INSTITUTIONAL ENTREPRENEURIAL SUPPORT AND GREEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AMONG BUSINESS EDUCATION STUDENTS IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN CROSS RIVER STATE

Abstract

The main purpose of this research was to investigate the predictive relationship between institutional entrepreneurial support and green entrepreneurship among business education students in tertiary institutions in Cross River State. Two specific objectives were raised, two research questions were asked, and two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at the 0.05 level of significance. Related literature was reviewed. This study adopted the predictive correlational research design, and the population consisted of 763 business education students from three Universities in Cross River State, from which a sample of 385 was drawn using the hat and draw method of simple random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire titled Institutional Entrepreneurial Support and Green Entrepreneurship Questionnaire (IESGEQ) comprising 37 items was developed, validated and used for data collection. The IESGEQ was developed on a five-point scale of very great extent (VGE), great extent (GE), moderate extent (ME), little extent (LE) and very little extent (VLE). The instrument was tested for reliability using Cronbach's Alpha statistics, and it produced a reliability coefficient of 0.84, which indicated that the instrument was reliable. Data collected after administration of the study questionnaire were analysed using simple linear regression to answer the research questions and also test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. From the data analysed, the study found that business incubators and business mentoring significantly predict green entrepreneurship among business education students in tertiary institutions in Cross River State. Sequel to the findings of this study, the study recommends that the university management should provide business incubators and ensure that these facilities are optimally utilised in developing green entrepreneurial behaviours among business education students