IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/adi/ijbess/v7y2025i2p35-42.html

Empowering the next generation: the influence of self-efficacy on entrepreneurial motivation and behavior among African students

Author

Listed:
  • Semukele Hellen Mlotshwa

    (Tshwane University of technology)

  • Patrick Ebewo

    (Tshwane University of technology)

  • Elona Ndlovu

    (Tshwane University of technology)

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is a fundamental driver of economic growth and innovation, particularly in emerging economies where youth unemployment remains a critical challenge. This study examines the role of self-efficacy in shaping entrepreneurial motivation and behaviour among students at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), South Africa. Grounded in Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, this study integrates Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour and Becker’s Human Capital Theory to explore the link between self-efficacy, entrepreneurial intentions, and long-term business success. A qualitative research design was employed, involving in-depth interviews with purposively selected students enrolled in entrepreneurship programs. Thematic analysis was utilised to extract key themes related to self-efficacy, resilience, risk-taking behaviour, and socio-economic influences. The findings indicate that students with higher levels of self-efficacy demonstrate stronger entrepreneurial motivation, persistence, and proactive business engagement. The study further explores the role of mentorship programs, institutional support, and policy interventions in enhancing self-efficacy among young entrepreneurs. The research offers critical policy recommendations for higher education institutions, government bodies, and business incubators, advocating for structured entrepreneurship training, financial accessibility reforms, and mentorship-driven ecosystem development. The findings contribute to the growing body of literature on entrepreneurial self-efficacy in emerging markets and provide actionable strategies to foster an entrepreneurial mindset among university students. Key Words:Self efficacy, motivtion, behaviuor students

Suggested Citation

  • Semukele Hellen Mlotshwa & Patrick Ebewo & Elona Ndlovu, 2025. "Empowering the next generation: the influence of self-efficacy on entrepreneurial motivation and behavior among African students," International Journal of Business Ecosystem & Strategy (2687-2293), Bussecon International Academy, vol. 7(2), pages 35-42, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:adi:ijbess:v:7:y:2025:i:2:p:35-42
    DOI: 10.36096/ijbes.v7i2.744
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.bussecon.com/ojs/index.php/ijbes/article/view/744/421
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://doi.org/10.36096/ijbes.v7i2.744
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.36096/ijbes.v7i2.744?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Autio, Erkko & Kenney, Martin & Mustar, Philippe & Siegel, Don & Wright, Mike, 2014. "Entrepreneurial innovation: The importance of context," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(7), pages 1097-1108.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alexander Kramer & Dominik K. Kanbach, 2023. "Relationship-building in the post-acceleration phase of corporate accelerators: empirical evidence from Germany," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 755-779, June.
    2. María Jesús Rodríguez-Gulías & David Rodeiro-Pazos & Sara Fernández-López & Manuel Ángel Nogueira-Moreiras, 2021. "The effect of regional resources on innovation: a firm-centered approach," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 760-791, June.
    3. Moon Gyu Kim & Ji-Hwan Lee & Taewoo Roh & Hosung Son, 2020. "Social Entrepreneurship Education as an Innovation Hub for Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: The Case of the KAIST Social Entrepreneurship MBA Program," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-23, November.
    4. Sebastian Markus Szambelan & Yi Dragon Jiang, 2020. "Effectual control orientation and innovation performance: clarifying implications in the corporate context," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(3), pages 865-882, March.
    5. Abed Alfattah Albatran & Tolga Atikbay, 2025. "Entrepreneurship Education in Fragile Contexts: Bridging the Intention–Action Gap Through Psychological and Contextual Pathways," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-16, August.
    6. Jessica Birkholz, 2022. "Persistence of Regional Entrepreneurship Patterns: Quantity and Quality of Regional Business Opportunity Perception," Bremen Papers on Economics & Innovation 2204, University of Bremen, Faculty of Business Studies and Economics.
    7. Wei, Yifan, 2022. "Reprint of: Regional governments and opportunity entrepreneurship in underdeveloped institutional environments: An entrepreneurial ecosystem perspective," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(9).
    8. Daniel Sunghwan Cho & Paul Ryan & Giulio Buciuni, 2022. "Evolutionary entrepreneurial ecosystems: a research pathway," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 1865-1883, April.
    9. Catalin Gradinaru & Sorin-George Toma & Stefan Catana & Zainea Loredana Nicoleta, 2020. "The National Entrepreneurship Context Index In The Period 2018-2020: An Overview," Annals - Economy Series, Constantin Brancusi University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 5, pages 222-227, October.
    10. Nair, Sujith & Blomquist, Tomas, 2021. "Exploring docility: A behavioral approach to interventions in business incubation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(7).
    11. Elies Seguí-Mas & Víctor Oltra & Guillermina Tormo-Carbó & Faustino Sarrión-Viñes, 2018. "Rowing against the wind: how do times of austerity shape academic entrepreneurship in unfriendly environments?," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 725-766, September.
    12. Alessandra Colombelli & Emilio Paolucci & Elisa Ughetto, 2019. "Hierarchical and relational governance and the life cycle of entrepreneurial ecosystems," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 505-521, February.
    13. Germundsson, Lisa Blix & Norrman, Charlotte, 2023. "Market Formation and the Role of the Farmer in a Micro-level Agri-food Innovation System," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 14(04), December.
    14. Abootorabi, Hooman & Wiklund, Johan & Johnson, Alan R. & Miller, Cameron D., 2021. "A holistic approach to the evolution of an entrepreneurial ecosystem: An exploratory study of academic spin-offs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(5).
    15. Luca Farè & David B. Audretsch & Marcus Dejardin, 2023. "Does democracy foster entrepreneurship?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(4), pages 1461-1495, December.
    16. Franz Huber & Alan Ponce & Francesco Rentocchini & Thomas Wainwright, 2020. "The Wealth of (Open Data) Nations? Examining the Interplay of Open Government Data and Country-level Institutions for Entrepreneurial Activity at the Country-level," SPRU Working Paper Series 2020-13, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    17. Liotard, Isabelle & Revest, Valérie, 2018. "Contests as innovation policy instruments: Lessons from the US federal agencies' experience," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 57-69.
    18. Thomas, Rhodri & Wood, Emma, 2015. "The absorptive capacity of tourism organisations," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 84-99.
    19. Rhiannon Pugh & Danny Soetanto & Sarah L. Jack & Eleanor Hamilton, 2021. "Developing local entrepreneurial ecosystems through integrated learning initiatives: the Lancaster case," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 833-847, February.
    20. Emily C. Bacon & Michael D. Williams, 2022. "Deconstructing the ivory tower: identifying challenges of university-industry ecosystem partnerships," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 113-134, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:adi:ijbess:v:7:y:2025:i:2:p:35-42. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Umit Hacioglu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ibihutr.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.