Resilience and entrepreneurial intentions of people with disabilities: in search of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Abstract

Background: There is a significant gap in employment between people with and without disabilities, despite the importance of work in achieving their independence, autonomy, and integration into society. There are several reasons that cause this gap to exist, such as: people with disabilities feel less prepared, there is a stigma or discrimination to hire people with disabilities and the incompatibility of schedules due to medical issues, among others. That is why entrepreneurship emerges as a good option for the integration of people with disabilities in our society, improves their confidence and promotes some of the Sustainable Development Goals set out in the 2030 Agenda. According to existing literature, people with disabilities have certain virtues such as resilience and motivation that favor entrepreneurship. Thus, the purpose of this study is to provide new insights into the variables that determine the entrepreneurial intention of people with disabilities. Methods: In order to respond to this objective, an online questionnaire was given to people with disabilities between the ages of 16 and 65 years, residing in diverse regions of Spain. To analyze the results, this study uses Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in a sample of 235 people with disabilities in Spain using as a framework Krueger´s improved model, adding resilience as a new variable. Results: The results reflect the importance of resilience, the subjective norm, and perceived collective efficacy in the entrepreneurial processes of people with disabilities. Conclusions: This study contributes to the underdeveloped literature on entrepreneurship in people with disabilities; it provides insights that can have a practical effect on the reduction of the inequality gap between people with and without disabilities making recommendations to clinicians, vocational psychologists, and policymakers; also, this study would advance the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 8 and 10.