The impact of social entrepreneurial antecedents on social entrepreneurial intentions of post-graduate students : the moderating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy

Abstract

"There has been a decline in South Africa's economic growth and a rise in inequality. Behind this backdrop are several escalating social challenges. These include high unemployment rates, most prevalent among young individuals, including over 7 million unemployed young graduates. This study aimed to understand how subjective norms, attitudes toward participation in a social enterprise, and perceived behavioural control influence the social entrepreneurial intention of University postgraduates. Additionally, the study examined how introducing entrepreneurial selfefficacy as a moderator impacts these relationships. Despite the extensive literature discussions amongst scholars that have shaped the narrative around social entrepreneurial intentions, even with reference to the three antecedents of intention, there is limited understanding of how these relationships are moderated by individuals' perceptions of their ability to succeed as entrepreneurs, referred to as entrepreneurial self-efficacy. This explanatory quantitative research study was undertaken first to investigate how attitudes towards social entrepreneurship, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control affect the social entrepreneurial intention of South African university post-graduates. In addition, a second component of the study examined the role of entrepreneurial selfefficacy in moderating these relationships. Non-probability sampling technique was employed through an online survey questionnaire to obtain 237 responses. A multi-linear regression analysis was conducted on IBM SPSS, and the results revealed positive and significant relationships between the three antecedents of intention, attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control on social entrepreneurial intention. Moreover, these relationships were strengthened by the moderating impact of entrepreneurial self-efficacy."