Examining Perceived Barriers to Entrepreneurial Behaviour: A Mixed-Method Study

Abstract

The various obstacles to entrepreneurship include economic, social, and institutional issues that prevent people from engaging in entrepreneurial pursuits. Potential entrepreneurs are frequently discouraged from implementing their ideas due to economic constraints, regulatory restrictions, fear of failure, and complicated legal processes. In this pursuit, the present study examined entrepreneurship students’ perceptions regarding barriers with the help of a mixed-method approach. Firstly, in a qualitative study, two focused group discussions were conducted. The thematic analysis enlists five common barriers: subjective norms, attitude towards entrepreneurship, perceived behavioural control (PBC), policy support, and perceived financial risk. Secondly, the relationships between these five barriers to entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial intention, and entrepreneurship behaviour were studied with the help of a quantitative study. A sample of 412 students revealed that five barriers significantly abrupt the entrepreneurial intentions of budding businessmen. Also, a statistically significant positive association was reported between entrepreneurial intention and entrepreneurship behaviour.