Innovation education and entrepreneurial intentions among postgraduate students: The role of innovation competence and gender

Abstract

The study examined the effect of innovation education on entrepreneurial intentions among postgraduate students and the role of innovation competence and gender. The study was a survey, with data collected using a structured questionnaire. The study used Master’s students of Akenten-Appiah Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED), Ghana. The sample includes 370 Master’s students from 10 faculties of the university. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The study found that innovation education has significant positive influence on entrepreneurial intention. Innovation competence was found to mediate the relationship between innovation education and entrepreneurial intention. Finally, gender moderated the relationship between innovation education and innovation competence and also moderated the relationship between innovation competence and entrepreneurial intention. Assessing the moderating role of gender between innovation education and innovation competence, as well as, innovation competence and entrepreneurial intention, represents novel contributions of this study.