the entrepreneurial intentions of university of belize students

The Entrepreneurial Intentions of University of Belize Students on the Belmopan Campus:

An Investigative Study

University of Belize

Faculty of Management & Social Sciences

2014/2015

Prepared by:

Julia Penner

Student Number: 2010111021

May 2015

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTIONS OF UB STUDENTS 2

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisor Ms. Charmaine Clarke Castillo for

her valuable assistance and feedback throughout the research project. I would also like to thank

several individuals who assisted with different aspects of the research project, namely, Ms.

Conorqui, Dr. Leopold Perriott, and Ms. Melanie Smith. Ms. Conorqui provided useful insight

on the research design, as did Dr. Perriott. He also assisted with questionnaire design and helped

to review the paper. Ms. Smith assisted with the wording and order of the questions in the

questionnaire.

I would also like to thank Dr. Phillip Castillo, the Thesis Coordinator, for his valuable

support and encouragement throughout the entire process. I also thank all the lecturers who

contributed some of their class time in order to distribute questionnaires to their students.

Another person who greatly assisted with editing various parts of the research paper was Jason

Chen, a Masters student at Galen University. Finally, my parents played a major role by being a

constant encouragement through the difficult times. The assistance and support of these

individuals was greatly appreciated, as it caused the entire process to run smoothly. Most of all, I

want thank God for His faithfulness throughout the entire semester, for without Him it would not

have been possible to carry out the Thesis effectively.


Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 5

Chapter 1-Introduction .................................................................................................................... 6

Background ................................................................................................................................. 6

Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................................ 7

Purpose of Study ......................................................................................................................... 7

Significance of Study .................................................................................................................. 8

Research Questions ..................................................................................................................... 8

Limitations .................................................................................................................................. 9

Definition of Terms..................................................................................................................... 9

Chapter 2-Literature Review ......................................................................................................... 10

Overview of Entrepreneurship .................................................................................................. 10

Entrepreneurial Intention .......................................................................................................... 11

The Entrepreneurial Intentions of University Students. ....................................................... 13

Factors that Impact Entrepreneurial Intention .......................................................................... 13

Personality Traits. ................................................................................................................. 14

Contextual-Related Factors. .................................................................................................. 15

Personal Background-related Factors. .................................................................................. 16

Entrepreneurship Education ...................................................................................................... 18

Gap ............................................................................................................................................ 19

Chapter 3-Research Methodology ................................................................................................ 20

Key Definition .......................................................................................................................... 20

Population Size ......................................................................................................................... 20

Sample Population .................................................................................................................... 20

Sample Technique ..................................................................................................................... 21

Margin of Error ......................................................................................................................... 23

Research Instrument.................................................................................................................. 23

Chapter 4-Data Analysis ............................................................................................................... 24

Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 24


Primary Research Question....................................................................................................... 25

Secondary Research Questions ................................................................................................. 29

Question One. ....................................................................................................................... 29

Question Two. ....................................................................................................................... 33

Question Three. ..................................................................................................................... 40

Question Four........................................................................................................................ 42

Question Five. ....................................................................................................................... 45

Question Seven. .................................................................................................................... 53

Chapter 5-Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 55

Chapter 5-Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 57

References ..................................................................................................................................... 58

Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 62

Appendix One: Graphs Depicting Socio-Demographics .......................................................... 62

Appendix Two: Research Instrument ....................................................................................... 64


Abstract

This study investigated the entrepreneurial intention of University of Belize (UB)

students on the Belmopan campus based on their personality traits, background factors, and

contextual factors. Furthermore, it evaluated the desire of students to develop their

entrepreneurial traits through entrepreneurship education and the extent to which they feel

encouraged to be entrepreneurs by their courses at UB. The study was carried out by means of

convenience sampling on a sample of 200 students. Courses were selected and, upon consent, the

respective lecturers were given packets of questionnaires to distribute to their classes. Some

questionnaires were distributed in person. The literature reviewed shows that University students

in different parts of the world have high entrepreneurial intentions. Furthermore, researchers

show that certain personality traits, background factors, and contextual factors influence the

intentions of University students. The research data was analyzed using SPSS. The results

indicated that UB students do not show high entrepreneurial intentions. The most influential

personality traits are innovativeness, leadership, problem-solving ability, internal locus of

control, self-efficacy, and need for achievement. Background factors also influence their

intentions: Faculty, enrollment status, age group, sex, and family business experience. Finally,

the most influential contextual factors are ethnicity and family support. In general, UB students

are interested in entrepreneurship education and feel that it is important. They would also enroll

in an entrepreneurship program if it were offered.


Chapter 1-Introduction

Background

An entrepreneur is an individual who organizes, owns, manages, and takes on the risk of

business, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (Amoros & Bosma, 2013). To

succeed as an entrepreneur an individual needs certain personality traits or characteristics.

Scarborough points out some of these in the first chapter of his book Small Business

Management (2012). The characteristics listed are a compilation of the results of many studies

that have been done in the past. First, he states that an entrepreneur must have a desire and

willing to take the initiative to start a venture. He also states that entrepreneurs prefer moderate

risk, that is, they are calculating risk-takers. Their goals may seem unattainable to average

person, but they have thought about their ideas and believe they can achieve them. Entrepreneurs

also need confidence, self-reliance, and perseverance. They also have the desire to receive

feedback right away, have a high level of energy, and are very competitive. In addition,

Scarborough points out that they think well into the future and are skilled at organizing their

resources to accomplish their goals (2012). These nine characteristics of entrepreneurs provide a

general view of what an entrepreneur should be like.

The extent to which individuals are inclined toward entrepreneurship also depends on

background and contextual factors. These include factors such as ethnicity, citizenship, family

support, and family business experience (Al Harrasi, et al, 2014). Therefore, an individual may

also be inclined toward entrepreneurship if he or she has grown up in the appropriate

environment. However, if he or she has not had that privilege, an entrepreneurial education may

be the key for developing the appropriate personality traits (Robinson, et al, 2013).


Statement of the Problem

In Belize young people ages fourteen to twenty-four years face a fairly high

unemployment rate of 20.4 percent (as of April 2014), according to the Statistical Institute of

Belize (Ramos, 2014). This unemployment rate is high when compared with the national rate,

12.1 percent, based on the 2014 Statistical Institute of Belize Labour Force Survey. The high

youth unemployment rate indicates that Belize is in need of more employment opportunities for

this age group.

According to an online article posted by Seven News Belize (2014), many university

students graduate but have difficulties obtaining formal employment which matches their skill

level—they are subject to underemployment. For some entrepreneurship might prove to be the

solution. If they can see opportunities to create small business start-ups, they may be able to

create more jobs (Bailetti, 2011). For those that may not have that ability, an entrepreneurial

attitude—recognition of business opportunities, belief in their ability to make use of

opportunities, and risk tolerance—may enable them to obtain jobs and to retain them (Amoros &

Bosma, 2013: 16, 24).

Purpose of Study

This study investigated the entrepreneurial intention of University of Belize students on

the Belmopan campus. It investigated entrepreneurial intention based on the students‟ personality

traits, background factors, and contextual factors. Furthermore, it evaluated the desire of students

to develop their entrepreneurial traits through entrepreneurship education which addresses

entrepreneurial skills and focuses on the development of the personality traits an entrepreneur

needs.


Significance of Study

This study can assist the University of Belize administrators in tailoring current programs

to include practical means which develop the appropriate entrepreneurial personality traits.

Furthermore, it can potentially highlight the need for an entrepreneurial program to be

established in the University of Belize. It can also assist other organizations such as

BELTRAIDE and Belize Youth Business Trust by indicating how likely university students in

Belize are to become entrepreneurs later on in their lives. As a result, these organizations may

see the feasibility of expanding their activities to benefit more young Belizeans.

Research Questions

Primary Research Question:

Do UB students have entrepreneurial intentions? Are some already entrepreneurs?

Secondary Research Questions:

1. Do UB students possess the personality traits required to become entrepreneurs? Do the

personality traits influence their entrepreneurial intentions?

2. Does the personal background influence the students‟ entrepreneurial intentions?

3. Do contextual factors influence the motivation of students to pursue entrepreneurship?

4. What is the level of interest among University students to develop entrepreneurial skills?

5. Do UB students see the need for entrepreneurial education?

6. Do they feel that entrepreneurship is encouraged at UB?

7. Would they enroll in such a program/course at the University of Belize?


Limitations

There were several limitations which were encountered during the course of this research

project. These include the length of the questionnaire, time constraints, resource constraints, and

the sampling technique used. There was a concern that students would find the questionnaire too

long to respond to. However, careful design and order of questions ensured that the students

would be able to fill in the responses easily. They were generally willing to answer the

questionnaires, left few answers blank and took less than 5 minutes to answer them.

Convenience sampling was employed in this study along with some elements of stratified

random sampling, so it is therefore not possible to generalize the results to the population with

complete accuracy. Furthermore, because the survey was carried out only on the UB Belmopan

campus, it will not be possible to generalize the results to other UB campuses. It would have

taken much longer than the allotted time and have been more costly to carry out a survey in a

truly randomized manner as well as on other campuses.

Definition of Terms

Entrepreneurship—the willingness to take risks and develop, organize and manage a

business venture

Entrepreneurship Education—the building of knowledge and skills either “about” or

“for the purpose of” entrepreneurship as part of recognized education programs at

primary, secondary, or tertiary-level educational institutions (Global Entrepreneurship

Monitor, 2010)

Unemployment—the state of actively searching for work, but being unable to find any

Context—the social environment in which an individual lives


Chapter 2-Literature Review

Overview of Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is defined by Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) as “any attempt

at new business or new venture creation, such as self-employment, a new business organization,

or the expansion of an existing business, by an individual, a team of individuals, or an

established business” (Bosma, Wennekers, & Amoros, 2012). The person who spearheads such

an endeavor is called an entrepreneur. Amoros and Bosma in their 2013 GEM report indicate that

entrepreneurship is widespread. They state that the highest prevalence of early-stage

entrepreneurship—at startup to three years in business—occurs in the age groups 25-34 and 35-

44, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean (p. 36-37). This

may indicate that these regions lack employment opportunities, which may be a factor that

causes younger individuals to choose necessity-driven entrepreneurship.

