
Volume 12, Issue 2 (February 2025), Pages: 158-168

----------------------------------------------
Original Research Paper
The mediating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy in the relationship between entrepreneurial mindset and intention among Mongolian University students
Author(s):
Altanchimeg Zanabazar 1, *, Myagmarsuren Ukhnaa 2, Davaasuren Bavuudorj 3
Affiliation(s):
1Management Department, Business School, National University of Mongolia, Ulan Bator, Mongolia
2Department of Railway Operation, Management, and Economics, Railway Institute of Mongolia, Ulan Bator, Mongolia
3School of Economics and Business, Ulaanbaatar Erdem University, Ulan Bator, Mongolia
Full text
Full Text - PDF
* Corresponding Author.
Corresponding author's ORCID profile: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0467-4267
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2025.02.018
Abstract
The economic growth and development of a country are commonly believed to depend on the presence of entrepreneurs and the pace of business activities within its borders. As a result, researchers have increasingly focused on understanding and promoting entrepreneurship in recent years. Recognizing the critical role of entrepreneurship in a nation's progress, universities and colleges have integrated entrepreneurship education into their curricula. This initiative aims to equip graduates with an entrepreneurial mindset and encourage a proactive approach to business activities. Additionally, there has been a significant focus on supporting student entrepreneurship, highlighting the importance of developing entrepreneurial skills as a key concern in higher education. This study aims to explore the mediating effect of entrepreneurial self-efficacy on the relationship between entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurial intention among Mongolian university students. The sample consisted of 217 business administration students from two universities in Mongolia. The research used factor appropriateness and reliability analysis, correlation analysis, and covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) to examine the proposed hypotheses. The study found that an entrepreneurial mindset has a positive, moderate effect on entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention. Furthermore, the study emphasizes that entrepreneurial self-efficacy plays a significant role in enhancing entrepreneurial intentions, showing a promotional impact. Importantly, the study found that entrepreneurial self-efficacy fully mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial mindset and intention.
© 2025 The Authors. Published by IASE.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Keywords
Entrepreneurial mindset, Entrepreneurial self-efficacy, Entrepreneurial intention, Entrepreneurship education, Structural equation modeling
Article history
Received 4 March 2024, Received in revised form 10 August 2024, Accepted 1 February 2025
Acknowledgment
The authors would like to thank all the participants who voluntarily took part in this study.
Compliance with ethical standards
Ethical considerations
This study was conducted in accordance with ethical guidelines. Participation was voluntary, and informed consent was obtained from all participants. The data collected were anonymized to protect respondents' privacy.
Conflict of interest: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Citation:
Zanabazar A, Ukhnaa M, and Bavuudorj D (2025). The mediating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy in the relationship between entrepreneurial mindset and intention among Mongolian University students. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 12(2): 158-168
Permanent Link to this page
Figures
Fig. 1 Fig. 2
Tables
Table 1 Table 2 Table 3 Table 4 Table 5
----------------------------------------------
References (63)
- Ajzen I (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2): 179-211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T [Google Scholar]
- ALi S, Alshiqi S, Ferasso M, Sahiti A, and Bekteshi X (2023). Entrepreneurial intentions and perceived advantages by Eastern students. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 10(4): 63-75. https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2023.04.008 [Google Scholar]
- Ayub MS, Nasip S, Fabeil NF, Buncha MR, Alias HN, and Abd Rahim IH (2017). Entrepreneurial intention among students: A study in Bulungan Tarakan, Indonesia. In the International Conference on Economics, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: 345-356. [Google Scholar]
- Bae TJ, Qian S, Miao C, and Fiet JO (2014). The relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions: A meta–analytic review. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 38(2): 217-254. https://doi.org/10.1111/etap.12095 [Google Scholar]
- Balder N, Singh H, Mansor NNA, Sakka AA, Krubally M, and Haseebullahet (2020). The impact of entrepreneurship education on attitude, subjective norm and self-efficacy among undergraduates. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 7(10): 108-116. https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2020.10.012 [Google Scholar]
