Emefa Akua Amponsah, Maajid Zakaria Suleiman, Hafiz Adam and Victor Fannam Nunfam
Inadequate empirical evidence on the effect of personality traits, entrepreneurship education and university entrepreneurial support on green entrepreneurial intention outcomes…
Abstract
Purpose
Inadequate empirical evidence on the effect of personality traits, entrepreneurship education and university entrepreneurial support on green entrepreneurial intention outcomes among technical university students in Africa has hindered concrete policy interventions. Based on the planned behaviour and social cognitive theories, we assess the influence of personality traits and entrepreneurship education on green entrepreneurial intention of undergraduates at technical universities in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
We employed an explanatory cross-sectional survey comprising 1,329 Ghanaian undergraduate students to assess the research gap. An adapted 60-item instrument was used to measure outcomes for ten constructs (six personality traits, entrepreneurship education and green entrepreneurial intention) for the participants. A multiple linear regression analysis was used to model green entrepreneurial intention as a function of personality traits, entrepreneurship education and university entrepreneurial support while controlling for respondents’ background characteristics.
Findings
We observed a significant direct positive effect of all the personality traits, except subjective social norms and need for achievement, on green entrepreneurial intention. There was also a significant direct positive effect of entrepreneurship curriculum, teaching methods and university entrepreneurial support on green entrepreneurial intention. Our findings further provide empirical data to inform educators, researchers, policymakers and practitioners on the design of pragmatic curriculum, policies and interventions to inspire students into green start-ups.
Originality/value
This study is valuable for its novel approach of using an integrated theoretical and conceptual model to provide empirical validation for the burgeoning discourse around the impact of personality traits and entrepreneurship education on the green entrepreneurial intentions of technical university students in a developing nation. By synthesising diverse theoretical perspectives, this research enriches the understanding of how individual characteristics and educational experiences influence environmentally conscious entrepreneurial aspirations.
Details
Keywords
Victor Fannam Nunfam, Norbert Adja Kwabena Adjei, Hafiz Adam and John Frank Eshun
The paucity of empirical evidence on the limitations of the industrial attachment programme of technical universities for enhancing students' human capital in Africa tends to…
Abstract
Purpose
The paucity of empirical evidence on the limitations of the industrial attachment programme of technical universities for enhancing students' human capital in Africa tends to thwart concrete policy options.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used the convergent mixed methods including 594 surveys, two focus groups and in-depth interviews to assess and accentuate the research gap in this study.
Findings
Evidence of constraints linked to the industrial attachment programme for developing students' human capital needs include limited funding, logistics and incentive for supervision, incompatible placement and exploitation and sexual harassment of students. Insufficient duration and intrusion of the industrial attachment programme due to labour unrests, inadequate collaboration and fears of student interns breaching organisations' confidentiality policies were also found to hinder the programme.
Research limitations/implications
The study's dependence on participants' perspectives has the possibility of being characterised by recollection prejudice. The comparatively limited scope and size of the study participants creates concerns of representativeness and generalisability of the study outcome.
Practical implications
The outcome of this study could yield significant practical implications for the planning and operations of the industrial attachment programme of tertiary institutions. It also provides information which could serve as the basis for future research and comprehensive evaluation of the programme's planning and implementation.
Originality/value
The authors have delineated empirical evidence on the constraints of the industrial attachment programme of Ghanaian technical universities to inform policy decisions on the planning, operations, funding and evaluation of the programme in collaboration with industry and government.