Preliminary Study on Entrepreneurial Intentions Among Female Industrial Design Graduates in Saudi Arabia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37134/ejoss.vol12.sp2.13.2026Keywords:
Entrepreneurial intention, Female entrepreneurship, Industrial Design , Business course, Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 5 of Gender Equality (GE) , SDG 8 related to decent work and economic growth.Abstract
Entrepreneurship is increasingly recognized as a vital soft skill for students and graduates, especially those in industrial design, to address contemporary global economic and social challenges. Nonetheless, studies investigating entrepreneurial intention among industrial design students in Saudi Arabia remain scarce and have not been thoroughly examined, despite the crucial role in shaping entrepreneurial intentions and preparedness. This preliminary study discusses the intentions toward entrepreneurship among female final-year undergraduate industrial design students. Accordingly, the study uses a questionnaire to collect data, yielding 36 responses from 5th-year female industrial design students who completed business courses over 15 weeks in each term of the Industrial Design Program, with data collected in 2022 and 2023. Correspondingly, the questionnaire was analyzed using a descriptive quantitative method, with statistical data used to present the results and meet the study’s goals. Specifically, this study aimed to examine the entrepreneurial intentions of 5th-year female industrial design students who completed business courses, in relation to their entrepreneurial tendencies. The study revealed that female industrial design students in their 5th year have a moderate motivation to pursue entrepreneurship. They demonstrated a fair level of interest in entrepreneurship, with an average score of 3.28 on a 1-5 scale. Many of these female final-year undergraduate industrial design students want to become designer-entrepreneurs and are eager to commercialize their projects. Overall, this inclination suggests the potential for increased entrepreneurial activity among them.
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