Entrepreneurial intention and the three stages of entrepreneurial action: a process approach.

The relationship between entrepreneurial intention (EI) and entrepreneurial action (EA) is a popular topic in entrepreneurship research, owing to the contribution of these constructs in the process leading to the entrepreneurial activity taking place. There are still countries that are recording high entrepreneurial intention levels in comparison to their corresponding entrepreneurial action levels that are low. This is a global concern to which South Africa (SA) is also not immune. Most of the research tests the relationship between two single constructs: EI and EA. Our study follows a process approach and investigates the effect of this relationship between EI and the three stages of EA. A quantitative method was employed and a survey utilized whereby data was collected among 597 entrepreneurs in South Africa. The data was analyzed through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The EI construct is supported through the Theory of Planned Behavior, in conjunction with the Motivation Opportunity Ability theory. The Discovery Theory, together with the Creative Theory, supports each of the stages of EA, namely: entrepreneurial opportunity discovery (EODI); entrepreneurial opportunity evaluation (EOEV); and entrepreneurial opportunity exploitation (EOEX). Previous research regarding the relationship between EI and EA measured this relationship from a binary point of view. This study contributes to the entrepreneurship field by employing the process approach to determine the impact of EI on the stages of EA. This study reveals that EI is statistically significant in all three stages of EA. However, the strength of this relationship is found to be strong between EI and the EODI and EOEV stages and moderate between EI and the EOEX stage. Therefore, this study reveals that effective training interventions and development are necessary between EI and the EOEX stage of EA.

Exploring the Entrepreneurial Intention-Competency Model for Nascent Entrepreneurs: Insights From a Developing Country Context.

Several previous scholars have investigated the relationship between entrepreneurial intention (EI) and entrepreneurial competencies (ECs), yet categorising individual ECs in relation to higher-order competence constructs has not been explored. Based on the previous literature studies, four higher-order constructs are identified, namely cognitive, functional, social/personal and meta-competence. Investigating which ECs are categorised according to the four higher-order constructs in this relationship with EI is important as it contributes to the development and training of these antecedents of entrepreneurial behaviour. Data are collected from 203 nascent entrepreneurs in South Africa and analysed by using structural equation modelling. In this developing country context, only two higher-order constructs, cognitive/functional competence and social/personal competence, fit the data in relationship with EI. The strongest positive relationships were found between the cognitive and functional higher-order construct, opportunity recognition and opportunity assessment, conveying a compelling vision and creative problem-solving. The cognitive and functional higher-order competence construct also showed a strong positive relationship with EI. To improve pedagogical interventions and enhance EI, educators and policymakers can use these findings in entrepreneurship programmes to ensure that this higher-order competence construct with the individual ECs in this category are developed simultaneously rather than individually. Research efforts and support programmes that include cognitive and functional higher-order competence constructs for nascent entrepreneurs should therefore not be neglected. Such efforts and programmes can encourage EI, which in turn can enhance entrepreneurial behaviour, thereby potentially contributes to economic growth and employment creation.

Prior Entrepreneurial Exposure and Action of Women Entrepreneurs: Exploring the Moderation Effects of Entrepreneurial Competencies in a Developing Country Context.

While the differences between men and women with regard to entrepreneurial activity is well-acknowledged, few scholars have explored models explaining the differences through an objectivist lens. This research addresses this gap by investigating the relationship between prior entrepreneurial exposure and entrepreneurial action, moderated by entrepreneurial competencies (ECs). This paper draws from two psychology theories to develop and test a three-factor model of entrepreneurial action. The structuration theory formulates a theoretical model that explains how entrepreneurs' interaction with their environment, and their concomitantly learned behavioral scripts (i.e., entrepreneurial competencies), impacts a newly formulated typology of entrepreneurial gestation activities based on the mindset theory of action phases. Furthermore, the ECs in this paper are drawn from a systematic framework of entrepreneurship competency development, which categorizes ECs into (1) entrepreneurial attitudes and personal characteristics and (2) entrepreneurial motives. By dividing entrepreneurial action into a predecisional, preactional, and actional phase, a novel approach is used in taking the context of the entrepreneurial process into account. It is proposed that prior entrepreneurial exposure is a significant and positive predictor of future entrepreneurial action in the predecisional and preactional phases. However, once entering the actional phase, this factor is no longer important, as women entrepreneurs have crossed the entrepreneurial Rubicon. The sample consists of South African entrepreneurs of which 346 women entrepreneurs and a sample of 804 male entrepreneurs are used to compare the results of the first hypothesis. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to model the relationship between prior entrepreneurial exposure and entrepreneurial action. Results confirm that prior entrepreneurial exposure in the form of role models, entrepreneurial parents, or any other form of exposure to entrepreneurship before starting a business is particularly important to encourage women to pursue business start-up (action). Furthermore, the development of certain ECs is crucial for improving the strength of the relationship between prior entrepreneurial exposure and entrepreneurial action for women entrepreneurs. These results have important implications for women entrepreneurs, educators, as well as entrepreneurship models, which have been traditionally male dominated.