Empirical Analysis on Relationships between Entrepreneurial Traits and Entrepreneurial Intention

Abstract

The significance of entrepreneurial intention in determining business start-up behaviour has increased research interests on its influential factors. Subsequently, entrepreneurial attitudes and traits dominate findings on factors which influence entrepreneurial intention. While the entrepreneurial attitudes are proven to be antecedents of entrepreneurial intention, scholars are divided on how entrepreneurial traits affect entrepreneurial intention. As such the specific role of entrepreneurial traits in the formation of entrepreneurial intention is ambivalent. Motivated to contribute in clearing the ambiguity, this study empirically analysed various effects of entrepreneurial traits on entrepreneurial intention. To this end, a quantitative case study design involving a sample of 1000 students was used. The sample was reproduced using bootstrap sampling technique from a case in Mwakujonga and Sesabo (2012) that involved 60 final year students who were pursuing bachelors of business administration in marketing and entrepreneurship as their majors. Using regression and contemporary mediation and moderation analysis techniques, this study concludes entrepreneurial traits affect entrepreneurial intention through entrepreneurial attitudes. Furthermore, the study extends previous research findings by originally classifying entrepreneurial attitudes as full complementary mediators of the effect of entrepreneurial traits on entrepreneurial intention and discusses the implications of such findings to both the body of knowledge and practice.