Peer Effects in Entrepreneurship Education Field Experimental Evidence on the Role of Gender and Team Emotional Intelligence

This study builds on the assumption that the common experiential design of entrepreneurship education stimulates entrepreneurial learning via social interaction with peers. The first part of the analysis focuses on gendered peer effects at the pre-nascent stage of the entrepreneurial process, as having same-gender entrepreneurial peers in the team positively influences the development of entrepreneurial intentions, attitudes, as well as entrepreneurial self-efficacy. The second part of the analysis deals with the role of team emotional intelligence in the context of entrepreneurship education. This analysis provides some indications for positive same-gender peer effects, especially when it comes to the development of entrepreneurial self-efficacy among female students. Further, team emotional intelligence is found to be not only an antecedent of entrepreneurial propensity, but also being assigned to a team with emotionally intelligent peers positively influences entrepreneurial learning and may even mitigate same-gender effects.

Policy implications

Same-gender team mates was found to positively influence the development of entrepreneurial self-efficacy, as well as attitudes towards entrepreneurship. Furthermore, same-gender peer effects tend to be slightly more important for female students. Moreover, high levels of individual and peers’ team emotional intelligence positively influence the development of entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Thereby, high levels of team emotional intelligence can even balance out positive effects of having same-gender peer.

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Hypotheses/research question

Does having same-gender entrepreneurial peers in the team positively influence the development of entrepreneurial intentions, attitudes, as well as entrepreneurial self-efficacy?

Study design

Stratified randomization

In total, 1120 students participated in the course in two different cohorts (2016 and 2017). Generally, more women (n = 626) than men (n = 494) attended the course, which is mainly due to the 143 students majoring in human resource education and management, of which only 39 were men. Students were on average 20.7 years old with the vast majority being German (88%) and majoring in business administration (82%). 48% report to have at least one entrepreneurial parent, 15% have worked in a startup before, and 6% have founded a company themselves.

Cost benefit ratio

Not available.

Rounds of data collection

Pre-test and post test data collection, for two rounds.

Baseline data collection and method

At the beginning of the first general course session, participants were provided with a pen-and-paper questionnaire and asked to complete the survey within the first minutes of the course. At this point, students did not yet have any information about their assigned team.

Data collection method and data collected

Data were collected during an entrepreneurship course at a large German university. The course is mandatory for first-year undergraduate students, who either pursue a major in business administration or human resource education and management. The central learning goal of the program is to sensitize students for entrepreneurship by providing them with a practical experience of working in a self-organized entrepreneurial team.

Unit of analysis

Students and teams of 4/5 students

Stratification

By previous study experience (in three levels) and by gender.

Reference

Bechthold, L.A. and Rosendahl Huber, L., 2020. Peer Effects in Entrepreneurship Education Field Experimental Evidence on the Role of Gender and Team Emotional Intelligence. In Academy of Management Proceedings (Vol. 2020, No. 1, p. 17175). Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510: Academy of Management.

Peer Effects in Entrepreneurship Education Field Experimental Evidence on the Role of Gender and Team Emotional Intelligence

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