Determinants of Sustainability-Oriented Entrepreneurial Intentions of University Students

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is no longer about only economic growth but also about social and environmental performance. This has led to the development of sustainable entrepreneurship as a field in entrepreneurship research. The study discussed in this article investigated the determinants of sustainability-oriented entrepreneurial intentions (SOEI) of university students by extending the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Four personality traits were added to the TPB to develop a predictive model of SOEI. The moderating effect of gender in the relationships between the determinants and SOEI was also examined. The study adopted a quantitative research design. The cross-sectional survey method was used for data collection from final year business management students in three South African universities. Structural equation modelling (PLS SEM) was used for data analysis. The findings indicated significant positive relationships between attitude; perceived behavioural control; internal locus of control; perceived creativity; proactive personality, and SOEI. Overall, 55.9% of the variance in SOEI was explained by the expanded TPB model. The moderating effect of gender was not found to be significant. Theoretically, the study used personality traits to extend the TPB in order to develop a unique model of the antecedents of SOEI. Practically, recommendations to promote the SOEI of university students are suggested. The study contributes towards the understanding of SOEI of university students in South Africa. While the conventional entrepreneurial intention of university students has stimulated many studies, research on SOEI is sparse. Based on the TPB, the study developed and tested a unique multi-dimensional model that incorporates personality traits as antecedents of SOEI.