| Abstract | The emerging relevance of Student Entrepreneurship (SE) as a growing phenomenon for research has developed from the international, national, and regional necessity for economic development and the demand placed on universities to contribute to creating an awareness of SE in students. This has led to research into the Entrepreneurial Activities (EA) of student entrepreneurs while actively engaging in academic studies at the undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) level at universities.
To further the advancement of SE, this research therefore sought to investigate the entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) of student entrepreneurs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels of study, their perception of entrepreneurial opportunities and capabilities while they carry out their entrepreneurial activities at the nascent (early-stage) level of entrepreneurship. The unique focus of this research on the nascent level of SE is driven by the correlation between the stage in life that the student entrepreneur is consciously engaging in academic study as part of career actions on their career journey and the stage of developing their entrepreneurial consciousness and entrepreneurial career while engaged in entrepreneurial activities.
Therefore, to advance SE contextually through the lens of the entrepreneurial activities of the Nascent Student Entrepreneur (NSE), this research sought to identify the degree of impact that ESE, Perceived Opportunities (PO), and Perceived Capabilities (PC) have on UG and PG students in the UK while engaged in EA simultaneously. The research then sought to explore the presence of their Observed Learning while engaging in EA, though they may not be aware that such learning was taking place.
To achieve the above, this research reviewed relevant literature (leading to developed hypothesis) and gained insight into existing understanding of SE, nascent student entrepreneurs, their perception to entrepreneurship (opportunities and capabilities) and observational learning (OL), which has formed the basis of this research and thus sought to advance current research in this field.
Adopting mixed methodology, this research went further to administer online questionnaires, with 298 undergraduate and postgraduate students in UK universities eligible for analysis, with focus on those engaging in EA as the underlying factor for defining the student entrepreneurs required for this research while carrying out academic studies. This is a departure from previous research on university students engaged in entrepreneurial education, to ensure that data from student entrepreneurs are captured from student entrepreneurs engaged in EA as against the stereotype of gathering data from those engaged in entrepreneurial education. Additionally, this was complemented by forty-three semi-structured interviews, interviewing undergraduate and postgraduate student entrepreneurs engaged in entrepreneurial activities while studying at UK universities.
Upon analysing the quantitative research data using regression analysis and the qualitative data using thematic analysis, it was discovered that, ESE, PO, PC had varying degrees of impact on the NSE, with varying moderating impact from their levels of education, years of EA, and gender. Another finding from this research was that nascent student entrepreneurs exhibited more entrepreneurial behaviours like seeking collaboration, joining networks & communities, looking for constructive feedback and referrals, as well as seeking to add value to their customers as they add value to themselves. These entrepreneurial behaviours are just a few discovered in the research (see Appendix IV for more).
This research also found out that the degree of ESE, PO, and PC impact on the nascent male or female student entrepreneur, whether as an undergraduate or postgraduate varied depending on the years of entrepreneurial activity exhibited by the nascent student entrepreneur. This implies that years of entrepreneurial activities was having more moderating impact on the NSE when compared to the moderating impact of the level of education and gender. This research also discovered that perceived capabilities impacted differently on the nascent postgraduate and undergraduate student’s entrepreneurial self-efficacy depending on the moderating impact of the years of entrepreneurial activities involved. This was the outcome both in the female and male categories.
Complementing findings from the quantitative analysis, the qualitative analysis discovered that the student entrepreneur was exhibiting attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation unknown to them, through observed learning, leading to the finding that knowledge relevant to their activities has been acquired. Accordingly, the conclusion points to the fact that if conscious attention is paid to SE and NSE within contexts of EA, ESE, PO, PC, and OL it will be of more benefit to the NSE and their EA going forward. |
|---|