The Role of the Cognitive Variables on Intention to Entrepreneurial Behavior of Engineering Undergraduates in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to assess the role of cognitive variables on intention to entrepreneurial behaviour of engineering undergraduates in engineering undergraduates in Sri Lanka. Entrepreneurship is one of the key drivers of an economy. Individuals with entrepreneurial mind create wealth and majority of jobs in the economy. Entrepreneurship for engineers is not new to the world. Recent changes in the world and engineering present both challenges and opportunities to engineering education. Engineering education is changing to meet these challenges. Instilling an entrepreneurial mindset in undergraduate engineers is essential if we want the bright young talent to innovate and then productize those innovations to better mankind. A study was conducted with the sample of 202 final year undergraduates in engineering faculties in Sri Lanka. Exploratory Factor Analysis, Multiple Regression and Structural Equation Modeling were applied with use of SPSS and AMOS to analyze the relationships of these variables. The results reveal that Entrepreneurial Cognition have significant positive associations with entrepreneurial mindset of engineering undergraduates and there are significant associations between Arrangement, Willingness and Ability with the entrepreneurial Mindset and Entrepreneurial mindset with Intention to entrepreneurial behaviour.