The authors also stipulate a reason why young people are very likely to become

entrepreneurs. They state that young people are likely to have new, fresh ideas, are born into the

technological age, and may have higher education than their parents in some areas of the world.

Overall, because they have fewer responsibilities than older individuals, they are likely to be less

risk-averse. (2013: p. 36). The above-mentioned characteristics of young people may indicate

that university students are among the most likely group of individuals who might have the

intention to start a business. Scarborough (2012), in his text book Small Business Management,

strengthens this assumption. He claims that more and more young people choose

entrepreneurship as a career instead of an office job for a corporation (p. 2).

It is important that young people become entrepreneurs. Tony Bailetti (2011) points out a

few reasons why. He states that companies started by university students are important because


they offer proof that the university is relevant, up-to-date, and competitive. He also writes that

these companies contribute to the economic development of the region where the university is

located in that they generate jobs and add diversity to the economy. This literature review seeks

to define entrepreneurial intention and give an overview of the factors that influence it, with a

focus on University students. It concludes with the importance and benefit of entrepreneurship

education followed by the contribution which this research project will make toward fulfilling

the gap.

Entrepreneurial Intention

Before entrepreneurial intention can be understood, one must first know the definition of

intention. Such a definition and explanation is provided by Ivar Azjen, a professor who published

a paper on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Azjen states that the central factor of intention is that

a person is motivated to perform a given behavior. The stronger the intention, the more likely the

person is to perform the behavior (1991: p. 181). He also indicates that an individual has

perceived behavioral control, that is, the resources and opportunities that an individual has

determine the likelihood of the carrying out of an action (p. 182). Azjen further states that there

are three determinants of intention: attitude toward the behavior, subjective norm—the perceived

social pressure to perform or not to perform a certain behavior, and the degree of perceived

behavioral control.

Alfred Bandura (1977) carried out a similar research. However, he focused on self-

efficacy, a concept which is similar to perceived behavioral control. Bandura defined self-

efficacy as “the belief in one‟s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required

to manage prospective situations.” He proposed that self-efficacy affects a person‟s choice of

activities, how much effort he or she will expend, and how long they will be able to persevere


(287-288). The concept of self-efficacy, along with the previously mentioned theory of planned

behavior can be linked to entrepreneurship. Researchers state that entrepreneurship is the type of

behavior for which intention models are suited. They claim that models provide a way of

understanding and predicting entrepreneurial intention (Krueger, et al, 2000).

A third keynote research on intention was carried out by Shapero and Sokol in 1982 in

which they proposed the Entrepreneurial Event Model. This model indicates that there are three

factors which affect and individuals intention to become an entrepreneur: desirability, feasibility,

and the propensity to act. Desirability is the attractiveness of starting a business and feasibility is

the extent to which a person feels capable of doing so (Kolvereid, Lakovleva, & Kickul, 2008).

In 2008, Lars Kolvereid and several others combined Ajzen‟s theory of planned behavior

and Shapero‟s Entrepreneurial Event Model. Below is a diagram of their proposed combination.

Their research, which was carried out by giving questionnaires to students in three European

countries, proves that the two theories can be combined effectively. That is, the attitudes,

subjective norms (society), and an individual‟s control over his or her actions determine whether

or not he or she sees it desirable or feasible to start a business of their own. Desirability and

feasibility, in turn, influence one‟s entrepreneurial intention.


The Entrepreneurial Intentions of University Students. Several recent researchers

have assessed the intention of university students to become entrepreneurs. Overall, researchers

discovered that university students have a high level of entrepreneurial intention (Peng, Lu, &

Kang, 2012; Remeikiene, Startiene, & Dumciuviene, 2013; Tong, Tong, & Loy, 2011; Wang &

Wong, 2004). Each of these studies was carried out by distributing questionnaires to large

samples of university students. Ngugi, Gakure, Waithaka, and Kiwara (2012) obtained similar

results in their study of university students in Kenya. They used Shapero‟s Event model to guide

their study and discovered a high level of entrepreneurial intention and a high correlation

between desirability and feasibility to intention.

There was one study which did not obtain the same result. Robinson and Stubberud

(2014) discovered that students are not that likely to become entrepreneurs because they do not

see themselves as creative individuals. This study was carried out by giving a two-week

entrepreneurship course to thirty-two students. Because the sample is relatively small, the

researchers found that only four students strongly agreed that they wanted to start their own

business. The focus of this research, however, was to investigate whether entrepreneurship

education can increase the intentions of students.

Factors that Impact Entrepreneurial Intention

The entrepreneurial intention of an individual can be influenced by personal as well as

social factors. In a literature review carried out by Al-Harrasi, Al-Zadjali, and Al-Salti (2014),

the authors suggest that there are four main factors that influence entrepreneurial intention. These

are personality trait-related factors, contextual-related factors, motivational-related factors, and

personal background-related factors. Due to the lack of study in that area and its irrelevance to

the research topic, motivational-related factors will not be discussed in this literature review.


Personality Traits. The authors of the literature review state that personality traits are

the factor that most determine entrepreneurial intention. The authors indicate that certain

personality traits affect intention more than others. These include self-confidence (or self-

efficacy), the need for achievement, risk-taking ability, innovativeness, autonomy (or desire for

independence), and internal locus of control (Al-Harrasi et al, 2014).

Studies on Personality Traits. Several studies of University students strengthen the

assumption that personality traits influence entrepreneurial intention. Each study focuses on a

different combination of personality traits which the researchers consider more important than

others.

Tong et al (2011) support the need for achievement but not the desire for independence as

determinants of entrepreneurial intention. This research was carried out by non-random snowball

sampling, so it may not have provided accurate results. Similarly, Fitzsimmons and Douglas

(2005) also researched on the need for achievement and desire for independence, as well as risk-

taking. The results indicated that there is a link between each of the factors and entrepreneurial

intention, including the desire for independence. This is contrary to the research by Tong et al.

The difference in results may be due to the sampling method and the education level of the

students. Fitzsimmons studied Graduate students, who may have had a higher need for

independence than the undergraduate students studied by Tong et al due to age differences.

Two other researchers confirm the link between the need for achievement and intention

(Remeikeine et al, 2013; Awang, Khalid, Ismail, Tahir, Mahmud, & Kassim, 2014). They also

researched other factors. Remeikeine focused also on self-efficacy, risk-taking, initiative, a

favorable attitude toward entrepreneurship, behavioral control, and an internal locus of control.


Awang et al focused on self-efficacy and initiative. These studies were undertaken in similar

ways, through questionnaire surveys employing a random sampling method.

A further study by Robinson and Stubberud (2014), confirms that risk-taking and

initiative are important determinants. They also emphasize on innovativeness. The other

researchers did not approach this personality trait. Their reason may have been that

innovativeness needs to be researched in a hands-on way. This study was carried out in a

different manner than the others. The sample consisted of thirty-two students who chose to

attend a two-week entrepreneurship course. As such, it may have been able to investigate

innovativeness in a more hands-on way than the other studies.

Based on the above studies of personality traits, it can be concluded that the traits that

influence entrepreneurial intention the most are the need for achievement, risk-taking, self-

efficacy, and initiative.

Contextual-Related Factors. Al-Harrasi et al (2014) also state that several contextual-

related factors can also influence entrepreneurial intention. According to them, context can relate

to the culture that surrounds an individual. They highlight four main factors which influence

intention: the subjective norm, ethnicity, citizenship, and family support.

Studies on Contextual-Related Factors. Much research has been carried out on the

impact of contextual-related factors on the entrepreneurial intention of university students. The

subjective norm has been proven to be a predictor of entrepreneurial intention (Peng et al, 2012;

Tong et al, 2011). A survey was carried out in each case. However, the sampling method by

Tong et al is not as reliable as Peng et al because non-random snow ball sampling was used. As a

result, only those who believed that the subjective norm influenced them could have been

chosen.


The impact of ethnicity has also been researched. Wang and Wong concluded that it is

not a factor that impacts entrepreneurial intention. Farrington, Venter, and Louw (2012), on the

other hand, indicate that there is a relationship between ethnicity and entrepreneurial intention.

There is more research evidence for family support (Awang et al, 2014; Dohse & Walter, 2012;

Wang & Wong, 2004). The first two studies were carried out in Asia, whereas the study by

Dohse et al was carried out in Germany. It can be concluded that the family is a unit that highly

impacts intention, no matter where an individual lives.

There are differing opinions as to whether citizenship (government support) is a factor of

intention or not. Peng et al (2012) proved that it is a factor, whereas Wang and Wong (2004) did

not obtain the same result. The difference in result may be due to the country in which the survey

respondents lived. The first study was carried out in Malaysia while the second was done in

Singapore. Singapore may not have as many incentives for young people to become

entrepreneurs, due to many corporate job offerings being made available (Wang & Wong, 2004).

Overall, the contextual factors which have a greater influence on entrepreneurial

intention, according to the literature reviewed, are the subjective norm and family support.

Personal Background-related Factors. The background of an individual has a strong

impact on his or her intentions, according to the literature review. Therefore, it can also impact

his or her desire to become an entrepreneur. In the review of the literature, several factors

emerged under this category: gender, family background, and education level (Al-Harrasi et al,

2014).

Studies on Personal Background. The most researched personal background factor is

gender. Of the literature reviewed on this topic, each researcher states that gender has an impact

on entrepreneurial intention (Peng et al, 2012; Shinnar, Giacomin, & Janssen, 2012; Wang &


Wong, 2004; Yordanova & Tarrazon, 2010). They all came to the conclusion that men are more

likely to become entrepreneurs than women. Of these studies, Yordanova and Tarrazon‟s study

was the most focused on this topic. This study was carried out in Europe, while the other two

were carried out in Asia. Peng et al may have obtained an unreliable result because their sample

was unbalanced: only thirty-eight percent were female. Contrary to the other researchers,

Farrington et al (2012) carried out a study in South Africa which indicates that gender has no

significant impact.

