A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION THEORIES

Entrepreneurial intention (EI) functions as an essential prognosticator of entrepreneurial conduct, influencing the prospective domain of business innovation and economic advancement. Diverse theoretical models have been formulated to elucidate EI, each offering distinct perspectives on the cognitive, social, and institutional determinants that affect an individual's inclination toward entrepreneurship. This study conducts a detailed comparative review of five significant theories related to entrepreneurial intentions: the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), the Entrepreneurial Event Model (EEM), Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), Human Capital Theory (HCT), and Institutional Theory. This research draws on secondary data from sources including the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), and governmental assessments of entrepreneurship to evaluate how these frameworks illuminate entrepreneurial intentions among postgraduate students in South Gujarat. The empirical evaluation utilizes descriptive statistics and regression modelling to investigate the relative influence of education, social pressure, risk-taking propensity, and governmental support on EI. The results reveal that education and self-efficacy significantly bolster entrepreneurial intention, whereas institutional support appears to be comparatively weak, indicating a necessity for policy reforms. The investigation concludes with critical theoretical and practical ramifications, proposing avenues for future research that amalgamate multiple EI frameworks, contemplate the influence of digitalization, and examine context-specific disparities in entrepreneurial intention. KEYWORDS: Entrepreneurial Intention (EI), Entrepreneurship Theories, Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Entrepreneurial Event Model (EEM), Institutional Theory.