Structural Equation Modeling-Based Multi-Group Analysis: Examining the Role of Gender in the Link between Entrepreneurship Orientation and Entrepreneurial Intention

Abstract

This research examines the role of gender in the link between entrepreneurship orientation and entrepreneurial intention. More exactly, the research examines the differences between male and female senior students in relation to the effect of risk-taking, innovativeness, and pro-activeness on their entrepreneurial intention. For this purpose, a quantitative research method was conducted through a self-administered questionnaire to a sample of students at King Faisal University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) by AMOS software showed a significant positive direct impact of risk-taking on entrepreneurial intention and a significant positive indirect impact through innovativeness and pro-activeness for the structural model of male and female. In the comparison between the two groups using multi-group analysis, the results showed that impacts of risk-taking and innovativeness on entrepreneurial intention were found to be positive and significant in the two groups and the differences in p-value were significant. This means that there are significant differences between males and females in relation to the impact of risk-taking and innovativeness on entrepreneurial intention. These differences were because males were found to be more risk-taking than females whereas females were found to be more innovative than males. On the other side, the results confirmed no significant differences between the two groups in relation to the effect of pro-activeness on entrepreneurial intention. The findings of the study have noble implications for scholars and policymakers, which we have discussed and elaborated on.

Keywords

• multi-group analysis
• gender
• entrepreneurship orientation
• risk-taking
• innovativeness
• pro-activeness