Advances on the study of entrepreneurial intention among students from universities motivate to further investigate the factors behind this intention. In this paper, we focus on the effect of affective traits (positive and negative) on the entrepreneurial intention antecedents proposed by Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior drawing on the arguments of affect priming. Using a sample of 597 students from Spain, we use structural equation model to test our hypotheses. Our results show that positive affective traits have a positive impact on the attitude toward entrepreneurship (ATE), perceived behavioral control of entrepreneurship (PBC), and social norms toward entrepreneurship (SN). Negative affective traits negatively influence ATE and SN, but not PBC. In addition, using a K-means clustering analysis and an analysis of variance, our study further explores how different affective personalities relate to a particular level of entrepreneurial intention. Our results contribute to understand of the psychological processes that influence entrepreneurial intention. Overall, our research contributes to the literature on affect and entrepreneurial cognition by evaluating the interaction of affect and the cognitive antecedents of entrepreneurial intention.

Although entrepreneurial intention has been widely studied using cognitive models, we still lack entrepreneurial vocation and, therefore, lack disruptive innovations. Entrepreneurship scholars have some understanding of the reasons underlying this weakness, although there is much room for improvement in our learning concerning how to promote entrepreneurship among university students, especially in the transformed context of digital technologies. This paper focuses on the early stages of start-up, and in particular seeks to evaluate what role social and psychological factors play in the development of entrepreneurial intentions. Drawing on network theory, we consider the impact of social networks on entrepreneurial intention. Specifically, we analyze the influence of two types of social networks: face-to-face and online social networks, with the latter proving especially important in digital transformations. In addition, based on affective congruency theory, we relate affect with entrepreneurial intention. Particularly, we evaluate the influence of positive and negative dispositional affectivity on the formation of entrepreneurial intentions. Finally, since affect and emotions can also be related with social relationships, we analyze whether dispositional affectivities influence entrepreneurial intention through the mediation effect of social networks. Using structural equation modeling, we confirm the impact of both online and face-to-face social networks, as well as positive dispositional affectivity on entrepreneurial intention for 589 higher education students in Spain. However, negative dispositional affectivity is not seen to influence entrepreneurial intention. Furthermore, both face-to-face and online social networks are influenced by positive dispositional affectivity. Moreover, these two types of networks can even partially mediate the relationship between positive dispositional affectivity and entrepreneurial intention. Positive dispositional affectivity can thus influence entrepreneurial intention in two different ways: directly and indirectly through both face-to-face and online social networks. This study provides further insights and adds to the literature on affect, social networks, and entrepreneurial intention. From a broader perspective, we also contribute to the literature on disruptive innovations by explaining how the development of entrepreneurial intentions would have positive consequences for university students vis-à-vis achieving these disruptive innovations.

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The special features displayed by family firms characterize and shape their family social capital and make them unique. The participation of both the family and the firm creates distinctive resources and capabilities in the family firm. As new generations arrive, opposing forces begin to shake the firm, and while some embrace change others expect the continuity of the family influence. Likewise, the influence of the family in the firm conditions its performance. In this study, we empirically address how family influence promotes the development of family social capital that, in turn, impacts on the organizational effectiveness of family firms. Furthermore, we observe the moderating role of generational involvement by considering generations an important source of heterogeneity in family firms. We test the hypotheses on a sample of Spanish family firms, analyzing the data using partial least squares (PLS). Results indicate that the family influence positively affects the development of family social capital and, therefore, the organizational effectiveness of the family firm. However, generational involvement can moderate both relationships in a negative way, by reducing the development and exploitation of the family social capital.

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