Application of Entrepreneurship Orientation and Practices among Business Operators in University Campuses in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the extent small-scale business operators on Rivers State University Campuses are able to imbibe and apply entrepreneurial practises and orientation. Two research questions and hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population comprised 1,000 university campus business operators in the three public universities in Rivers State. Taro Yamane’s formula was used to select 286 small scale business operators as the sample for the study. A validated 9-item self-designed questionnaire titled "Entrepreneurship Orientation and Practises among Small Scale Business Operators in Universities Questionnaire (EOPSSBOUQ)" was used as the instrument for data collection. The reliability of the instrument was determined through a test-retest method. Mean and z-test statistics were used to answer the research questions and test the hypotheses at a 0.05 confidence level. The findings of the study revealed, among others, that people’s business commitment is very high, and in business practise, small scale business operators take personal responsibility for business outcomes. It was recommended, among others, that entrepreneurs develop more achievement motivation in order to discover more areas for new ventures as well as improve business performance.