magazinelogo

Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science

ISSN Online: 2576-0548 ISSN Print: 2576-0556 CODEN: JHASAY
Frequency: monthly Email: jhass@hillpublisher.com
Total View: 4701713 Downloads: 1453040 Citations: 301 (From Dimensions)
ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2025.07.018

A Study Investigating the Factors Influencing Students’ Intentions to Engage in Sustained Social Entrepreneurship

Aiwen Wang

Department of Economics and Management, Guangzhou City Construction College, Guangzhou 510925, Guangdong, China.

*Corresponding author: Aiwen Wang

Published: July 28,2025

Abstract

Social enterprises are becoming increasingly important because they can effectively address social problems and help alleviate poverty, reduce unemployment, create jobs, solve environmental problems, and promote social and economic development, all of which are important in shaping the sustainability of the entrepreneurial economy. Therefore, it is important to discover how social entrepreneurial intention (SEI) can be enhanced. Previous scholars have studied aspects such as empathy, prior experience, and helping behavior based on psychological research. However, not all empathy individuals see great promise in setting up a social enterprise, and it is not feasible to interpret SEI through the self-orientation of traditional entrepreneurial research. In order to solve these limitations, based on the theory of prosocial motivation and TPB, this paper analyzes the generation mechanism of SEI and proposes to trigger SEI through complementary incentive mechanisms of internal individuals (empathy, self-efficacy) and external environment (entrepreneurial education and perceived social support). A recent study has aimed to identify SEI among undergraduate students in China. The study's findings support the hypotheses and are based on a sample of 411 university students. From the perspective of prosocial motivation, it proposes that SEI is driven by social value and individual motivation of self-efficacy, reveals the public mechanism of SEI of social value, and clarifies the "social" aspect of social entrepreneurship. This research provides valuable insights into social sustainability, guidelines for governments to further invest in developing educational programs, and for policymakers and planners to develop policies that promote social entrepreneurship.

Keywords

Empathy; Entrepreneurial Self-efficacy; Entrepreneurship Education; Perceived Social Support; Social Entrepreneurial Intention; Sustainable Development

References

Abdelwahed, N. A. A. (2022). Developing entrepreneurial sustainability among Saudi Arabia's university students. Sustainability, 14(19), 11890.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su141911890

Abdelwahed, N. A. A., Soomro, B. A., & Shah, N. (2022). The role of environment, business and human behavior towards entrepreneurial sustainability. Sustainability, 14(5), 2517.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052517

Ajzen, I. (1988). Attitudes, personality, and behavior. Dorsey Press.

Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179-211.

Ajzen, I. (2002). Perceived behavioral control, self-efficacy, locus of control, and the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 32(4), 665-683.

Ashraf, M. A. (2020). "Is old gold?" The role of prior experience in exploring the determinants of Islamic social entrepreneurial intentions: Evidence from Bangladesh. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 12(3), 265-290.

https://doi.org/10.1080/19420676.2019.1702580

Bacq, S., & Alt, E. (2018). Feeling capable and valued: A prosocial perspective on the link between empathy and social entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of Business Venturing, 33(3), 333-350.

Bandura, A. (1982). Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. American Psychologist, 37(2), 122-147.

https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.37.2.122

Bandura, A. (1989). Human agency in social cognitive theory. American Psychologist, 44(9), 1175-1184.

https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.44.9.1175

Bandura, A. (2014). Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. American Psychologist, 37(2), 122-147.

Bazan, C. (2022). Effect of the university's environment and support system on subjective social norms as precursor of the entrepreneurial intention of students. SAGE Open, 12(4).
https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221129105

Boyd, N. G., & Vozikis, G. S. (1994). The influence of self-efficacy on the development of entrepreneurial intentions and actions. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 18(4), 63-77.

Carter, N. M., Gartner, W. B., & Shaver, K. G. (2003). The career reasons of nascent entrepreneurs. Journal of Business Venturing, 18(1), 13-39.

Chen, W., & Yin, Y. X. (2015). An empirical study on college students' entrepreneurial self-efficacy and its influencing factors. University Education Management, 6, 115-120.
https://doi.org/10.13316/j.cnki.jhem.20151019.011

Coduras, A., Urbano, D., Rojas, Á., & Martínez, S. (2008). The relationship between university support to entrepreneurship with entrepreneurial activity in Spain: A GEM data based analysis. International Advances in Economic Research, 14(4), 395-406.

Davis, M. H., Mitchell, K. V., Hall, J. A., et al. (2009). Empathy, expectations, and situational preferences: Personality influences on the decision to participate in volunteer helping behaviors. Journal of Personality, 67(3), 469-503.

