Examining how the personality, self-efficacy, and anticipatory cognitions of potential entrepreneurs shape their entrepreneurial intentions

Abstract

Using an expanded view of entrepreneurial feasibility, we hypothesize a model in which entrepreneurial intentions are fostered by proactive personality and trait competitiveness. In doing so, our study expands the concept of entrepreneurial feasibility to include anticipatory thinking and a generative view of entrepreneurial self-efficacy by considering broader forms of self-efficacy that proactive and competitive people are likely to develop – creative self-efficacy and learning self-efficacy. Results indicate multiple self-efficacy beliefs account for anticipatory entrepreneurial cognitions and that the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intentions is fully mediated by these cognitions. The practical implications of these findings are discussed.