The effects of psychological capital and empowerment on entrepreneurial spirit: The case of Naghadeh County, Iran

Abstract

AbstractThe main purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of psychological capital on villagers' entrepreneurial spirit through the mediating role of psychological empowerment. Present study is an applied research, which was based on structural equation modelling in terms of the method of analysis. Statistical population was villagers of Nahgadeh County (N = 12,155) that was estimated using Krejcie and Morgan sampling table (n = 375). The samples were selected using stratified random sampling method. Research tool was a structured questionnaire which its validity confirmed by a panel of experts. Furthermore, the reliability of the research instrument was accomplished through Cronbach's alpha coefficients (0.86 ≤ α ≤ 0.92). Structural equation modelling was employed in order to test the hypotheses. The results indicated that direct effect of psychological capital on psychological empowerment (t = 3.61, γ = 0.24) was positive and significant. Besides, psychological capital (t = 4.28, γ = 0.28) and psychological empowerment (t = 8.67, γ = 0.59) positively and significantly affected entrepreneurial spirit. The analysis of indirect effects demonstrated that the indirect effect of psychological capital on entrepreneurial spirit was significant (γ = 0.42). Finally, it should be mentioned that independent variables could account for 57% variance of entrepreneurial spirit and fitness indices of the model were at an acceptable level.