Dees, G. J. (2015). A tale of two cultures: Charity, problem solving, and the future of social entrepreneurship. Journal of Business Ethics, 111(3), 321-334.

Denoble, A. F., Jung, K., & Ehrlich, S. B. (1999). Entrepreneurial self-efficacy: The development of a measure and its relation to entrepreneurial action. In P. Reynolds et al. (Eds.), Frontiers of entrepreneurship research. Babson College.

Do, B., & Dadvari, A. (2017). The influence of the dark triad on the relationship between entrepreneurial attitude orientation and entrepreneurial intention: A study among students in Taiwan University. Asia Pacific Management Review, 22(4), 185-191.

Eisenberg, N., Fabes, R. A., Miller, P. A., et al. (2013). Relation of sympathy and personal distress to prosocial behavior: A multi-method study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(1), 55-66.

El-Gohary, H., Sultan, F., Alam, S., Abbas, M., & Muhammad, S. (2023). Shaping sustainable entrepreneurial intentions among business graduates in developing countries through social media adoption: A moderating-mediated mechanism in Pakistan. Sustainability, 15(3), 2489. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032489

Ernst, K. (2011). Heart over mind - An empirical analysis of social entrepreneurial intention formation on the basis of the theory of planned behavior [Doctoral dissertation, Universität Wuppertal].

Fayolle, A. (2005). Evaluation of entrepreneurship education: Behaviour performing or intention increasing? International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2(1), 89-98.

Fayolle, A., & Liñán, F. (2014). The future of research on entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of Business Research, 67(5), 663-666.

Fiet, J. (2001). The pedagogical side of entrepreneurship theory. Journal of Business Venturing, 16(2), 101-117.

Forster, F., & Grichnik, D. (2013). Social entrepreneurial intention formation of corporate volunteers. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 4(2), 153-181.

Ge, B. S., & Ning, D. P. (2017). A study on the influence of entrepreneurial education satisfaction on entrepreneurial be-havior in Chinese universities: A large sample empirical study with entrepreneurial passion as the intermediary. Journal of East China Normal University (Educational Science), 3, 103-115. 

https://doi.org/10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2017.03.011

Grühn, D., Rebucal, K., Diehl, M., et al. (2014). Empathy across the adult lifespan: Longitudinal and experience-sampling findings. Emotion, 8(6), 753-765.

Hassan, H. M. K. (2020). Intention towards social entrepreneurship of university students in an emerging economy: The influence of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurship education. On the Horizon, 28(3), 133-151.

https://doi.org/10.1108/OTH-04-2020-0012

Hassan, H. M. K., Igel, B., & Shamsuddoha, M. (2022). Entrepreneurship education and social entrepreneurial intentions: The mediating effects of entrepreneurial social network. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 860273.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.860273

Hechavarria, D. M., Renko, M., & Matthews, C. H. (2012). The nascent entrepreneurship hub: Goals, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and start-up outcomes. Small Business Economics, 39(3), 685-701.

Hinkin, T. (1998). A brief tutorial on the development of measures for use in survey questionnaires. Organizational Re-search Methods, 1(1), 104-121.
https://doi.org/10.1177/109442819800100106

Hobfoll, S. E. (1988). The ecology of stress. Hemisphere Publishing Corp.

Hockerts, K. (2017). Determinants of social entrepreneurial intentions. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 41(1), 105-130.

Igwe, A., Ogbo, A., Agbaeze, E., Abugu, J., Ezenwakwelu, C., & Okwo, H. (2020). Self-efficacy and subjective norms as moderators in the networking competence–social entrepreneurial intentions link. SAGE Open, 10(3).

https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244020934878

Ip, C. Y., Liang, C., Lai, H. J., & Chang, Y. J. (2020). Determinants of social entrepreneurial intention: An alternative model based on social cognitive career theory. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 31(4), 737-760.

Ip, C. Y., Wu, S. C., Liu, H. C., & Liang, C. (2017). Revisiting the antecedents of social entrepreneurial intentions in Hong Kong. International Journal of Educational Psychology, 6(3), 301-323.
https://doi.org/10.17583/ijep.2017.2835

Kolvereid, L. (1996). Prediction of employment status choice intentions. Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice, 21(1), 47-57.

Krueger, J. N., & Brazeal, P. (1994). Entrepreneurial potential and potential entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 18(3), 91-104.

Krueger, J. N., & Carsrud, A. L. (1993). Entrepreneurial intentions: Applying the theory of planned behaviour. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 5(4), 315-330.

