Investigating factors and support systems in social entrepreneurship and intention

Social entrepreneurship acts as a pivotal force in addressing urgent global social, environmental, and economic challenges. This study emphasises the necessity of a dual-phase perspective, encompassing both the initial phase - social entrepreneurial intention - and the venture establishment phase, which are often treated in isolation. By applying PLS-SEM analysis to 204 Tunisian social entrepreneurs, the research highlights essential drivers of social entrepreneurship, including psychological traits, entrepreneurial skills, motivational factors, and supportive environmental conditions. Notably, this study underscores entrepreneurial skills and intention as foundational antecedents in the formation of social ventures, with intention acting as a catalyst in mobilising entrepreneurial actions. Among the factors shaping this intention, desirability and especially feasibility emerge as impactful: desirability captures intrinsic motivation, while feasibility reflects confidence in attaining goals. Furthermore, psychological support through motivation and security functions plays a crucial role in reinforcing perceived feasibility and resilience. In this study, it also emphasises organisational support mechanisms - such as awareness campaigns, network integration, resource accessibility, learning opportunities, and psychological support (reflection, confidence-building, security, and motivation) - in enhancing perceived desirability and feasibility. These contributions offer practical insights for policymakers and support organisations to foster social ventures and advance impactful social entrepreneurship.