Unveiling the Role of Structural, Relational and Cognitive Social Capital Dimension in Explaining Female Business Students’ Entrepreneurial Intention in Small Island Developing States: The Maldives

Abstract

Female entrepreneurship has emerged as a matter of concern in recent years, making a significant contribution towards economic development, job creation and uplifting communities. However, the interplay and nuances of female entrepreneurship and social capital are currently understudied. In context of small island developing states, the present study investigates the role of structural social capital (SSC), relational social capital (RSC) and cognitive social capital (CSC) in shaping female cognitive mechanism which leads to entrepreneurial intention (EI) in Maldives. A total of 325 responses from ten tertiary educational institutions in Maldives were collected and subsequently analysed using partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The data subject to revealed that SSC and CSC play an important role in promoting female attitudes towards entrepreneurship (ATE), perceived subjective norms (SN) and perceived behavioural control (PBC), while RSC only promotes female ATE and SN, but it negatively affects females’ PBC. These findings provide policymakers and ecosystem players with important insights into social capital, highlighting the need for role models and mentorship in formulating the right environment for women entrepreneurs in Maldives. This study argues for the need to integrate the influence of social capital on female EI.