Entrepreneurial Intentions of Business Students: A Matter of Masculinity and Femininity

Davy Vercruysse; Stephanie Birkner

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13

| Peer-Reviewed

Entrepreneurial Intentions of Business Students: A Matter of Masculinity and Femininity

Davy Vercruysse, Stephanie Birkner

Published in European Business & Management (Volume 7, Issue 3)

Received: 27 May 2021 Accepted: 10 June 2021 Published: 21 June 2021

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the entrepreneurial intention of business students, with an emphasis on their masculine and feminine characteristics, instead of the usual classification male / female. While recent studies have increased the understanding of the implications of being a man or woman (sex differences) on entrepreneurial intention, papers which examine whether masculinity and/or femininity (gender differences) impact entrepreneurial intention are rare. The following paper offers insights into the latter research gap by quantitatively investigating the genderedness of intentions of business students, which is of particular importance for fostering entrepreneurship. The Theory of Planned Behavior is used as underlying framework, with entrepreneurial intention as dependent variable and its three antecedents (‘attitude towards behavior’, ‘subjective norms’, and ‘perceived behavior control’). A survey is administered and filled out by 501 Belgian business students of different universities. Masculinity and femininity are measured by the Bem Sex Role Inventory Model. The results are analyzed by structural equation modeling. Students with high masculinity have significant higher entrepreneurial intentions than students with low masculinity. There is a significant association between masculinity and entrepreneurial intentions through the mediating role of attitude towards behavior and subjective norms. Furthermore femininity has a positive impact on entrepreneurial intentions with subjective norms as mediator. This study contributes to the debate which personality traits influence entrepreneurial intention and further deepens the discussion how educators could approach different types of students in order to stimulate their interest in entrepreneurship. Previously conflicting results about the impact of sex on entrepreneurial intention can perhaps be solved if studies are in the future enriched with socially constructed gender variables.

Published in	European Business & Management (Volume 7, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13
Page(s)	72-84
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Entrepreneurial Intention, Sex, Gender, Masculinity, Femininity, Structural Equation Modeling, Mediation

