Demographic determinants of Tanzanian graduates’ entrepreneurial entry intentions

Abstract

This paper identifies the demographic determinants of entrepreneurial entry decisions amongst Tanzanian graduates. A cross-sectional design was used in gathering information, whereby structured questionnaire was applied. Systematic random sampling was employed to get the required sample size. Cross tabulation was used to compare the entrepreneurial entry intention between graduates who had studied entrepreneurship and those who had not studied entrepreneurship. Logistic regression analysis was applied to assess the impact of demographic factors on entrepreneurial entry. It was found that graduate’s sex, age, birth order position and marital status significantly contributed to predicting graduates’ entrepreneurial entry decisions. It was further found that marital status had greatest contribution than all four significant factors implying that married graduates had stronger aspiration of becoming entrepreneurs than singles. The results were statistically significant at p < 0.05. Organizations intending to make any intervention on graduate entrepreneurship in Tanzania are urged to focus on married graduates. A study on joint venture creation among graduates is required. Researchers should focus on the contribution of joint venture in counterbalancing negative effects of age differences as well as the harmful effects of birth order positions due to their inborn or upbringings weaknesses.