ATTITUDE OF COLLEGE STUDENTS TOWARDS ENTREPRENEURSHIP: A CASE STUDY OF ETHIOPIAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND CITY DEVELOPMENT (EIABC)

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is the symbol of business strength and growth. Entrepreneurs are the founders of today’s business success. Development is more than ever linked to entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs are characterized by their high need for achievement, willingness to assume moderate risks, self-confidence, innovation, total commitment, all roundedness, self-determination and desire for independence. This research paper is, hence, aimed at identifying the attitude of college students towards entrepreneurship or business ownership, the specific constraints that impede young people to start business, and incentives for starting a business as a viable alternative for the youth among others. The findings show that motivators to starting up a business by the young people among others are independence, desire to change hobby into business, improving the society’s life, and helping to create employment. On the other hand, access to finance for start-up, lack of appropriate education, training, business counseling and low level of understanding towards entrepreneurship are considered as some of the important factors that act as barriers to start a business by the young people. Finally, promoting an entrepreneurial culture among the society and the young people in particular through various ways like training and education, giving better media coverage concerning entrepreneurship, use of successful role models that are well known among the young people, conducting competitions relating to business ideas, and improving access to finance are some of the recommendations made.