Entrepreneurial Career Intentions Among Malay Ethnic University Students in Malaysia

This research explores the associations between demographic characteristics (i.e. gender and family background), personality traits of innovativeness, entrepreneurship knowledge, environment, and entrepreneurial career intentions among undergraduate university students in Malaysia. Written questionnaire were completed by 230 students and exploratory factor analysis of the constructs created one new interpretable component for entrepreneurial factor (i.e. attitude towards entrepreneurship). The results indicate that more than 70 per cent of the respondents have favourable attitude towards entrepreneurship. The results also provide evidence that gender and family background, personality traits of innovativeness, entrepreneurial knowledge, environment and attitude towards entrepreneurship are important predictors for entrepreneurial career intentions. Attitude towards entrepreneurship was found to be the most important predictor to entrepreneurial career intentions, followed by innovativeness, entrepreneurial environment and knowledge. These findings will be a value addition in Malaysia scenario and are likely to help Malaysian government in evaluating the success implementation of entrepreneurship program among undergraduates.