References

[1]	United, N. Speakers Stress Key Role of Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Development, as Second Committee Approves 3 Draft Resolutions. 2016 10/09/2018]; Available from: https://www.un.org/press/en/2016/gaef3465.doc.htm.
[2]	European, C., (2013). Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan: Reigniting the Entrepreneurial Spirit in Europe. 1-18.
[3]	Huggins, R. and P. Thompson, (2015). Entrepreneurship, innovation and regional growth: a network theory. Small Business Economics, 45 (1): 103-128.
[4]	Cavusgil, S. T. and G. Knight, (2015). The born global firm: An entrepreneurial and capabilities perspective on early and rapid internationalization. Journal of International Business Studies, 46 (1): 3-16.
[5]	De Bruin, A., C. G. Brush and F. Welter, (2006). Introduction to the special issue: Towards building cumulative knowledge on women's entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship Theory and practice, 30 (5): 585-593.
[6]	De Bruin, A., C. G. Brush and F. Welter, (2007). Advancing a framework for coherent research on women's entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 31 (3): 323-339.
[7]	Henry, C., L. Foss and H. Ahl, (2016). Gender and entrepreneurship research: A review of methodological approaches. International Small Business Journal, 34 (3): 217-241.
[8]	Greene, P., C. Brush and E. Gatewood, (2006). Perspectives on women entrepreneurs past findings and new directions. Entrepreneurship: The Engine of Growth, 1: 181-204.
[9]	Ahl, H., (2006). Why Research on Women Entrepreneurs Needs New Directions. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 30 (5): 595-621.
[10]	Shinnar, R. S., O. Giacomin and F. Janssen, (2012). Entrepreneurial Perceptions and Intentions: The Role of Gender and Culture. Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice, 36 (3): 465-493.
[11]	Tegtmeier, S. and J. Mitra, (2015). Gender perspectives on university education and entrepreneurship. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 7 (3): 254-271.
[12]	Mehtap, S., M. M. Pellegrini, A. Caputo and D. H. Welsh, (2017). Entrepreneurial intentions of young women in the Arab world: Socio-cultural and educational barriers. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 23 (6): 880-902.
[13]	Tedmanson, D., K. Verduyn, C. Essers and W. B. Gartner, Critical perspectives in entrepreneurship research. 2012, Sage Publications Sage UK: London, England.
[14]	Brush, C. G., A. De Bruin and F. Welter, (2009). A gender-aware framework for women's entrepreneurship. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 1 (1): 8-24.
[15]	Brush, C. G., A. de Bruin and F. Welter, (2014). Advancing theory development in venture creation: signposts for understanding gender. Women’s entrepreneurship in the 21st century: an international multi-level research analysis, 11.
[16]	Brush, C. G., L. F. Edelman, T. Manolova and F. Welter, (2018). A gendered look at entrepreneurship ecosystems. Small Business Economics: 1-16.
[17]	Welter, F., C. G. Brush and A. De Bruin, (2014). The gendering of entrepreneurship context.
[18]	García, M.-C. D. and F. Welter, (2013). Gender identities and practices: Interpreting women entrepreneurs’ narratives. International Small Business Journal, 31 (4): 384-404.
[19]	Marlow, S. and A. Martinez Dy, (2017). Annual review article: Is it time to rethink the gender agenda in entrepreneurship research? International Small Business Journal: 0266242617738321.
[20]	Birkner, S., K. Ettl, F. Welter and I. Ebbers, Women’s Entrepreneurship in Europe: Research Facets and Educational Foci, in Women's Entrepreneurship in Europe, S. Birkner, et al., Editors. 2018, Springer: Heidelberg. p. 3-13.
[21]	Ajzen, I., From intentions to actions: A theory of planned behavior, in Action control, K. Jürgen and B. Julius, Editors. 1985, Springer: Heidelberg, Germany. p. 11-39.
[22]	Bem, S. L., (1981). Gender schema theory: A cognitive account of sex typing. Psychological review, 88 (4): 354.
[23]	Brush, C. G., Women entrepreneurs: A research overview, in The Oxford handbook of entrepreneurship. 2006.
[24]	Birley, S., (1987). Female entrepreneurs: are they really any different?
[25]	Watkins, J. M. and D. S. Watkins, (1983). The female entrepreneur: her background and determinants of business choice-some British data. Frontiers of entrepreneurship research: 271-288.
[26]	Chaganti, R., (1986). Management in women-owned enterprises. Journal of small business management, 24: 18.
[27]	Berry, M. C., (1980). Targeting more aid to women entrepreneurs. Venture May: 294-304.
[28]	Marlow, S., (1997). Self–employed women—new opportunities, old challenges? Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 9 (3): 199-210.
[29]	Mirchandani, K., (1999). Feminist insight on gendered work: New directions in research on women and entrepreneurship. Gender, Work & Organization, 6 (4): 224-235.
[30]	Hughes, K. D., J. E. Jennings, C. Brush, S. Carter and F. Welter, (2012). Extending Women's Entrepreneurship Research in New Directions. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 36 (3): 429-442.
