Industrial Economics in Algeria: Startups as a Mechanism for Economic Diversification and the Role of FabLab Use in FosteringStudents’ Entrepreneurial Intentions

Abstract

The Algerian economyisincreasinglyseeking to diversifyits sources of income and reduceitsdependence on the hydrocarbonsector by promoting innovation and supporting the creation of startups. In thiscontext, thisstudyaims to examine the role of FabLab use in fosteringstudents’ entrepreneurial intentions, drawing on Ajzen’s (1991) Theory ofPlannedBehavior. To achievethis objective, a questionnaire wasused as the primary data collection instrument and administered to studentswho use the FabLab at the HigherSchool of Applied Sciences of Tlemcen. Following data collection, 81 valid questionnaires wereanalyzedusing the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Version 22). The findingsrevealed a statisticallysignificant positive effect of FabLab use on students’ entrepreneurial intentions. The resultsfurtherindicatethat the FabLabprovides a conduciveenvironment for supporting startup projects and fosteringstudents’ entrepreneurial skills. Thesefindingshighlight the potentialrole of FabLabs as innovation-orientedspacesthatcancontribute to developing entrepreneurial capacitiesamonguniversitystudents and supportingeconomic diversification in Algeria.