Entrepreneurial cognitions in academia: exploring gender differences

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to draw from an adapted model of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and from existing models of entrepreneurial intention (EI) to analyse the role of gender on academics’ perceptions concerning the commercialisation of their research results. In particular, the authors explore differences in perceptions arising from diverse cognitions, such as attitudes towards entrepreneurial activities, the influence of close social groups and opportunity recognition self-efficacy. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire was addressed to 500 Spanish academics who have headed research projects with public funding in technology-related areas, and the results were subjected to multigroup structural equation analysis (LISREL) to determine the extent and nature of the differences within this group. Findings – The results obtained show that the influence of close social groups is perceived differently by men and women, particularly as regards the support received for academics’ attitudes and perceptions of control over the development of EI. Practical implications – The aim is to better understand the world facing academics and the influences on their intention to commercialise research outcomes. An understanding of these issues offers the opportunity to design appropriate government interventions to assist academic entrepreneurs undertaking a business venture. Originality/value – This paper considers an under-researched area that of female entrepreneurship in academia, traditionally considered a male-dominated activity. Helpful information is provided on gender differences in the academic context.

Linking young individuals' capital to investment intentions: Comparing two cultural backgrounds

“…The insignificant relationship between norms and investment intentions should not be considered evidence inconsistent with the core assumptions of the TPB (Ajzen and Fishbein, 2005). This could be explained by our findings regarding the mediating role of attitudes and control on the relationship between norms and investment intentions, which is in line with previous research in the entrepreneurial domain (Alonso-Galicia et al, 2015, Entrialgo and Iglesias, 2016, Liñán, 2008, Liñán and Chen, 2009, Liñán et al, 2011, Liñán et al, 2013). This full mediation suggests that supportive social circles regarding Greeks' decisions to engage in investment activities create positive attitudes regarding the outcomes that can be gained through the involvement in investment activities, and increase the level of confidence in engaging in investment activities, which in turn lead to the formation of higher investment intentions.…”

“…In the Greek group, individuals' investment intentions are formed based on their positive attitudes regarding their engagement in investment activities, which is in line with previous research not only in Greece (for employed/unemployed individuals see Palamida et al, in press; for University students see Zampetakis et al, 2016) but also in other collectivistic societies (India, Iran and Senegal) among university students (García-Rodríguez et al, 2015, Karimi et al, in press, Roy et al, in press) and academics (Spain;Alonso-Galicia et al, 2015). The vast majority of previous studies have reported a significant relationship (e.g.…”

Intención Emprendedora Académica: un estudio a través de la Teoría del Comportamiento Planeado

“…The structural model of the research shows a 57.6% explanation of the variance of AEI. This percentage is higher than those obtained by previous studies academic entrepreneurship between 35 and 50% (Alonso-Galicia et al, 2015;Feola et al, 2017;Fernández-Pérez et al, 2014).…”

Entrepreneurship and Family Role: A Systematic Review of a Growing Research

“…The study conducted by Pablo-Lerchundi et al (2015) showed that the profession carried out by parents influences the entrepreneurial intentions of students, who were more likely to choose an entrepreneurial career if their parents were entrepreneurs than children of public officials. In recent years, the impact of role models on entrepreneurial process was confirmed in different professional categories, as in academic entrepreneurs (Fernández-Pérez et al, 2015) and active entrepreneurs (Bosma et al, 2012;Fritsch et al, 2012).…”