There is also support for the influence of family background, that is, family business

experience, on entrepreneurial intention (Dohse & Walter, 2012; Peng et al, 2012; Wang &

Wong, 2004). Family business experience, as defined by Wang and Wong, (2004), is the

entrepreneurial experience of the grandparents, parents, siblings, relatives, and friends of an

individual. The first two studies cited were carried out in Asia, which has a highly collectivist

culture (Robbins & Judge, 2010). Farrington et al (2012), however, did not obtain the same

result. Given that the researchers obtained similar results in Europe (Dohse & Walter, 2012), it

seems that family business experience plays a role in entrepreneurial intention in most regions of

the world.

There is disagreement as to whether a higher education level of a university student leads

to higher entrepreneurial intention (Farrington, et al, 2012; Wang & Wong, 2004). Wang and

Wong indicate that a higher education level does not necessarily predict a higher entrepreneurial

interest. They claim that honors students may not be more inclined to entrepreneurship due to

their emphasis on studying. However, Farrington et al conclude that a higher education level

leads to a higher entrepreneurial intention.


It can be concluded that gender and family business experience are the background

factors which influence entrepreneurial intentions the most.

Entrepreneurship Education

Entrepreneurship education is defined as the building of the knowledge and skills about

or for entrepreneurship as part of education programs at primary, secondary, or tertiary-level

institutions (Amoros & Bosma, 2013). Because this review focuses on University students, only

tertiary-level entrepreneurship education will be discussed. Entrepreneurship education has been

proven to reinforce the impact of personality traits on entrepreneurial intention, according to

Remeikeine et al (2013). The results of Robinson and Stubberud (2014) confirm Remeikeine‟s

research by indicating that education can increase the risk-taking orientation of students

significantly.

Entrepreneurial education has also been proven to increase entrepreneurial intention

(Bae, Quian, Miao, & Fiet, 2014; Robinson & Stubberud, 2014; Saeed & Muffatto, 2014). Saeed

and Muffatto explain why: entrepreneurship education “exposes students to the business

environment, market opportunities, and real-life entrepreneurship situations to strengthen their

confidence in pursuing entrepreneurship.” Both Bae and Robinson obtained results which

indicate a small but positive correlation between education and entrepreneurial intention. Bae‟s

study was carried out by analyzing many research papers which address the topic. Robinson‟s

study was carried out by offering a two-week entrepreneurship course and evaluating the change

in students‟ opinions before and after the course. Due to the involvement of an actual class

structure, this method of study may have produced more accurate results than a review of

research papers.


Gap

The topic of entrepreneurial intention among University students has been widely

researched. According to the literature reviewed, University students have a high level of

entrepreneurial intention. The literature also indicates that personality traits, background factors,

and contextual factors have a significant impact on an individual‟s entrepreneurial intention.

Furthermore, studies indicate that entrepreneurship education can help individuals to develop the

personality traits which build up their entrepreneurial intention.

Most of the studies focused on personality traits, personal background, and contextual

factors. Very few focused on motivational factors. This is an area for further research. The

studies reviewed were undertaken in different parts of the world: Germany, Singapore, China,

Malaysia, South Africa, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Finland, America, and globally (GEM). However,

very little literature from the Caribbean and the Americas was economically accessible nor was

this topic researched in this region. One paper from the Caribbean was accessible but did not

directly relate to the research topic.

In particular, the topic of the entrepreneurial intention of University students has not been

researched in Belize. This study can contribute to filling that gap by being the first to research

this topic in Belize. In a way similar to the studies reviewed, it will evaluate the entrepreneurial

intention of University of Belize students along with the personality trait, personal background,

and contextual factors that influence it. Finally, it will briefly consider the need for

entrepreneurship education in Belize based on feedback from the students.


Chapter 3-Research Methodology

This research project was carried out in the form of a sample survey among University of

Belize students. Therefore, the quantitative research model was followed, which enabled the

research data to be manipulated numerically and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the

Social Sciences (SPSS).

Key Definition

University of Belize Student (UB Student): an actively enrolled student taking Associates or

Bachelors courses at the University of Belize Central Campus in Belmopan, in any of the four

main faculties. These faculties include the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences (FMSS);

the Faculty of English and Arts (FEA); the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST); and the

Faculty of Nursing and Allied Health (FNAH).

Population Size

This research was based on one main population, that of the students studying at the

University of Belize Central Campus. There are 2,101 UB students in this population, meeting

the criteria in the above definition (Records Office, 2015).

Sample Population

The sample population consisted of two hundred (200) UB students. This population size

was derived by locating the population, a confidence level of ninety-five (95) percent and the

desired margin of error in a Required Sample Size spreadsheet published by The Research

Advisors.


Sample Technique

A convenience sampling method along with some elements of proportionate stratified

random sampling was utilized in this study due to the extensive distribution period that a random

survey would require. As such, the questionnaires were distributed in a manner proportionate to

the UB student population to ensure that a representative sample was obtained.

First, the listing of the number of students enrolled at UB issued by the Records Office

(2015) was obtained so that the population could be ascertained. The percentage which each of

the four Faculties represents of the total population was then calculated. FST occupies the

highest percentage, 29 percent. It is followed closely by FMSS and FEA, which represent 26

percent and 27 percent or the population, respectively. FNAH represents only 18 percent of the

entire population. The number of students needed was then determined using the above

percentages. The resulting numbers are listed below:

FST: 57 students

FEA: 54 students

FMSS: 53 students

FNAH: 36 students

The total number of Associate students and Bachelor students are 107 and 93,

respectively. In order to also obtain a representative sample of the Associate and Bachelor level

students, each Faculty was subdivided further. The percentages and the number of students

needed were calculated next. These are listed in the table below:

Faculty Associates:

Percentage

Associates:

Student Count

Bachelors:

Percentage

Bachelors:

Student Count

FST 67% 39 33% 18

FEA 45% 25 55% 30

FMSS 56% 30 44% 23

FNAH 36% 13 64% 23


To account for the possibility of a 25 percent non-response rate and invalid questionnaires, fifty

additional questionnaires were distributed.

After the calculations were completed, the Records Office was consulted to determine the

classes in which students from all faculties are enrolled in. For the Associate level, College

English 2 classes and Composing Process were the choices utilized because every student is

required to take these courses and they have many sections. At the Bachelor level, there are not

as many courses which all students must take because the students specialize in a certain field.

The decision was made to select one course from each Faculty. Therefore, Research Methods for

Social Sciences (FMSS), Bio Statistics 2 (FST), Instructional Techniques (FEA), and Nursing

Management and Leadership (FNAH) were selected. The class size, lecturer, and other course

information were noted at this time to facilitate the preparation of the questionnaire packets.

After the courses have been selected, the Dean of the Faculty in which the classes are

offered was asked for permission to distribute the questionnaires to the students in those classes.

The lecturers of these classes were then contacted, and upon consent, they were given a packet of

questionnaires to distribute to their students. After the students answered the questionnaires, the

completed packets were collected from the lecturers. Since the initial selection of courses and

distribution of questionnaires did not yield the number of Associate FNAH students needed,

some more questionnaires were distributed to a class taken by Med Lab students.

Because the questionnaires were given to the lecturers to distribute to their students, they

were self-administered, so they were sent to the lecturers along with a cover letter. This letter

stated the purpose and importance of the study and gave a few instructions. This letter can be

found in Appendix Two.


Margin of Error

The margin of error for a sample of 200 UB students is calculated at 6.61 percent with a

confidence level of 95 percent (The Research Advisors).

Research Instrument

The research project was carried out by means of a sample survey. The questionnaire

consisted mainly of close-ended questions—to facilitate quick responses—along with one open-

ended question. Eight questions related to demographical information and nineteen questions

related directly to the research questions. The questions followed the sequence of the research

questions as closely as possible, with the exception of a few demographic questions, i.e. gender

and education level, which directly related to the research questions. Some of the questions

relating to Entrepreneurial Intention were modeled after questions used by Robinson and

Stubberud (2014). This questionnaire can be found in Appendix Two.

Three different levels of measurement were employed in designing the questionnaire:

nominal, ordinal, and scales. The nominal level was utilized in questions one, three, four, five,

seven, twenty-one, and twenty-two. The ordinal level was used in questions two and six. The

remaining questions utilized the Likert scale. They were organized in a four-point scale ranging

from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree”. This scale was utilized so that the degree to

which a student agrees with the statement could be evaluated.

In order to ensure that the questions were understandable to the respondents, a pre-test of

5 questionnaires was carried out along with a detailed consultation with Ms. Melanie Smith

before distributing the questionnaire to the entire sample.


Chapter 4-Data Analysis

Introduction

This data analysis aims to understand the entrepreneurial intentions of UB students on the

Belmopan Campus based on the primary and secondary research questions posed in the early

stages of the research project. The research data was processed using SPSS and cross-tabulations

were carried out to facilitate analysis. Graphs were then generated using Microsoft Excel. This

program allowed the graphs to be presented in the appropriate manner. In this analysis, four

types of visuals are utilized: bar graphs, column graphs, pie charts, and tables.

On the following page is a table which summarizes the quotas that were set and the actual

results. The quota for Associates students was met or exceeded for FMSS and FNAH. For

Bachelors students, the quota was met or exceeded by all Faculties. The total quota for each

faculty was met or exceeded by FMSS and FNAH. The total sample quota, 200, was met. In

order to meet this quota, 265 questionnaires were distributed to students by means of

convenience sampling, as stipulated in the research methodology. The total response rate was 76

percent.

