RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ATTITUDES AND INTENTIONS FOR BUSINESS START-UP: A CASE OF OMANI UNIVERSITY & COLLEGE STUDENTS

The study has intended to explore the relationship between attitudes and intentions for business start-up by considering a case of Oman. This study examined the effects of perception of students of Higher Education Institutions concerning selected factors on their entrepreneurial attitudes, which tested for its effect on their entrepreneurial intentions. A sample of 2529 student has been considered in the study from Oman by using cluster sampling technique. The perceptions of young people in Oman have been evaluated through the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics have been taken through the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) of the responses obtained from the participants. Linear and Multiple regressions have also been applied to assess the impact of independent variables (Business opportunities, perception of barriers and perception of motives, personal entrepreneurial exposure, expected family support and culture) on dependent variable (Entrepreneurial attitudes). The results have suggested positive entrepreneurial attitudes of Higher Education Institution students in Oman. The results showed positive and strong relationship between attitudes and intentions. Therefore, creating positive attitudes of entrepreneurship among students will increase the probability of their intention to establish and launch a start-up.