Into the Shark tank: an exploratory analysis of pharmapreneurial motivation and intention in Jordan

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the relationship between entrepreneurial motivation and pharmapreneurial intention among pharmacists in Jordan.The authors also assessed the moderating effect of gender and the COVID-19 pandemic on the relationship between these two variables. Design/methodology/approach This study is a quantitative study targeting pharmacists and using a nonprobability sample. A structured questionnaire was distributed through official channels to the entire population of registered pharmacists in Jordan. SmartPLS 3 was used for carrying an advanced structural equation model analysis, and SPSS 26 for the descriptive statistics. Findings The three entrepreneurial motivation variables (behavioral control [BC], risk tolerance and desirability of self-employment) affected pharmapreneurial intention, with BC contributing more to pharmapreneurial intention among pharmacists in Jordan than the other variables examined. On the other hand, gender and COVID-19 did not moderate this relationship. Research limitations/implications The authors find that entrepreneurial motivation affects pharmapreneurial intention. Consequently, the authors provide insights to policymakers and educators regarding dovetailing the recent financial literacy programs implemented in Jordanian schools with medical education in Jordan to better motivate the formation of pharmapreneurial intention. Practical implications Policymakers and educators should be dovetailing the recent financial literacy programs implemented in Jordanian schools with medical education in Jordan to better motivate the formation of pharmapreneurial intention. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine pharmapreneurship in Jordan.