The Impact of Soft Skills on Palestine Ahliya University Students' Entrepreneurial Orientations

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the impact of soft skills on entrepreneurial orientations among students at Palestine Technical University. To achieve the study’s objectives, the researchers employed a descriptive-analytical method and used a questionnaire as the primary data collection tool. The study population consisted of all undergraduate and diploma students at Palestine Technical University, totaling 2,354 students. A sample of 400 questionnaires was distributed, with 389 valid responses for analysis. SPSS statistical software was used to analyze the study data. The key findings of the study indicated that soft skills were significantly present among the students, with notable abilities in initiative, creativity, and risk-taking. A strong positive correlation was found between soft skills and the overall entrepreneurial orientation of the students. The study revealed that entrepreneurial orientations vary according to soft skills, where each additional unit of soft skills increased the students' entrepreneurial orientation by 1.061 units. Furthermore, the study found that entrepreneurial orientations were influenced by two dimensions of soft skills: critical thinking and decision-making, with decision-making having the most significant impact. For each additional unit in decision-making ability, the students' entrepreneurial orientation increased by 0.495 units, holding other variables constant, followed by critical thinking. The study recommended that the university enhance its focus on developing soft skills among its students, incorporate soft skills into the curriculum by governmental bodies and universities, and encourage students to focus more on soft skill development to strengthen their entrepreneurial orientations. The originality of this study lies in its exploration of the impact of soft skills on entrepreneurial orientations among university students, a contemporary topic that aligns with economic and social developments. It also contributes to guiding universities in developing curricula aimed at enhancing soft skills, thereby fostering entrepreneurship among students.