Factors Influencing the Decision to Start Startup Businesses among Students of the Faculty of Management Science, Ubon Ratchathani University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55164/ecbajournal.v18i4.284716Keywords:
Startup Business Decision-making, Self-efficacy, Risk Acceptance, Social Norms, Entrepreneurial Intention, StartupAbstract
This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing the decision to start a startup business among students of the Faculty of Management Science, Ubon Ratchathani University. An explanatory mixed-methods research design was employed, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. The quantitative data were collected through 400 questionnaires, while the qualitative data were obtained from in-depth interviews with five startup entrepreneurs. The research instruments included a questionnaire validated through the Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) and a semi-structured interview form. The quantitative data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, and multiple regression analysis.
The findings revealed that six independent variables risk acceptance, self-efficacy, attitude toward entrepreneurship, perceived behavioral control, social norms, and entrepreneurial education, had a statistically significant positive influence on students’ decisions to start a startup business. Among these, perceived behavioral control was found to be the most influential factor. The qualitative results further indicated that entrepreneurs emphasized the importance of direct experience, confidence in personal capability, and social support from their surroundings, all of which strengthened their determination to start and sustain their businesses. Based on the results, it is recommended that government agencies and educational institutions promote experiential learning programs and develop a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem that encourages young entrepreneurs to take action. Such initiatives would enhance confidence, risk management skills, and long-term entrepreneurial motivation among future startup entrepreneurs.
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