Driving entrepreneurship through gender-moderated entrepreneurial mindset among tertiary students

Amid an influx of unemployed graduates who are offloaded by tertiary institutions annually, this study sought to promote job creation through entrepreneurial practices. The study criticises the notion that only tertiary education is enough for economic prosperity for both male and female tertiary students. A framework of the determinants of entrepreneurial mindset development was examined in which four determinants were analysed, namely entrepreneurial education, culture, individual and facilitating conditions. The moderating effect of gender on entrepreneurial mindset development was also tested whilst the direct link between entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurship was analysed. Data were collected from 378 students from universities in Zimbabwe using a structured questionnaire. A causal research design was applied in testing the interlinks. Data for the study were analysed using the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique whilst the moderating effect of gender was analysed using the Hayes Process Macro procedure. The study validated that employment creation is attainable through entrepreneurship, which is driven by an entrepreneurial mindset. However, only entrepreneurial education, culture and individual determinants recorded significant effects on the entrepreneurial mindset. Consequently, the study found that gender stereotype is still rife within the entrepreneurship arena and cultural determinants and gender roles influence females’ uptake of entrepreneurial roles. Thus, a cultural, psychological and education shift was recommended towards employment creation.