The Effect of Performance on Entrepreneurial Intention: a Field Experimental Study

Abstract

Most empirical researches have focused on direct entrepreneurial experience and entrepreneurial intention. Actually, direct entrepreneurial experience is situational, in which performance would play a role as a socially mediated factor. Drawing on Social Cognitive Career Theory, this study investigated the relationship between performance and changes in entrepreneurial intention, as well as the mediating role of changes in entrepreneurial outcome expectation and the moderating effect of locus of control. A field experiment study is designed and conducted among 128 Chinese college students. As predicted, the results show that performance has a positive impact on changes in entrepreneurial outcome expectation and entrepreneurial intention. Specifically, positive (negative) performance leads to increasing (decreasing) in entrepreneurial outcome expectation and entrepreneurial intention through changes in entrepreneurial outcome expectation. the mediating effect is strengthened for the internals (vs. the externals). The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.