THE INFLUENCE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION AND ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION ON ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION: A CASE OF MASVINGO POLYTECHNIC

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the influence of entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurial education on entrepreneurial intention. The study focuses on Masvingo Polytechnic as a case study, utilizing a mixed-methods approach that combines a structured questionnaire and interviews to gather data from 160 respondents. The structured questionnaire, administered to all participants, aims to collect quantitative data on participants' EO, their exposure to EE, and their entrepreneurial intention to engage in entrepreneurial activities. The data collected are analyzed using descriptive analysis to examine the relationships between the variables and assess the influence of entrepreneurial orientation and education entrepreneurship Moreover, individual interviews are conducted with a subset of participants to gather qualitative insights into their experiences, perceptions, and motivations related to EO, EE and EI. The findings from the structured questionnaire analysis reveal significant positive correlations between EO and EE on El. These findings highlight the importance of entrepreneurial education in explaining the links between individual orientations, and intentions in the entrepreneurial context. The findings of this study have implications for policymakers, educators, and practitioners in designing effective entrepreneurship education programs that consider the importance of education entrepreneurship. By understanding the factors that influence individuals' motivations and intentions, interventions can be designed to enhance entrepreneurial education and support aspiring entrepreneurs at Masvingo Polytechnic and beyond