[31]	Rouse, J., L. Treanor and E. Fleck, (2013). The gendering of entrepreneurship: theoretical and empirical insights. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research, 19 (5): 452-459.
[32]	Baughn, C. C., B. L. Chua and K. E. Neupert, (2006). The normative context for women's participation in entrepreneruship: A multicountry study. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 30 (5): 687-708.
[33]	Manolova, T. S., N. M. Carter, I. M. Manev and B. S. Gyoshev, (2007). The differential effect of men and women entrepreneurs' human capital and networking on growth expectancies in Bulgaria. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 31 (3): 407-426.
[34]	Wilson, F., J. Kickul and D. Marlino, (2007). Gender, Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy, and Entrepreneurial Career Intentions: Implications for Entrepreneurship Education. Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice, 31 (3): 387-406.
[35]	Hamilton, E., (2013). The discourse of entrepreneurial masculinities (and femininities). Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 25 (1-2): 90-99.
[36]	Jennings, J. E. and C. G. Brush, (2013). Research on women entrepreneurs: challenges to (and from) the broader entrepreneurship literature? Academy of Management Annals, 7 (1): 663-715.
[37]	Bruni, A., S. Gherardi and B. Poggio, (2004). Entrepreneur-mentality, gender and the study of women entrepreneurs. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 17 (3): 256-268.
[38]	Krueger, N. F., M. D. Reilly and A. L. Carsrud, (2000). Competing models of entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of business venturing, 15 (5): 411-432.
[39]	Kautonen, T., M. Gelderen and M. Fink, (2015). Robustness of the theory of planned behavior in predicting entrepreneurial intentions and actions. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 39 (3): 655-674.
[40]	Bird, B., (1988). Implementing entrepreneurial ideas: The case for intention. Academy of management Review, 13 (3): 442-453.
[41]	Armitage, C. J. and M. Conner, (2001). Efficacy of the theory of planned behaviour: A meta-analytic review. British journal of social psychology, 40 (4): 471-499.
[42]	Sheeran, P., (2002). Intention—behavior relations: A conceptual and empirical review. European review of social psychology, 12 (1): 1-36.
[43]	Drnovsek, M. and T. Erikson, (2005). Competing models of entrepreneurial intentions. Economic and Business Review for Central and South-Eastern Europe, 7 (1): 55.
[44]	Haus, I., H. Steinmetz, R. Isidor and R. Kabst, (2013). Gender effects on entrepreneurial intention: A meta-analytical structural equation model. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 5 (2): 130-156.
[45]	Schwarz, E. J., M. A. Wdowiak, D. A. Almer-Jarz and R. J. Breitenecker, (2009). The effects of attitudes and perceived environment conditions on students' entrepreneurial intent. Education & Training, 51 (4): 272-291.
[46]	Joensuu, S., A. Viljamaa, E. Varamäki and E. Tornikoski, (2013). Development of entrepreneurial intention in higher education and the effect of gender - a latent growth curve analysis. Education & Training, 55 (8/9): 781-803.
[47]	Kurczewska, A. and J. Bialek, (2014). Is the interplay between self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intentions gender-dependent? Argumenta Oeconomica, 33 (2): 23-38.
[48]	Kourilsky, M. L. and W. B. Walstad, (1998). Entrepreneurship and female youth: Knowledge, attitudes, gender differences, and educational practices. Journal of Business venturing, 13 (1): 77-88.
[49]	Vukovic, K., I. Kedmenec and D. Korent, (2015). The Impact of Exposure to Entrepreneurship Education on Student Entrepreneurial Intentions. Croatian Journal of Education-Hrvatski Casopis Za Odgoj I Obrazovanje, 17 (4): 1009-1036.
[50]	Camelo-Ordaz, C., J. P. Diánez-González and J. Ruiz-Navarro, (2016). The influence of gender on entrepreneurial intention: The mediating role of perceptual factors. BRQ Business Research Quarterly, 19 (4): 261-277.
[51]	Shinnar, R. S., D. K. Hsu, B. C. Powell and H. Zhou, (2018). Entrepreneurial intentions and start-ups: Are women or men more likely to enact their intentions? International small business journal, 36 (1): 60-80.
[52]	Itani, H., Y. M. Sidani and I. Baalbaki, (2011). United Arab Emirates female entrepreneurs: motivations and frustrations. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 30 (5): 409-424.
[53]	Morris, M. H. and P. S. Lewis, (1995). The determinants of entrepreneurial activity: Implications for marketing. European journal of marketing, 29 (7): 31-48.
[54]	Brindley, C., (2005). Barriers to women achieving their entrepreneurial potential: Women and risk. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 11 (2): 144-161.
[55]	Heilman, M. E., (2001). Description and prescription: How gender stereotypes prevent women's ascent up the organizational ladder. Journal of social issues, 57 (4): 657-674.
[56]	Lansky, M., (2000). Gender, women and all the rest (Part 1). International Labour Review, 139 (4): 481.
