Gender and Social Legitimacy of Entrepreneurship: Contribution to Entrepreneurial Intention in University Students from Chile and Colombia

Abstract

The research extends the application of TBP model including gender and SLE as moderator and mediator, respectively, and see if the prior results in developing countries are coincident with those of this research. In sum, the results could strength the contribution of TBP model including SLE as mediator and gender as moderator through EI. The research is a bi-country study based on 351 University students of business management in Chile and Colombia (245 students corresponds to Chile and 106 corresponds to Colombia). The data were subjected first to a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using Lisrel package. A structural equation model (SEM) analysis by the method of partial least squares (PLS) was used to test hypotheses. The results show that the Ajzen´s model explains the EI in Chile; while in the case of Colombia, only two of the variables suite the model. The social legitimacy of entrepreneurship is a factor that mediates attitude toward entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial intention for both countries. Finally, gender moderates perceived control behavior for the less male culture, Chile, according to Hofstede dimension.