Entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial intention: mediated by self-efficacy and moderated by ChatGPT engagement

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is recognised as a global phenomenon for addressing economic and social development challenges particularly in developing nations which face high unemployment. Consequently, fostering entrepreneurial intentions is a key objective for policymakers and Higher Education Institutions (HEI) to increase the level of entrepreneurial behaviour. The rising utility of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), specifically ChatGPT, offers new opportunities that may transform entrepreneurial pedagogy and student engagement to increase entrepreneurial intentions. However, the impact of GenAI (ChatGPT) on the interrelations among entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial intentions and entrepreneurial self-efficacy among HEI students in developing economies such as South Africa remains largely unexamined. The objective of this study was to interrogate the effect of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intentions, mediated by entrepreneurial self-efficacy and moderated by GenAI (ChatGPT) acceptance. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the study adopted a quantitative research design using non-probability sampling of South African HEI students. A total of 211 valid online survey respondents were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The study revealed significant correlations among entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intentions, supporting a significant indirect mediation effect. Furthermore, the direct relationship between entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intentions was significantly moderated by acceptance of GenAI (ChatGPT). However, contrary to some literature, the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intentions (mediation path) was negatively moderated by GenAI (ChatGPT), highlighting the delicate behavioural and psychological balance required when integrating transformative technology. This research offers support for integrating TBP and TAM to evaluate behavioural and psychological interactions of GenAI engagement. Furthermore, this research offers cautious and actionable insights for HEI and policymakers who aim to leverage GenAI for the advancement of education and cultivation of entrepreneurial intentions.