Examining Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy among University Students:An Empirical Study from Gender Point of View

Research Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the two factors describing entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) help in understanding gender difference in ESE. Further, the study also aims to study the relationship & effect of demographic variable and socio-economic factor on ESE.

Methods and Measures: A quantitative methodology and a survey-based design were used to identify gender difference in ESE. 210 primary data were collected from students of UG and PG courses through structured questionnaire. The study used DonMacke and DebMarkley (2003) measures of entrepreneurial skills, i.e., Motivation and Capacity-Skill for assessing ESE.

Findings: The study revealed no significant difference between aspiring male and female in terms of both factors, i.e., Motivation and Capacity-Skill representing ESE except grasping ability measuring marketing and communication capacity. It was found that a female has more grasping ability than a male. In addition, no significant relationship was found between age, socio-economic factor, and ESE.

Practical Implications: This study will be useful for the institution to develop its curriculum so that it will able to create self confidence among students and also be helpful in encouraging and motivating students (particularly female) to engage in entrepreneurial activity through skill-development programme.

Contribution of Study: The study contributes to existing literature of entrepreneurship and enhanced our understanding regarding so-called gender difference in terms of ESE.