Krueger, N., Reilly, M. D., & Carsrud, A. L. (2000). Competing models of entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of Business Venturing, 15(5-6), 411-432.

https://doi.org/10.1177/104225879401800307

Lacap, J. P. G., Mulyaningsih, H. D., & Ramadani, V. (2018). The mediating effects of social entrepreneurial antecedents on the relationship between prior experience and social entrepreneurial intent: The case of Filipino and Indonesian university students. Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, 9(3), 329-346.

https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTPM-03-2018-0028

Lai, P. C. (2020). Intention to use a drug reminder app: A case study of diabetics and high blood pressure patients. SAGE Research Methods Cases, 1-10.
https://doi.org/10.4135/9781529744767

Lakovleva, T., & Kolvereid, L. (2009). An integrated model of entrepreneurial intentions. International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 3(1), 66-80.

Li, Q. Q., & Fan, Y. W. (2018). Research on the influence of empathy on the persuasive effect of public service advertising. Journal of Management, 3, 420-426.

Liñán, F., & Chen, Y. W. (2009). Development and cross-cultural application of a specific instrument to measure entrepreneurial intentions. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 33(3), 593-617.

Liñán, F., & Fayolle, A. (2015). A systematic literature review on entrepreneurial intentions: Citation, thematic analyses, and research agenda. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 11(4), 907-933.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-015-0356-5

Liu, H. C., Liang, C. Y., Chang, C. C., Ip, C. Y., & Liang, C. T. (2021). Optimizing personality traits and entrepreneurial creativity to boost the precursors of social entrepreneurial intentions: Five studies in Taiwan. Journal of Social Service Research, 47(1), 10-32.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01488376.2019.1708840

Liu, Z. Y., Zhao, C. F., & Li, B. (2020). Digital social entrepreneurship: Theoretical framework and research prospects. Foreign Economics and Management, 4, 3-18.
https://doi.org/10.16538/j.cnki.fem.20200228.402

Lukman, S., Bao, P., Lugu, B., Arkorful, V., Latif, A., Gadabu, A., Kwade, P., Basiru, I., & Sadiq, M. (2020). Diasporan students' social entrepreneurship intention: The moderating role of institutional support. Journal of Public Affairs, 21(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2108

Ma, J., Duan, Y., Wang, J., & Luo, M. (2023). Impact of self-efficacy on entrepreneurs' ambidextrous behavior in new ventures: Moderating effect of status. Behavioral Sciences, 13(2), 108.
https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13020108

Mair, J., & Marti, I. (2006). Social entrepreneurship research: A source of explanation, prediction, and delight. Journal of World Business, 41(1), 36-44.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2005.09.002

Mair, J., & Noboa, E. (2014). Social entrepreneurship: How intentions to create a social venture get formed. In Social entrepreneurship (pp. 121-136). Palgrave Macmillan.

Miller, T., Grimes, M., & McMullen, J. (2016). Venturing for others with heart and head: How compassion encourages social entrepreneurship. Academy of Management Review, 37(4), 616-640.

Nowiński, W., Haddoud, M. Y., Wach, K., & Schaefer, R. (2020). Perceived public support and entrepreneurship attitudes: A little reciprocity can go a long way! Journal of Vocational Behavior, 121, 103474.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2020.103474

Obi-Anike, H. O., Okafor, C. N., Daniel, C. O., Onodugo, I. J., Ukpere, W. I., & Udoh, B. E. (2022). Sustained social entrepreneurship: The moderating roles of prior experience and networking ability. Sustainability, 14(21), 13702.

https://doi.org/10.3390/su142113702

Obschonka, M., Silbereisen, R. K., & Schmitt-Rodermund, E. (2010). Entrepreneurial intention as developmental out-come. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 77(1), 63-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2010.02.008

Pan, W. X., & Lai, P. C. (2023). Research on college students' purchasing using webcast platform. In Strategies and opportunities for technology in the metaverse world (pp. 166-185). IGI Global.

Peris-Delcampo, D., Núñez, A., Costa, C. M., Moriconi, M., Cantón, E., & Garcia-Mas, A. (2023). Quantitative and qualitative analysis of psychosocial factors affecting women's entrepreneurship. Behavioral Sciences, 13(4), 313.

https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13040313

Pham, L., Phan, L., Le, A., & Bui, N. T. (2022). Factors affecting social entrepreneurial intention: An application of social cognitive career theory. Entrepreneurship Research Journal.
https://doi.org/10.1515/erj-2021-0316

Preeti, T., Bhat, A. K., & Tikoria, J. (2017). The role of emotional intelligence and self-efficacy on social entrepreneurial attitudes and social entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 8(2), 165-185.

https://doi.org/10.1080/19420676.2017.1371628

Rakicevic, Z., Njegic, K., Cogoljevic, M., & Rakicevic, J. (2023). Mediated effect of entrepreneurial education on students' intention to engage in social entrepreneurial projects. Sustainability, 15(5), 4606.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054606

Rambe, P., & Ndofirepi, T. M. (2019). Explaining social entrepreneurial intentions among college students in Zimbabwe. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 12(1), 1-22.

