Exploring the factors affecting the start-up intention of university students in Ho Chi Minh City

Abstract

Start-up is considered a desirable opportunity for Vietnamese people. However, the GSO statistics showed that the ratio of enterprises to the population of Vietnam had decreased to 8.3/1,000 (GSO, 2021) from 14.3/1,000 (GSO, 2019). This study was conducted to explore the role of 03 core factors in the start-up intention model, including family support, entrepreneurial skills, and uncertainty acceptance based on COM-B theory (Capabilities Opportunities Motivation - Behaviour). The study conducted a survey of 200 senior students at universities in Ho Chi Minh City. PLS-SEM (Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling) technique was performed to evaluate the measurement model and the structural model simultaneously. The study results confirmed the traditional role of family support and entrepreneurial skills in entrepreneurial intention. In addition, the study also provides empirical evidence that uncertainty acceptance has no significant impact on students’ entrepreneurial intentions. This raises concerns about students’ lack of entrepreneurial experience and misconceptions about actual entrepreneurial risks.