Attitudes toward entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship performance in Ethiopia

Attitudes toward entrepreneurship have an effect on the entrepreneurship performance. Attitudes toward entrepreneurship are affected by variety of factors. Education and training are one of those factors. Education and training develops positive attitudes toward entrepreneurship by ensuring that students at different level of education are exposed to the concept of entrepreneurship by using multiple channels to promote entrepreneurship. Attitude toward entrepreneurship affects the propensity of individuals to become entrepreneurs and to establish new enterprise. The main objective of this study is to explain the effect of the changes of attitudes on the Entrepreneurship performance. There are two hypotheses. The first hypothesis stated that Education and Entrepreneurship training, and people's attitudes toward entrepreneurship are significantly and positively related and the second hypothesis stated that there is strong and direct relationship between positive attitudes toward entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurship performance. Explanatory research design was used. It explains the cause and effect relationship between education and entrepreneurship training and people's attitudes toward entrepreneurship, and the cause and effect relationship between people's attitudes toward entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurship performance. The target population of the study included entrepreneurs who are doing business in manufacturing, construction, urban agriculture and services sectors of micro and small business enterprises. The sample size was determined using the formula provided by Yamane (1967) cited by Israel (1992) through considering level of precision, confidence level, and degree of variability. Accordingly, 450 respondents were selected randomly and 450 questionnaires were distributed. From 450 questionnaires distributed, 400 were fully answered and returned. This indicated that the response rate is 89%. To make explanatory data analysis and to test hypotheses, simple and multiple linear regression analysis were used. The results of the study show that education and training are significantly and positively changes the attitudes of people toward entrepreneurship. The positive attitudes toward entrepreneurship in turn resulted in Entrepreneurship performance since it encouraged people to start and successfully run new businesses.