The translation of entrepreneurial intention into start-up behaviour: The moderating role of regional social capital

Abstract

This article examines the moderating role of regional social capital in the intention–behaviour link in entrepreneurship. We investigate to what extent the regional social capital context in which aspiring entrepreneurs are embedded strengthens or weakens the translation of individual entrepreneurial intentions into new venture creation activities. Our results suggest that the intention–behaviour link is weakened by cognitive regional social capital in the form of regional hierarchy values and strengthened by structural regional capital in the form of regional cultural diversity and regional breadth of associational activity, as well as by relational regional social capital in the form of high levels of regional generalised trust. Our findings suggest that to support new venture creation activity, there is a need to grow regional social capital via the enhancement of social trust, associational activities and regional cultural diversity – and at the same time decrease hierarchical social structures within regions.

Why do academics become entrepreneurs? How do their motivations evolve? Results from an empirical study

“…Hence, entrepreneurship as such is regarded as a regional event in the literature (Feldman, 2001;Stam, 2007;Wyrwich et al, 2016), where the entrepreneurial activity arises from the surrounding regional environment (e.g. Audretsch et al, 2012;Pierre-Andr e, 2019;Weiss et al, 2019).…”

“…As the traditional focus of entrepreneurship research lies on the individual (Fritsch and Mueller, 2004;Kibler et al, 2014;Mueller et al, 2008;Van Stel and Storey, 2004), research at the regional level also attempts to identify regional characteristics that influence entrepreneurial activity at the individual level (Armington and Acs, 2002;Fritsch and Falck, 2007;Kibler et al, 2014;Reynolds et al, 1994;R€ ohl, 2019). Alongside work on demographic, structural and economic aspects of regions, researchers have also investigated how the regional culture determines the entrepreneurial activity within the region (Aoyama, 2009;Davidsson and Wiklund, 1997;Fritsch and Wyrwich, 2014;Kibler et al, 2014;Weiss et al, 2019). Furthermore, a small but growing number of studies aggregate data at the regional level with individual-level data to point to the relevance of regional factors in explaining entrepreneurial attitudes, entrepreneurial intentions and engagement in new venture creation (e.g.…”

Positive Psychological Attributes and Entrepreneurial Intention and Action: The Moderating Role of Perceived Family Support

“…Therefore, using a sample from Ugandan university students, we focus on positive psychological attributes including proactive personality and psychological capital as distal antecedents that reveal both direct and indirect effects on entrepreneurial intentions and behavior. At the same time, the context plays an important conditioning role in the implementation of entrepreneurial intentions, although extant research is relatively silent on contextual influences on the translation of intentions into start-up behavior ( Weiss et al, 2019 ). If understanding intentions is to be useful, it is a necessary step to further explore how and when entrepreneurial intentions translate into entrepreneurial start-ups or actions.…”

“…Past research has relied on measuring the intent to start a business during and after entrepreneurial education programs that seek to boost entrepreneurial efforts of participants ( Bae et al, 2014 ). This causal flow from intentions to behavior (e.g., Barbosa et al, 2008 ; Kautonen et al, 2013 ; Van Gelderen et al, 2015 ; Baluku et al, 2019c ; Weiss et al, 2019 ) has recently been put into question by research that illustrates a gap between intentions and actions. This is because not everyone with entrepreneurial intentions starts a business venture ( Shirokova et al, 2016 ; van Gelderen et al, 2018 ; Tornikoski and Maalaoui, 2019 ; Weiss et al, 2019 ).…”

“…This causal flow from intentions to behavior (e.g., Barbosa et al, 2008 ; Kautonen et al, 2013 ; Van Gelderen et al, 2015 ; Baluku et al, 2019c ; Weiss et al, 2019 ) has recently been put into question by research that illustrates a gap between intentions and actions. This is because not everyone with entrepreneurial intentions starts a business venture ( Shirokova et al, 2016 ; van Gelderen et al, 2018 ; Tornikoski and Maalaoui, 2019 ; Weiss et al, 2019 ). At the same time, research has also found that environmental context factors play a crucial role in the intention-action link of entrepreneurship.…”