Study on entrepreneurial competencies of students in the University of the Philippines Los Banos [College, Laguna, Philippines]

A study was made in 1998 for ABM [AgriBusiness Management] undergraduate students' PEC (personal entrepreneurial competencies) and 1999 for undergraduate students in UPLB. The study highlighted the entrepreneurial skills, technical skills, and business management skills. The top outstanding strengths or abilities identified by UPLB students were human skills, tenacity, management competency, knowledge/education, being motivated/driven, and intellect/wisdom. The respondents have the skills in persistence, systematic planning/monitoring, and opportunity sensing. In general, students scored highest in planning, followed by achievement and power. They are good in planning and goal setting, human relations and decision-making. The respondents have the ability to organize, good in oral communication, and with preferred management style. They are high considerations in having inner control or being disciplined and a visionary leader. Recent study on career choices of agriculture graduates implies preference on becoming entrepreneurs. The proposed entrepreneurship program has the structure of economics (3 courses), finance (2 courses), marketing (3 courses), accounting (2 courses, management (4 courses), business law (1 course), information technology (3 courses), business math (2 courses) and other related courses (5 courses). Business management skills that have to be enhanced by the program comprise planning and goal setting, human relations, decision making, management, control, negotiation, finance, marketing, managing growth, accounting and venture launch. Entrepreneurial skills that have to be addressed include inner control/disciplined, innovative, visionary leader, persistent, change oriented and being a risk taker. The technical skill, ranked according to preference, that the entrepreneurship program, will have to be addressed would be the ability to organize, oral communication, management style, listening, interpersonal, network building, monitoring the environment, technical business management, being a team player, technology, writing and coaching. In addition to including business education components, the BS Agribusiness Management (BSABM) curriculum in UPLB (revised 2002) lists seven agricultural courses needed a foundation to understand and appreciate various agricultural ventures. Business management skills that have to be enhanced by the program comprise planning and goal setting, human relations, decision making, management, control, negotiation, finance, marketing, managing growth, accounting and venture launch. Entrepreneurial skills that have to be addressed include inner control/disciplined, innovative, visionary leader, persistent, change oriented and being a risk taker. The technical skill, ranked according to preference, that the entrepreneurship program, will have to be addressed would be the ability to organize, oral communication, management style, listening, interpersonal, network building, monitoring the environment, technical business management, being a team player, technology, writing and coaching. The curriculum on entrepreneurship was designed base on the entrepreneurial competence and management/business skills of student in UPLB.