The Nexus between Cognitive factors, Entrepreneurial Intention and Nascent Entrepreneurial Behavior

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between cognitive factors like Attitude towards Entrepreneurship (ATE), Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC) and Subjective Norms (SNs), Entrepreneurial Intention (EI), and Nascent Entrepreneurial Behaviour (NEB) among Generation Z management undergraduates at state universities in Sri Lanka with the support of two theories: Theory of Planned Behavior and the Social Cognitive Career Theory. Data from 1368 Generation Z management students who received entrepreneurial education while enrolled in university was gathered for this study using a quantitative research technique. With the aid of Smart-PLS version 4.0, Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) methodology were used to analyse the data. The findings showed that EI significantly affected management undergraduates’ NEB. Additionally, the results verified that ATE and PBC significantly affect EI, while SNs do not affect EI. One of the study’s limitations is that it only looks at the EI and NEB of management undergraduates in Sri Lankan public universities, which may limit how widely the findings can be used in other contexts. Additionally, the study used a quantitative methodology, which may have overlooked qualitative variations in undergraduates’ perspectives. Future studies could look at different regions and employ qualitative or mixed methods to support undergraduates’ NEB completely and beyond these limitations. Government policymakers who want to support students’ EI and NEB to strengthen the process of creating new ventures, banks, financial institutions, and secondary and tertiary educational institutions that wish to provide economic and advisory support for students’ viable business plans are all affected by the studies. As a result, this study advances knowledge on how stakeholders might encourage management undergraduates to engage in early entrepreneurial activities, which boosts the nation’s GDP.