Personal Attributes from Military Life Influencing Entrepreneurial Intentions in Sri Lanka.

Abstract

The study explores the coverage of personal attributes groomed in the military that affect the entrepreneurial intention of the ex-military personnel in Sri Lanka to serve the nation in a better way, which is less covered in both national and international literature. Although the amount of interest in veteran entrepreneurship has increased over the years around the world, little has been done to study how the inculcated discipline, leadership, and flexibility of military life influence the success of entrepreneurship in developing nations, such as Sri Lanka, where the future of post-service career transition remains doubtful. Based on this gap, the study adopts a qualitative research design whereby semistructured interviews will be conducted with successful Sri Lankan military veterans-turned-entrepreneurs. The findings demonstrate that self-confidence, leadership, adaptability, risk-taking propensity, and determination, which are the characteristics that are enhanced in the military service, have a substantial impact on the intention of the ex-military personnel to begin a business. These qualities increase the entrepreneurial motive and recoverability, particularly in volatile socio-economic situations. The study offers practical implications to policymakers, veteran organisations, and entrepreneurship development programs, revealing the necessity of specific support mechanisms to capitalise on the entrepreneurial potential of the ex-military population. It adds to the theoretical knowledge of the entrepreneurial intention among non-traditional populations. Subsequent studies might develop this question further with quantitative methods or investigate how gender, rank, or kind of military service acts as a moderating variable.