[57]	Marlow, S. and M. McAdam, (2013). Gender and entrepreneurship: Advancing debate and challenging myths; exploring the mystery of the under-performing female entrepreneur. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 19 (1): 114-124.
[58]	Brush, C. G., N. M. Carter, E. J. Gatewood, P. G. Greene and M. M. Hart, Women and entrepreneurship. 2006: Edward Elgar Publishing.
[59]	Jones, S., (2014). Gendered discourses of entrepreneurship in UK higher education: The fictive entrepreneur and the fictive student. International Small Business Journal, 32 (3): 237-258.
[60]	Nwankwo, B. E., G. C. Kanu, M. I. Marire, S. K. Balogun and A. C. Uhiara, (2012). Gender-role orientation and self-efficacy as correlates of entrepreneurial intention. European Journal of Business and Social Sciences, 1 (6): 9-26.
[61]	Carter, N. M. and M. L. Williams, (2003). The case of new firm growth. New perspectives on women entrepreneurs, 3: 25.
[62]	Oakley, A., Sex, gender and society. 2016: Routledge.
[63]	Vafaei, A., B. Alvarado, C. Tomás, C. Muro, B. Martinez and M. V. Zunzunegui, (2014). The validity of the 12-item Bem Sex Role Inventory in older Spanish population: An examination of the androgyny model. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics, 59 (2): 257-263.
[64]	Gupta, V. K., D. B. Turban, S. A. Wasti and A. Sikdar, (2009). The role of gender stereotypes in perceptions of entrepreneurs and intentions to become an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 33 (2): 397-417.
[65]	Matsui, T. and M. L. Onglatco, (1991). Instrumentality, expressiveness, and self-efficacy in career activities among Japanese working women. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 39 (2): 241-250.
[66]	Perez-Quintana, A., E. Hormiga, J. C. Martori and R. Madariaga, (2017). The influence of sex and gender-role orientation in the decision to become an entrepreneur. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 9 (1): 8-30.
[67]	Sweida, G., The Woman Entrepreneur's Paradox: Entrepreneurial Intention, Entrepreneurial Self-efficacy, and Behavior. 2018, The Claremont Graduate University.
[68]	Díaz-García, M. C. and J. Jiménez-Moreno, (2010). Entrepreneurial intention: the role of gender. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 6 (3): 261-283.
[69]	Ahl, H. and T. Nelson, (2015). How policy positions women entrepreneurs: A comparative analysis of state discourse in Sweden and the United States. Journal of Business Venturing, 30 (2): 273-291.
[70]	Brooks, A. W., L. Huang, S. W. Kearney and F. E. Murray, (2014). Investors prefer entrepreneurial ventures pitched by attractive men. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111 (12): 4427-4431.
[71]	Lee, M. and L. Huang, (2018). Gender bias, social impact framing, and evaluation of entrepreneurial ventures. Organization Science, 29 (1): 1-16.
[72]	Sánchez, J. C. and O. Licciardello, (2012). Gender differences and attitudes in entrepreneurial intentions: the role of career choice. JWEE, (1-2): 7-27.
[73]	Smallbone, D. and F. Welter, (2006). Conceptualising entrepreneurship in a transition context. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 3 (2): 190-206.
[74]	Manigart, S., B. Clarysse, H. Crijns and H. Goossens, (2002). The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor: Executive Report Belgium and Flanders 2001.
[75]	Holvoet, T., N. Bosma and H. Crijns, (2015). Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2014. Samenvatting voor Vlaanderen.
[76]	Liñán, F. and Y. W. Chen, (2009). Development and Cross-Cultural application of a specific instrument to measure entrepreneurial intentions. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 33 (3): 593-617.
[77]	Kolvereid, L., (2016). Preference for self-employment: Prediction of new business start-up intentions and efforts. The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 17 (2): 100-109.
[78]	Fayolle, A., B. Gailly and N. Lassas-Clerc, (2006). Assessing the impact of entrepreneurship education programmes: a new methodology. Journal of European industrial training, 30 (9): 701-720.
[79]	Kolvereid, L., (1996). Prediction of employment status choice intentions. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, 21 (1): 47-58.
[80]	Souitaris, V., S. Zerbinati and A. Al-Laham, (2007). Do entrepreneurship programmes raise entrepreneurial intention of science and engineering students? The effect of learning, inspiration and resources. Journal of Business venturing, 22 (4): 566-591.
[81]	Varamäki, E., S. Joensuu, E. Tornikoski and A. Viljamaa, (2015). The development of entrepreneurial potential among higher education students. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 22 (3): 563-589.
[82]	Campbell, T., J. A. Gillaspy Jr and B. Thompson, (1997). The factor structure of the Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI): Confirmatory analysis of long and short forms. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 57 (1): 118-124.