- Bandura A (1977). Social learning theory. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, USA. [Google Scholar]
- Bandura A (2001). Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 52: 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.1 [Google Scholar] PMid:11148297
- Barba-Sánchez V, Mitre-Aranda M, and del Brío-González J (2022). The entrepreneurial intention of university students: An environmental perspective. European Research on Management and Business Economics, 28(2): 100184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iedeen.2021.100184 [Google Scholar]
- Bhatta DD, Pi Y, Sarfraz M, Jaffri ZUA, Ivascu L, and Ozturk I (2024). What determines the entrepreneurial intentions of employees? A moderated mediation model of entrepreneurial motivation and innovate work behavior. Heliyon, 10: e24678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24678 [Google Scholar] PMid:38298624 PMCid:PMC10828058
- Bosman L and Fernhaber S (2019). Applying authentic learning through cultivation of the entrepreneurial mindset in the engineering classroom. Education Sciences, 9(1): 7. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9010007 [Google Scholar]
- Bullough A, Renko M, and Myatt T (2014). Danger zone entrepreneurs: The importance of resilience and self–efficacy for entrepreneurial intentions. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 38(3): 473-499. https://doi.org/10.1111/etap.12006 [Google Scholar]
- Burnette JL, Knouse LE, Vavra DT, O'Boyle E, and Brooks MA (2020). Growth mindsets and psychological distress: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 77: 101816. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101816 [Google Scholar] PMid:32163802
- Cardella GM, Barba-Sánchez V, Meseguer-Martinez Á, Hernández-Sánchez B, and Sánchez-García JC (2024). Analyzing university students’ entrepreneurial intentions under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 20: 2567–2590. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-024-00945-x [Google Scholar]
- Cassia L, De Massis A, Meoli M, and Minola T (2014). Entrepreneurship research centers around the world: Research orientation, knowledge transfer and performance. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 39: 376-392. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-012-9290-7 [Google Scholar]
- Chhabra S, Raghunathan R, and Rao NM (2020). The antecedents of entrepreneurial intention among women entrepreneurs in India. Asia Pacific Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 14(1): 76-92. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJIE-06-2019-0034 [Google Scholar]
- Chin WW (2009). How to write up and report PLS analyses. In: Esposito Vinzi V, Chin W, Henseler J, and Wang H (Eds.), Handbook of partial least squares: Concepts, methods and applications: 655-690. Springer, Berlin, Germany. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-32827-8_29 [Google Scholar]
- Choo S and Wong M (2006). Entrepreneurial intention: Triggers and barriers to new venture creations in Singapore. Singapore Management Review, 28(2): 47-64. [Google Scholar]
- Crespo NF, Belchior R, and Costa EB (2020). Exploring individual differences in the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and intentions: Evidence from Angola. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 27(1): 1-30. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-03-2017-0105 [Google Scholar]
- Davis MH, Hall JA, and Mayer PS (2016). Developing a new measure of entrepreneurial mindset: Reliability, validity, and implications for practitioners. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 68(1): 21-48. https://doi.org/10.1037/cpb0000045 [Google Scholar]
- Dempsey D and Jennings J (2014). Gender and entrepreneurial self-efficacy: A learning perspective. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 6(1): 28-49. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJGE-02-2013-0013 [Google Scholar]
- Fayolle A and Liñán F (2014). The future of research on entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of Business Research, 67(5): 663-666. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2013.11.024 [Google Scholar]
- Ferreira-Neto MN, de Carvalho Castro JL, de Sousa-Filho JM, and de Souza Lessa B (2023). The role of self-efficacy, entrepreneurial passion, and creativity in developing entrepreneurial intentions. Frontiers in Psychology, 14: 1134618. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1134618 [Google Scholar] PMid:36949904 PMCid:PMC10025313
- Grabowski LJS, Call KT, and Mortimer JT (2001). Global and economic self-efficacy in the educational attainment process. Social Psychology Quarterly, 64(2): 164-179. https://doi.org/10.2307/3090131 [Google Scholar]
- Hair Jr JF, Hult GTM, Ringle CM, and Sarstedt M (2017). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). 2nd Edition, Sage Publications Inc., Thousand Oaks, USA. [Google Scholar]
- Handayati P, Wulandari D, Soetjipto BE, Wibowo A, and Narmaditya BS (2020). Does entrepreneurship education promote vocational students’ entrepreneurial mindset? Heliyon, 6: e05426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05426 [Google Scholar] PMid:33235932 PMCid:PMC7672220
