IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i8p6467-d1120547.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Can University Students’ Psychological Resources Stimulate the Relationship between Entrepreneurial Optimism and Green Entrepreneurial Intentions? Moderating Role of Sustainability Orientation

Author

Listed:
  • Yunlong Zhang

    (Student Affairs Department, East China University of Political Science and Law, Shanghai 201620, China)

  • Asif Mehmood Rana

    (Muscat College, Affiliated with University of Stirling, Muscat 112, Oman)

  • Hasnain Bashir

    (Faculty of Business, Government & Law, University of Canberra, Canberra 2601, Australia)

  • Ifraz Adeel

    (Quality Enhancement Cell, University of Home Economics, Lahore 54700, Pakistan)

  • Shahid Khokhar

    (UE Business School, Division of Management and Administrative Sciences, University of Education, Lahore 54700, Pakistan)

  • Jingyuan Ding

    (School of Economics and Management, Xi’an Fan Yi University, Xi’an 710105, China)

Abstract

Given the crucial role of entrepreneurial optimism (EO) in prompting university students’ green entrepreneurial intentions (GEI), scholars are still striving to explore the causal mechanism that can facilitate the underlying relationship. Based on the social cognitive theory, we hypothesize that individual’s psychological resources, entrepreneurial resilience (ER) and entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE), mediate the association between EO and GEI. In addition, this study seeks to investigate the impact of sustainability orientation (SO) in the relationship between EO and GEI. Data for this study have been collected from Chinese university students in their final years. The authors used variance-based Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings indicate that EO significantly influences GEI. Further, ER and ESE significantly mediate the link between EO and GEI. Moreover, this study finds that SO significantly moderates the relationship between EO and GEI such that the association is stronger at high levels of SO and vice versa. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no prior studies have tested these relationships. The findings suggest that the proposed model can be utilized by practitioners and policy makers to facilitate the execution of green entrepreneurship among university students.

