Engineering Entrepreneurship Program Participation: Differences Across Men and Women

Background: Entrepreneurship education has gained significant attention in engineering. This has led to the widespread development of engineering entrepreneurship programs (EEPs) that instill entrepreneurial skills and mindsets in engineering graduates. While research has documented the benefits of EEPs, there is a paucity of research examining differences among men and women on factors informing their participation in EEPs. The purpose of the study is to examine differences across men and women regarding the factors that influence their decision to participate in EEPs. Methodology: This study uses an interpretative, qualitative approach using 20 student interviews as the data source. The interview transcripts are analyzed to identify key emergent themes pertinent to the differences among men and women. Findings: The findings identify five themes that unpack the differences between men and women in regard with factors informing their participation in EEPs: entrepreneurial self-efficacy, entrepreneurial intent, venture and nonventure creation goals, subjective influence of peers, and instructional preferences. Conclusion: Factors informing participation in EEPs are nuanced in meanings across men and women. Administrators and practitioners may use the differing factors and their nuances to better design curricular, pedagogical, advising, and outreach aspects of EEPs to create equitable and inclusive environments for women.

[1]  Greg J. Strimel,et al.  The Influence of Entrepreneurial Mindsets on Student Design Problem Framing , 2020, IEEE Transactions on Education.

[2]  Jacquelynne S. Eccles,et al.  From expectancy-value theory to situated expectancy-value theory: A developmental, social cognitive, and sociocultural perspective on motivation , 2020 .

[3]  C. Mavriplis,et al.  An entrepreneurship education and peer mentoring program for women in STEM: mentors’ experiences and perceptions of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and intent , 2020 .

[4]  A. Lindqvist,et al.  What is gender, anyway: a review of the options for operationalising gender , 2020, Psychology & Sexuality.

[5]  J. Libarkin,et al.  Examining differences in students’ entrepreneurship self efficacy in curricular and co-curricular entrepreneurship education programs , 2018 .

[6]  J. Moriano,et al.  “Think entrepreneur - think male”: a task and relationship scale to measure gender stereotypes in entrepreneurship , 2018, International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal.

[7]  Hung-Bin Sheu,et al.  Social cognitive career theory , 2018, Contemporary Theories of Career Development.

[8]  E. Silfver,et al.  In search of the new engineer: gender, age, and social class in information about engineering education , 2018, European Journal of Engineering Education.

[9]  C. Brush,et al.  The gender gap in venture capital- progress, problems, and perspectives , 2018 .

[10]  Andrew Elby,et al.  Zooming Out from the Struggling Individual Student: An Account of the Cultural Construction of Engineering Ability in an Undergraduate Programming Class , 2018 .

[11]  Peter T. Gianiodis,et al.  Entrepreneurship Unleashed: Understanding Entrepreneurial Education outside of the Business School , 2018 .

[12]  J. Libarkin,et al.  Assessment of student learning in an entrepreneurship practicum course , 2017 .

[13]  Dimo Dimov,et al.  Burst Bubbles or Build Steam? Entrepreneurship Education, Entrepreneurial Self‐Efficacy, and Entrepreneurial Intentions , 2015 .

[14]  Margaret E. Blume-Kohout.  Understanding the Gender Gap in STEM Fields Entrepreneurship , 2014 .

[15]  J. Maes,et al.  Gender differences in entrepreneurial intentions: A TPB multi-group analysis at factor and indicator level , 2014 .

[16]  C. Brush.  Exploring the Concept of an Entrepreneurship Education Ecosystem , 2014 .

[17]  C. Finelli,et al.  Bridging the Research‐to‐Practice Gap: Designing an Institutional Change Plan Using Local Evidence , 2014 .

[18]  Laura Huang,et al.  Investors prefer entrepreneurial ventures pitched by attractive men , 2014, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[19]  Sarah Elizabeth Zappe,et al.  Faculty beliefs of entrepreneurship and design education: An exploratory study comparing entrepreneurship and design faculty , 2013 .

[20]  D. Riley.  Hidden in Plain View: Feminists Doing Engineering Ethics, Engineers Doing Feminist Ethics , 2013, Sci. Eng. Ethics.

[21]  Eric Pardede,et al.  Redesigning the Assessment of an Entrepreneurship Course in an Information Technology Degree Program: Embedding Assessment for Learning Practices , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Education.

[22]  E. Gerber,et al.  Extracurricular Design-Based Learning: Preparing Students for Careers in Innovation* , 2012 .

[23]  Steve Olson,et al.  Engage to Excel: Producing One Million Additional College Graduates with Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Report to the President. , 2012 .

[24]  S. Mueller.  Increasing entrepreneurial intention: effective entrepreneurship course characteristics , 2011 .

