Modelling leadership skills and learning and innovation skills mediated by entrepreneurship traits for engineering student’s entrepreneurial mindset in Klang Valley

Abstract

Studies have shown that leadership and entrepreneurial skills are important for students’ success in higher education. Although many entrepreneurship education initiatives have been implemented at various education levels, very few research was done on examining the entrepreneurial mindset among undergraduate engineering students in Malaysia. Furthermore, research have shown that there is a lack of leadership skills, entrepreneurship traits, and learning and innovation skills among Malaysian undergraduate engineering students. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to develop a model for Malaysian’s undergraduate engineering student’s entrepreneurial mindset. The objectives of the study are: (i) To examine the level of leadership skills, learning and innovation skills, entrepreneurship traits, and entrepreneurial mindset of undergraduate engineering students; (ii) To examine the effect of leadership skills, learning and innovation skills and entrepreneurship traits on entrepreneurial mindset of undergraduate engineering students; (iii) To examine the mediating role of learning and innovation skills in the relationship between leadership skills and entrepreneurial mindset; (iv) To derive an entrepreneurial mindset model for undergraduate engineering students in Malaysia. A sample of 383 engineering students from five public universities in the Klang Valley responded through convenient sampling technique. The descriptive analysis showed that leadership skills, learning and innovation skills, entrepreneurship traits, and entrepreneurial mindset of engineering students are classified at less satisfactory level. A Structural Model analysis has revealed that leadership skills and entrepreneurship traits positively contribute towards entrepreneurial mindset. Findings also showed that entrepreneurship traits act as a part of mediator in the relationship between leadership skills and entrepreneurial mindset. Based on the results, the Entrepreneurial Engineering Mindset Model (ESEMM) has been developed to strengthen entrepreneurship education among undergraduate engineering students. The implication of the study indicated that there is a need for a dedicated model for fostering entrepreneurial mindset among undergraduate engineering students in Malaysia. In addition, comprehensive strategic intervention is needed to improve the entrepreneurial mindset among undergraduate engineering students.