Factors Affecting Social Entrepreneurial Intention: An Application of Social Cognitive Career Theory

Abstract This paper aims to apply Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) to investigate social entrepreneurial intention factors. In particular, the impacts of social entrepreneurship education and prior experience with social organizations on social entrepreneurial intention through the mediating roles of social entrepreneurial self-efficacy and social entrepreneurial outcome expectations are scrutinized. Based on a dataset of 503 individuals who have completed social-entrepreneurship orientation courses, the analysis results reveal that the other direct hypotheses are supported except for the insignificant direct effect of social entrepreneurship education on social entrepreneurial outcome expectations. Thus, the applicability of SCCT in the context of social entrepreneurship is confirmed. In addition, the sequential mediating roles of social entrepreneurial self-efficacy and social entrepreneurial outcome expectations are also supported by this study. These two mediators fully and complementarity play a factor in the respective effects of social entrepreneurship education and prior experience on social entrepreneurial intention. Policymakers and educators can rely on the findings of this study to design curricula that aim to enhance the social education and experience of learners to stimulate social entrepreneurial intention.