The effect of game-based learning on the development of entrepreneurial competence among higher education students

Purpose The present study’s goal is to assess the effect of a serious game on the development of entrepreneurial competence, self-efficacy and intention and thereby contribute to clarifying the usefulness of this approach in entrepreneurship education. Design/methodology/approach The study sample and method included 76 graduate students, selected through a convenience sampling technique and collected through a self-administered questionnaire. To examine the impact of the gaming session, a pre-test post-test design approach was employed. Consequently, all students completed a survey both at the beginning and end of the gaming session. Findings Our study found that game-based learning effectively enhances students' entrepreneurial competence, particularly in areas like generating ideas, managing resources and taking action, while also boosting self-efficacy. However, it didn't significantly impact entrepreneurial intentions. The effectiveness depends on students' prior gaming experience, especially in resource management and taking action. Additionally, it positively influences women's self-efficacy more than men. The field of study also plays a role, with design students showing notable development in idea generation, entrepreneurial intentions, and self-efficacy. Overall, game-based learning is a valuable tool for entrepreneurship education, but its effects vary based on prior experience, gender and field of study. Research limitations/implications Several limitations of the study should be considered. First, the small sample size acquired through convenience sampling and the potential for social response bias, even with respondent anonymity, could limit the generalizability of the study's findings. Second, the study recognizes that the effectiveness of a serious game is greatly influenced by the game's design, making findings from studies with different game-based learning approaches potentially different. Lastly, the impact of student interactions during the game session was not evaluated. Practical implications The study's practical implications are significant. It demonstrates the effectiveness of game-based learning in cultivating entrepreneurial competence and self-efficacy, particularly benefiting women and design students. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating serious games (SG) into entrepreneurship education to nurture vital entrepreneurial competences essential for students' career development as entrepreneurs or employees. The study encourages the development of SG tailored for use in entrepreneurship classes. Additionally, it underscores the need to educate educators about the advantages of incorporating game-based learning into their teaching strategies, offering a practical pathway to enhance entrepreneurship education and better prepare students for the modern job market. Social implications The study's social implications are substantial. It highlights the effectiveness of game-based learning in nurturing entrepreneurial competence and self-efficacy, particularly benefiting women and design students. This underscores the importance of integrating Serious Games (SG) into entrepreneurship education, emphasizing the need for more SG tailored for use in entrepreneurship classes. Furthermore, it calls for increased awareness among educators about the advantages of incorporating game-based learning into their teaching methods. Ultimately, these findings have the potential to positively impact students' career development, whether as entrepreneurs or employees, by equipping them with crucial entrepreneurial skills. Originality/value This study brings a novel perspective in three distinct ways. Firstly, it centers on the pivotal entrepreneurial competences outlined in the EntreComp framework by the European Commission, addressing the challenge of identifying which competences are most relevant for entrepreneurial education. By doing so, it ensures a focus on competence areas critical for entrepreneurs, such as ideas and opportunities, resources, and action. Secondly, it explores the impact of game experience on the development of entrepreneurial competences, entrepreneurial intention, and self-efficacy, a relationship hitherto unexplored. Thirdly, the study examines how students' demographic and contextual characteristics influence the development of entrepreneurial competence, intention, and self-efficacy through a game-based learning approach. These unique perspectives contribute valuable empirical data to both theory and practice in the field of entrepreneurship education.