Investigating Entrepreneurship Competencies Among University Students: A Descriptive-Comparative Study

Abstract

This descriptive-comparative study examined the self-perceived entrepreneurship competencies of 282 university students across four core domains defined by the entrepreneurship competence framework: ideas and opportunities, personal resources, specific knowledge, and into action. Utilizing both descriptive statistics and inferential analyses (t-tests and Welch’s ANOVA), the study revealed that students generally reported moderately high levels of entrepreneurial competence, particularly in opportunity recognition, resilience, and adaptability. Notably, female students scored significantly higher in the personal resources domain, highlighting a gender-based strength in intrapersonal and interpersonal capacities. Furthermore, significant differences in specific knowledge and overall entrepreneurship competence emerged across household income groups, with students from higher economic backgrounds exhibiting stronger domain-specific knowledge, affirming the influence of socioeconomic status on entrepreneurial development. These findings were interpreted through the theoretical lenses of the Theory of Planned Behavior, Human Capital Theory, and Effectuation Theory. The results suggest that attitudes and perceived behavioral control influence competence perceptions, economic resources shape access to knowledge, and adaptive learning fosters entrepreneurial resilience. Practical implications underscore the need for equity-oriented interventions that scaffold entrepreneurial skills, especially for economically disadvantaged students. This study contributes to the growing literature on entrepreneurship education by offering empirical insights into competence disparities and by proposing inclusive pedagogical strategies.