Social Norms and Entrepreneurial Action: The Mediating Role of Opportunity Confidence

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to investigate the mediating effect of opportunity confidence (OC) on the relationship between social norms (SNs) and decision to engage in entrepreneurial action (EA). The sample size includes prospective entrepreneurs engaged in the field of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in science and technology parks in Iran. This research uses the longitudinal survey method. Research findings from the structural equation modeling (SEM) do not confirm the mediating role of OC. However, SNs have a significant positive effect on OC, which increases the likelihood of entrepreneurial action. The paper ends with a discussion of results and practical implications.