Initially, 250 questionnaires were distributed. However, fifteen additional questionnaires

were distributed to the Associates students of the FNAH faculty, with the assistance of a lecturer.

As planned, the majority of questionnaires were distributed directly by the lecturers to their

students, and the packets of questionnaires were collected later on. However, three of the classes

were administered questionnaires personally, based on the wishes of the lecturer. In terms of the

questionnaires, very few questions were left unanswered, so all 202 questionnaires were

considered valid and usable in the analysis.


Table 1: Sample Quotas and Actual Results Associates Bachelors Total

Faculty Quota Actual Quota Actual Quota Actual

FMSS 30 36 23 24 53 60

FEA 25 17 30 33 54 50

FST 39 32 18 18 57 50

FNAH 13 19 23 23 36 42

Totals 107 104 94 98 200 202

The sample consisted of 71 percent Females and 29 percent Males of the valid responses.

Two did not respond to the question. The majority of the respondents, 68 percent, were in the age

range 18 to 24; 17.8 percent were 25 to 34 years; 9.6 were below 18; 3 percent 35 to 45; and 1.5

percent 45 and over. Five students did not respond to the question. Concerning the home district

of the students, the majority were from Cayo District, 55.7 percent, followed by Belize (11.4

percent), Stann Creek (9.5 percent), Corozal (9 percent), Orange Walk (8.5 percent), and Toledo

(6 percent). Only one did not respond to this question. Students were also asked to indicate their

ethnic background. Mestizo was the most common (50.7 percent), followed by Creole (18.4),

Other, (9.5), Garifuna (7.5), Maya (7.5), Mennonite (2.5), East Indian (2), and Asian (2). Graphs

depicting these demographics along with the questionnaire are located in the Appendices.

Primary Research Question

Do UB students have the desire to become entrepreneurs? Are some already

entrepreneurs?

In this research project, two variables for entrepreneurial intention were evaluated:

intention upon graduation and a five-year intention in questions 3.22 and 3.23, respectively.

Research findings show that UB students generally do not have strong entrepreneurial intentions.

Of the total population, 202 students, only 9.5 percent had entrepreneurial intentions upon

graduation. However, 32.2 percent had 5-year entrepreneurial intentions. There may be certain


factors, such as start-up capital, lack of support from the economy, and a lack of adequate

knowledge which cause the students to have low entrepreneurial intentions. Even if they are

interested in entrepreneurship, the above constraining factors may prevent them from having

such an intention. Due to the small percentage of immediate entrepreneurial intentions, the 5-

year intentions will be utilized in this analysis.

Figure 1: Intentions upon Graduation Figure 2: Five-year Intentions

The questions on entrepreneurial intentions were included in Questions 3.22 and 23,

which asked the students about their goals right after graduation and 5 years from now. Some

selected more than one goal to pursue. A glance at figure 3 shows that the most common goals

upon graduation are pursuing higher education and obtaining employment. Figure 4 depicts all

the 5-year goals, of which the three most common goals are pursuing higher studies, working in

the public/private sector, and owning or managing my own business. The low percentage of

students with immediate entrepreneurial intentions, 9.4 percent, and the significant increase, 22.8

percent, with the five-year entrepreneurial intentions may indicate that students desire more

education and work experience before starting a business of their own. This seems to be a

feasible reason for not having immediate intentions, and is supported somewhat by a further

comparison of five-year intentions to the immediate goals—pursuing higher studies and

9.4%

90.6%

Entrepreneurial Intention upon Graduation

Yes

No

32.2%

67.8%

Entrepreneurial Intention in 5 years

Yes

No


obtaining employment. 40 percent of those with 5 year intentions wanted to pursue further

studies, while 36.9 percent wanted to obtain employment.

Figure 3: Goals of UB students upon Graduation

Figure 4: Five-Year Goals of UB Students

Question 1.8 ascertained the employment status of UB students. Based on the responses

of the students summarized in figure 5, it is interesting to note that 22.4 percent of UB students

are already self-employed. This is not a significant amount. Of these students, only 33 percent

saw themselves running their own business in five years, 40 percent saw themselves pursuing

0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%

51.5%

37.6%

9.4% 4.5% 6.4%

Goals of UB Students Upon Graduation

Series1

0.0%5.0%

10.0%15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%

Pursuing Further Studies

Working in the

Private or Public Sector

Owning or Managing my Own Business

Don’t Know Yet

Other Activities

34.2% 34.2% 32.2%

4.5% 1%

Goals of UB Students

5-Year Goals of UB Students

Series1


further studies, and 33 percent saw themselves working in the private or public sector. However,

the majority, 42.6 percent, are not employed yet. Figure 5 shows this research finding. This may

be due to their pursuit of full-time studies at UB, which do not allow them time to work. Figure 6

shows that the majority of students, 48 percent, who are enrolled in full-time studies at UB are

not employed.

Figure 5: Employment Status of UB Students

Figure 6: Employment Status of Full-Time Students

19.3%

15.8%

22.4%

42.6%

Employment Status of UB Students

Employed (full-time)

Employed (part-time)

Self-Employed

Not Employed

12%

17%

24%

48%

Employment Status of Full-Time Students

Employed (full-time)

Employed (part-time)

Self-Employed

Not Employed


Secondary Research Questions

Question One. Do UB students have the personality traits to become entrepreneurs?

How do these traits influence their entrepreneurial intention?

Figure 7: The Personality Traits of UB Students

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%

Risk-Taking Ability

Need for Achievement

Self-Efficacy

Initiative

Need for Independence

Perseverance

Internal Locus of Control

Leadership Ability

Innovativeness

Problem-Solving Ability

55.9%

45%

66.5%

34%

43.10%

33.7%

47.5%

36.1%

31.2%

30.7%

43.6%

53%

33.5%

56%

42.10%

62.4%

46.5%

55.0%

55.4%

63.8%

0.5%

2%

0

8%

13.90%

4%

5.4%

8.4%

12.9%

4.5%

0.0%

0%

0%

0%

2%

0%

0.5%

0.5%

0.5%

1.0%

Personality Traits of UB Students

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree


Questions 2.9 to 2.18 addressed ten personality traits which are necessary for

entrepreneurs, thus evaluating the presence of these traits in UB students. The graph portraying

the results of the evaluation is located on the preceding page. The personality trait which is most

common among the students is self-efficacy or self-confidence, with which 66.5 strongly agreed.

This result shows that UB students are generally highly confident in their abilities. The second

most common trait was risk-taking ability, with a percentage of 55.9 percent. This result also

shows a high incidence of this personality trait among UB students. As these two traits are

among the most important traits for an entrepreneur to display, it seems that UB students are

capable of being entrepreneurs. Al-Harrasi et al, point out that self-confidence is a valuable

individual asset and is the key to success because it makes individuals happy and improves their

motivation to carry out a task (2014). They further confirm that risk-taking ability is necessary

for an entrepreneur‟s success.

Other personality traits were not evaluated as highly as the two mentioned. The second

choice was „Agree‟. For this category, problem-solving ability was the highest with 63.8 percent,

followed closely by perseverance. Initiative, leadership ability, and innovativeness had

percentages within the range of 56 to 55.4 percent. For the majority of the personality traits, the

research findings indicate that the personality traits are not as strongly present as they could be in

the students.


Figure 8: The Influence of Personality Traits on Five-Year Entrepreneurial Intentions

The data was then manipulated to evaluate the influence of personality traits on the 5-

year entrepreneurial intentions of UB students. Figure 8 shows the results of the cross-tabulation

between each of the personality traits and the 5-year intentions. Table 2 shows the link between

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Risk-Taking Ability

Need for Achievement

Self-Efficacy

Initiative

Need for Independence

Perseverance

Internal Locus of Control

Leadership

Innovativeness

Problem Solving Ability

35%

33%

34%

32%

29%

38%

38%

40%

44%

38%

28%

32%

30%

35%

32%

29%

29%

30%

27%

33%

100%

25%

18%

43%

38%

18%

18%

27%

0%

The Influence of Personality Traits on 5-year Intentions

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree


each personality trait to entrepreneurial intention. The personality trait, category, i.e. strongly

agree, agree, is listed along with the highest percentage of entrepreneurial intention for the listed

categories. The link to entrepreneurial intention is also listed.

Based on the table below, it appears that the personality traits 1 to 6 in the table show a

strong link to entrepreneurial intention because the highest percentage of intention occurred in

the category „Strongly Agree‟. These results confirm the research that has already been carried

out and was discussed in the Literature Review. Traits 7 to 9 do not show a link because the

highest percentage occurred in the category „Disagree‟. According to Al-Harrasi (2014), risk-

taking ability and need for independence affect an individual‟s intentions. An entrepreneur

would have a high incidence of these personality traits. However, in this research, even those

who disagreed with the statement for the personality trait showed entrepreneurial intentions.

These traits may not be as influential on intentions in Belize. Initiative shows a slight link,

because there was a similar percentage who selected „Agree‟ and „Strongly Agree‟.

Table 2

Personality Trait

Category Link to Entrepreneurial Intention

Strongly Agree

1. Innovativeness 44% High

2. Leadership 40% High

3. Problem-Solving Ability 38% High

4. Internal Locus of Control 38% High

5. Self-Efficacy 34% High

6. Need for Achievement 33% High

Personality Trait Disagree Link to Entrepreneurial Intention

7. Risk-taking ability 100% None

8. Need for Independence 43% None

9. Perseverance 38% None

Agree Strongly Agree

10. Initiative 35% 32% Slight


Question Two. Personal background factors, including Demographics (Faculty,

Education Level, Student Status, Home District, and Sex) and Family Business Experience.

Personal background factors include demographical factors along with family business

experience, questions 1.1-1.8 and 2.19. The research findings prove that these factors play a role

in entrepreneurial intentions of UB students. Each factor will be discussed separately and then

compared to the other factors.

