Young Female Entrepreneurial Orientation in a Context of Crisis. The Case of a Developing Country

Abstract

Entrepreneurship serves as a catalyst for economic development, particularly during crises, as it fosters economic resilience through the establishment of new enterprises and the creation of employment opportunities. Women possess a significant entrepreneurial potential, and nurturing this potential could empower women to contribute substantially to sustainable economic growth. This paper investigates the relationship between the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) of female students in Cluj-Napoca and their entrepreneurial intention (EI). Given the current context of crisis (marked by a post-pandemic situation, Ukraine war, energy crisis and high inflation) we have also studied its impact on the entrepreneurial orientation. To achieve these research objectives, we have employed a questionnaire-based survey among 231 female students from Cluj-Napoca enrolled in all three levels of study (bachelor, master, and PhD). The results show that the entrepreneurial orientation of students (as a unidimensional construct) has a significant influence on their entrepreneurial intentions. Among the five investigated EO dimensions (risk-taking, innovativeness, proactiveness, passion and perseverance), it was found that only passion influences significantly the EI. It was also found that the current crisis is a factor influencing the entrepreneurial orientation of female students. Our study contributes to the body of literature in gender studies and entrepreneurship studies by testing two newly proposed EO dimensions: passion and perseverance. The practical implications of our research consist in recommendations for educational institutions and policymakers for designing more effective entrepreneurship education programs and support policies for women pursuing an entrepreneurial career.