Abdolhamid Papzan, Associate Professor and member of Socio-Economic Research Center, College of Agriculture, Razi University, P.O.Box 1158.post code: 67155,Kermanshah, Iran, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Nashmil Afsharzade, Ph.D. Student of Agricultural Development, College of Agriculture, Razi University of Kermanshah, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Khadijeh Moradi, Ph.D. Student of Agricultural Development, College of Agriculture, Razi University of Kermanshah, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Abstract

This study investigated entrepreneurial intention among graduate students of USM Engineering Campus. Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB; Ajzen), we examined the empirical model of entrepreneurial intention determinants. Although research has been conducted on entrepreneurial intention, limited study has been done among Iranian graduate students who are studying abroad. This research aims to fill this gap using Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire (EIQ, version 3.1). Accordingly, a survey study was applied and Iranian graduate students of the USM Engineering Campus were studied using the census method. The authors propose an empirical model and tested its reliability and validity using structural equation modeling. Data was analyzed using Spss16 and Amos18 software. Results revealed that the level of knowledge about business sources of assistance for entrepreneurs in addition to components of the TPB, affected entrepreneurial intention. Empirical model ‘s goodness of fit indices indicated good model fit x2=1.047, df=2, probability 0.592; NFI= 0.981; CFI= 1.000; RMSEA=0.000). It seems that current empirical model could be a guide for future research on this important topic.

Keywords: entrepreneurial  intention,  structural  equation  modeling,  graduate students, TPB.