The faculty in which a student is enrolled plays a major role in the entrepreneurial

intentions. The results in figure 9 show that the highest percentage, 14 percent, of students who

have immediate entrepreneurial intentions are enrolled in the Faculty of Science and Technology

(FST). The Faculty of Management and Social Sciences (FMSS) followed with 10 percent. It is

rather surprising that FST would have the highest percentage of intention, since this faculty does

not teach entrepreneurship to its students. Rather, the students are taught scientific theories and

application. Hence, they would not know the procedures in starting a business.

The results for 5-year entrepreneurial intentions of students were more expected than

those obtained for immediate intentions. Here, FMSS shows the highest percentage of intention,

48 percent. It is followed by FST, with 30 percent showing intentions. It is expected that students

enrolled in FMSS would show higher entrepreneurial intentions than those of other faculties. In

this faculty, students take courses based on entrepreneurship and are encouraged to become

entrepreneurs after they graduate. The courses are hands-on, especially marketing and small

business management, in which the students develop marketing plans and business plans,

respectively.


Figure 9: The Influence of Faculty Enrollment on Immediate Intentions

Figure 10: The Influence of Faculty Enrollment on Five-Year Intentions

The education level of students, whether Associates or Bachelors, may also have an

influence on entrepreneurial intentions. However, in the research findings, this was not the case.

The percentage of entrepreneurial intention in each level held almost equal. Perhaps this is

attributable to the fact that Associates or Bachelors does not necessary predict that a student is in

the first two years or last two years of their degree, respectively. In the Faculty of Nursing and

Allied Health (FNAH), students are enrolled in a Nursing Bachelor program from the very start.

0%10%20%

FMSS FEA FST FNAH

10% 8%14%

5%

Faculty

Immediate Entrepreneurial Intentions by Faculty

Series1

0%

50%

FMSS FEA FST FNAH

48%24% 30% 21%

Faculty

5-year Entrepreneurial Intentions among Faculties

Series1


Figure 11: The Influence of Level of Education on Five-Year Intentions

Student status shows a greater influence on students‟ five-year entrepreneurial intentions

than education level does. A higher percentage of part-time students, 43 percent, have

entrepreneurial intentions than full-time students. This may be because these students are

exposed to real-life business experience and see themselves more able to manage a business

independently than those who study full-time and thus have very little business experience.

Figure 12: The Influence of Students Status on Five-Year Intentions

The age of an individual may also have an influence on entrepreneurial intentions. The

research findings indicate that the highest percentage of intention, 67 percent, occurs in the age

group 45 years and older. The age groups that follow are 25 to 35 and 18 to 24. The results

correspond with the GEM finding that the majority of early-stage entrepreneurship occurs in the

31%

32%

33%

34%

Associate Bachelors

33%

32%

Level of Education

Level of Education and 5-year Entrepreneurial Intention

Series1

0%

50%

Full-Time Part-Time

31%

43%

Student Status

Student Status and 5-year Intention

Series1


group 25 to 34 (Amoros & Bosma, 2013). The older individuals and the ones between the ages

of 18 to 35 have more entrepreneurial intentions than those younger than 18 years do.

Figure 13: The Influence of Age Group on Five-Year Intentions

Figure 14 portrays the influence of employment status on five-year entrepreneurial

intentions. In this graph, the highest incidence of intentions, 47 percent, occurred among those

who were employed part-time. The second highest percentage occurred among those who were

employed full-time. However, among those who were self-employed, there was not such a high

percentage.

These results indicate that students who have exposure to business activities while they

study are more likely to have entrepreneurial intentions than others. Another factor that

contributes to such a high percentage is that the majority of part-time students, 41 percent, were

from the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences. These students may feel more capable of

managing a business because they have already done it for someone else. However, it appears

that those who are already self-employed do not want to continue managing their own

businesses. It may be that they feel the pressure of owning a business too great to bear, so they

would rather work for someone else or study further before continuing their business. The

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Under 18 18-24 25-34 34-45 45 and Over

11%

34% 37%

17%

67%

Age Group

Age Group and 5-year Intention

Series1


research findings reveal that 40 percent of the self-employed students would like to pursue

further studies, and 33 percent would like to work with the private or public sector.

Figure 14: The Influence of Employment Status on 5-Year Intentions

The district from which an individual is from can possibly have a role in influencing

entrepreneurial intentions. Question 1.4 asked the respondents to select their home district. When

a cross-tabulation between home district and 5-year entrepreneurial intentions was carried out, it

was discovered that the highest percentage of intentions occurs among those who are from

Corozal district, with 39 percent, followed closely by Cayo and Stann Creek district, 37 percent.

Belize District shows the lowest, 13 percent. In the districts with a high intention rate, there may

be more opportunities available for those who want to start a business. The highest concentration

of Mestizos occurred in Corozal and Cayo district. Mestizos also showed the third highest in

terms of entrepreneurial intentions. The majority of Garifuna came from Stann Creek district.

This ethnicity ranked high on the personality traits that influence entrepreneurial intentions, such

as need for independence and perseverance. In terms of development, these districts are not as

highly commercialized as Belize district, providing the people with opportunities to start a small

0%10%20%30%40%50% 36%

47%33%

24%

Employment Status

Employment Status and 5-year Intention

Series1


business more easily than they can in Belize district, as Belize City (the commercial center) is

located there. Therefore, there are more barriers to market entry.

Figure 15: The Influence of Home District on 5-Year Intentions

Research has shown that sex/gender influences the entrepreneurial intentions of

University students. Researchers claim that Males have higher intentions than Females

(Yordanova et al, 2010). The research findings show a similar result. Males show a higher

percentage of intentions, 36 percent, than the Females do, 31 percent. The difference is not very

great, however, and may be attributable to the fact that there are more Females than Males

enrolled at UB, 64 percent and 35 percent, respectively. In the population of 202 students, Males

were only 29 percent, while Females were 71 percent. Figure 16 and 17 show these findings.

Figure 16: Influence of Sex on Intention Figure 17: Sex of Sample Population

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Cayo Belize Corozal Toledo Orange Walk

Stann Creek

37%

13%

39%33%

18%

37%

District

Home District and 5-year Intention

Series1

25%30%35%40%

Male Female

36%31%

Sex and 5-year Intention

Series1

29%

71%

Sex of UB Students

Male

Female


Finally, family business experience has been proven to be a factor that influences

intentions (Wang & Wong, 2004). The findings indicate a similar result. The highest incidence

of five-year intentions, 45 percent, occurred among those who strongly agreed that they have

experienced working in a business which their family owned. The second-highest incidence, 33

percent, occurred among those who agreed. Therefore, there seems to be a link between family

business experience and intentions. Working with their family may enable the students to

understand how a business works, how to manage one, and essentially provide the tools which

they need to start their own business. It could also influence them the opposite way. The students

could become discouraged because they see how difficult it is for their family members to

manage the business, so they do not want to start one of their own. This may be one reason for

the low percentage of intention.

Figure 18: The Influence of Family Business Experience

Table 3: Table Summarizing the Influence of Background Factors

Influencing Background Factor Highest 5-year Intentions Percentage Link

1. Age Group 45 and older 67% High

2. Faculty FMSS 48% High

3. Family Business Experience Strongly Agree 38% High

Agree

4. Student Status Part-time Students 43% High

5. Employment Status Employed (part-time) 47% High

6. Sex Male 36% Slight

7. Home District Corozal District 39% Slight

8. Level of Education Associate 33% Slight

0%

50%

Strongly Agree

Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

45%33% 26%

13%

Extent of Family Business Experience

Family Business Experience and 5-year Intention

Series1


Question Three. Contextual Factors:

In the research that has been done in other countries, ethnicity was found to not have an

influence on entrepreneurial intentions. In the research findings, however, there are significant

differences between the incidences of intentions among the different cultures. Students of the

Mennonite culture showed the highest rate of intentions, 60 percent, followed by the Asians, 50

percent. The Creole and Mestizo cultures followed, with rates of 35 and 32 percent, respectively.

In Belize, the Mennonites and Asians are known for starting businesses. Entrepreneurship is a

part of life for these cultures. Based on a cross-tabulation between ethnicity and personality

traits, 100 percent of these two ethnicities agreed to some extent that they possessed problem-

solving ability, leadership ability, self-efficacy, risk-taking ability, initiative, and need for

achievement. As such, they are more likely to start a business than those of other ethnicities.

Figure 19: The Influence of Ethnicity on 5-Year Intentions

Figure 20 indicates that family support has a large impact on an individual‟s

entrepreneurial intentions. The highest percentage of intentions, 37 percent, came from those

who strongly agreed with the statement on family support. The second highest percentage, 28

percent, also came from those who agreed, but not to such a high degree. If the cross-tabulation

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Maya

Mestizo

Creole

Asian

Garifuna

East Indian

Mennonite

Other

27%

32%

35%

50%

20%

25%

60%

26%

Eth

nic

ity

Ethnicity and 5-year Intention

Series1


is done the other way, 61.5 percent of those who had 5-year intentions strongly agreed that they

had family support. Therefore, those who have supportive families are more likely to start a

business because they see that they will have assistance if they ever need it, whether in financial

or physical help. Difficult circumstances can arise in the management of a self-owned business.

An entrepreneur knows this and therefore may be more confident in starting a business if he or

she knows that help is available if it is necessary.

Figure 20: The Influence of Family Support on Intentions and Vice-Versa

Question 2.21 addressed the extent to which the social environment of the students

influences their decisions. For this question, there is not such a clear indication that subjective

norm influences entrepreneurial intentions. According to research, an entrepreneur who is

positively influenced by society would show higher intentions (Peng, et al, 2012). However, the

findings show an equal percentage, 42 percent, of intentions for the categories „strongly agree‟

and „disagree‟. This indicates that, in Belize, the influence of society has no significant link to

intentions. Whether or not students said they were influenced by society, they still show

entrepreneurial intentions. Perhaps those who strongly agreed are surrounded by persons who

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

37%

28%

22%

0%

Family Support and 5-year Intentions

Yes61.5%

35.4%

3.1%0.0%

Family Support and Five-Year Intentions

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree


influenced them to start a business, for the percentage of intentions among those who agreed is

only 26 percent.

