Entrepreneurial Characteristics amongst University Students (RUB) in Comparison with Established Entrepreneurs of Bhutan

Abstract

Entrepreneurs' characteristics have a major impact on their inclination towards new start- ups/entrepreneurship. This study attempted to assess the impact of entrepreneurial characteristics on entrepreneurial inclination and if students and existing entrepreneurs differ in terms of their characteristics. Six entrepreneurial characteristics were examined by researchers: the need for achievement, locus of control, propensity to take risks, tolerance for ambiguity, innovativeness, and self-confidence. A total of 352 students from the colleges of Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) and 35 established Bhutanese entrepreneurs participated in the study using an online structured questionnaire through Google Form with a quantitative research design. The results were analysed and presented using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, regression analysis, and an independent sample t-test. The results showed that all six characteristics are positively correlated with entrepreneurial inclination in both students and established entrepreneurs, and these characteristics (predictors) also had a statistically significant effect on entrepreneurial inclination shown by regression analysis. The results also showed that there is a significant difference in mean values between the two study groups, i.e. established entrepreneurs and students, on Tolerance for Ambiguity, innovativeness, and Self-Confidence, where established entrepreneurs have higher of these characteristics compared to students. The key recommendations of the study are capacity building of the students and guidance from the educators in the area of entrepreneurial characteristics in which students are lacking by introducing Business incubation centers on the campus.