Intention-behavior Link Research Articles

Exploring the Effects of Greenwashing Concern Between Intention and Behaviour in Sustainable Clothing Choice

The textile industry is expected to use 118 billion cubic meters of water for garment manufacturing worldwide by 2030, posing a serious environmental problem as it works to fulfil the increasing needs of humans while also making extensive use of scarce natural resources. As a result, humans must change how they buy clothes to make it more sustainable. Although humans' conduct when buying environmentally friendly apparel is generally understood, a thorough explanation of their purchase habits is lacking. We expanded the Theory of Reasoned Action by incorporating novel constructs derived from prior exploratory findings, such as greenwashing, and established constructs from prior literature, such as perceived environmental knowledge and environmental concerns, to address this gap and explore the factors influencing the purchase behaviour of sustainable clothing. The study shows that attitude toward eco-friendly apparel is the most important factor influencing buying intention. However, humans' worries about greenwashing have a detrimental impact on this connection. Our research indicates that the intention-behavior link is influenced by perceived environmental knowledge and environmental concerns.

From intention to behavior: Within- and between-person moderators of the relationship between intention and physical activity

Intention is a proximal predictor of behavior in many theories of behavior change, but intentions to be physically active do not always translate to actual physical activity. Little research has examined intensive longitudinal changes in physical activity and corresponding within-person moderators needed to elucidate the mechanisms, hurdles, and facilitators of individuals' everyday physical activity behaviors. The present study set out to evaluate the possible moderators of the intention-physical activity relationship across within-person and between-person levels, including cross-level interactions. Data comprise the first intensive measurement burst (14 days) of the longitudinal prospective Healthy Aging in Industrial Environment (HAIE) study, with N = 1135 participants (N = 10,030 person-days), aged 18–65. Physical activity was operationalized as step counts measured objectively using Fitbit Charge 3/4 fitness monitor. Intention, barriers to physical activity, and social support for physical activity were measured daily via smartphone surveys. Stable characteristics, i.e., physical activity habit and exercise identity, were measured using an online questionnaire. A multilevel moderation regression model with Bayesian estimator was fitted. At the within-person level, the relation between intention and steps was weaker on days when barriers were more severe than usual for a given person (Estimate = −0.267; CI95 = [−0.340, −0.196]) and social support was below average for a given person (Est = 0.143; CI95 = [0.023, 0.262]). Additionally, the daily intention-behavior relationship was stronger for people with lower average severity of barriers (Est = −0.153; CI95 = [−0.268, −0.052]), higher exercise identity (Est = 0.300; CI95 = [0.047, 0.546]), men (Est = −1.294, CI95 = [−1.854, −0.707]), and older individuals (Est = 0.042, CI95 = [0.017, 0.064]). At the between-person level, only physical activity habit strengthened the intention-behavior link (Est = 0.794; CI95 = [0.090, 1.486]). Our results underscore the need to separate the between-person differences from the within-person fluctuations to better understand the individual dynamics in physical activity behaviors. Personalized interventions aimed at helping individuals translate intentions to actual physical activity could be tailored and become more intensive when there is a higher risk of intention-behavior gap on a given day for a specific individual (i.e., a day with more severe barriers and less social support), by increasing the dosage or deploying more precisely targeted intervention strategies and components. In addition, interventionists should take gender and age into account when tailoring everyday strategies to help individuals act on their intentions.

“Quiet the Mind, and the Soul Will Speak”! Exploring the Boundary Effects of Green Mindfulness and Spiritual Intelligence on University Students’ Green Entrepreneurial Intention–Behavior Link

