Entrepreneurial Competencies and Intension of Selected Graduating College Students

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is extensively recognized as an important factor that contributes to the economic development and growth of a country. This study aimed to determine the level and prevailing entrepreneurial competencies and intention of 170 randomly selected graduating students of WVSU Lambunao Campus during the second semester of the school year 2013-2014. The descriptive-correlational research employed the published Personal Entrepreneurial Competence (PECs) Self-Rating Questionnaire (in SERDEF, 2007) and Linan and Chen (2009) behavioral-intention-oriented scale. The result showed that the graduating students had “good or strong” entrepreneurial competence with goal setting, information seeking, and persistence as the prevailing competencies. They had “above average” entrepreneurial intentions with the exception of non-business related course and those with no entrepreneurial experience. A significant difference was found in the graduating students’ entrepreneurial intention when they were grouped according to the nature of their course. A positive and significant relationship was found between graduating students’ entrepreneurial competence and entrepreneurial intention. It means that strong entrepreneurship education will increase students’ intention to explore an entrepreneurial career. The study recommends for the strengthening of entrepreneurial education aiming at intensifying students’ entrepreneurial competencies and potentials for a successful business career. Keywords - Business Education, entrepreneurial competence, intention, college, graduating students, descriptive-correlational, Iloilo, Philippines