Entrepreneurial Intentions Among Graduates of the Technical University of Machala: Motivations, Obstacles, and Opportunities for Institutional Strengthening
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For university graduates, the transition from entrepreneurial intention to actual business creation poses a challenge due to the interplay of personal, economic, and institutional factors. A mixed-methods study was conducted using a non-experimental, cross-sectional design with an exploratory, descriptive, and relational approach. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire administered to graduates selected through non-probability convenience sampling. The study aimed to examine the entrepreneurial intentions of graduates from the Faculty of Business Sciences at the Technical University of Machala, considering their motivations, obstacles, and opportunities for institutional strengthening. The findings revealed that the propensity for entrepreneurship was driven primarily by workplace autonomy, economic independence, increased income, and professional development; conversely, the major obstacles included the fear of failure, tax and administrative procedures, economic risk, and access to financing. These results indicate that individual motivation requires organizational conditions that facilitate its translation into business ventures.
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