Entrepreneurial Intentions Among Female Students in STEM: A Quantitative Study of Motivations, Barriers, and Support Systems
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70162/mijmsr/2025/v11/i1/v11i101Keywords:
Entrepreneurial intentions, female STEM students, role models, gender bias, financial risk tolerance, mentorship programs, incubators, support systems, entrepreneurship barriersAbstract
This quantitative study investigates the entrepreneurial intentions of female STEM students, focusing on the influence of role models, financial risk tolerance, perceived barriers (gender bias and access to funding), and the availability of support systems such as mentorship and incubator programs. Data were collected from 105 female STEM students through a structured questionnaire. Statistical analyses, including correlation, t-tests, and chi-square tests, were used to test five hypotheses. The results show that 44% of respondents expressed an interest in entrepreneurship, with a significant positive correlation between entrepreneurial role models and aspirations (r = 0.41, p < 0.001). Financial risk tolerance was also positively correlated with entrepreneurial aspirations (r = 0.36, p < 0.001). Perceived gender bias negatively impacted entrepreneurial intentions (r = 0.20, p < 0.001), while access to funding did not have a significant effect. Surprisingly, mentorship and incubator programs showed no significant impact on entrepreneurial aspirations (p = 0.914). These findings suggest the need for targeted interventions to reduce gender-related barriers and promote role models to encourage female entrepreneurship in STEM.
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