BUSINESS PERFORMANCE OF GRADUATES AND ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION OF UNIVERSITY OF SRI JAYEWARDENEPURA IN

Abstract

An emerging trend that has attracted a lot of attention, especially the researchers who are investigating
various disciplines of Entrepreneurship, is defined as Orientation to Entrepreneurship. There have been numerous
studies carried out that indicate different results of the relationship between EO and Business Performance. The
challenge of focusing on various levels of entrepreneurship programs, including Entrepreneurship (Special) degrees in
university systems, has become a new development seen in the academic field throughout the world.
This study aims to examine the relationship between Entrepreneurial Orientation and Business Performance
among graduate entrepreneurs from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in Sri Lanka. The primary intention of this
research is to explore this relationship in the context of different theories, models and approaches such as the Learning
Theory, Theory of Planned Behavior, Contingency Theory, Lumpkin and Dess Model and Taatila Model.
Data collection was carried out by 109 graduates of the USJP, using a structured survey questionnaire,. The
research hypothesis was tested using the social science software package and structural equation modeling using SmartPLS techniques. Based on the conceptual framework of this study, the examination of the relationship between the
Entrepreneurial Orientation and the Business Performance was carried out by comparing the means of descriptive
statistics, applying the factor analysis to prove the validity and reliability and the structural equation modeling using
Smart-PLS techniques to finalize the results. The results revealed that the relationship between Entrepreneurial
Orientation and the Business Performance is statistically significant and positive.