[83]	Maresch, D., R. Harms, N. Kailer and B. Wimmer-Wurm, (2016). The impact of entrepreneurship education on the entrepreneurial intention of students in science and engineering versus business studies university programs. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 104: 172-179.
[84]	Tiago, T., S. Faria, J. P. Couto and F. Tiago, (2015). Fostering Innovation by Promoting Entrepreneurship: From Education to Intention. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 175: 154-161.
[85]	Seaman, C., R. Bent and A. Unis, (2016). Family entrepreneurship culture, entrepreneurial intent, futures and foresight in Scottish Pakistani communities. Futures, 75: 83-91.
[86]	Lindquist, M. J., J. Sol and M. Van Praag, (2015). Why do entrepreneurial parents have entrepreneurial children? Journal of Labor Economics, 33 (2): 269-296.
[87]	Fayolle, A. and B. Gailly, (2015). The impact of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial attitudes and intention: Hysteresis and persistence. Journal of Small Business Management, 53 (1): 75-93.
[88]	Donnelly, K. and J. M. Twenge, (2017). Masculine and feminine traits on the Bem Sex-Role Inventory, 1993–2012: A cross-temporal meta-analysis. Sex Roles, 76 (9): 556-565.
[89]	Allison, P., (2012). When can you safely ignore multicollinearity. Statistical Horizons, 5 (1).
[90]	Hoaglin, D. C. and B. Iglewicz, (1987). Fine-tuning some resistant rules for outlier labeling. Journal of the American statistical Association, 82 (400): 1147-1149.
[91]	Ng, M. and J. Lin, (2016). Testing for mediation effects under non-normality and heteroscedasticity: a comparison of classic and modern methods. International Journal of Quantitative Research in Education, 3 (1-2): 24-40.
[92]	Banjanovic, E. S. and J. W. Osborne, (2016). Confidence intervals for effect sizes: Applying bootstrap resampling. Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation, 21 (1): 5.
[93]	Sobel, M. E., (1982). Asymptotic confidence intervals for indirect effects in structural equation models. Sociological methodology, 13: 290-312.
[94]	Preacher, K. J. and A. F. Hayes, (2004). SPSS and SAS procedures for estimating indirect effects in simple mediation models. Behavior research methods, instruments, & computers, 36 (4): 717-731.
[95]	Lenney, E., (1991). Sex roles: The measurement of masculinity, femininity, and androgyny.
[96]	Hytti, U., P. Stenholm, J. Heinonen and J. Seikkula-Leino, (2010). Perceived learning outcomes in entrepreneurship education. Education & Training, 52 (8/9): 587-606.
[97]	Dabic, M., T. Daim, E. Bayraktaroglu, I. Novak and M. Basic, (2012). Exploring gender differences in attitudes of university students towards entrepreneurship. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 4 (3): 316-336.
[98]	Laviolette, E. M., M. R. Lefebvre and O. Brunel, (2012). The impact of story bound entrepreneurial role models on self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research.
[99]	Boissin, J.-P., B. Branchet, S. Delanoë and V. Velo, (2011). Gender's Perspective of Role Model Influence on Entrepreneurial Behavioral Beliefs. International Journal of Business, 16 (2): 182-206.
[100]	Kailer, N., (2009). Entrepreneurship education: empirical findings and proposals for the design of entrepreneurship education concepts at universities in German-speaking countries. Journal of Enterprising Culture, 17 (2): 201-231.
[101]	Shneor, R. and J. I. Jenssen. A comparison of factors influencing male and female students' entrepreneurial intentions. in 5th Annual Euromed Conference of the Euromed Academy of Business: Building New Business Models for Success through Competitiveness and Responsibility. 2014.
[102]	Dy, A. M., S. Marlow and L. Martin, (2017). A Web of opportunity or the same old story? Women digital entrepreneurs and intersectionality theory. Human Relations, 70 (3): 286-311.
[103]	Fielden, S. and M. J. Davidson, (2012). BAME women business owners: how intersectionality affects discrimination and social support. Gender in management: An international journal.
[104]	Romero, M. and Z. Valdez, (2016). Introduction to the special issue: Intersectionality and entrepreneurship. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 39 (9): 1553-1565.
[105]	Yordanova, D. I. and M.-A. Tarrazon, (2010). Gender differences in entrepreneurial intentions: evidence from Bulgaria. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 15 (3): 245-261.
[106]	Küttim, M., M. Kallaste, U. Venesaar and A. Kiis, (2014). Entrepreneurship education at university level and students’ entrepreneurial intentions. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 110: 658-668.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Davy Vercruysse, Stephanie Birkner. (2021). Entrepreneurial Intentions of Business Students: A Matter of Masculinity and Femininity. European Business & Management, 7(3), 72-84. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Davy Vercruysse; Stephanie Birkner. Entrepreneurial Intentions of Business Students: A Matter of Masculinity and Femininity. Eur. Bus. Manag. 2021, 7(3), 72-84. doi: 10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Davy Vercruysse, Stephanie Birkner. Entrepreneurial Intentions of Business Students: A Matter of Masculinity and Femininity. Eur Bus Manag. 2021;7(3):72-84. doi: 10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13,
