Factors affecting students’ entrepreneurial intentions and their differences based on gender, tribe, and parents’ occupation: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: This study examines the effect of entrepreneurial knowledge and self-efficacy in increasing entrepreneurial intentions and whether self-efficacy moderates entrepreneurial knowledge's effect on entrepreneurial intentions. Analysis of differences in entrepreneurial intentions based on gender, ethnicity, and parent's occupation. Methods: The data used in this study were collected from a survey conducted by distributing questionnaires electronically to students of the Economics education Study Program, Faculty of Economics, Medan State University semesters 3,5, and 7, totaling 307 and 260 willing to fill in. The analytical test used is the PLS-SEM test, as well as Mann-Whitney and Kruskal Wallis (non-parametric test. This study examines the effect of entrepreneurial knowledge and self-efficacy in increasing entrepreneurial intentions and whether self-efficacy moderates entrepreneurial knowledge's effect on entrepreneurial intentions. Analysis of differences in entrepreneurial intentions based on gender, ethnicity, and parent's occupation. Results: Entrepreneurial knowledge and self-efficacy positively and significantly increased entrepreneurial intentions. Self-efficacy was not proven to act as a moderating variable, and there was no difference in entrepreneurial intentions between genders, tribes and parents’ occupations. Conclusions: This research implies that it is necessary to organize entrepreneurship education with an innovative active approach to increase women's entrepreneurial intentions and reduce gender inequiality in entrepreneurial activities. Further research is needed on the role of culture-based families in preparing their sons and daughters to become entrepreneurs.