Figure 21: The Influence of the Subjective Norm on 5-Year Intentions

Question Four. Level of Interest in Entrepreneurial Education:

Figure 22: Level of Interest of UB Students in Entrepreneurial Education

Based on the responses for question 2.24, students show a high level of interest in

entrepreneurial education. Fifty-one percent strongly agreed and 42 percent agreed. If these

figures are added, then 93 percent show interest in entrepreneurial education, at least to some

degree. A very small percentage was not interested. This is an encouraging statistic, since it

shows that an entrepreneurship program at UB could have a high attendance rate. Though the

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

42%

26%

42%

0%

Subjective Norm and 5-year Intentions

Yes

51%42%

6% 1%

Level of Interest in Entrepreneurial Education

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree


students do not have very high entrepreneurial intentions, they would like to develop their

entrepreneurial skills. They may then be encouraged to start a business.

Figure 23: Level of Interest Compared to 5-Year Intentions

The above graph shows a cross-tabulation of five-year entrepreneurial intentions and

level of interest in education. Of those who strongly agreed, 44 percent have intentions, while 23

percent of those who agreed have intentions. These percentages are as expected. It is feasible that

any individual who is interested in learning about something is likely to have higher intentions

than those who are not interested.

Figure 24: The Level of Interest of Students Enrolled in Different Faculties

A comparison of level of interest was also made to the Faculties in which students are

enrolled. This comparison is shown in figure 24. Students from FMSS show the highest level of

0% 20% 40% 60%

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

44%

23%

8%

0%

Level of Interest Compared to 5-year Intentions

Series1

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

FMSS

FEA

FST

FNAH

63%

40%

48%

50%

35%

48%

42%

43%

2%

10%

8%

7%

0%

2%

2%

0%

Facu

lty

Faculty and Level of Interest

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree


interest in education: 63 percent selected „Strongly Agree‟. Those from FNAH show the second

highest, 50 percent. However, the other Faculties are not far behind and in almost every faculty

except FEA, the highest percentage of interest is in the „Strongly Agree‟ category. In general,

then, students at UB, regardless of the Faculty they are enrolled in, have a reasonable level of

interest in entrepreneurial education. If one adds the percentages for „Agree‟ and „Strongly

Agree‟, the following graph is obtained. This graph shows that the highest overall interest to

some degree occurs in FMSS and FNAH.

Figure 25: Level of Interest of Each Faculty to Some Extent

The level of interest of students in entrepreneurial education was also compared to their

level of education. Figure 26 shows the results of this comparison. A higher percentage of

Bachelor students, 54 percent, are highly interested in education (they strongly agreed) than the

Associate students, 48 percent. A reason for this may be that Bachelor students are closer to

deciding what they will do in the future, i.e. owning their own business, than Associate students.

However, when the percentages of those who show some degree of interest (agree or strongly

agree) were added together, the Bachelor students showed interest of 92 percent, while

Associates students showed interest of 93 percent. Therefore, the overall interest of students is

approximately the same for both levels of education.

80% 85% 90% 95% 100%

FMSS

FST

FEA

FNAH

98%

88%

90%

93%

Facu

lty

Summation of 'Agree' and 'Strongly Agree'

Series1


Figure 26: Level of Education Compared to Level of Interest

Question Five. Need for Entrepreneurial Education:

The UB students were asked if they considered entrepreneurial education necessary for

successful entrepreneurship. Of the entire sample, 31 percent strongly agreed, while the majority,

47 percent, simply agreed. The lower percentage of students who strongly agreed indicates that

the students are not as keen on entrepreneurial education as they could be. They may not have

been exposed to it before, so they do not know all the benefits that this type of education can

offer an entrepreneur. However, when the two percentages are added, 78 percent agree to some

extent that it is necessary for an entrepreneur to receive an education. This is an encouraging

statistic for the organizations which support entrepreneurial education. There are also those who

disagreed that education is necessary. Some of these wrote that entrepreneurship is natural and is

a skill learned during one‟s lifetime. Figure 27 depicts these findings.

Figure 27: Need for Education

0% 20% 40% 60%

Associates

Bachelors

48%

54%

45%

38%

6%

7%

1%

1%

Level of Education and Level of Interest

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree

31%

47%

22%1%

Need for Education

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree


Figure 28 depicts a cross-tabulation between five-year entrepreneurial intentions and

need for education. Of those who have five-year intentions, 41 percent strongly agreed that

entrepreneurial education is necessary and 38 percent agreed. This is a total of 79 percent who

agreed to some extent with the necessity of education in this regard. These results show that

students who have intentions do agree that education in relation to entrepreneurship is important.

They have considered that they need more education to be more successful in their future

endeavors as an entrepreneur. There are few students in the sample who disagreed that education

is necessary.

Figure 28: Need for Education based on 5-Year Intentions

Another angle to analyze the need for education is looking at the Faculty in which

students are enrolled. Surprisingly, the highest percentage of students who agreed to some extent

with the need for entrepreneurial education came not from FMSS, but from FNAH. FNAH

shows an agreement rate of 88 percent when the responses for agree and strongly agree are

added. Similarly FST shows 82 percent, FEA 82 percent, while FMSS shows only 63 percent. It

is possible that the low percentage of FMSS students who agreed that education in regards to

entrepreneurship is important is because the students are already learning about entrepreneurship

in their courses and may think that what they learn is irrelevant to real-life situations. The highest

41%

38%

20%2%

5-year Entrepreneurial Intention and Need for Education

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree


percentage of those who disagreed with the need for education came from this faculty. The other

faculties may be showing higher agreement with the need for education because they are not

exposed as widely to entrepreneurship in their courses. Thus, they feel that education can be

beneficial to an entrepreneur.

Figure 29: Need for Education by Faculty Enrollment

Level of education and need for education were also cross-tabulated. Bachelor students

display a higher overall agreement, 82 percent, for entrepreneurial education than Associate

students, 73 percent. However, the percentage of „Strongly Agree‟ responses were about equal.

Overall, Bachelor students are more conscious of the importance of education than Associates

students. This would be expected, for they have had exposure to practical application of their

education to a greater extent than the Associate students, especially FMSS students.

A further breakdown which related Faculty, Level of education, and Need for education

was accomplished using crosstabs, in order to analyze the FMSS faculty further. The findings

now show that in FMSS, students from the Associates degree programs show a greater response

in all four categories, i.e., strongly agree, agree, etc. This may be because the majority of FMSS

0% 20% 40% 60%

FMSS

FEA

FST

FNAH

25%

24%

45%

29%

38%

58%

37%

59%

33%

18%

18%

12%

3%

0%

0%

0%

Facu

lty

Faculty and Need for Education

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree


students, 60 percent, in the sample were Associates students. However, it is important to note

that there were more Associate students, 40 percent, from this Faculty than Bachelor students

who disagreed to some extent that entrepreneurial education is important. This would support the

previous assumption that they are not as exposed to practical aspects of entrepreneurship as

Bachelor students are. The students in the sample may not have started to take courses such as

Marketing, for these students came from courses such as College English 2. As such, their

classes may be mostly based on theory, not practical application.

Figure 30: Level of Education Compared to Need for Education

Question Six. University Encouragement:

UB students were asked whether or not they feel that some of the courses they take

encourage them to be entrepreneurs. They were also asked to state why they feel encouraged or

why they do not, in the form of an open-ended question. Figure 31 shows that 58 percent, the

majority, feel encouraged by the University, while 42 percent do not feel encouraged.

Figure 31: The Encouragement of University Courses

0% 20% 40% 60%

Associates

Bachelors

30%

31%

43%

51%

25%

18%

2%

0%

Level of Education and Need for Education

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree

58%

42%

University Encouragement

Yes

No


It is important to analyze the responses based on the Faculty in which the students are

enrolled. As expected, FMSS shows the highest rate of „Yes‟ responses to the question. Seventy-

five percent felt encouraged by the courses they are taking, while 25 percent did not feel

encouraged. Surprisingly, FNAH also had a higher rate of „Yes‟ responses than „No‟ responses,

although the gap was much smaller. Fifty-seven percent felt encouraged, while 43 percent did

not. In the other two Faculties, the majority did not feel encouraged to be entrepreneurs. Figure

32 summarizes the above results.

Figure 32: University Encouragement by Faculty

The open-ended responses were grouped into common responses under each Faculty. For

FMSS, 85 percent of the students gave a written response. Of these, only 22 percent were not

encouraged by UB. The most predominant response was that their courses are not related to

entrepreneurship. It may be that these students were Associates students who have not yet been

enrolled in their specific business courses. They may be starting their program and taking general

courses. Seventy-eight percent were encouraged by UB. The most common reasons they felt

encouraged were that the courses they took gave them an understanding of business, ideas for

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

FMSS

FEA

FST

FNAH

75%

48%

47%

57%

25%

52%

53%

43%

Facu

lty

Faculty and University Encouragement

No

Yes


starting a business, and prepared them with the skills, personality, etc. needed for

entrepreneurship. Some of the courses they cited were Small Business Management, Marketing,

Fundamentals of Management, and Business Ethics. One person stated that the courses needed

more practical application, that is, development of skills instead of so much theory. Refer to table

3 for a summarized form of this information.

