Unpacking the Effects of the Case Study Method in Entrepreneurship Education on Entrepreneurial Skills and Entrepreneurial Intentions: The Moderated Mediated Role of Learning Preferences

Abstract

This study examines the effects of the case study method on entrepreneurial skills and intentions, focusing on the moderated mediation role of learning preferences in entrepreneurship education. While entrepreneurship education is critical for developing entrepreneurial skills and intentions, the effectiveness of teaching methods remains debated. To address this, we tested a moderation-mediation model, exploring how the case study method impacts entrepreneurial intentions, with entrepreneurial skills serving as a mediator and learning preferences as a moderator. Based on a sample of 283 undergraduate students from a public higher education institution in South Africa, our results show that learning preferences significantly moderate the relationship between the case study method in entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurship education outcomes (skills and intentions). Although the case study method alone negatively affected entrepreneurial skills and intentions, the interaction between learning preferences and the case study method led to a positive relationship, particularly when learning preferences were closely aligned with the pedagogical approach. These findings highlight the importance of tailoring teaching strategies to students’ learning preferences to optimize entrepreneurship education outcomes.