Given the escalated gravity of interest in green start-ups in recent years, extant research on green entrepreneurial behavior has investigated the influence of green entrepreneurial intention in stimulating behavior. However, factors that shape green entrepreneurial intention warrant empirical scrutiny to provide a more nuanced understanding of how green entrepreneurial intention transforms into green entrepreneurial behavior. This study aims to explore the role of an individual’s cognitive mechanism, i.e., green mindfulness, in predicting university students’ green entrepreneurial behavior. The study examines a serial mediation model of green intrinsic motivation and green entrepreneurial intention in the relationship between green mindfulness and green entrepreneurial behavior. In addition, the study investigates the moderating role of spiritual intelligence in the direct relationship between green mindfulness and green intrinsic motivation, and the indirect association between green mindfulness and green entrepreneurial intention through green intrinsic motivation. The study adopts a time-lagged design to collect data from university students from Punjab, Pakistan. The authors analyze 395 responses from students in their final years using SmartPLS (v 4.0). As projected, our findings reveal that green mindfulness elevates green entrepreneurial intention through the mediator effect of green intrinsic motivation, which translates into green entrepreneurial behavior. Furthermore, spiritual intelligence significantly moderates the relationship between green mindfulness and green entrepreneurial intention, mediated by green intrinsic motivation, such that at high levels of spiritual intelligence the association is more pronounced and vice versa. The study presents several noteworthy theoretical and practical implications. From a theoretical perspective, the study contributes to the extant literature by investigating the link between green mindfulness and green entrepreneurial behavior through the serial mediator effects of green entrepreneurial intention and green intrinsic motivation and the moderator effect of spiritual intelligence. From a practical perspective the study presents a theoretical framework of university students’ green entrepreneurial intentions, culminating in green entrepreneurial behavior. By investigating these linkages our research draws practitioners’ attention to the crucial roles of green mindfulness and spiritual intelligence in fostering green entrepreneurial behavior.

From intentional to nascent student entrepreneurs: The moderating role of university entrepreneurial offerings

Entrepreneurial intention is typically acknowledged as the foundational antecedent of entrepreneurial behaviour. However, existing conceptual and empirical studies reveal that not all entrepreneurial intentions are ultimately translated into actual behaviour, resulting in an intention-behaviour gap. The current study reviewed the existing literature pertaining to this gap and found that most of the research has examined the contingent role of individual/psychological factors, yet how environmental factors, especially the institutional proximal circles, bridge the intention–behaviour link remains scarce. By employing questionnaire data (n = 1820) collected from university students in China, this research examines the effectiveness of university entrepreneurial offerings on student entrepreneurial intention realisation. The results illustrate that, although a high engagement level in university entrepreneurship education and venture creation contexts accelerates student entrepreneurs’ intention–behaviour translation, the positive effect of instrumental offerings (start-up support services) is stronger than that of entrepreneurship education offerings (entrepreneurial courses and extra-curricular activities). This research extends the application of the theory of planned behaviour to the start-up process by highlighting the entrepreneurship education and venture creation factors derived from the university milieu students are exposed to in accelerating the conversion from entrepreneurial intention to nascent start-up behaviour. It captures the association amidst the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education in aspiring student entrepreneurs’ entrepreneurial learning, intention actualisation, and tangible start-up activities. These findings also draw researchers’ attention to explore further the nuances of various entrepreneurial offerings in student venture creation and how to build an effective university entrepreneurial ecosystem.

ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION-BEHAVIOUR LINK: THE MODERATING EFFECTS OF COVID-19 PERCEPTION, ENTREPRENEURIAL MOTIVATION, AND PRIOR ENTREPRENEURIAL EXPOSURE

Given the current economic challenges facing many developing countries across the globe, entrepreneurship has become the main goal to drive economic development. Thus, governments need to cultivate more future entrepreneurs and develop existing entrepreneurs' abilities to drive job opportunities. This study aims to investigate the entrepreneurial intention–behaviour gap. It further examines the moderating effects of COVID-19 perception, entrepreneurial motivation, and prior entrepreneurial exposure on the moderated relationship between entrepreneurial intention and behaviour (action). Entrepreneurship has been widely studied to boost job creation and stimulate the domestic economy. Most studies have focused on entrepreneurial behaviour and new venture creation, drawing on widely tested Ajzen's (2020) theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Entrepreneurial action is widely viewed as an intentionally planned behaviour. The formation of entrepreneurial intention can trigger entrepreneurial behaviour of actually starting up processes. The extant literature reveals that academic researchers consider the studies on the intention-behaviour link as an under-researched area (Alam, Kousar and Rehman, 2019). Hence, examining the link and testing whether the expanded TPB model holds for the Malaysia case makes sense. Although this model is widely tested empirically, new research regarding moderation effects may be valuable (Sabah, 2016). The most important three moderators are COVID-19 perception, entrepreneurial motivation, and prior entrepreneurial exposure, which will be tested to see if their presence moderates the relationship. This study is expected to support three moderators' intention–behaviour link and moderation of this link (Kong, Zhao and Tsai, 2020). This will confirm (or disconfirm) the conventional wisdom that explains why some graduates with entrepreneurial intentions act when others do not. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

I Was Thinking to Help but Then I Changed My Mind! The Influence of Injunctive and Descriptive Norms on the Donation Intention-behavior Link

