Do enterprise education competitions have gendered outcomes amongst STEM early-career researchers?

Abstract

This article examines whether an enterprise education competition is gendered and so, may have unintended gendered outcomes for male and female Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) early-career researcher participants. Sex-based differences in entrepreneurial intentions (EI) and entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) are examined and, drawing on Social Cognitive Career Theory, we explore perceived gender-barriers to entrepreneurship and their influence upon ESE and EI. Employing pre- and post-survey data from 120 STEM early-career researchers participating in the competition, we undertook t-tests, difference-in-differences and hierarchical-regression analyses. We found no significant sex-based differences in EI and ESE. Participation in the competition had a significant impact upon perceived gender-barriers for both sexes; perceptions of stereotype threat and childcare-work conflict barriers were reduced for women post-participation, while their perceived lack of role models increased. Gender-barriers were found to have a significant negative influence on ESE and EI. We contribute to developing intention-based analysis beyond traditional gender-blind measures through incorporating gendered structural barriers which demonstrably influence EI.