Suggested Citation

  • Yunlong Zhang & Asif Mehmood Rana & Hasnain Bashir & Ifraz Adeel & Shahid Khokhar & Jingyuan Ding, 2023. "Can University Students’ Psychological Resources Stimulate the Relationship between Entrepreneurial Optimism and Green Entrepreneurial Intentions? Moderating Role of Sustainability Orientation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-14, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:8:p:6467-:d:1120547
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/8/6467/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/8/6467/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Welter, Chris & Scrimpshire, Alex, 2021. "The missing capital: The case for psychological capital in entrepreneurship research," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 16(C).
    2. Lindblom, Arto & Lindblom, Taru & Wechtler, Heidi, 2020. "Dispositional optimism, entrepreneurial success and exit intentions: The mediating effects of life satisfaction," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 230-240.
    3. Staniewski, Marcin W., 2016. "The contribution of business experience and knowledge to successful entrepreneurship," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 5147-5152.
    4. Mina Fanea-Ivanovici & Hasnan Baber, 2022. "Sustainability at Universities as a Determinant of Entrepreneurship for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, January.
    5. Yushun Su & Zeren Zhu & Jingwen Chen & Yuanqing Jin & Ting Wang & Chien-Liang Lin & Danying Xu, 2021. "Factors Influencing Entrepreneurial Intention of University Students in China: Integrating the Perceived University Support and Theory of Planned Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-17, April.
    6. Sajjad Nawaz Khan & Muhammad Mubushar & Ikram Ullah Khan & Hafiz Mudassir Rehman & Safeer Ullah Khan, 2021. "The influence of personality traits on sustainability-oriented entrepreneurial intentions: the moderating role of servant leadership," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(9), pages 13707-13730, September.
    7. Gaofeng Yi, 2021. "From green entrepreneurial intentions to green entrepreneurial behaviors: the role of university entrepreneurial support and external institutional support," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 963-979, June.
    8. Hallak, Rob & Assaker, Guy & O’Connor, Peter & Lee, Craig, 2018. "Firm performance in the upscale restaurant sector: The effects of resilience, creative self-efficacy, innovation and industry experience," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 229-240.
    9. Annamaria Di Fabio & Letizia Palazzeschi & Ornella Bucci & Andrea Guazzini & Chiara Burgassi & Eleonora Pesce, 2018. "Personality Traits and Positive Resources of Workers for Sustainable Development: Is Emotional Intelligence a Mediator for Optimism and Hope?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-14, September.
    10. Dai, Na & Ivanov, Vladimir & Cole, Rebel A., 2017. "Entrepreneurial optimism, credit availability, and cost of financing: Evidence from U.S. small businesses," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 289-307.
    11. Dewie Tri Wijayati & Hujjatullah Fazlurrahman & Hafid Kholidi Hadi & Ika Diyah Candra Arifah, 2021. "The effect of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intention through planned behavioural control, subjective norm, and entrepreneurial attitude," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 11(1), pages 505-518, December.
    12. M. Teresa Fernández Fernández & Francisco J. Blanco Jiménez & Juan R. Cuadrado Roura, 2015. "Business incubation: innovative services in an entrepreneurship ecosystem," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(14), pages 783-800, October.
    13. Nurdan Ozaralli & Nancy K. Rivenburgh, 2016. "Entrepreneurial intention: antecedents to entrepreneurial behavior in the U.S.A. and Turkey," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 6(1), pages 1-32, December.
    14. Francisco Liñán & Yi–Wen Chen, 2009. "Development and Cross–Cultural Application of a Specific Instrument to Measure Entrepreneurial Intentions," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 33(3), pages 593-617, May.
    15. Aldo Alvarez-Risco & Sabina Mlodzianowska & Verónica García-Ibarra & Marc A. Rosen & Shyla Del-Aguila-Arcentales, 2021. "Factors Affecting Green Entrepreneurship Intentions in Business University Students in COVID-19 Pandemic Times: Case of Ecuador," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-16, June.
    16. Lu, Xinxin & Xie, Baoguo & Guo, Yongxing, 2018. "The trickle-down of work engagement from leader to follower: The roles of optimism and self-efficacy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 186-195.
    17. Kuckertz, Andreas & Wagner, Marcus, 2010. "The influence of sustainability orientation on entrepreneurial intentions -- Investigating the role of business experience," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 524-539, September.
    18. Zahra Amini & Zahra Arasti & Afsaneh Bagheri, 2018. "Identifying social entrepreneurship competencies of managers in social entrepreneurship organizations in healthcare sector," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 8(1), pages 1-14, December.
    19. Samuel Bowles & Sandra Polania-Reyes, 2012. "Economic Incentives and Social Preferences: Substitutes or Complements?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 50(2), pages 368-425, June.
