PEMIKIRAN KEUSAHAWANAN PELAJAR INSTITUT PENGAJIAN TINGGI AWAM MALAYSIA DAN HUBUNGANKAITNYA DENGAN BIDANG PENGAJIAN PELAJAR

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to (1) explore the entrepreneurial thinking of public higher learning institutions (PHLIs) students in Malaysia base on their field of study; (2) identify whether there are significant differences in students’ entrepreneurial thinking based on their field of study at PHLIs. This study uses a quantitative approach. The study sample consisted of 2001 undergraduate students from 20 PHLIs in Malaysia. The sample consisted of students in all fields of study which were classified into seven groups, namely literature and social sciences, technical and engineering, information and communication technology, science, education, business, and others. Descriptive statistical methods and one-way ANOVA tests were used to analyze the study data. The results showed that students from all fields of study had an overall medium-high level of entrepreneurial thinking with a mean score of 3.910 and a standard deviation of 0.473. The field of business studies has the highest mean scores, while technical and engineering studies have the lowest mean scores. In addition, this study found significant differences in entrepreneurial thinking of PHLIs students based on their field of study. The results of the Tukey HSD test found that three groups of studies had significant differences with the business study group, namely literature and social sciences, technical and engineering studies groups, and science groups. Implications from this study show that overall the PHLIs can foster entrepreneurial thinking to a high level among students in all fields of study by introducing entrepreneurship education with an entrepreneurial mindset. These include elements of the ability to identify opportunities, creative and innovative, risk-taking, and tolerance for ambiguity. Nurturing entrepreneurial thinking to PHLIs students can provide and realize their entrepreneurial career aspirations as a career choice or as an alternative career after their graduation. Nurturing entrepreneurial thinking to PHLIs students can give students two career options when they graduate, either realizing their entrepreneurial career aspirations as their preferred career or choosing an entrepreneurial career as an alternative career.