Entrepreneurship Evaluation of Graduates from Physical Education Schools in Iran

Nowadays, many developed countries are in transition from bureaucratic to entrepreneurial systems. Nurturing and developing entrepreneurial characteristics and capabilities among graduates of physical education lead to the expansion of entrepreneurial culture; this issue is a highly significant and determining factor in employment. Therefore, identifying and training entrepreneurial related characteristics, especially among graduates, is of great importance. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate entrepreneurship among graduates from schools of physical education in Iran. This descriptive-survey study was of an exploratory type, which was performed as a field study. In this study, the statistical population included all the under-graduate alumni of physical education in 11 schools between 2003 and 2008 academic years which were 4238 people. Using estimated sample size, 200 people were selected as the sample. A standard questionnaire was prepared for this study. The findings showed that, variables of ambition (self-confidence) and independence were very high, variable of high risk-taking ability was high and variables of leadership, motivation and resistance were below the normal level among the graduates. As a general concept, entrepreneurship index was slightly more than the average level (2.5) among the graduates of physical education, which demonstrated an average condition of entrepreneurship among graduates of physical education. Hence, in order to improve entrepreneurship among graduates of physical education, it is essential to nurture their personal characteristics.