    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. Greeni Maheshwari & Khanh Linh Kha & Anantha Raj A. Arokiasamy, 2023. "Factors affecting students’ entrepreneurial intentions: a systematic review (2005–2022) for future directions in theory and practice," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 73(4), pages 1903-1970, December.
    2. Walter Leal Filho & David Anthony Kirby & Tiago F. A. C. Sigahi & Ricardo L. F. Bella & Rosley Anholon & Osvaldo L. G. Quelhas, 2025. "Higher education and sustainable entrepreneurship: The state of the art and a look to the future," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(1), pages 957-969, February.
    3. Daniya Siddiqui & Uzma Mumtaz & Naseeb Ahmad, 2023. "The impact of entrepreneurship orientation on student entrepreneurial intentions in higher education," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Binbin Cai & Yin Chen & Arslan Ayub, 2023. "“Quiet the Mind, and the Soul Will Speak”! Exploring the Boundary Effects of Green Mindfulness and Spiritual Intelligence on University Students’ Green Entrepreneurial Intention–Behavior Link," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-21, February.
    5. Manpreet Rajpal & Bindu Singh, 2024. "How to drive sustainable entrepreneurial intentions: Unraveling the nexus of entrepreneurship education ecosystem, attitude and orientation," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(3), pages 1705-1721, May.
    6. Ferreira, Joao J. & Fernandes, Cristina I. & Veiga, Pedro Mota & Caputo, Andrea, 2022. "The interactions of entrepreneurial attitudes, abilities and aspirations in the (twin) environmental and digital transitions? A dynamic panel data approach," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    7. Ben Youssef, Adel & Boubaker, Sabri & Dedaj, But & Carabregu-Vokshi, Mjellma, 2021. "Digitalization of the economy and entrepreneurship intention," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    8. Oana Pricopoaia & Andreea Valentina Busila & Nicoleta Cristache & Irina Susanu & Cosmin Matis, 2024. "Challenges for entrepreneurial innovation: Startups as tools for a better knowledge-based economy," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 969-1010, June.
    9. Meqbel M. Aliedan & Ibrahim A. Elshaer & Mansour A. Alyahya & Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih, 2022. "Influences of University Education Support on Entrepreneurship Orientation and Entrepreneurship Intention: Application of Theory of Planned Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-18, October.
    10. Batista-Canino, Rosa M. & Santana-Hernández, Lidia & Medina-Brito, Pino, 2024. "A holistic literature review on entrepreneurial Intention: A scientometric approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    11. Jyoti Chahal & Hasnan Baber, 2024. "University or Personal Sustainability—What Shapes Sustainable Entrepreneurship Intentions of Students?," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 10(2), pages 266-289, July.
    12. Najmul Hoda & Naim Ahmad & Shankar Lal Gupta & Mohammad Mahtab Alam & Irfan Ahmad, 2021. "Application of Entrepreneurial Intention Model in Comparative International Entrepreneurship Research: A Cross-Cultural Study of India and Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-23, December.
    13. Prakhar Prakhar & Rachana Jaiswal & Shashank Gupta & Syed Zamberi Ahmad & Patrice Piccardi & Gabriele Santoro, 2025. "How can we improve entrepreneurial dynamics in electric vehicle manufacturing for a sustainable future: insights using a deep learning-based hybrid PLS-SEM-ANN approach," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-45, December.
    14. Nosheena Yasir & Nasir Mahmood & Hafiz Shakir Mehmood & Muhammad Babar & Muhammad Irfan & An Liren, 2021. "Impact of Environmental, Social Values and the Consideration of Future Consequences for the Development of a Sustainable Entrepreneurial Intention," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-20, March.
    15. Feilian Xia & James Thewissen & Winifred Huang & Shuo Yan, 2024. "Founder-CEO Extraversion and Sustainability Orientation in Initial Coin Offerings," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 48(4), pages 941-980, July.
    16. Elhem Ben Fatma & Léo-Paul Dana & Souhir Elleuch & Ezzeddine Ben Mohamed, 2024. "Does dispositional optimism affect entrepreneurial success? Evidence from Saudi Arabia," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 1127-1152, June.
    17. Batoul Toufaily & Najib Bou Zakhem, 2024. "Drivers of Student Social Entrepreneurial Intention Amid the Economic Crisis in Lebanon: A Mediation Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-15, March.
    18. Dejan Djordjevic & Dragan Cockalo & Srdjan Bogetic & Mihalj Bakator, 2021. "Predicting Entrepreneurial Intentions among the Youth in Serbia with a Classification Decision Tree Model with the QUEST Algorithm," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(13), pages 1-27, June.
    19. Duong Cong Doanh, 2021. "The moderating role of self-efficacy on the cognitive process of entrepreneurship: An empirical study in Vietnam," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 17(1), pages 147-174.
    20. Juying Zeng & Jun Ren, 2022. "How does green entrepreneurship affect environmental improvement? Empirical findings from 293 enterprises," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 409-434, March.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:8:p:6467-:d:1120547. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.