Entrepreneurial Disposition And Culture: A Case Of Graduates Of Accra Polytechnic

ABSTRACT

It is true that globally unemployment in general and graduate unemployment in particular is scaling, most especially in developing economies such as Ghana. Entrepreneurship has been seen as one of the means to solving this unemployment menace. However, culture has been identified as one of the major factors that influence the entrepreneurial intent of people. This study therefore, sets out to gauge the impact of Ghanaian culture on the entrepreneurial disposition of Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates of Accra Polytechnic who graduated between 2007 and 2012. The study adopts qualitative research approach. Face – to – face and telephone interviews were used to gather data on 46 graduates of the polytechnic. Sampling was by means of snowball and convenience techniques. Thematic and narrative analysis techniques were adopted for data analysis. The study found that, collectivism/collectivistic ethic culture has negative effect on capital accumulation, human resource management, and the urgency unemployed graduates attached to the efforts leading to entrepreneurship. Lack of start – up capital largely due to inability to accumulate funds, and the failure of the financial institutions to support new ventures is also affecting the entrepreneurial intents of the graduates. Based on the above listed and other findings, the study made the following recommendations; students should endeavour to cultivate the habit of pooling resources together, institutions established by the state to engender entrepreneurship among graduates must foster close collaboration with the training institutions, also the training institution (Accra Polytechnic) must closely collaborate with industry, most especially the financial institutions