- Hou F, Su Y, Lu M, and Qi M (2019). Model of the entrepreneurial intention of university students in the Pearl River Delta of China. Frontiers in Psychology, 10: 916. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00916 [Google Scholar] PMid:31114522 PMCid:PMC6503157
- Hsu DK, Burmeister-Lamp K, Simmons SA, Foo MD, Hong MC, and Pipes JD (2019). “I know I can, but I don't fit”: Perceived fit, self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial intention. Journal of Business Venturing, 34(2): 311-326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2018.08.004 [Google Scholar]
- Jiatong W, Murad M, Bajun F, Tufail MS, Mirza F, and Rafiq M (2021). Impact of entrepreneurial education, mindset, and creativity on entrepreneurial intention: Mediating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Frontiers in Psychology, 12: 724440. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.724440 [Google Scholar] PMid:34497568 PMCid:PMC8419428
- Jung E and Lee Y (2020). College students’ entrepreneurial mindset: Educational experiences override gender and major. Sustainability, 12(19): 8272. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12198272 [Google Scholar]
- Kar B, Subudhi RN, and Padhy R (2017). Impact of self-efficacy and contextual variables on entrepreneurial intention. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 25(3): 1121-1138. [Google Scholar]
- Kolvereid L and Isaksen E (2006). New business start-up and subsequent entry into self-employment. Journal of Business Venturing, 21(6): 866-885. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2005.06.008 [Google Scholar]
- Krueger NF and Brazeal DV (1994). Entrepreneurial potential and potential entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 18(3): 91-104. https://doi.org/10.1177/104225879401800307 [Google Scholar]
- Kuratko DF and Morris MH (2018). Corporate entrepreneurship: A critical challenge for educators and researchers. Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy, 1(1): 42-60. https://doi.org/10.1177/2515127417737291 [Google Scholar]
- Liñán F (2008). Skill and value perceptions: How do they affect entrepreneurial intentions? International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 4: 257-272. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-008-0093-0 [Google Scholar]
- Liñán F and Chen YW (2009). Development and cross–cultural application of a specific instrument to measure entrepreneurial intentions. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 33(3): 593-617. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2009.00318.x [Google Scholar]
- Liñán F and Fayolle A (2015). A systematic literature review on entrepreneurial intentions: Citation, thematic analyses, and research agenda. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 11: 907-933. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-015-0356-5 [Google Scholar]
- Liñán F, Rodríguez-Cohard JC, and Rueda-Cantuche JM (2011). Factors affecting entrepreneurial intention levels: A role for education. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 7: 195-218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-010-0154-z [Google Scholar]
- Liu Y, Li M, Li X, and Zeng J (2022). Entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intention: The moderating role of the personality and family economic status. Frontiers in Psychology, 13: 978480. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.978480 [Google Scholar] PMid:36211936 PMCid:PMC9537077
- Mensah IK, Zeng G, Luo C, Xiao Z, and Lu M (2021). Exploring the predictors of Chinese college students’ entrepreneurial intention. Sage Open, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211029941 [Google Scholar]
- Mukhtar S, Wardana LW, Wibowo A, and Narmaditya BS (2021). Does entrepreneurship education and culture promote students’ entrepreneurial intention? The mediating role of entrepreneurial mindset. Cogent Education, 8(1): 1918849. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2021.1918849 [Google Scholar]
- Nabi G, Liñán F, Fayolle A, Krueger N, and Walmsley A (2017). The impact of entrepreneurship education in higher education: A systematic review and research agenda. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 16(2): 277-299. https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2015.0026 [Google Scholar]
- Naumann C (2017). Entrepreneurial mindset: A synthetic literature review. Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review, 5(3): 149-172. https://doi.org/10.15678/EBER.2017.050308 [Google Scholar]
- Ndofirepi TM (2022). The effect of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial self-identity on entrepreneurial goal intentions of female and male college students in Zimbabwe. Administrative Sciences, 12(4): 180. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci12040180 [Google Scholar]
- Neneh NB (2012). An exploratory study on entrepreneurial mindset in the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector: A South African perspective on fostering small and medium enterprise (SME) success. African Journal of Business Management, 6(9): 3364-3372. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJBM10.1631 [Google Scholar]
