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Testing the relationship between personality characteristics, contextual factors and entrepreneurial intentions in a developing country
Author(s) -
Karimi Saeid,
Biemans Harm J.A.,
Naderi Mahdei Karim,
Lans Thomas,
Chizari Mohammad,
Mulder Martin
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.75
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1464-066X
pISSN - 0020-7594
DOI - 10.1002/ijop.12209
Subject(s) - psychology , locus of control , personality , theory of planned behavior , need for achievement , social psychology , entrepreneurship , big five personality traits , context (archaeology) , control (management) , management , paleontology , political science , law , economics , biology
Drawing upon the theory of planned behaviour ( TPB ), we developed and tested a conceptual model which integrates both internal personality factors and external contextual factors to determine their associations with motivational factors and entrepreneurial intentions ( EIs ). We then investigated if the model of EI applies in a developing country, namely Iran. We also set out to identify the most relevant factors for EI within this developing country context. Do distal predictors of EI including personality factors (i.e. need for achievement, risk taking and locus of control) and contextual factors (i.e. perceived barriers and support) significantly relate to EI via proximal predictors including motivational factors (i.e. attitudes towards entrepreneurship and perceived behavioural control [PBC])? Data were collected on 331 students from 7 public universities. The findings support the TPB for EI in Iran. All three motivational factors related to EI , but PBC showed the strongest association, which is different than in developed country contexts. Possible explanations for these differences are discussed. All three personality characteristics indirectly related to EI via the proximal attitudes towards entrepreneurship and PBC . Perceived contextual support and barriers indirectly related to EI via proximal PBC while perceived barriers also directly related to EI .