Entrepreneurial Intentions Among Senior High School Students in Ghana

Abstract

Most policymakers and academics agree that entrepreneurship plays a vital role in the development and well-being of society. Entrepreneurs not only create jobs, but they also drive innovation and contribute to structural changes within the economy. By introducing new competition, entrepreneurs indirectly enhance productivity and help shape a dynamic, competitive business environment. In this way, entrepreneurship serves as a catalyst for economic growth and national competitiveness. Despite significant research on the factors that foster entrepreneurial propensity, there has been relatively limited focus on the entrepreneurial intent among students, particularly Senior High School students. This gap in the literature is notable, especially in the context of countries like Ghana, where graduate unemployment has become a significant challenge. For many school leavers, unemployment poses a considerable burden, both for individuals and society as a whole. Encouraging entrepreneurship among younger students could be a potential solution to this issue, helping to address unemployment and fostering economic growth through innovation and business creation. Graduate unemployment has exacerbated the already prevalent issue of dependency, leading many to believe that entrepreneurship is the most effective remedy for this growing problem. To assess entrepreneurial intention, a 42-item questionnaire was utilized. The study focused on two mixed-gender and two single-sex institutions within the Sunyani municipality. A total sample size of 499 students from these four institutions was selected for the study. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS version 17.0, providing insights into the entrepreneurial tendencies and intentions of the participants. This approach offers valuable information on how students perceive entrepreneurship as a potential career path in the face of rising unemployment. The study aims to achieve several objectives: first, to identify the impact of family business on entrepreneurial intention; second, to assess students' perceptions regarding the influence of education on their entrepreneurial intent; third, to explore the risk-taking propensity of senior high school students in the Sunyani Municipality; fourth, to compare the entrepreneurial intentions of male and female students; and finally, to examine SHS students' overall orientation towards entrepreneurship. It is widely believed that the ideal time to acquire foundational knowledge about entrepreneurship and develop a positive attitude towards it is during childhood and adolescence. This study's findings suggest that entrepreneurial intention among SHS students in the Sunyani Municipality is generally high, indicating a strong interest in entrepreneurship among young students. This insight highlights the importance of fostering entrepreneurial education early on, as it can significantly influence future business creation and innovation.