Entrepreneurial Motivation among Students with Disabilities in Select Ethiopian Universities

Entrepreneurial development is highly significant in the economic growth of a country. Not many studies were conducted on entrepreneurial motivation of physically challenged students which is the core issue researched in this paper. The study further intends to (i) weigh the significant relationship between curricula and entrepreneurial motivation, (ii) contrast the impact of the push and the pull factors of entrepreneurial motivation, and (iii) compare the desire to be entrepreneur among the physically challenged students across curricula in select public universities. It followed the mixed approach. For sampling purpose, the study considered the physically challenged students enrolled in Dilla University and Hawassa University – two major Public Universities in South Ethiopia. Preliminary findings from Focus Group Discussion revealed that there exists significant relationship between curricula and entrepreneurial motivation. Survey was conducted with well-developed questionnaire (translated in Amharic, the National Language of Ethiopia). The responses were analyzed with the help of SPSS package by using descriptive statistics, crosstabulations, chi-square test, and other non-parametric tests such as Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon W test. For the purpose of data triangulation, interviews were conducted with select participants. The study found that previous family history of entrepreneurs, and curriculum imparting entrepreneurship course had no significant impact on the desire to be an entrepreneur. Of the factors of entrepreneurial motivation, pull factors which attract towards entrepreneurship were found to be more influential than the push factors. Majority expressed the need for financial support from Government agencies. Being the first of its kind, this study has original value. It is significant to various stakeholders, viz., the ministries, the universities, the physically challenged students‟ community, and the researchers.