FINANCIAL SKILLS, ENTREPRENEURIAL QUALITIES, AND LEADERSHIP QUALITIES THAT INFLUENCE THE PREPARATORY BEHAVIOURS FOR BUSINESS COMPETITION OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN THAILAND

Abstract

This quantitative study aims to identify key predictors and assess their predictive strength. The sample comprised 368 undergraduate students, selected through multi-stage random sampling. Eleven sets of questionnaires, utilizing summated rating scales, were employed and subjected to confirmatory factor analysis in accordance with established standards. The findings revealed that financial literacy exhibited the strongest correlation with preparatory behaviours for business competition (r = 0.819). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the collective predictors could account for 54.82% of the variance in preparatory behaviours within the aggregate group. The results of the two-way ANOVA indicated that female students in liberal arts faculties were more inclined to engage in preparatory behaviours for business competition compared to male students in science faculties. The study identified the top three predictors as financial literacy, financial behaviour, and investment knowledge, all of which fall under the financial skills category. These findings are consistent across statistical comparisons, underscoring the importance of prioritizing financial skills development to enhance preparatory behaviours for business competition.