Entrepreneurial intention among science & technology students in India: extending the theory of planned behavior

The present research endeavours to comprehend the young S&T graduates’ intention toward pursuing an entrepreneurial career in a developing nation i.e., India. Using a modified version of Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour (TPB) as our conceptual model, we attempted to integrate three additional constructs (perceived career option, entrepreneurial knowledge and entrepreneurial personality traits) to explain the relationship between a list of antecedents and entrepreneurial intention (EI). Structural equation modelling (SEM) technique has been implemented while analysing the data, collected through a self-administered questionnaire survey of five premier technology institutes in India. Findings, using a sample size of 476 young Science & Technology graduates at Indian Institute of Technology (IITs), suggest that a positive attitude toward entrepreneurship when reinforced by required entrepreneurial knowledge and the existence of viable entrepreneurial career option significantly influence EI. We found a positive but relatively weak influence of subjective norms on intention formation. Further, our findings recognise that the relationship between entrepreneurial personality traits and EI is fully mediated by perceived self-efficacy. Moderating effect suggests that student’s perceived self-efficacy boosts the entrepreneurial personality traits to EI relationship. The results also reinforced the appropriateness of incorporating auxiliary constructs in base TPB, as our conceptual model provides additional predictive power and a better understanding of how entrepreneurial intent develops.