ABSTRACT Public donations represent a substantial part of a charitable organization’s income. Thus, it is important to understand what influences donation behavior. Researchers mainly focus on intentions, rather than behavior. Although intentions often lead to behavior, there might be a gap between them. This experimental study investigated whether and how aligned and unaligned injunctive (what the majority of people approve of) and descriptive (what the majority of people do) social norms moderate the intention-behavior link. Additionally, I checked whether personal involvement moderates the influence of social norms. Four hundred and twenty-eight respondents were randomly assigned to one of the five conditions where the injunctive and descriptive norms were manipulated. Results revealed a significant and positive relationship between intentions and behavior (p = .000); this relationship is moderated by both aligned (supportive injunctive and descriptive) (p = .01) and unaligned (unsupportive injunctive and supportive descriptive) norms (p = .037). Personal involvement does not affect the moderating power of social norms. Findings are important for better understanding the intentions-behavior-norms dynamic. This can be used to create effective marketing strategies to make sure both favorable and unfavorable intentions translate into monetary donations.

Recycling habits and environmental responses to fast-fashion consumption: Enhancing the theory of planned behavior to predict Generation Y consumers’ purchase decisions

Fast-fashion industry is characterized by short product life-cycles, high volatility, affordable prices, and consumers’ high impulse purchase decisions, which result in massive levels of waste and greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, Generation Y, the largest consumer of fast-fashion products, is believed to make this situation even worse, since their attitudes/intentions do not usually translate into actual pro-environmental behavior and they are still reluctant to dispose of their clothes through sustainable methods. However, the attitude/intention-behavior gap among Generation Y’s fast-fashion consumers remains poorly understood. The present study addresses this need by adopting the Theory of Planned Behavior to examine the link between attitudes, intentions, and behavior, taking into account consumers’ participation in recycling as a moderating variable. Results from a two-steps cluster analysis and a multiple moderated mediation analysis on a sample of 943 Italian Generation Y’s consumers of fast-fashion products show that the attitude/intention-behavior gap seems not to exist in the Generation Y’s context, since the favorable appraisal of sustainable products and consumption actually leads to socially-responsible consumer behavior. However, participation in recycling is found to reinforce the intention-behavior link only for individuals with high environmental attitudes. The present paper contributes to both fashion consumption and solid waste management literature by drawing connections between socially-responsible consumer behavior and recycling habits within the Generation Y’s cohort, thus deepening comprehension of this rather unexplored context. Moreover, this study reveals policy development areas that allow the fashion industry to meet customers’ needs in new ways.

Moderating effects of socio-cultural values on pro-environmental behaviors

PurposeThis paper aims to explain the discrepancy between pro-environmental intentions and behaviors with moderating effects of two socio-cultural values (espoused individualism and faith in others) on the link between intentions and actual behaviors to save electricity.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey of 303 consumers in Hong Kong with a structured questionnaire was used to collect the data to test all the hypothesized relationships.FindingsAttitude toward saving electricity has a significant positive effect on the intentions to save electricity, but subjective norms and perceived behavioral control have no such effect on intentions but do positively affect the actual electricity saving behavior. Finally, the link between intentions and behavior to save electricity is negatively moderated by espoused individualism and positively by faith in others.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was conducted with a sample of consumers in Hong Kong; hence, its findings may not be generalizable to other countries.Originality/valueThis study provides new insights into the link between pro-environmental intentions and behaviors by looking beyond the theory of planned behavior and exploring the moderating role of socio-cultural values on the intention-behavior link.

Putting Entrepreneurial Intentions Into Context: Regional Institutions and the Intention-Behavior Link

We examine the role of regional formal and informal institutions in the intention-behavior link in entrepreneurship. Using multilevel regression analyses on a longitudinal sample of university students embedded in 40 European regions, we find evidence that regional formal and informal institutions have distinct and unique influences on the entrepreneurial intention-action relationship. In particular, our results show that the intention-behavior link is strengthened in regions characterized by a high quality of government and weakened in regions featuring a high quality of the social security system and a strong work ethic culture. Our findings provide important insights into the interdependence between individual and contextual factors regulating the entrepreneurial process by integrating the role of regional institutions as important contingencies. Our study provides valuable theoretical and policy implications.