  author = {Davy Vercruysse and Stephanie Birkner},
  title = {Entrepreneurial Intentions of Business Students: A Matter of Masculinity and Femininity},
  journal = {European Business & Management},
  volume = {7},
  number = {3},
  pages = {72-84},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ebm.20210703.13},
  abstract = {The purpose of this paper is to investigate the entrepreneurial intention of business students, with an emphasis on their masculine and feminine characteristics, instead of the usual classification male / female. While recent studies have increased the understanding of the implications of being a man or woman (sex differences) on entrepreneurial intention, papers which examine whether masculinity and/or femininity (gender differences) impact entrepreneurial intention are rare. The following paper offers insights into the latter research gap by quantitatively investigating the genderedness of intentions of business students, which is of particular importance for fostering entrepreneurship. The Theory of Planned Behavior is used as underlying framework, with entrepreneurial intention as dependent variable and its three antecedents (‘attitude towards behavior’, ‘subjective norms’, and ‘perceived behavior control’). A survey is administered and filled out by 501 Belgian business students of different universities. Masculinity and femininity are measured by the Bem Sex Role Inventory Model. The results are analyzed by structural equation modeling. Students with high masculinity have significant higher entrepreneurial intentions than students with low masculinity. There is a significant association between masculinity and entrepreneurial intentions through the mediating role of attitude towards behavior and subjective norms. Furthermore femininity has a positive impact on entrepreneurial intentions with subjective norms as mediator. This study contributes to the debate which personality traits influence entrepreneurial intention and further deepens the discussion how educators could approach different types of students in order to stimulate their interest in entrepreneurship. Previously conflicting results about the impact of sex on entrepreneurial intention can perhaps be solved if studies are in the future enriched with socially constructed gender variables.},
 year = {2021}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Entrepreneurial Intentions of Business Students: A Matter of Masculinity and Femininity
AU  - Davy Vercruysse
AU  - Stephanie Birkner
Y1  - 2021/06/21
PY  - 2021
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13
T2  - European Business & Management
JF  - European Business & Management
JO  - European Business & Management
SP  - 72
EP  - 84
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-5811
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13
AB  - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the entrepreneurial intention of business students, with an emphasis on their masculine and feminine characteristics, instead of the usual classification male / female. While recent studies have increased the understanding of the implications of being a man or woman (sex differences) on entrepreneurial intention, papers which examine whether masculinity and/or femininity (gender differences) impact entrepreneurial intention are rare. The following paper offers insights into the latter research gap by quantitatively investigating the genderedness of intentions of business students, which is of particular importance for fostering entrepreneurship. The Theory of Planned Behavior is used as underlying framework, with entrepreneurial intention as dependent variable and its three antecedents (‘attitude towards behavior’, ‘subjective norms’, and ‘perceived behavior control’). A survey is administered and filled out by 501 Belgian business students of different universities. Masculinity and femininity are measured by the Bem Sex Role Inventory Model. The results are analyzed by structural equation modeling. Students with high masculinity have significant higher entrepreneurial intentions than students with low masculinity. There is a significant association between masculinity and entrepreneurial intentions through the mediating role of attitude towards behavior and subjective norms. Furthermore femininity has a positive impact on entrepreneurial intentions with subjective norms as mediator. This study contributes to the debate which personality traits influence entrepreneurial intention and further deepens the discussion how educators could approach different types of students in order to stimulate their interest in entrepreneurship. Previously conflicting results about the impact of sex on entrepreneurial intention can perhaps be solved if studies are in the future enriched with socially constructed gender variables.
VL  - 7
IS  - 3
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Davy Vercruysse

