The influence of interdisciplinary entrepreneurial leadership learning on entrepreneurial mindset development

The study addresses a notable gap in the literature concerning the influence of interdisciplinary entrepreneurial leadership learning (IELL) on the entrepreneurial mindset development of non-business students. Anchored in Mars and Torres’s entrepreneurial leadership proclivity instrument (ELPI) and informed by Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior and Bourdieu’s theory of human agency and practice, the study examines the influence of an entrepreneurial leadership course on 275 non-business undergraduates. The guiding hypothesis posits that IELL enhances the entrepreneurial mindsets of students, irrespective of their academic discipline or career goals. The entrepreneurial leadership course for 3rd- and 4th-year undergraduates focused on fostering innovation and strategy across diverse fields. Using the ELPI, the study measured students’ innovation and entrepreneurial strategy skills to sort them into four distinct leadership types: manager, strategist, innovator, and entrepreneurial leader. The results reveal a positive association between IELL and student entrepreneurial mindset development. The discussion section further explores these results and offers recommendations for educational practice and future research.