A Study on the Influence of Education and Demographic Variables on the Entrepreneurial Self Efficacy (ESE)

Abstract

The present study is a modest attempt to examine whether the students pursuing management education in entrepreneurship perceive their Entrepreneurial Self Efficacy (ESE) to be significantly different from those pursuing management educations in other disciplines. The study also investigates the role of demographic variables like gender, family background, prior work-experience, and prior entrepreneurial exposure in influencing ESE. The study is based on a sample of 244 entrepreneurship graduates and 212 management graduates collected from different institutes in Western India, and their ESE was measured through a five-point Likert scale self-administered questionnaire based on a four-phase venture creation model. ESE of entrepreneurship graduates was higher than management graduates but not significantly different. The significant influence of gender, family background, and work experience was observed on ESE of the respondents though prior entrepreneurial exposure did not significantly alter the participants' self-efficacy.