Entrepreneurship education and social capital on nascent entrepreneurial behaviours: the mediating roles of entrepreneurial passion and self-efficacy

Abstract

Entrepreneurship education and social capital have been addressed in entrepreneurship literature. However, the intervening mechanism  under which these two factors influence nascent entrepreneurial behaviours remains underdeveloped. Using the data of 623 graduate  students in North-Central Nigeria, this study investigates the influence of entrepreneurship education and social capital on nascent  entrepreneurial behaviours, and examines the mediating roles of entrepreneurial passion and self-efficacy (ESE). The results indicate that  entrepreneurship education and social capital promote nascent entrepreneurial behaviours through the intervening mechanisms of  entrepreneurial passion and ESE. The results suggest that entrepreneurial behaviours must be developed through psychological  mechanisms, including emotion and cognition. This study also provides practical implications regarding how to promote students’  entrepreneurship.