Exploring the Emirati female student entrepreneurs in the UAE through the theory of planned behaviour

Abstract

This study’s primary goal is to determine that investment in entrepreneurship education is vital as it will help in new venture creation and identify future leaders with an entrepreneurial mindset. The research aims to examine whether there is an interest and awareness in the entrepreneurial intentions among female Emirati students studying in the UAE. The study also tries to find any differences in the different curricula that impact their preferences in the UAE. This study’s conceptual framework primarily relies on the existing Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). This research is an empirical study the results and analysis are from the survey data of 490 Emirati female students in HCT higher education in the UAE. This study and the research analysis show the various factors: Attitude, Subjective Nom, Perceived Behavioral Control, Family Background, Level of Awareness, and Knowledge of the student, have the most significant impact on Entrepreneurship Intention to become future Entrepreneurs. All three core constructs of the Theory of Planned Behavior substantially affect entrepreneurship intention. The Subjective Norm has an inverse relationship (negatively significant) with Behavioral Intention, which indicates that the respondents’ peers in this study are against entrepreneurship. This paper is unique because it gives a glimpse of the new innovative ways the next generation of students will think about business models during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. These new business models and approaches will have a more significant impact. Entrepreneurship intentions will be a deciding factor for the next generation of leaders in the UAE.