Personality effect on students’ entrepreneurial intention: The mediating effect of the theory of planned behavior

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the direct effects of personality traits on entrepreneurial intention (EI), the theory of planned behavior (TPB) on EI, as well as the indirect effects of personality traits on EI through the elements of TPB. In order to enhance the originality of this study, the model of personality and the theory of planned behavior were combined to explain entrepreneurial intention (Zhang & Cain, 2017; Sousa, Blamey, Reason, Ramos, & Trigo, 2018). This study utilized a 55-item questionnaire to assess personality traits (openness to experience (O), conscientiousness (C), extraversion (E), agreeableness (A), neuroticism (N), and risk aversion (R)), the elements of TPB (attitude (AT), subjective norms (SN), and perceived behavioral control (PBC)) and EI (Tsaknis, 2022). The study sample (n = 315) included students of the business department of a public university in Athens. The results indicate that C has a direct negative impact on EI. O, C and E have an indirect positive effect on EI through AT and PBC. N has an indirect negative effect on EI through PBC and finally R has an indirect negative effect on EI through AT and PBC. Finally, AT and PBC have a direct and positive effect on EI. The data were analyzed empirically using the Jamovi program and R language (Rosseel, 2012). In light of these findings, more studies are needed to corroborate and validate the findings presented here, especially in other settings.