Gender differentiation in the study of entrepreneurial intent of new graduates: the case of students studying in the Far North in Cameroon

Abstract

Entrepreneurship has been the subject of several works in the field of business creation. This work most often focuses on the gender approach in entrepreneurial dynamics with notable shortcomings in the specificities associated with the various variables that are taken into account in these studies. Also, there are shortcomings in the target chosen, as previous studies focus on either men or women. A joint study in a differentiated approach is rarely observed, yet this is a field of research to be found. The purpose of this article is to study the evolution of the entrepreneurial intention of new graduates in higher education, using a gender-differentiated approach. To achieve this, a qualitative methodology of exploratory type was carried out among students from the Far North in Cameroon newly graduated in professional fields. Semi-directional interviews were conducted using an interview guide administered to 19 respondents and the results indicate that, despite the similarities observed in some areas in relation to the level of study, the chosen course and the professional experience acquired, there are discrepancies with the intention to start entrepreneurship, on the one hand, but also in the transition to entrepreneurship itself. These discrepancies are analyzed and the implications of both the theoretical and managerial levels are presented as well as the future axes of the research.

JEL Classification : L1 ; L25 ; O32

Paper type: Empirical research