Table 4: Summarization of Open-Ended Responses for FMSS

Faculty Response Category: Yes Percentage

FMSS Give ideas for starting a business 35%

Give understanding of business and entrepreneurship 25%

85% Prepare you to be an entrepreneur 20%

(of total) Teach managerial skills 18%

Yes Give general encouragement 3%

78% Response Category: No

Do not relate to entrepreneurship 45%

No Do not encourage, i.e., courses and teachers 18%

22% Other 18%

Do not go in depth 9%

Give too much theory 9%

Of the Faculty of Education and Arts (FEA), 75 percent wrote an answer for the open-

ended question. Forty-three percent of these had answered Yes, and 57 percent No. Those who

answered Yes gave three different responses: their courses provide management skills, teach

entrepreneurial skills, and teach creativity. The first two were the most common: 44 percent gave

those responses for each category. Of those who answered No, the most common response was

that courses do not apply to entrepreneurship. It is interesting that some would say the courses

are encouraging yet others would not. Although entrepreneurship is not directly taught in this

faculty, some students state that they are taught entrepreneurial skills. It is possible that the skills

they learned are from the Management course they would have taken during their early studies at


UB. Furthermore, the students who were encouraged may have already had an open mind to the

topic. Therefore, they were encouraged although the majority was not.

Table 5: Summarization of Open-ended Responses for FEA


FEA Teach management skills 44%

75% Teach entrepreneurial skills 44%

(of total) Teach creativity 13%

Yes Response Category: No

43% Do not relate to entrepreneurship 81%

No Other 10%

57% Do not promote creative thinking 5%

Not interested 5%

It is no surprise that the majority of students, 53 percent, from FST also were not

encouraged to be entrepreneurs by their courses. Refer to figure 32. Seventy-six percent, 38, of

the students from FST wrote an open-ended response. Of these, the majority were not

encouraged, 55 percent. The most common reason they cited was that the courses do not apply

(76 percent). The reason that followed was that they were simply not interested (19 percent).

There were those who felt encouraged by their courses (45 percent). These students cited reasons

such as: the courses give an understanding of business (29 percent), give ideas for starting

businesses (29 percent), teach entrepreneurial skills (35 percent), and stimulate interest and

insight (6 percent). The most common reasons cited were the first three. Similar to the students

in FEA, students in FST must also take a Management course. Furthermore, they may also take a

few applicable courses, as one student cited that they needed to create an entrepreneurial activity.

Perhaps those doing Environmental Science classes are exposed to entrepreneurship more than

those in other programs of this Faculty.


Table 6: Summarization of Open-Ended Responses for FST


FST Teach entrepreneurial skills 35%

76% Give an understanding of business 29%

(of total) Give ideas for starting a business 29%

Stimulate interest and insight 6%



No Student not interested 19%

55% Other 5%

In the Faculty of Nursing and Allied Health, the majority feel encouraged to be

entrepreneurs. Eighty-eight percent of the students in this Faculty gave open responses (more

than any other Faculty did). Fifty-nine percent stated that they feel encouraged to be

entrepreneurs. These cited that their courses teach entrepreneurial skills (55 percent), teach

management skills (27 percent), and provide them with a business background (18 percent).

Although the students are enrolled in a nursing program, they cited that they take management

courses. Nursing and Med Lab students were the main programs represented in the sample. More

specifically, with regard to entrepreneurial skills, the students cited that they are taught to find

creative ways to solve problems, are given real-life lessons, and develop intellectual thinking.

With regard to management skills, most cited their Fundamentals of Management course. It

appears that FNAH courses really prepare the students with real-life skills.

Table 7: Summarization of Open-Ended Responses for FNAH


FNAH Teach entrepreneurial skills 55%

88% Teach management skills 27%

(of total) Give business background 18%



No Teaching strategy has a different focus: employment 20%

55% Do not teach in depth 7%

Student not interested 7%


Despite the high incidence of positive responses, 47 percent did not feel encouraged. Of

the total FNAH students in the sample, 41 percent gave a response. 67 percent of these, the

majority, stated that their courses do not apply to entrepreneurship, while 20 percent stated that

the teaching strategy is focused on their working for others. The remainder stated that courses do

not go in depth and that they are not interested. When students stated that their courses do not

apply to entrepreneurship, they probably are referring to their core courses, which would be

highly based on either Nursing or Med Lab. So, this response is understandable.

Overall, it seems that whether or not students feel encouraged to be entrepreneurs does

not entirely depend on what courses the University offers them. It depends on their mindset, if

the students are open to receive the knowledge and apply it. Students from each Faculty gave

insightful responses to support their answers.

Question Seven. Entrepreneurship Program Enrollment:

The last question the students were asked was if they would enroll in an entrepreneurship

program if the University implemented one. The majority, 69 percent, stated that they would.

Only 31 percent would not. This percentage shows that students are interested in learning about

it and would take the time to enroll in a program if they had the choice. One student wrote they

would enroll if the program were free, although an open response was not required

Figure 33: Student Enrollment in an Entrepreneurship Program

69%

31%

Program Enrollment

Yes

No


Figure 34 summarizes the results of a cross-tabulation between Faculty and Program

Enrollment. As expected, in each Faculty, the majority would enroll in a program. The highest

percentage is 87 percent, occurring in FMSS, the business Faculty. Therefore this is also no

surprise. The Faculties that follow closely are FST and FEA, with 68 and 64 percent,

respectively. FNAH has the lowest percentage of Yes responses, 51 percent, only a slightly

larger number of students would enroll than would not. Perhaps that is due to the heavy

workload that these students face in their programs.

Figure 34: Program Enrollment by Faculty

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

FMSS

FEA

FST

FNAH

87%

64%

68%

51%

13%

36%

32%

49%

Facu

lty

Faculty and Program Enrollment

No

Yes


Chapter 5-Conclusion

Research has proven that young people are generally oriented toward entrepreneurship

because they have many creative ideas and are less risk averse than the older generation. The

entrepreneurial activities of youths are important to a country‟s economy because jobs can be

generated. This research project investigated the entrepreneurial intentions of UB students on the

Belmopan Campus. Although University students in other countries show high entrepreneurial

intentions, the research that was carried out shows that UB students have low entrepreneurial

intentions. Furthermore, there are not many who are self-employed, and of those who are, many

do not desire to continue managing their own businesses.

To evaluate entrepreneurial intentions, the personality-trait, background, and contextual

factors that influence them were investigated. Despite the low intentions of UB students, the

students have a high level of self-confidence (or self-efficacy) and risk-taking ability, both of

which influence entrepreneurial intentions. The personality traits which were found to influence

the students‟ entrepreneurial intentions the most were innovativeness, leadership, problem-

solving ability, internal locus of control, self-efficacy, and need for achievement.

The influence of background factors on their intentions was also investigated. The

highest incidences of 5-year entrepreneurial intentions occur among the students of the FMSS

faculty; part-time students; students 45 and over and 25-34; Males; and those with family

business experience. Contextual factors, also found to influence entrepreneurial intentions, were

investigated as well. This research project reveals that ethnicity has an influence on intentions,

for Mennonites and Asians showed the highest intentions. Family support was also shown to

influence the intentions of the students.


Students show a high interest in entrepreneurship education. The majority also agree that

entrepreneurship education is necessary for an entrepreneur to be successful. Furthermore,

students feel somewhat encouraged to be entrepreneurs by the courses they are enrolled in,

although the percentage could be higher. Those from FMSS were the most encouraged, followed

by FNAH. The most common reason they were encouraged was that the courses provide a

business and entrepreneurship background. However, some students were not encouraged

because their courses are not related to business or give too much theoretical content. Finally,

UB students, the majority from FMSS, would enroll in an entrepreneurship education program if

UB would implement one.

Although the entrepreneurial intentions of UB students could be higher than they are, the

desire of students to learn about entrepreneurship is encouraging. Their desire is an indicator that

they would be able to develop entrepreneurial intentions and the skills to carry them out if they

were given the opportunity to do so. It is possible that action to give the students such an

opportunity could curb the unemployment and underemployment of UB students upon

graduation. In turn, the economy of Belize could also develop in a proper and sustainable way.


Chapter 5-Recommendations

The University of Belize can do its part to address the low entrepreneurial intentions of

UB students. Firstly, the courses in the business program could be carried out in a more practical

manner so that the students could develop entrepreneurial skills and the related personality traits.

Secondly, a few entrepreneurial courses could be implemented as electives for students of any

Faculty. Again these should be carried out in a practical manner, to stimulate the interest of the

students. Given that students are interested in learning about entrepreneurship, this option shows

merit. Finally, the management course that every student takes could be tailored to include a

little more practical basic business and entrepreneurship knowledge. In this way, each UB

student could be exposed to entrepreneurship to some extent.

Organizations outside of the University can also take action to encourage students to be

entrepreneurs. BELTRAIDE could host outreach programs on the Junior Colleges and University

campuses. In so doing, they could speak about entrepreneurship along with the assistance of

actual entrepreneurs. If the students show serious interest, BELTRAIDE could provide short

training programs at a reasonable cost to help the students to develop their ideas and teach them

the basics of entrepreneurship.

Finally, this research project could be carried out in a more extended manner. Firstly, it

could be replicated in other Junior Colleges and University campuses in Belize so that the

entrepreneurial intentions of University students all over Belize would be known and

comparisons could be done. In terms of the research content, the reasons why students do not

have entrepreneurial intentions should be further researched. At the same time, more detailed

statistical analysis which truly proves whether a correlation exists between entrepreneurial

intentions and the influencing factors should be carried out.


References

Al-Harrasi, A. S., Al-Zadjali E. B., & Al-Salti, Z. S. (2014). Factors Impacting Entrepreneurial

Intention: A Literature Review. International Journal of Social, Education, Economics

and Management Engineering, 8(8), 2442-2445.

Amoros, J. E., & Bosma, N. (2013). Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2013 Global Report.

Babson College; Universidad del Desarrollo, & Universiti Tun Abdul Razak: Wellesley

MA, Santiago Chile, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Awang, A., Khalid, S. A., Ismail, M. S., Tahir, M. S., Mahmud, S., & Kassim, K. M. (May 28,

2014). Personality and Contextual Factors as Determinants of Entrepreneurial Intention

among Malaysian Students. Mara University of Technology, Perlis, Malaysia.

