Understanding the relationship between entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial attitudes, and entrepreneurial intentions among engineering graduates: the moderating role of gender

Abstract

Purpose – The current study assesses the contribution of entrepreneurship education (EE) in strengthening entrepreneurial attitudes (EAs) and entrepreneurial intentions (EIs) among engineering graduates in India. Design/methodology/approach – Cross-sectional data were collected through an electronic questionnaire from 340 engineering students. Structural equation modeling was performed for hypothesis testing through SmartPLS4 software. Findings – The findings demonstrated that EE, EA and EI are positively and significantly correlated. However, the moderation effect of gender on EE–EI linkage was found to be insignificant. Research limitations/implications – The study provides comprehensive insights to understand EE effectiveness on students' EI and further opens the path for future researchers to investigate how the inclusion of other constructs in theory of planned behavior and human capital theory can raise the EI among students. Future research should target a larger sample size comprising students from diverse educational streams. Practical implications – The findings of this research offer various practical contributions for educational establishments, policymakers and the government in formulating constructive educational interventions that fully trigger the student's EIs. Originality/value – This study adds to the scarce theoretical examination of EE–EI using the human capital approach in developing countries. In addition, this study is highly relevant to the scarce theoretical and empirical support for investigating the contribution of EE in HEIs in India.

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship education
• Entrepreneurial attitude
• Entrepreneurial intention
• Gender