Abstract:

Purpose:
The aim of this paper is to investigate the readiness of Saudi students for business and entrepreneurship endeavours at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia. This University is among top Saudi universities which continuously strive to produce highly competent graduates in all fields including business and management. This university is also located very closely to Dammam (in the esatern region) as the third big city in the Kingdom, in terms of economic activities and industrial infrastructures.

Methodology:
The author administered a selected online self-test to all his students during a number of years and semesters including some summer periods. The test identifies three categories or levels of readiness: A, B and C. The analysis relies on data that has been systematically gathered from a pool consisting of 3290 undergraduate and graduate students of which the greatest majority is composed of male students of Saudi nationality.

Findings and limitations:
Overall, it was found that less that half of the concerned students are of category “A”, i.e. have necessary capabilities and clear readiness to launch their own businesses. This means that potentialities are indeed real, and that education should enhance the other two categories more towards business and entrepreneurship. One major limit of this study is its focus on Saudi male students at Kfupm, thus not covering female and the rest of Saudi students, kingdom wise.

Originality and implication:
Our attempt of using printed online self-test with hard copies of questionnaire appears the first of its kind. Basically, interested individuals take the test online with an instant calculation of results and feedback. However, doing that in the class allows discussions and extended feedback allowing students learn about the topic and appreciate their readiness towards business in future times. Another positive aspect of this method is that other questions directly and indirectly related to the issue are also discussed. Among such questions, there is the need to consider the local environment and culture. The main implication is a call for concerned authorities and decision makers to foster entrepreneurship as a strategic option for development via education.