THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE, SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURIAL OUTCOME EXPECTATIONS AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of four dimensions of emotional competence, including self-awareness, empathy, motivation, self-regulation and social skills on the social entrepreneurial intention of students through social entrepreneurial outcome expectations. Based on a data set of 482 final year students, the results of the study show that self-awareness, self-regulation and self-motivation affect social entrepreneurial intention and outcome expectations. In contrast, empathy and social skills only directly affect social entrepreneurial intention. This study suggests that higher educators and policymakers incorporate emotional competency development into the higher education process. Higher education should be the place to nurture a generation of emotionally competent and socially conscious entrepreneurs by establishing an educational environment that values and develops emotional intelligence and by providing practical, encouraging experiences that align with the tenets of social enterprise.