[25]  Servane Delanoë,et al.  Gender's Perspective of Role Model Influence on Entrepreneurial Behavioral Beliefs , 2011 .

[26]  Veronique Schutjens,et al.  Entrepreneurship and Role Models , 2011 .

[27]  Holly M. Hutchins,et al.  Mediation and Moderated Mediation in the Relationship Among Role Models, Self‐Efficacy, Entrepreneurial Career Intention, and Gender , 2011 .

[28]  George D. Catalano,et al.  Engineering and Society: Working Towards Social Justice , 2009 .

[29]  Caroline A. Baillie,et al.  Engineering and Society: Working Towards Social Justice, Part III: Windows on Society , 2009, Engineering and Society: Working Towards Social Justice, Part III.

[30]  Yi-Wen Chen,et al.  Development and Cross–Cultural Application of a Specific Instrument to Measure Entrepreneurial Intentions , 2009 .

[31]  Johnny Saldaña,et al.  The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers , 2009 .

[32]  Lisa Y. Flores,et al.  The Effects of Perceived Barriers, Role Models, and Acculturation on the Career Self-Efficacy and Career Consideration of Hispanic Women , 2007 .

[33]  F. Rothaermel,et al.  University entrepreneurship: a taxonomy of the literature , 2007 .

[34]  Abraham P. Buunk,et al.  A positive role model may stimulate career oriented behavior. , 2007 .

[35]  Fiona Wilson,et al.  Gender, Entrepreneurial Self–Efficacy, and Entrepreneurial Career Intentions: Implications for Entrepreneurship Education 1 , 2007 .

[36]  A. Licht,et al.  The Social Dimensions of Entrepreneurship , 2005 .

[37]  G. Downey,et al.  Are Engineers Losing Control of Technology?: From ‘Problem Solving’ to ‘Problem Definition and Solution’ in Engineering Education , 2005 .

[38]  Matthew W. Ohland,et al.  The Effect of an Entrepreneurship Program on GPA and Retention * , 2004 .

[39]  Barbara M. Moskal,et al.  Qualitative Methods Used in the Assessment of Engineering Education , 2004 .

[40]  D. Shepherd,et al.  Self-Employment as a Career Choice: Attitudes, Entrepreneurial Intentions, and Utility Maximization , 2002 .

[41]  Linda J. Sax,et al.  Undergraduate Science Majors: Gender Differences in Who Goes to Graduate School , 2000 .

[42]  Indira Nair,et al.  Ethic of Care: Guiding Principles for Engineering Teaching & Practice , 1999 .

[43]  Chao-chuan Chen,et al.  Does entrepreneurial self-efficacy distinguish entrepreneurs from managers? , 1998 .

[44]  Steven D. Brown,et al.  Toward a Unifying Social Cognitive Theory of Career and Academic Interest, Choice, and Performance , 1994 .

[45]  I. Ajzen.  The theory of planned behavior , 1991 .

[46]  Michelle Perry,et al.  Learning and Transfer: Instructional Conditions and Conceptual Change , 1991 .

[47]  Kevin A. Nguyen,et al.  Negative Student Response to Active Learning in STEM Classrooms: A Systematic Review of Underlying Reasons , 2020, Journal of College Science Teaching.

[48]  Prateek Shekhar,et al.  Examining project based entrepreneurship and engineering design course professional skills outcomes , 2019 .

[49]  J. Libarkin,et al.  Understanding student participation in entrepreneurship education programs:: a critical review , 2018 .

[50]  Prateek Shekhar,et al.  Implementing project-based learning in a civil engineering course: a practitioner’s perspective , 2017 .

[51]  Teri Reed,et al.  The Role of Entrepreneurship Program Models and Experiential Activities on Engineering Student Outcomes. , 2016 .

[52]  Qu Jin,et al.  Entrepreneurial career choice and characteristics of engineering and business students , 2016 .

[53]  Helen L. Chen,et al.  Investigating entrepreneurship program models in undergraduate engineering education , 2016 .

[54]  Prateek Shekhar,et al.  Student Perceptions of Instructional Change in Engineering Courses: A Pilot Study , 2014 .

[55]  Sabine Klein,et al.  Parental role models and the decision to become self-employed: The moderating effect of personality , 2012 .

[56]  Timothy J. Kriewall,et al.  INSTILLING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET INTO ENGINEERING UNDERGRADUATES , 2010 .

[57]  Hao Zhao,et al.  The mediating role of self-efficacy in the development of entrepreneurial intentions. , 2005, The Journal of applied psychology.

[58]  Andrew K. Shenton.  Strategies for ensuring trustworthiness in qualitative research projects , 2004, Educ. Inf..

[59]  D. Schunk,et al.  Self-Efficacy and Academic Motivation , 2002 .

[60]  A. Bandura.  Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. , 1982 .