Analysis of Factors Influencing Social Entrepreneurial Intentions: Case of University Students in the Republic of Serbia
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Keywords

social entrepreneurial intentions
previous experience
social problems
students

Abstract

The concept of social entrepreneurial intentions (SEI) is derived from the concept of entrepreneurial intentions but with added social dimension to the profit orientation of the entrepreneur. Mair and Noboa (2006) modified the concept according to the Theory of Planned Behaviour and proposed the model of SEI which indicate that SEI is under the direct influence of four variables such as empathy, moral obligations, social entrepreneurial self-efficacy and perceived social support. Additional factors are observed as exogenous that through direct factors influence SEI. Among them, previous experience in solving social problems stood out. Therefore, this research will test the mediating effect of previous experience on SEI. Mediating variables will be four variables that are direct predictors of SEI. The research was conducted on the student population and the sample consists of 350 respondents. The student population was targeted because of their potential to be entrepreneurs and the fact that educational curriculums should be upgraded with practical exercises to develop students' SEI. The analysis was conducted applying for the program SPSS AMOS and Hayes’s PROCESS macro was used for testing the mediating effect. Specifically, parallel mediation was tested with four mediating variables. The results revealed that previous experience has a significant positive influence on SEI, while only perceived social support has a significant mediating effect on SEI. The results of the study raise awareness of the importance of students’ previous experience in solving social problems and of the support that they receive from the important others in their surroundings.

https://doi.org/10.57638/1120-9593SOENTS
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