Assessing Students’ Perspectives Towards Entrepreneurship in South Africa

Abstract

The devastating truth for young people in the education sector, particularly at the tertiary level, is that they will have no job after finishing their degrees. It is still challenging to find work, making starting and running your own business an attractive and necessary alternative source of income. Thus, an avenue out of poverty exists in Africa’s critical need to be discovered and establishing a business may hold the key. This study sought to assess students’ perspectives on entrepreneurship in the South African higher education sector. Data was collected from 332 students using a probability sampling approach. Specifically, a simple random sampling technique was adopted to identify the respondents. A quantitative and descriptive study was undertaken using a Likert Scale questionnaire to ascertain students’ feelings towards entrepreneurship. Data were analyzed through the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 24 using descriptive statistics. Tables, percentages and frequency distribution were used to present the findings of this study. The results reveal an overwhelming agreement among students that various factors, viz. personal attitude, perceived behavior control, self-efficacy, subjective norms, and entrepreneurial intention, are the significant determinants of entrepreneurship. Therefore, institutional managers should provide a supportive structure and atmosphere to foster the growth of entrepreneurial behaviour. This could boost individual confidence and the sense that completing tasks is simple, hence promoting perceived behaviour control. The findings of this study could assist higher education institution managers in developing initiatives that can create and entrench entrepreneurial skills and mindsets in students such that they are well prepared to face the unpredictable and ever-changing world. This study has contributed to the literature on entrepreneurship in the higher education and the developing world. Future research should focus on a qualitative research design to understand the challenges students encounter in establishing startups.