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What Determinants Influence Students to Start Their Own Business? Empirical Evidence from United Arab Emirates Universities

Author

Listed:
  • Alexandrina Maria Pauceanu

    (Business Division, Higher Colleges of Technology, Ras Al Khaimah 25035, UAE)

  • Onise Alpenidze

    (Business Division, Higher Colleges of Technology, Ras Al Khaimah 25035, UAE)

  • Tudor Edu

    (Department of Management-Marketing, Romanian-American University, Bucharest 012101, Romania)

  • Rodica Milena Zaharia

    (Department of International Business and Economics, CCREI, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest 010731, Romania)

Abstract

What factors influence students to start their own business? What are the implications at the university level? This paper aims to answer to these questions and investigates, at a micro level (university), the motivation for entrepreneurial intentions among students in 10 universities from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). An online inquiry has been conducted among 500 students between April and June 2018, and 157 fully completed questionnaires were retained. Factor Analysis with Varimax (with Kaizer Normalization) rotation and logistic regression were used to identify what factors motivate students to start their own business and, from those factors, which one is determinant in this decision. Also, age and parental self-employment status were used to determine the influence of these factors. Four factors have been identified as determinants for students to start their own business: entrepreneurial confidence, entrepreneurial orientation, university support for entrepreneurship, and cultural support for entrepreneurship. Surprisingly, the only factor significantly correlated with the intention in starting a business is entrepreneurial confidence. This factor becomes even stronger when it is associated with age (20–25 years old) and parents’ self-employment status. These conclusions involve specific challenges on the university level, related to the role of entrepreneurial education and on country level, in link with the effectiveness of governmental programs to enhance entrepreneurial endeavours. Further research can explore and test these findings on a representative sample for the UAE, and for other countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexandrina Maria Pauceanu & Onise Alpenidze & Tudor Edu & Rodica Milena Zaharia, 2018. "What Determinants Influence Students to Start Their Own Business? Empirical Evidence from United Arab Emirates Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-23, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2018:i:1:p:92-:d:192953
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    4. Alexandra Zamfirache & Titus Suciu & Carmen Elena Anton & Ruxandra-Gabriela Albu & Ioana-Simona Ivasciuc, 2023. "The Interest Shown by Potential Young Entrepreneurs in Romania Regarding Feasible Funding Sources, in the Context of a Sustainable Entrepreneurial Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-29, March.

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