Department of Accountancy, Corporate Finance & Fiscality, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Stephanie Birkner

Department of Economics and Law, Faculty II, Oldenburg University, Oldenburg, Germany

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Davy Vercruysse, Stephanie Birkner. (2021). Entrepreneurial Intentions of Business Students: A Matter of Masculinity and Femininity. European Business & Management, 7(3), 72-84. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Davy Vercruysse; Stephanie Birkner. Entrepreneurial Intentions of Business Students: A Matter of Masculinity and Femininity. Eur. Bus. Manag. 2021, 7(3), 72-84. doi: 10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Davy Vercruysse, Stephanie Birkner. Entrepreneurial Intentions of Business Students: A Matter of Masculinity and Femininity. Eur Bus Manag. 2021;7(3):72-84. doi: 10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13,
  author = {Davy Vercruysse and Stephanie Birkner},
  title = {Entrepreneurial Intentions of Business Students: A Matter of Masculinity and Femininity},
  journal = {European Business & Management},
  volume = {7},
  number = {3},
  pages = {72-84},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ebm.20210703.13},
  abstract = {The purpose of this paper is to investigate the entrepreneurial intention of business students, with an emphasis on their masculine and feminine characteristics, instead of the usual classification male / female. While recent studies have increased the understanding of the implications of being a man or woman (sex differences) on entrepreneurial intention, papers which examine whether masculinity and/or femininity (gender differences) impact entrepreneurial intention are rare. The following paper offers insights into the latter research gap by quantitatively investigating the genderedness of intentions of business students, which is of particular importance for fostering entrepreneurship. The Theory of Planned Behavior is used as underlying framework, with entrepreneurial intention as dependent variable and its three antecedents (‘attitude towards behavior’, ‘subjective norms’, and ‘perceived behavior control’). A survey is administered and filled out by 501 Belgian business students of different universities. Masculinity and femininity are measured by the Bem Sex Role Inventory Model. The results are analyzed by structural equation modeling. Students with high masculinity have significant higher entrepreneurial intentions than students with low masculinity. There is a significant association between masculinity and entrepreneurial intentions through the mediating role of attitude towards behavior and subjective norms. Furthermore femininity has a positive impact on entrepreneurial intentions with subjective norms as mediator. This study contributes to the debate which personality traits influence entrepreneurial intention and further deepens the discussion how educators could approach different types of students in order to stimulate their interest in entrepreneurship. Previously conflicting results about the impact of sex on entrepreneurial intention can perhaps be solved if studies are in the future enriched with socially constructed gender variables.},
 year = {2021}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Entrepreneurial Intentions of Business Students: A Matter of Masculinity and Femininity
AU  - Davy Vercruysse
AU  - Stephanie Birkner
Y1  - 2021/06/21
PY  - 2021
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13
T2  - European Business & Management
JF  - European Business & Management
JO  - European Business & Management
SP  - 72
EP  - 84
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-5811
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ebm.20210703.13
AB  - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the entrepreneurial intention of business students, with an emphasis on their masculine and feminine characteristics, instead of the usual classification male / female. While recent studies have increased the understanding of the implications of being a man or woman (sex differences) on entrepreneurial intention, papers which examine whether masculinity and/or femininity (gender differences) impact entrepreneurial intention are rare. The following paper offers insights into the latter research gap by quantitatively investigating the genderedness of intentions of business students, which is of particular importance for fostering entrepreneurship. The Theory of Planned Behavior is used as underlying framework, with entrepreneurial intention as dependent variable and its three antecedents (‘attitude towards behavior’, ‘subjective norms’, and ‘perceived behavior control’). A survey is administered and filled out by 501 Belgian business students of different universities. Masculinity and femininity are measured by the Bem Sex Role Inventory Model. The results are analyzed by structural equation modeling. Students with high masculinity have significant higher entrepreneurial intentions than students with low masculinity. There is a significant association between masculinity and entrepreneurial intentions through the mediating role of attitude towards behavior and subjective norms. Furthermore femininity has a positive impact on entrepreneurial intentions with subjective norms as mediator. This study contributes to the debate which personality traits influence entrepreneurial intention and further deepens the discussion how educators could approach different types of students in order to stimulate their interest in entrepreneurship. Previously conflicting results about the impact of sex on entrepreneurial intention can perhaps be solved if studies are in the future enriched with socially constructed gender variables.
VL  - 7
IS  - 3
ER  -

Copy | Download