Inadequate empirical evidence on the effect of personality traits, entrepreneurship education and university entrepreneurial support on green entrepreneurial intention outcomes among technical university students in Africa has hindered concrete policy interventions. Based on the planned behaviour and social cognitive theories, we assess the influence of personality traits and entrepreneurship education on green entrepreneurial intention of undergraduates at technical universities in Ghana.
We employed an explanatory cross-sectional survey comprising 1,329 Ghanaian undergraduate students to assess the research gap. An adapted 60-item instrument was used to measure outcomes for ten constructs (six personality traits, entrepreneurship education and green entrepreneurial intention) for the participants. A multiple linear regression analysis was used to model green entrepreneurial intention as a function of personality traits, entrepreneurship education and university entrepreneurial support while controlling for respondents’ background characteristics.
We observed a significant direct positive effect of all the personality traits, except subjective social norms and need for achievement, on green entrepreneurial intention. There was also a significant direct positive effect of entrepreneurship curriculum, teaching methods and university entrepreneurial support on green entrepreneurial intention. Our findings further provide empirical data to inform educators, researchers, policymakers and practitioners on the design of pragmatic curriculum, policies and interventions to inspire students into green start-ups.
This study is valuable for its novel approach of using an integrated theoretical and conceptual model to provide empirical validation for the burgeoning discourse around the impact of personality traits and entrepreneurship education on the green entrepreneurial intentions of technical university students in a developing nation. By synthesising diverse theoretical perspectives, this research enriches the understanding of how individual characteristics and educational experiences influence environmentally conscious entrepreneurial aspirations.
