SUSTAINABILITY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION AMONG UNIVERSITY GRADUATES IN GHANA: A CASE STUDY OF AKENTEN APPIAH-MENKA UNIVERSITY OF SKILLS TRAINING AND ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT, KUMASI
SUSTAINABILITY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION AMONG UNIVERSITY GRADUATES IN GHANA: A CASE STUDY OF AKENTEN APPIAH-MENKA UNIVERSITY OF SKILLS TRAINING AND ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT, KUMASI
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Date
2022-09
Authors
DONKOR, FOSTER
7201790048
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Abstract
The purpose of the study was to investigate the sustainability of entrepreneurship and
innovation among university graduates in Ghana. The study was a cross-sectional
descriptive survey with a population made up of all successful and practicing BSc.
Administration graduate entrepreneurs who were former students of AAMUSTED, and
have their businesses in the Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, but a sample of
seventy-six (76) respondents was selected for data collection through snowball sampling
technique. Data collected were analysed using SPSS and presented with descriptive
statistics. The study found that university graduates use the skills they learnt through
entrepreneurship to cultivate ground-breaking abilities to start viable firms. It also came
out from the study that university graduates use the entrepreneurial skills they have
acquired to conduct market research to have information on where and how to get
financial and technical support to start a workable business. Again, the study found
providing students with the skills needed for an entrepreneurial career, employing of
experienced entrepreneurs outside universities to provide students with role models and
inspiration, and providing opportunities for internships and apprenticeship are some of
the training programmes that can help sustain entrepreneurial skills acquired by university
graduates. Problem in developing the vision and business idea, high economic cost of
doing business, lack of capital, regulatory constraints and high taxes for start-up
businesses are some of the factors that hinder university graduates from being innovative.
With regard to the findings and the conclusion, the study recommended among others that
entrepreneurial education should be in the syllabi of all tertiary institutions in Ghana to
help inculcate the spirit of innovativeness into the students. There should also be
internship programmes for students to help cultivate the culture of enterprise in the
students before they graduate.