Requirements of Agricultural Entrepreneurial Opportunity Recognition among Agricultural Students at Ilam University

Since the perceived entrepreneurial opportunities are the first and most important step in the entrepreneurship process, therefore, the entrepreneurial opportunity recognition capacity has a unique role in the process of promoting entrepreneurship among students in the higher education system. This study investigates the effect of environmental support on entrepreneurial opportunity recognition capacity with mediating role of entrepreneurial alertness.

The sample consisted of 100 senior undergraduate students in agricultural majors at Ilam University, selected through a stratified random sampling technique. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 25 and SmartPLS.

The results showed that the perceived entrepreneurial opportunity capacities among students were moderately low. According to structural equation modeling, the entrepreneurial alertness and environmental support had a positive and significant effect on the entrepreneurial opportunity recognition capacity. Also, the indirect and significant effect of environmental support through entrepreneurial alertness on the entrepreneurial opportunity recognition capacity was confirmed.

According to the research results, it is suggested that agricultural higher education instructor use active teaching and learning methods, such as idea generation, experimental and service learning, team and practical work, critical thinking and problem solving in agricultural education.