Building Social Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy In An Emerging Economy: The Role Of Education And Entrepreneurial Experience

With the increasing number of social problems for which governments do not have solutions, especially in emerging economies, there have been ever louder calls for establishing social enterprises that will help address these problems. Social entrepreneurial intention increases when individuals have a high level of social entrepreneurial self-efficacy (SESE). The literature suggests that SESE is domain-specific and can be enhanced only through education and experience related to social entrepreneurship. Building upon the social cognitive theory, this study argues that SESE can be improved through general factors such as education level and entrepreneurial experience. Through an online survey involving 241 general individuals, this study finds support for the social cognitive theory, which states that educational level increases SESE and subsequently increases social entrepreneurial intention. This relationship is substantiated for individuals who have prior entrepreneurial experience but not for individuals with no entrepreneurial experience. The results of this study highlight the importance of education in promoting social entrepreneurial intention. In addition, the curricula at all educational levels should encourage students to gain entrepreneurial experience such as by developing business projects or initiating a business.