Factors Influencing Entrepreneurial Implementation Intentions among University Students in Eastern Uganda
Abstract
This paper investigates the entrepreneurial intention-action gap among university students in Eastern Uganda using an integrated framework based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, Resource-Based Theory, and Implementation Intention Theory. The study examines how personal attitudes, perceived behavioral control, contextual constraints, social support, and resource-related factors influence the transition from entrepreneurial intention to entrepreneurial action among university students.
Data were collected from 417 university students in Eastern Uganda using convenience and snowball sampling methods. Quantitative data were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The findings identified several factors influencing entrepreneurial action, including the role of peer and colleague support, perceived behavioral control, and contextual limitations. Although respondents demonstrated relatively high entrepreneurial intentions, personal attitudes, social desirability concerns, and resource constraints were found to hinder the entrepreneurial implementation process.
The study contributes to the entrepreneurial implementation intention literature by extending the application of established entrepreneurial implementation intention theories to the underexplored context of Eastern Uganda. While these theories have received considerable attention individually in entrepreneurship research, their combined application to examining the entrepreneurial intention-action gap among university students in developing economies remains limited. The findings provide contextual insights into the socio-economic, institutional, educational, and cultural factors shaping entrepreneurial behavior among youth in resource-constrained contexts. The study offers practical implications for policymakers, universities, and entrepreneurial support institutions by highlighting the need for targeted interventions that strengthen the ecosystem, improve access to resources, and address contextual and cultural barriers limiting the translation of entrepreneurial intentions into entrepreneurial action..
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