How entrepreneurial intentions influence entrepreneurial career choices: The moderating influence of social context

In this paper, we build on social cognitive career theory to examine the relation between entrepreneurial intention and new venture creation (i.e., the entrepreneurial career choice). We model how contextual influences at different levels may favor or inhibit the translation of entrepreneurial intention into new venture creation. Using unique longitudinal data from almost the entire population of Italian university graduates, we are able to assess how the immediate (i.e., the influence of relevant others) and larger context (i.e., organizational and environmental influences) affect new venture creation. Our research contributes to the emerging literature of the intention–behavior link in entrepreneurship.

Role of entrepreneurial motivation on entrepreneurial intentions and behaviour: theory of planned behaviour extension on engineering students in Pakistan

The purpose of this paper is to extend theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model by focussing on intention-action gap, which is considered by academic researchers as under-researched area. It further examines the moderating role of entrepreneurial motivation between intention and behaviour (action) to enhance predictability of TPB on senior level engineering students in Pakistan. Survey conducted with 448 engineering students from four major engineering institutions for data collection. Structural equation modelling (SEM) and partial least square (PLS) method has been employed for analysing PLS path modelling, hypotheses testing, mediation and moderation analysis. Results reveal that attitude and perceived behaviour control are positively related to entrepreneurial intentions (EIs) and predictors of EIs have an overall variance of 48% in EIs. Entrepreneurial motivation significantly effects intention-behaviour link in TPB which is novel finding in extension of TPB. This is the first study of its kind which explains intention-action gap and include entrepreneurial motivation in TPB as researchers considered longitudinal studies appropriate to investigate intention-action gap. Results reinforced the idea of incorporation of supporting constructs in TPB. Conceptual model contributes theoretically to the existing framework of TPB by enhancing predictive power for better understanding of entrepreneurial behavioural development. Study provide base for future studies on intention-behaviour link in TPB to explain entrepreneurial behaviour for application in various perspectives.

The Turnover Intention–Behaviour Link: A Culture‐Moderated Meta‐Analysis

AbstractTurnover intention is widely regarded as a direct antecedent to and proxy for actual voluntary turnover behaviour. However, previous studies have found the turnover intention‐behaviour link to be highly heterogeneous and not necessarily strong. This study adopts a cross‐cultural perspective, examining how the link varies as a function of Hofstede’s four work‐related cultural dimensions. Data from 152 independent samples were meta‐analysed, representing the testing of 216,093 employees from 18 nations across 9 geographical regions. The multilevel meta‐analytic results reveal significantly stronger turnover intention‐behaviour links for countries higher in power distance, higher in individualism, and lower in masculinity.

The translation of entrepreneurial intention into start-up behaviour: The moderating role of regional social capital

This article examines the moderating role of regional social capital in the intention–behaviour link in entrepreneurship. We investigate to what extent the regional social capital context in which aspiring entrepreneurs are embedded strengthens or weakens the translation of individual entrepreneurial intentions into new venture creation activities. Our results suggest that the intention–behaviour link is weakened by cognitive regional social capital in the form of regional hierarchy values and strengthened by structural regional capital in the form of regional cultural diversity and regional breadth of associational activity, as well as by relational regional social capital in the form of high levels of regional generalised trust. Our findings suggest that to support new venture creation activity, there is a need to grow regional social capital via the enhancement of social trust, associational activities and regional cultural diversity – and at the same time decrease hierarchical social structures within regions.

Entrepreneurial intentions and start-ups: Are women or men more likely to enact their intentions?

While empirical data clearly show that women are underrepresented among entrepreneurs, the causes of this gap are entirely not clear. This article explores one potential cause: that women might be less likely to act on their entrepreneurial intentions. Building on Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour, we propose that intentions predict start-up behaviours, that is, that there is an intention–behaviour link. We then apply social role theory to propose that the intention–behaviour link is moderated by sex. Analysing data drawn from a sample of US-based management students during their first session in an introductory entrepreneurship course, at the end of the course, on their graduation and at a point up to three years after graduation, we find support for the intention–behaviour link and moderation of this link by sex. We identify additional contributions from our study and implications of our findings for addressing the sex gap in entrepreneurship.

Can implementation intention help to bridge the intention–behaviour gap in the entrepreneurial process? An experimental approach

In order to understand what triggers action, researchers have studied intention and its determinants for decades. Specifically, entrepreneurship has been widely studied using the intention models. However, only few intended entrepreneurs enact their intentions in the end. As a proof, the variance explained by entrepreneurial intention in actual behaviour is estimated at 37%. So the entrepreneurial intention–behaviour link still has a lot to reveal, leaving a gap in the literature. This article first reminds the difference between goal intention and implementation intention and posits that intention models actually refer to goal intention only. As it has been proven in different contexts that by automatizing individuals’ responses to anticipated cues, implementation intention increases the probability to act, we propose to observe what could be the role of implementation intention in the entrepreneurial intention–behaviour link. The originality and main contribution of this experimental study is that it is the first attempt to operationalize implementation intention on such a complex behaviour. Even if the experiment enables us to make observations more than statistically valid findings, it paves the way for more empirical research on the subject, and it still allows to suggest what could be the benefit of using implementation intention in that field. It should now be tested on a larger scale to be statistically reliable.

