Who wants to be an entrepreneur? Entrepreneurial intentions among Saudi university students

Using Azjen’s Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and social learning theory, we explore the effect of perceived desirability, social support and behavioral control on the entrepreneurial intentions of Saudi university youth and the gender differences in these effects. To test our hypotheses, we use data from a unique survey of the entrepreneurial attitudes of students at King Saud University, the oldest and largest university in Saudi Arabia, conducted in the spring of 2010 (n = 950). In line with prior empirical research, we find that both the perceived desirability and the perceived feasibility of the entrepreneurial behaviors are positively associated with entrepreneurial intentions, while perceived social support has no significant effect. In addition, perceived desirability has a stronger effect for men, while perceived social support and behavioral control have a stronger effect for women. Theoretical and public policy implications are discussed.