Entrepreneurial Competencies and Intentions of Grade 12 ABM Students in Baguio City National Science High School

Date

12-2024

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Cherry Lou R. Nuñez

Committee Member

Dia Noelle F. Velasco, Maria Noriza Q. Herrera

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For non-UP researchers, requests for access to this material may be directed to the CEM Library at cemlibrary.uplb@up.edu.ph or to the UKDR administrator at uscs-mainlib.uplb@up.edu.ph

Abstract

Entrepreneurship plays a critical role in fostering economic growth, and cultivating entrepreneurial intentions among students is a priority of the ABM strand in the K-12 curriculum. However, despite the inclusion of entrepreneurship education, there is limited research assessing how well the program develops entrepreneurial competencies and intentions among students, particularly in Baguio City. This study aimed to address this gap by examining how socio-demographic factors, attitudes, and competencies shape entrepreneurial intentions. Specifically, it aimed to: (a) present the socio-demographic profile of Grade 12 ABM students, (b) determine their entrepreneurial intention levels, (c) identify factors influencing these intentions, (d) assess their entrepreneurial competencies, and (e) recommend initiatives to enhance entrepreneurial education. This study explored the entrepreneurial intentions and competencies of Grade 12 ABM students from Baguio City National Science High School (BCNSHS) to evaluate how entrepreneurship education prepares students for future entrepreneurial endeavors. Anchored on Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies Self-Rating Questionnaire (PEC SRQ), the research sought to understand the factors influencing entrepreneurial intentions and measure the entrepreneurial competencies of students, while also identifying areas for curriculum improvement. A qualitative research design was employed, featuring descriptive and correlational analyses. Data were gathered through a structured questionnaire, divided into sections on socio-demographics, entrepreneurial intentions, and competencies. A 7-point Likert scale measured entrepreneurial intentions, while the PEC SRQ evaluated competencies such as opportunity-seeking, risk-taking, and goal-setting. Complete enumeration was used to include all ABM students at BCNSHS. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics to summarize profiles and regression analysis to identify significant predictors of entrepreneurial intentions.

The results of this study provided a comprehensive view of the entrepreneurial intentions and competencies of Grade 12 ABM students at Baguio City National Science High School (BCNSHS). The socio-demographic profile of the students revealed an average age of 17.45 years, with 57% females and 43% males, and most students coming from families with an average of 2.4 siblings. Interestingly, while 17% of the students owned businesses, 45% had parents in business, and 53% had entrepreneurial relatives, suggesting that familial exposure plays a significant role in shaping their entrepreneurial outlook. Despite this exposure, 43% of students reported having practical business experiences outside of school, indicating a need for more structured hands-on opportunities.

The analysis of entrepreneurial intentions, measured through a 7-point Likert scale, showed consistently high aspirations among students. The statement “I have strong intention to start a business someday” received the highest average score of 5.5, with males scoring 5.6 and females 5.4. Similarly, students expressed high determination to create a firm in the future (5.4) and willingness to make every effort to run a business (5.1). However, there were slight gender-based differences, with males showing higher confidence in readiness to pursue entrepreneurship (e.g., 4.9 for males vs. 4.7 for females in “I am ready to do anything to be an entrepreneur”) and females excelling in effort- and planning-related aspects (e.g., 5.3 for females vs. 5.0 for males in “I will make every effort to start and run my own business”). These results suggest that while both genders exhibit strong entrepreneurial intentions, their approaches differ, necessitating tailored support strategies.

In terms of entrepreneurial competencies, students demonstrated strong skills in information-seeking (mean = 18.8), goal-setting (18.4), and persistence (18.2), reflecting their ability to set objectives and acquire relevant knowledge. However, competencies like opportunity-seeking (16.2) and risk-taking (16.3) were relatively weaker, indicating areas where additional training and experiential learning could be beneficial. Regression analysis identified personal attitudes as the most significant predictor of entrepreneurial intentions (R2 = 56.64%), followed by perceived behavioral control (R2 = 35.5%) and entrepreneurial capacity (R2 = 29.5%). Social capital and prior education also had moderate effects, while perceived entrepreneurial success was not a significant factor (R2 = 3.65%). These results underscore the importance of intrinsic motivators, such as attitudes and self-belief, over external factors like perceived success in shaping entrepreneurial intentions.

The findings from this study underscore the critical role of entrepreneurial education in shaping the intentions and competencies of Grade 12 ABM students. With 89% of respondents planning to start their own businesses, the ABM curriculum— featuring business implementations, management courses, and exposure to entrepreneurial role models—has been effective in fostering aspirations. However, gender-specific differences highlight areas for targeted interventions: male students demonstrated higher confidence in readiness and goal-setting, while female students excelled in planning and effort. To address these gaps, BCNSHS could implement experiential learning activities, such as business simulations, internships, and competitions, to enhance competencies like risk-taking and opportunity-seeking. Gender- sensitive mentorship programs, modeled after Germany’s Fraunhofer Society (OECD, 2019), can boost female students’ confidence, while workshops inspired by Singapore’s National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (European Commission, 2016) can refine strategic planning among male students. DepEd-CAR could contextualize entrepreneurship education to regional strengths, such as agripreneurship and sustainable tourism, while integrating digital entrepreneurship modules modeled after Estonia’s e-commerce curriculum (OECD, 2019). Colleges and universities should offer interdisciplinary entrepreneurship programs, emphasizing practical skills and self- efficacy training, similar to Babson College’s Entrepreneurship Bootcamp (Nabi et al., 2017). Future research should adopt longitudinal designs and incorporate frameworks like the Digital Entrepreneurship Ecosystem (Kraus et al., 2018) and the Gendered Pathways in Entrepreneurship Model (Brush et al., 2019) to examine socio-cultural and technological influences on entrepreneurial development. Collectively, these strategies aim to equip students with the competencies and mindset necessary for addressing local and global challenges.

Language

English

LC Subject

Entrepreneurship, Decision making -- Evaluation

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993 2024 M17 H89

Notes

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Document Type

Thesis

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