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Research Proposal

Submitted By: Hafiza Arooj Ijaz , 1312 (MS-ESME)

Department Of Economics

Topic:

Entrepreneurial career intentions and external factors; moderating role of personality traits among the technical graduates in Pakistan.

Purpose of Research

The purpose of the research is to scrutinize the entrepreneurial career intention of the engineering students in all over the Pakistan. Venture creation as the increasing dominating force motivates the current graduates; either business or the non-business to turn out to be their own boos rather to be ordered by someone else. This study will support us to investigate the enthusiasm of the future entrepreneurs in the field of venture creation as a technical graduate.

Introduction

The research is based on the thinking that the external factors have the impact on the entrepreneurial intentions of the technical graduates. Whereas the personality trait of self-efficacy plying its moderating role.

Literature Review

A drastic change has been faced by the world in the recent past. It has been witnessed that the change in the world economy, there are abundant problems that are intensifying. Employment level has also affected by the recent world development (Alam, 2009). One of the increasing problems is the problem of unemployment. To hit the new earning opportunities have been a target for not only developed but also developing countries. And the solution searched by the world is the opportunities of self-employment or Entrepreneurship. It brings independence, offers greater financial returns and contributes towards advancement of economic construction of a state. Alam (2009) explains that entrepreneurship to economy as the horse power to engine for the desired achievement.

This paper investigates the entrepreneurial intentions of engineering students and the impact of External Factors like Social, political and behavioral factors while social, economic and political factors. The theory states the intentions are an originator to entrepreneurship. The single word entrepreneurship can be studied in various perspectives. This exciting phenomenon includes many aspects or factors like, personality as component of entrepreneurship (Yosuf et al.2007; Shaver and Scott,1991; Gartner, 1988), theory of planned behavior (Kruenger and Carsrud, 1993), education as contributing factor of entrepreneurial behavior, (Souitaris et al.2007; Shepherd and DeTienne, 2005; Frank and Luthje, 2004;Jo and Lee, 2006;Dyer,1996), gender impact on intention to be an entrepreneur (Gupta et al. 2008; Welter et al. 2006; Brush et al. 2006; Marlow and Patton, 2005;Boden and Nucci, 2000; Fay and Williams, 1993; Brush, 1992), individual’s family background (Carr and Sequeira, 2001; Aldrich and Cliff, 2003), family and entrepreneurial inclination and experiences( Raijman, 2001; Krueger, 1993; Shapero and Sokol, 1982).

But only few people have the ability to figure out the real benefit of entrepreneurship. Originally these intentions are affected by both factors either internal or external. So, to look at the both sides of picture, one needs to study both factors. Out of all the imagined factors either controllable by human being or not external factors are considered as most important factor. Amoros (2009) elaborated that external factors like, social impact, government regulations, economic structure and other factors also influence the startup decision. Along with that the individual’s response has also based on his own perception and personality. Some individuals have stable and strong ability to handle the risk, maintain the pressure and make their best even in worst conditions. So, personality could be another motivating trait to spotting out the career intentions.

Out of large variety of the personality traits, self-efficacy is considered as one of the dominating trait. The term self-efficacy defined as the confidence of one person in his abilities and self-perception of his abilities. (Bandura, 1989, 1997). During the discussion of the impact of self-efficacy on entrepreneurial intentions, Markham et al. (2002) originated that self-efficacy significantly strengthen the career options, their interest in occupations, determination in difficult situations and conditions and personal effectiveness. Consequently, the self-efficacy moderates the relationship, negative influence of external factors on entrepreneurial intentions of individuals. High self-efficacy predicts the high rate of tolerating risk and challenges while troubles created by external factors.

Research Methodology

Questionnaires shall be distributed to the final semester students of the engineering universities in Pakistan and their findings shall be studied in detail. Results shall be generalized to all engineering graduates. Questionnaires shall be structured so that a qualitative inference can takes place.

Hypothesis:

Limitations and further Implication for Research

This study covers only engineering students either female or male. Implication of findings might be limited, as it only applies to the graduates of the engineering universities. Sharing of information might be another constraint for this research.

Gantt chart:

REFERENCES

Alam, GM (2009). The role of science and technology education at network age population for sustainable development of Bangladesh through human resource advancement, Scientific Research & Essays. 4(11), 1260-1270.

Aldrich, H.E. & Cliff, J.E. (2003). The pervasive effects of family on entrepreneurship: towards a family embeddedness perspective. Journal of Business Venturing.18, 573-596.

Bandura, A. (1989). Human agency in social-cognitive theory.American Psychologist, 44, 1175–1184.

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman.

Boden, R. J., Jr., &Nucci, A. R. (2000).On the survival prospects of men’s and women’s new business ventures.Journal of Business Venturing, 15, 347–362.

Brush, C. G. (1992).Research on women business owners: Past trends, a new perspective and future directions.Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice,16(4), 5–30.

Brush, C. G., Carter, N. M., Gatewood, E. J., Greene, P. G., & Hart, M. M. (2006). Growth-oriented women entrepreneurs and their businesses: A global research perspective. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.

Carr, J.C. &Sequeira, J.M. (2007), Prior family business exposure as intergenerational influence and entrepreneurial intent: A theory of Planned Behavior approach. Journal of Business Research, 60, 1090-1098.

Fay, M., & Williams, L. (1993).Gender bias and the availability of business loans.Journal of Business Venturing,(8), 363–376.

Franke, N. &Luthje, C. (2004), Entrepreneurial intentions of business students: a benchmark study. International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management, 1(3), 269-288.

Gartner, W. (1988). ‘Who is an entrepreneur? Is the wrong question’.American Journal of Small Business, 12, 11-32.

Gupta, V. K., Turban, D. B., &Bhawe, N. M. (2008).The effect of gender stereotype activation on entrepreneurial intentions.Journal of Applied Psychology, 93, 1053–1061.