Entrepreneurial intention among University students in Malaysia: integrating self-determination theory and the theory of planned behavior

Abstract

The present study endeavors to develop a deeper understanding of the motivational processes involved in intentional entrepreneurial behavior. For this purpose, it integrates the social cognitive approach of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the organismic theory of motivation of self-determination theory (SDT). More specifically, it tests the role of basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness as defined in SDT in shaping university students' attitudes and intentions toward entrepreneurship. The sample of this study consisted of 438 (Males = 166, Females =272) 3 rd and 4 th year university students from four Malaysian Public Universities. The results of the study show that the model strongly explains about 71% of the variance in entrepreneurial intention. Basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness have a strong indirect impact on entrepreneurial intention via their attitudinal antecedents: attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. This indicates a full-mediational model, where the attitudinal factors operated as transmitters of effects from the distal constructs of SDT on entrepreneurial intention. These findings confirm that both SDT and the TPB provide complementary explanations of the motivational processes of entrepreneurial behavior. The study contributes to the existing knowledge by providing a theory-based understanding of the role of motivations in the formation of entrepreneurial intentions. It opens the way for future research to analyze how alternative motivations may affect new venture creation, survival and success.

College Students’ Entrepreneurial Intention: Testing an Integrated Model of SDT and TPB

“…A recent evidence found a strong support for the integration of SDT and TPB (Al-Jubari et al, 2018). In their study, it was found that the satisfaction of SDT constructs predicted EI of Malaysian university students via the mediating role of TPB factors.…”

“…Theoretically, the finding lends support to SDT and TPB integration, where the autonomous motivation is very much related to students' attitude, norms, and control perceptions. Students whose psychosocial needs are supported by the social environment would have favorable perceptions and inclination toward starting their own businesses, as choosing this career path reflects a sense of choice that emanates from their inner self (Al-Jubari et al, 2018). It is also revealed that they believe they are motivated by challenging task of entrepreneurship and they can effectively act upon it.…”

“…Consequently, the following hypotheses of a unified SDT and TPB model are offered: (2009) Health-related behaviors Self-determination motivation predicted in intention and behavior in health-related behaviors Barkoukis, Hagger, Lambropoulos, and Tsorbatzoudis (2010) Physical education and leisure time "Basic psychological need satisfaction variables uniquely predicted autonomous motivation in physical education and leisure time" Brooks et al (2017) Physical activity and exercise SDT TPB constructs were found correlated in physical and exercise contexts Chung et al (2017) Health Autonomous motivation for facemask use was influenced by perceived autonomy support. In turn, intention wear facemask was indirectly predicted via ATE, SNs, and PBC Luqman, Masood, and Ali (2018) Social networks sites SDT autonomous and controlled motivation constructs fully mediated social network sites discontinuance intentions via the ATE, SNs, and PBC from the TPB Al-Jubari, Hassan, and Liñán (2018) Entrepreneurial intention Entrepreneurial intention was indirectly predicted by SDT factors…”

“…The motivational mechanisms have mostly been ignored in the literature; therefore, this study seeks to fill this gap by integrating SDT and TPB to better understand and explain EI. The integration of these two prominent theories have been applied in other domains such as health (Chung et al, 2017;Hagger & Chatzisarantis, 2009) and work (Stenius, Haukkala, Hankonen, & Ravaja, 2017), but, despite its applicability and usefulness, very little study has used such integrative approach in entrepreneurship research (Al-Jubari et al, 2018). Therefore, this study is undertaken in an attempt to extend the existing knowledge and understanding of human motivation and cognition by examining the motivational sequence from SDT to TPB.…”

China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) development projects and entrepreneurial potential of locals

“…CPEC provides several business opportunities for an individual in different sectors such as construction, property, and manufacturing industries (Maqsood, 2018;Raza et al, 2018;Tong, 2015). Scholars suggested that individual attitude will be changed by benefits, which subsequently create entrepreneurial intention (Al-Jubari, Hassan, & Liñán, 2018;Esfandiar et al, 2019;Gorgievski et al, 2018).…”