An Analyzing Student's Willingness to Initiate Small Businesses (Case Study: Agriculture and Natural Resources Graduate Students in Razi University, Kermanshah)

The present study was conducted to analyze student's willingness to initiate Small businesses. The population of the research was comprised of all the graduate and postgraduat students of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Razi University of Kermanshah)N=151). Using Kerjcie & Morgan Sampling Table, 96 students were selected as the experimental sample employing stratified Proportional Sampling Method. The main instrument of the study was a researcher-made questionnaire together with a conducted pre-test. The validity and reliability of the instrument were respectively confirmed by a panel of experts and through calculation of Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. Data were analyzed by means of SPSSwin18 software. Results indicated that most of the participant students in the study were not of the appropriate attitudes, knowledge and willingness towards creating small enterprises. A comparison of means revealed significant differences between attitudes, knowledge and willingness of the students as regarded their participation in entrepreneurship education courses. Also correlation analysis showed a significant difference between knowledge and attitude of students with their tendency towards initiation of small enterprises. In addition, as based on the results of factor analysis, barriers in the way of small businesses to be initiated were categorized in five factors of 1) capital, 2) motivational-communicational, 3) educational, and finally 4) supportive-skilfulness.