based State University.