Entrepreneurial implementation intention: The role of psychological capital and entrepreneurship education

Abstract

Scholars and policymakers are increasingly interested in the influence of Entrepreneurship Education on entrepreneurial attitudes, as well as in the human capital developed from entrepreneurship programs. Thus, to further clarify the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education as a catalyst for entrepreneurial activity, this study investigates the intervening role of psychological capital in the link between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial behavior. To interrogate this premise, a sample of 262 UK students is examined by a structural equation model. The proposed model draws on an integrated social cognitive career theory with a PsyCap lens. The results indicate that although psychological capital partially mediates the influence of entrepreneurship education on Entrepreneurial Intention, this outcome is mainly driven by the effects of hope and self-efficacy, with hope bearing a stronger influence. Surprisingly, the anticipated impact of optimism and resilience did not materialize. These findings pose important implications for theory and practice by offering a more holistic framework underlying the EE-EI nexus.