OPPORTUNITY RECOGNITION AND ICT SKILLS AS PREDICTORS OF ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTIONS AMONG BUSINESS EDUCATION UNDERGRADUATES IN SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the predictive role of opportunity recognition skills and information and communication technology (ICT) skills on entrepreneurial intentions among business education undergraduates in public universities in South-East Nigeria. Three hypotheses tested at the 0.05 level of significance guided the study. A predictive correlational research design was adopted for the study, and the population comprised 326 final-year business education undergraduates in public universities in the zone. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire validated by experts in Business Education and Measurement and Evaluation. The reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach’s alpha, which yielded coefficients of 0.90 for opportunity recognition skills, 0.86 for ICT skills, and 0.92 for entrepreneurial intentions. Data collected were analyzed using simple linear regression and multiple linear regression analysis. The findings revealed that opportunity recognition skills significantly predicted entrepreneurial intentions (β = .547, p < .05), while ICT skills also significantly predicted entrepreneurial intentions (β = .486, p < .05). Jointly, the predictors significantly explained variations in entrepreneurial intentions among business education undergraduates. The study concluded that opportunity recognition and ICT competencies were important determinants of entrepreneurial intentions among business education undergraduates. The study recommended that business education programmes should emphasize opportunity-based learning and ICT-driven entrepreneurial training in order to strengthen students’ entrepreneurial intentions and promote graduate self-reliance