Youth entrepreneurial intention in Agricultural Sector of the Republic of Bashkortostan

Antonina Tverdokhlebova

Master's thesis

Abstract:

In recent years, many states, including Russia, have set the goal of increasing the number of entrepreneurs in the country in order to strengthen the country's socio-economic base. As one of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Bashkortostan has set a course to attract the younger generation to entrepreneurial activity. Undoubtedly there is a need to study the factors, social, economic and psychological aspects that influence human behaviour and the intention that forms it. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the factors that influence entrepreneurial intentions among students in the Republic of Bashkortostan. The theory of planned behaviour was chosen as the theoretical framework for this study because it allows to examine the influence of people's norms and judgments on their intentions and behaviour. We would like to test if this theory could explain entrepreneurial intentions among students of the Bashkir State Agricultural University (BSAU). Data for the study was gathered through interviews with BSAU students. The questionnaire was developed based on the literature review and translated into Russian, resulting in data from 87 students. IBM SPSS Statistics 28.0 was used to generate descriptive statistics on socio-economic and family background characteristics. To test the hypotheses about the influence of attitudes towards entrepreneurship, perceived behavioural control and subjective norms on entrepreneurial intentions, a structural equation model was built using SmartPLS 4. The model was tested for reliability and validity using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, composite reliability, average variance extracted, Fornell-Larcker discriminant validity criterion and heterotrait-monotrait ratio. The results of the model estimation confirmed the hypotheses that attitude towards entrepreneurship and subjective norms influence entrepreneurial intentions. At the same time, we rejected the hypothesis regarding the effect of perceived behavioural control. This work can serve as an inspiration for more comprehensive research of the factors influencing the formation of entrepreneurial intentions among students in the Republic of Bashkortostan, as well as an idea of where state institutions should focus their efforts to increase the number of entrepreneurs.

Keywords

entrepreneurial intention, Theory of Planned Behaviour, entrepreneurship

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 22. 4. 2023

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 29. 5. 2023
• Supervisor: doc. Ing. Miroslava Bavorová, Ph.D.
• Reader: Elena Ponkina, externi

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Master programme:
International Development and Agricultural Economics