Azjen, I. (1991). The Theory of Planned Behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human

Decision Processes, 50, 179-221.

Bae, T., J., Quian, S., Miao, C., & Fiet, J. O. (2014). The Relationship between Entrepreneurship

Education and Entrepreneurial Intentions: A Meta-Analytic Review. Entrepreneurship:

Theory & Practice, 38(2), 217-254. Doi:10.1111/etap.12095.

Bailetti, T. (October 2011). Fostering Student Entrepreneurship and University Spinoff

Companies. Technology Innovation Management Review. 7-12.

Bandura, A., & Adams N. E. (1977). Analysis of Self-Efficacy Theory of Behavioral Change.

Cognitive Therapy and Research, 1(4). 287-310.

Bosma, N., Wennekers, S., & Amoros, J. E. (2012). Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2011

Extended Report. (p. 9). Babson College, Universidad del Desarrollo, Universiti Tun

Abdul Razak: Wellesley MA, Santiago Chile, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.


Dohse, D., & Walter, S. (2012). Knowledge Context and Entrepreneurial Intentions among

Students. Small Business Economics, 39(4), 877-895. Doi:10.1007/s11187-011-9324-

9….2020.

Farrington, S. M., Venter, D. L., & Louw, M. J. (2012). Entrepreneurial Intentions: Demographic

Perspectives of South African Business Students. South African Journal of Business

Management, 43(3), 41-49.

Fitzsimmons, J. R., & Douglas, E. J. (2005). Entrepreneurial Attitudes and Entrepreneurial

Intentions: A Cross-Cultural Study of Potential Entrepreneurs in India, China, Thailand,

and Australia. Babson-Kauffman Entrepreneurial Research Conference, Wellesley, MA.

June 2005.

Kolvereid, L., Lakovleva, T., & Kickul, J. (2008). An Integrated Model of Entrepreneurial

Intentions. Entrepreneurship, Culture, Finance, and Economic Development conference.

Krueger, N. F., Reilly, M. D., & Carsrud, A. L. (August 15, 2000). Competing Models of

Entrepreneurial Intentions. Journal of Business Venturing 15(5-6). 411-432.

Ngugi, J. K., Gakure, R. W., Waithaka, S. M., & Kiwara, A. N. (August 2012). Application of

Shapero‟s Model in Explaining Entrepreneurial Intentions among University Students in

Kenya. International Journal of Business and Social Research (IJBSR), 2(4), 125-148.

Peng, Z., Lu, G., & Kang, H. (December 2012). Entrepreneurial Intentions and Its Influencing

Factors: A Survey of the University Students in Xi‟an China. Scientific Research, 3, 95-

100. doi:10.4236/ce.2012.38b021.

Ramos, A. (June 27, 2014). Nearly 17,000 already Unemployed as Grads go Job-hunting.

Retrieved from http://amandala.com.bz/news/17000-unemployed-grads-job-hunting/.

Records Office (February 10, 2015). UB Enrollment by Academic Status, 2014-2.

http://amandala.com.bz/news/17000-unemployed-grads-job-hunting/


Remeikiene, R., Startiene, G., & Dumciuviene, D. (June 2013). Explaining Entrepreneurial

Intention of University Students: The Role of Entrepreneurship Education. International

Conference 2013 in Zadar, Croatia.

Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2010). Exhibit 2-6: Hofstede‟s Cultural Values by Nation. (p.

29). The Essentials of Organizational Behavior. Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Robinson, S., & Stubberud, H. A. (2014). Elements of Entrepreneurial Orientation and their

Relationship to Entrepreneurial Intent. Journal of Entrepreneurship Education, 17(2).

171-11.

Saeed, S., Muffatto, M., & Yousafzai, S. (2014). A Multi-level Study of Entrepreneurship

Education among Pakistan University Students. Entrepreneurship Research Journal,

4(3), 297-321. Doi:10.1515/erj-2013-0041.

Scarborough, N. M. (2012). Chapter 1: The Challenge of Entrepreneurship. (pp. 5-7). Effective

Small Business Management: An Entrepreneurial Approach. Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle

-River, New Jersey.

Seven News Belize (August 11, 2014). We know about Unemployment, but what about

Underemployment?. Retrieved from http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=29673.

Shinnar, R. S., Giacomin, O., & Janssen, F. (2012). Entrepreneurial Perceptions and Intentions:

The Role of Gender and Culture. Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice, 36(3), 465-493.

Doi:10.1111/j.1540-6520.2012.00509.x

Statistical Institute of Belize (September 2014). Home page. Retrieved from

http://www.sib.org.bz/.

The Research Advisors (n.d.). Required Sample Size Spreadsheet. Retrieved from

http://research-advisors.com/documents/SampleSize-web.xls.)

http://www.sib.org.bz/

http://research-advisors.com/documents/SampleSize-web.xls


Tong, X. F., Tong, D. Y. K., & Loy, L. C. (2011). Factors Influencing Entrepreneurial Intention

among University Students. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanity

Studies, 3(1). ISSN: 1309-8063 (online).

Wang, C. K., & Wong, P. (2004). Entrepreneurial Interest of University Students in Singapore.

Technovation, 24, 163-172.

Yordanova, D. I., & Tarrazon, M. (2010). Gender Differences in Entrepreneurial Intentions:

Evidence from Bulgaria. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 15(3), 245-261.


Appendices

Appendix One: Graphs Depicting Socio-Demographics

Figure 1: Home District of UB Students

Figure 2: Sex/Gender of UB Students

Figure 3: Ethnicity of UB Students

55.7

11.4

9

6

8.59.5

Home District of Students

Cayo

Belize

Corozal

Toledo

Orange Walk

Stann Creek

29

71

Sex of UB Students

Male

Female

7.5

50.718.4

2

7.5

229.5

Ethnicity of UB StudentsMaya

Mestizo

Creole

Asian

Garifuna

East Indian

Mennonite

Other


Figure 4: Age Group of UB Students

9.6

68

17.83 1.5

Age Group of UB Students

Under 18

18-24

25-34

34-45

45 and Over


Appendix Two: Research Instrument

Greetings! My name is Julia Penner. I am writing a Thesis to investigate the Entrepreneurial

Intentions of students at the University of Belize. Thank you for agreeing to participate in this

survey. It should take only 5-10 minutes to complete. The information you provide will be used

solely for academic purposes. All responses will be kept strictly confidential.

Section 1: Socio-Demographics

Kindly check the appropriate response for questions 1-8.

1. Faculty

□ FMSS

□ FEA

□ FST

□ FNAH

2. Level of Education

Currently Pursuing

□ Associates

□ Bachelors

3. Student Status

□ Full-time

□ Part-time

4. Home District

□ Cayo

□ Belize

□ Corozal

□ Toledo

□ Orange Walk

□ Stann Creek

5. Sex

□ Male

□ Female

6. Age Group

□ Under 18

□ 18-24

□ 25-34

□ 35-45

□ 45 and Over

7. Ethnicity

□ Maya

□ Mestizo

□ Creole

□ Asian

□ Garifuna

□ East Indian

□ Mennonite

□ Other ____________

8. Employment Status

□ Employed (full-time)

□ Employed (part-time)

□ Self-Employed

Section 2: Kindly check the appropriate column or square for questions 9 to 23.

Entrepreneurial Intention

Strongly

Agree

Agree Disagree Strongly

Disagree

9. I am willing to invest a lot of time and/or money on

my schoolwork to achieve excellence.

10. I aim always to perform at the best of my ability: I

never settle for second-best.

11. I believe I have the ability to carry out whatever

action it takes to achieve my goals.

12. I prefer to get started on projects right away rather

than wait for someone else to do it.

13. I have a tendency to work on projects and other

activities by myself.


14. I work steadily to complete large projects, despite

difficulties

Continued Strongly

Agree


Disagree

15. I believe that I have the ability to influence the events

that occur in my life.

16. I have the ability to guide and influence people

17. I like to try new and unusual activities that are not

necessarily risky.

18. I find creative ways to solve problems as they arise

19. I have assisted my relatives—parents, grandparents,

aunts, uncles, siblings—in running their business.

20. If I were to start a business, my family would support

me wholeheartedly.

21. I am influenced by society‟s—parents, lecturers,

peers—expectations of my actions.

22. What do you intend to do after

completing your degree?

□ Pursue higher studies

□ Obtain employment

□ Start my own business

□ No professional career

□ Don‟t Know

□ Other

23. What do you see yourself doing in five

years?

□ Pursuing further studies

□ Working in the public service or

private sector

□ Owning and/or managing my own

business

□ Don‟t Know

□ Other (please specify)___________

Entrepreneurship Education: Strongly

Agree


Disagree

24. I would like to develop my entrepreneurial skills

25. I think the success of an entrepreneur depends on

entrepreneurship education.

26. I feel that some of the courses I take encourage me to become an entrepreneur.

□ Yes In what way? ___________________________________________________

□ No Why not? ______________________________________________________

27. I would enroll in an entrepreneurship program/course if the University of Belize offered one.

□ Yes

□ No

Thank you for participating in this survey


Cover Letter to Lecturers

Dear Lecturer,

Thank you for your assistance in the distribution of these questionnaires. My name is

Julia Penner, a student at the University of Belize. I am currently writing a Thesis as part of the

completion of my Bachelors Degree in Accounting. It is a survey investigating the

Entrepreneurial Intentions of students on the Belmopan Campus.

All that is required is that you distribute the questionnaires to each of your students at

some point in your class time. The questionnaire should take the students only 5 to 10 minutes to

complete. After they have been completed, please collect the questionnaires and place them in

the envelope provided, and return them to me by the end of next week. I will follow-up with you

and assist by providing a reminder. Since the results of this survey are very important, please

encourage the students to fill out the entire questionnaire to the best of their ability.

Thank you again for your assistance in distributing the survey questionnaires.

Sincerely,

Julia Penner

the entrepreneurial intentions of university of belize students

Documents