- Newman A, Obschonka M, Schwarz S, Cohen M, and Nielsen I (2019). Entrepreneurial self-efficacy: A systematic review of the literature on its theoretical foundations, measurement, antecedents, and outcomes, and an agenda for future research. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 110: 403-419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2018.05.012 [Google Scholar]
- Nguyen TT, Nguyen LTP, Phan HTT, and Vu AT (2021). Impact of entrepreneurship extracurricular activities and inspiration on entrepreneurial intention: Mediator and moderator effect. Sage Open, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211032174 [Google Scholar]
- Nunnally JC (1978). Psychometric theory. 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York, USA. [Google Scholar]
- Rosique-Blasco M, Madrid-Guijarro A, and García-Pérez-de-Lema D (2018). The effects of personal abilities and self-efficacy on entrepreneurial intentions. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 14(4): 1025-1052. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-017-0469-0 [Google Scholar]
- Rudy BM, Davis TE III, and Matthews RA (2012). The relationship among self-efficacy, negative self-referent cognitions, and social anxiety in children: A multiple mediator model. Behavior Therapy, 43(3): 619-628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2011.11.003 [Google Scholar] PMid:22697449
- Rustiana Y, Mohd OB, and Mohamad NB (2022). The distribution role of entrepreneurship mindset and task technology fit: An extended model of theory of planned behavior. Journal of Distribution Science, 20(5): 85-96. [Google Scholar]
- Santos SC and Liguori EW (2020). Entrepreneurial self-efficacy and intentions: Outcome expectations as mediator and subjective norms as moderator. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research, 26(3): 400-415. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-07-2019-0436 [Google Scholar]
- Setiawan JA and Hidayat WGPA (2023). The effect of entrepreneurial education, mindset, and creativity on entrepreneurial intention of university students: Assisted in the mediation role of entrepreneurial self efficacy. Jurnal Multidisiplin Madani, 3(8): 1698-1703. https://doi.org/10.55927/mudima.v3i8.5351 [Google Scholar]
- Setiawan JL, Kasim A, and Ardyan E (2022). Understanding the consumers of entrepreneurial education: Self-efficacy and entrepreneurial attitude orientation among youths. Sustainability, 14(8): 4790. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084790 [Google Scholar]
- Shapero A and Sokol L (1982). The social dimensions of entrepreneurship. In: Kent CA, Sexton DL, and Vesper KH (Eds.), Encyclopedia of entrepreneurship: 72-90. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, USA. [Google Scholar]
- Sitinjak I (2019). The effect of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial competence on the entrepreneurial entry decision and the success of start-up MSMEs in Medan City. Jurnal Ekonomi Bisnis Dan Kewirausahaan, 8(3): 204-215. https://doi.org/10.26418/jebik.v8i3.35670 [Google Scholar]
- Srimulyani VA and Hermanto YB (2022). Impact of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial motivation on micro and small business success for food and beverage sector in east Java, Indonesia. Economies, 10(1): 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/economies10010010 [Google Scholar]
- Teixeira AA and Davey T (2010). Attitudes of higher education students to new venture creation: The relevance of competencies and contextual factors. Industry and Higher Education, 24(5): 323-341. https://doi.org/10.5367/ihe.2010.0005 [Google Scholar]
- Thompson ER (2009). Individual entrepreneurial intent: Construct clarification and development of an internationally reliable metric. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 33(3): 669-694. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2009.00321.x [Google Scholar]
- Wardana LW, Narmaditya BS, Wibowo A, Mahendra AM, Wibowo NA, Harwida G, and Rohman AN (2020). The impact of entrepreneurship education and students' entrepreneurial mindset: The mediating role of attitude and self-efficacy. Heliyon, 6(9): e04922. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04922 [Google Scholar] PMid:32995616 PMCid:PMC7502346
- Westfall PH and Henning KSS (2013). Texts in statistical science: Understanding advanced statistical methods. Taylor and Francis, Boca Raton, USA. https://doi.org/10.1201/b14398 [Google Scholar]
- Zhao H, Seibert SE, and Hills GE (2005). The mediating role of self-efficacy in the development of entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(6): 1265-1272. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.90.6.1265 [Google Scholar] PMid:16316279
- Zreen A, Farrukh M, Nazar N, and Khalid R (2019). The role of internship and business incubation programs in forming entrepreneurial intentions: An empirical analysis from Pakistan. Central European Management Journal, 27(2): 97-113. https://doi.org/10.7206/jmba.ce.2450-7814.255 [Google Scholar]
- Żur A and Naumann C (2018). Blending conflicting logics by social entrepreneurs–The role of entrepreneurial mindset. Problemy Zarządzania, 16(73): 240-257. https://doi.org/10.7172/1644-9584.73.15 [Google Scholar]
|