What Determines Entrepreneurial Intention in India?

The article analyses factors influencing entrepreneurial intent and studies the relationship between an individual's preliminary entrepreneurial intention of starting a business and the factors driving the same, in India. Using a large sample of individuals, we investigate what variables are significantly correlated with the initial decision to start a business. We use a binomial logit model to test how individual characteristics, subjective perceptions, demographic and economic characteristics are correlated to the decision to start a new business. Our results suggest that part-time work experience and social network effects are the strongest in shaping entrepreneurial intentions. A striking outcome in India is seen in the case of gender, which shows no significant impact on the probability of business start-up, suggesting that both males and females are equally likely to have entrepreneurial intentions.