Renko, M., Kroeck, K. G., & Bullough, A. (2012). Expectancy theory and nascent entrepreneurship. Small Business Economics, 39(3), 667-684.

Ruiz-Rosa, I., Gutiérrez-Taño, D., & García-Rodríguez, F. J. (2020). Social entrepreneurial intention and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic: A structural model. Sustainability, 12(17), 6970. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12176970

Scaffidi Abbate, C., Misuraca, R., Roccella, M., Parisi, L., Vetri, L., & Miceli, S. (2022). The role of guilt and empathy on prosocial behavior. Behavioral Sciences, 12(3), 64.
https://doi.org/10.3390/bs12030064

Tams, S., & Marshall, J. (2011). Responsible careers: Systemic reflexivity in shifting landscapes. Human Relations, 64(1), 109-131.

The twenty report points out the direction and path for the development of philanthropy [EB/OL]. (2022, November 8).

https://www.rmzxb.com.cn/c/2022-11-08/3237376.shtml

Tiwari, P., Bhat, A. K., & Tikoria, J. (2017). The role of emotional intelligence and self-efficacy on social entrepreneurial attitudes and social entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 8(2), 165-185.

Trajano, S. S., Sousa-Filho, J. M., Matos, S., & Lessa, B. S. (2022). Do volunteers intend to become social entrepreneurs? The influence of pro-social behavior on social entrepreneurial intentions. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly.

https://doi.org/10.1177/08997640221103299

United Nations. (2015). 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development [EB/OL]. 

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/zh/development-agenda/

Wang, J. (2012). The relationship between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial intention of college students: The mediating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy [Master's thesis, Shandong Normal University].

Wood, R., & Bandura, A. (1989). Social cognitive theory of organization management. Academy of Management Review, 14(3), 361-384.

Wrzesniewski, A., Dutton, J. E., & Debebeg, G. (2017). Interpersonal sensemaking and the meaning of work. Research in Organizational Behavior, 25(3), 93-135.

Xiang, H., & Lei, J. S. (2013). Based on the ISO model college students entrepreneurial intention. Journal of Tsinghua University (Natural Science Edition), 1, 122-128.
https://doi.org/10.16511/j.cnki.qhdxxb.2013.01.017

Younis, A., Xiaobao, P., Nadeem, M. A., Kanwal, S., Pitafi, H., Qiong, G., & Yuzhen, D. (2020). Impact of positivity and empathy on social entrepreneurial intention: The moderating role of perceived social support. Journal of Public Affairs, 21(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2124

Zeng, F., Liu, Q., & Cao, X. (2017). Does emotional ability affect the entrepreneurial intention of social entrepreneurs? An empirical study based on Enactus projects in China. Innovation, 3, 20-27.

Zhang, M. C. (2020). Research on the impact of social entrepreneurship education on college students' social entrepreneurship intention [Master's thesis, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics].

Zhang, X., & Zhang, K. (2018). Previous experience and social entrepreneurial willingness: The mediating role of self-transcendence values and risk propensity. Science of Science and Management of Science and Technology, 2, 142-156.

Zhao, H., Seibert, S. E., & Hills, G. E. (2005). The mediating role of self-efficacy in the development of entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(6), 1265-1272.

Zheng, X. F., Wang, Z., & Yuan, D. (2015). Research on the status quo and influencing factors of social entrepreneurship among young people. Youth Exploration, 5, 11-16. https://doi.org/10.13583/j.cnki.issn1004-3780.2015.05.002

Zulfiqar, S., Nadeem, M., Khan, M., Anwar, M., Iqbal, M., & Asmi, F. (2021). Opportunity recognition behavior and readiness of youth for social entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship Research Journal, 11(4). 

https://doi.org/10.1515/erj-2018-0201

How to cite this paper

A Study Investigating the Factors Influencing Students’ Intentions to Engage in Sustained Social Entrepreneurship

How to cite this paper: Aiwen Wang. (2025) A Study Investigating the Factors Influencing Students’ Intentions to Engage in Sustained Social Entrepreneurship. Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science9(7), 1348-1361.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2025.07.018