Demographic differences in learner response to entrepreneurial education programmes in Pakistan

Abstract

Recent research on the benefits of entrepreneurship education has tended to ignore or “control out” possible demographic differences in outcomes for entrepreneurship graduates. This paper examines demographic differences in the perceived benefits of different components of entrepreneurship education programmes (EEPs), entrepreneurial cognitions and entrepreneurial intentions of EEP graduates. Data were collected by questionnaire from 348 university EEP graduates in Pakistan. All graduates had strong positive attitudes to becoming entrepreneurs and no demographic differences in entrepreneurial intentions were observed. Nonetheless, females in particular, and graduates with no work experience to a lesser extent, exited the EEPs with lower perceived benefits, particularly in terms of inspiration, and slightly weaker perceived control for entrepreneurship, than males and graduates with some experience. No substantial differences were associated with age or entrepreneurial family background. The authors suggest ways in which EEPs can be more inclusive of female students.

Keywords:

• Entrepreneurship education programmes
• programme structure
• learner background
• perceived barriers
• entrepreneurial intentions