Abstract:

This paper aims to analyze whether the competences worked in a business plan have any kind of influence on students' learning outcomes by means of gender.

In order to analyse these effects we present an empirical study to know the relationship between gender, competences and learning results in a business plan course. To do so, we use data obtained from questionnaires distributed among 425 students of the Bachelor in Business Administration at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. The questionnaires measure the students’ perception of competences achievement and their learning results.

The evaluation of competences as a result of learning involves a sensible change in the university model, affecting its organization, objectives and activities, and shifting the interest from the acquisition of knowledge (learning in content) to the individual who learns (results of learning). With the reforms involved in the Bologna Process, studies on skills and their relationship with the teaching/learning process have risen considerably. Thus, we have seen that there is scientific literature addressed to the study of competences and their relationship with education. However, to our knowledge, there are not studies that explicitly analyse the effects of the competences acquired through business plans on learning outcomes, and more specifically, the potential influence of gender.

Our main aim is to analyse whether or not the competences developed using the business plan methodology influence the students’ learning results, as well as the influence of gender, comparing male and female students.

We conducted exploratory factor analyses on competences and learning results, and linear regression analyses to explore the influence of gender and the competences acquired through the use of business plans on learning outcomes, exploring the potential moderating influence of gender.

The findings show a negative effect of being female on learning results, which reveals that the learning results of women were poorer than those of men using the business plan methodology. Another key finding is the great positive influence of competences on learning outcomes. The competences that have the greatest influence were those related to time management and the specific competences related to the business plan. Finally, significant differences were not found in the impact of competences on learning outcomes when we compare men and women.

To sum up, we can point out that female students involves a lower perception of their learning results using the business plan methodology. We must therefore encourage female students and implement actions in order to improve and generate greater results.

Keywords:

Gender, business plan, learning outcomes, competences, higher education.