Exploring the intention–behavior link in student entrepreneurship: Moderating effects of individual and environmental characteristics

Entrepreneurial intentions lie at the foundation of entrepreneurial process. Yet the available evidence suggests that not every entrepreneurial intention is eventually transformed into actual behavior – starting and operating a new venture. Although studies in other research domains suggest high level of intention–behavior correlation, the studies of intention–behavior relationship in entrepreneurship are scarce. Using the data from the 2013/2014 Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Students' Survey, we scrutinize the intention-action gap among student entrepreneurs, attributing it to the contextual factors, i.e., individual (family entrepreneurial background, age, gender) and environmental characteristics (university environment, uncertainty avoidance), affecting the translation of entrepreneurial intentions into entrepreneurial actions.

Channels of social influence on the realization of short-term fertility intentions in Germany

Abstract This paper studies the short-term fertility intentions of women and men and their subsequent behavior. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, the intention-behavior link is analyzed using the first three waves of the German Family Panel (pairfam). The following research questions are addressed: To what extent do individuals realize their stated positive or negative fertility intentions over a period of two years, and what are the most important determinants that inhibit or enable the realization of short-term fertility intentions? Although women and men with a strong desire for a child, in particular parents, were most likely to have had a(nother) child, negative childbearing intentions were even more predictive. Social pressure exerted by parents or by friends appears to have had a stronger effect on the formation than on the realization of fertility intentions, while, surprisingly, expected social support did not have any noticeable effect. In addition, being in a stable relationship was by far the most important determinant of whether individuals had realized their positive fertility intentions.

Testing the impact of entrepreneurship education on business, engineering and arts and science students using the theory of planned behaviour

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to test the impact of entrepreneurship education on business, engineering and arts and science students using the theory of planned behaviour. The study adopted a pre-test–post-test (time 1, t1 and time 2, t2) to measure the change of attitudes and intentions over a period of six months. The participants who took entrepreneurship as a compulsory or elective course within their curriculum are 450 in total. To measure attitude, the subjective norm and perceived behavioural control, the study adopted a measure proposed by Kolvereid (1996b). For the intention to become self-employed, the study adopted a three-item measure of career intention, proposed by Kolvereid (1996b), which captures the intention of an individual to start a business. The results showed that the post-programme mean values of subjective norm, attitude towards self-employment, perceived behavioural control and intention towards self-employment increased in relation to the pre-programme ones. But the me...

Social Identity for Teenagers: Understanding Behavioral Intention to Participate in Virtual World Environment

This study develops a framework for understanding user intentions and behaviors within a virtual world environment. The proposed framework posits that the intention to participate in virtual world is defined by a person's 1) social identity, 2) attitude toward using the service, 3) subjective norms, 4) attitude toward advertising on the service and 5) enjoyment. The proposed model is tested using data (n=319) from members of the virtual world environment. The results support the multidimensional view of social identity and show a strong positive association between social identity and intention and social identity and behavior, and further, confirm the intention-behavior link. Moreover, the results indicate that social identity outweighs the significance of a person's attitude and relevant subjective norms in explaining intention and behavior. The results also indicate that enjoyment strongly explains both ease of use and attitude.

Explaining stability in travel mode choice: An empirical comparison of two concepts of habit

At least two distinct views on habit have been proposed in the literature: the view of habits as an association between situational cues and a specific behavior, and the view of habits as schemas or generalized scripts applying to a wider range of situations. We compared these concepts on their ability to account (a) for a moderation of the intention–behavior link, and (b) for a stabilization of behavior, in the domain of travel mode choice. In a survey study with 1048 university students, participants recorded their travel mode choice on four standard trips during two 1 week periods 6 months apart. Intention to use public transportation and several measures of habit were recorded for each period. Only the measure related to the associationist view showed the expected moderating effect. Stabilizing effects were found for all measures, but except for the measure related to the associationist view, these cannot be reliably differentiated from ceiling effects. The pattern of results supports the associationist point of view on habits.