Impact of Parental Education Levels on Entrepreneurial Intentions in Post-Socialist Market Economies: A Case of J&K State, India

Abstract

The research on Entrepreneurial Intentions(EI) has explored many demographics in an attempt to understand the impact of social culture on EI. Literature has offered plenty of support to the possibility that for closely bonded societies, parental education-level is yet another aspect of culture that is likely to impact (EI). Alongside, literature has also recognised the uniqueness of economic environment in post-socialist market economies where unique privileges accrue to government sector employees, by virtue of extensive overlapping of executive and welfare roles, in absence of established systems. India can be qualified as one such economy because of a recent shift over to LPG regeime in 1991, after over five decades of predominantly socialist developmental plans. Impact of parent demographics on EI in Indian context, promises meaningful contributions to literature. Using indigenous factors to measure employment preferences developed in India, the article tries to explore the differential in entrepreneurial intentions among graduating students, across their parental education levels. The study carried out in the Indian State of Jammu & Kashmir, throws light on the relationship between EI and employment related social behaviour prevalent in post-socialist market economies like India. The challenges of promoting entrepreneurship in these circumstances are discussed.