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Scenario Building about the Mindset & Perception of University Graduates in Bangladesh Regarding Entrepreneurship – An Exploratory Study

Corresponding Author : M. H. Kibria (kibria-ipe@sust.edu)

Authors : M. A. Islam (arif-ipe@sust.edu), M. H. Kibria (kibria-ipe@sust.edu), Syeda Kumrun Nahar (syeda-ipe@sust.edu)

Keywords : Entrepreneurship, Prospective Entrepreneurship, Development, Influencing Factors, Graduate

Abstract :

Entrepreneurship plays a significant role in strengthening the socio-economic development of a country. Every country develops its own strategies and plans to promote entrepreneurship development based on its unique socio-economic conditions, economic priorities, and infrastructural strengths. The stimulation for becoming new entrepreneurs among potential people depends on a country's normative, social and cognitive factors. Although the Government of Bangladesh has taken several steps to promote entrepreneurship, the predicted number of new entrepreneurs has not been increased yet. In addition, a significant portion of university graduates are likely to become entrepreneurs in a country. However, in authors’ knowledge, there was no research study available to address what proportion of the university graduates are willing to become entrepreneurs in our country. This research was carried out to explore prospective entrepreneurs among the graduating students of public and private universities of different educational branches. Exploratory study based on developed questionnaire has been applied in this study. It is identified that only 39% of university graduating students want to become entrepreneurs sometimes in their career of which only 29% engineering graduates. The study has found a considerable variation in career choices in terms of gender, family and educational background of the respondents. The findings also confirm that if the situation favors for entrepreneurship, another 37% of respondents likely to become entrepreneurs in the long run. Among all 24% of respondents, they would never become entrepreneurs, whatever the situation is. This portion intends to develop their career either in government or private jobs. The outcome of this research will be helpful for the policy makers and educational institutions to rethink their works to develop entrepreneurship culture.

Published on March 28th, 2025 in Volume 5 (Special Issue), Mechanical, Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering