Family Background and Entrepreneurial Intention of Fresh Graduates in Nigeria

Abstract

This study seeks to assess, empirically, the impact of family background on the entrepreneurial intention among fresh graduates in Nigeria. The family as a social institution remains resilient in its psychological functions in Nigeria. It is a source of finance and human resources, social and cultural values, and role modeling.  While studies have shown that family background is one of the numerous determinants of entrepreneurial intention, we know little about the role which family background plays in the promotion of entrepreneurial intentions in Nigeria, especially among the fresh graduates.  This study, therefore, seeks to test the hypothesis that family background has significant influence on the entrepreneurial intention among fresh graduates in Nigeria. We draw a sample of 250 corps’ members, currently serving with the Nigerian Youth Service Corp (NYSC) in Bayelsa state, using a simple random sampling technique. With the aid of the primary data collected, our findings are quite revealing. Following the preliminary conclusions drawn from this study, we offer suggestions for further studies.

Keywords; Entrepreneurial intention, perception of feasibility, perception of desirability, family background, and Problem-Based Learning.