Pathways toward entrepreneurial intention among Malaysian universities’ students

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanieh Alipour Bazkiaei ◽  
Noor Ullah Khan ◽  
Ateeq-ur-Rehman Irshad ◽  
Adeel Ahmed

PurposeEntrepreneurship is a vital source of job creation and a key driver in promoting economic growth. The Malaysian government encourages higher educational institutions (HEIs) to develop more competitive and innovative graduates for the economy so that Malaysia achieves high-income nation status by 2025. This study aims to investigate the mediating role of attitude toward entrepreneurship (ATE) in the relationship between key psychological factors, that is, subjective norm (SN), perceived behavior control (PBC), big-five (BF) personality traits, entrepreneurial motivation (EM) and educational factors (EFs) with entrepreneurial intention (EI) among Malaysian university students.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a quantitative design based on a positivist approach. The adopted questionnaire was used as the survey instrument. The primary data were collected from a sample of 251 final-year students in the management field who were enrolled in research-intensive Malaysian universities. Data were analyzed through the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique using AMOS 24 software.FindingsFindings confirmed that the BF personality traits, EM, PBC, SN, ATE and EFs were positively related to EI. Furthermore, ATE mediated the relationship between BF personality traits, EM, PBC, SN, EF, and EI among Malaysian university students.Research limitations/implicationsThis research provides critical insights into the key antecedents, for example, psychological and EFs, in explaining the EI of university students and future graduates. However, results can only be generalized to research-intensive Malaysian universities.Originality/valueThis study investigated the relationship between psychological factors, that is, BF personality traits, EM, PBC, SN and EFs in predicting EI of Malaysian university students. ATE mediated the relationship between BF personality traits, EM, PBC, SN, EF and EI among these students.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohd Ahmad Al-Hawari ◽  
Shaker Bani-Melhem ◽  
Faridahwati Mohd. Shamsudin

Purpose This study aims to build on the trait activation and interactionist perspective theories to investigate the effect of frontline employees’ (FLEs) willingness to take risks on hotel guest loyalty by assessing the mediating role of their innovative behaviors. It also examines whether decentralization strengthens the positive impact of willingness to take risks on innovative behavior and, subsequently, customer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach The authors collected multilevel data from various sources – hotel FLEs (n = 183), hotel operation managers (n = 46) and hotel guests/customers (n = 266) – from five-star hotels operating in Dubai. Structural equation modeling and PROCESS macro (version 3.5) were used to analyze the data. Findings The findings showed that willingness to take risks indirectly (via innovative behaviors) affects guest/customer loyalty positively. This effect is strengthened when the hotel is decentralized. Practical implications This study provides insight into how hotel managers can foster customer loyalty. More specifically, they can do so by establishing employees’ innovative behaviors triggered by employees’ positive personality traits and by giving employees more autonomy. Originality/value The present study addresses recent calls to investigate the positive impact of FLEs’ personality traits, attitudes and behaviors on customer loyalty.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Adabere ◽  
Kwame Owusu Kwateng ◽  
Esther Dzidzah ◽  
Francis Tetteh Kamewor

PurposeThe introduction of information technology (IT) in port operations has been a tremendous contributor to transformation in world trade. This study was carried out to examine the influence of IT on the efficiency of seaport operations.Design/methodology/approachThe study is quantitative in nature, and it relied on a closed-ended self-administered questionnaire to collect primary data. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the theoretical model and hypothesis.FindingsThe results indicate that IT has a positive direct effect on port operational efficiency (OE) and an indirect effect on port OE through organizational culture (OC). The mediating role of OC is statistically insignificant.Originality/valueThis is among the first few attempts in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) that provides researchers with a contemporary view of IT and seaport operations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 1098-1119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neha Gahlawat ◽  
Subhash C. Kundu

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between participatory HRM and firm performance through a series of mediators. Design/methodology/approach Primary data were collected from 569 respondents belonging to 207 organizations operating in India. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping via PROCESS were used to analyze the hypothesized relationships between participatory HRM and firm performance. Findings The study has highlighted that participatory HRM in the form of self-managed teams, flexible work arrangements and empowerment results in better organizational climate, heightened affective commitment, reduced intention to leave and enhanced firm performance. Furthermore, it has been established that organizational climate, affective commitment and intention to leave serially mediate the relationship between participatory HRM and firm performance. Practical implications The study gives strong indications that adopting bundle of participatory HRM practices is beneficial for generating positive organizational climate, enhanced employee attitudes and superior firm performance. Originality/value By establishing serial mediation through organizational climate, affective commitment and employees’ intention to leave, this study brings new insights into the interpretation of underlying mechanism existing between participatory HRM and firm performance, thus uniquely contributes to the HRM and OB literature.


2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (9) ◽  
pp. 1457-1473
Author(s):  
Suzanna Elmassah ◽  
Shereen Mostafa Bacheer ◽  
Reynold James

PurposeGroup work (GW) as a collaborative learning method for university students is a much-researched topic in the literature. However, a fairly neglected area is that of students' perceptions of the same. This study purports to bridge this gap in the extant literature via identifying the determinants of these perceptions.Design/methodology/approachUsing primary data gathered from a sample of 443 university students, the study applies the structural equation modeling (SEM) to estimate the impact of both personal traits and past experiences on the students' perceptions.FindingsThe SEM results reveal that students' perceptions of GW are determined by their relevant past experiences not by their personalities. This position is contradictory to other relevant studies undertaken thus far.Practical implicationsAccordingly, the study stresses the need for educators to create positive group experiences among students and to convert their past negative experiences into positive ones.Originality/valueWhilst group work holds significant learning benefits for students, negative perceptions about this rich method could eventuate in students refraining from participating in the same. By isolating the determinants associated with students' negative perceptions of GW, this study provides educationists with a strong case for developing suitable interventions aimed at enhancing students' positive perceptions of GW, and resultantly further maximizing its potential benefits.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Aamir Saeed ◽  
Yuanyuan Jiao ◽  
Muhammad Mohsin Zahid ◽  
Humaira Tabassum ◽  
Shazia Nauman

PurposeThe aim of the current study is to empirically assess the effects of organizational flexibility on project portfolio (PP) performance, with the mediating role of innovation and moderating effects of environmental dynamism (ED) and absorptive capability (AC).Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 173 manufacturing firms and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with the help of a partial least squares (PLS) approach.FindingsResults show that innovation partially mediates the relationship between organizational flexibility and PP performance. Furthermore, the moderating effect of ED between organizational flexibility and innovation was analyzed. Additionally, AC also observed as a moderator between innovation and PP performance.Originality/valueBased on the resource-based view, this study contributes to the literature by addressing the roles of innovation, ED and AC in the relationship between organizational flexibility and PP performance. Implications for managers also discussed in the end; for example, to be more competitive, they should incorporate flexibility into the firm to encourage innovation. It also emphasizes to select new innovative opportunities that correspondingly have effects on the PP performance.


2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (7) ◽  
pp. 912-935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaofeng Zheng ◽  
Zhiying Liu ◽  
Xiuyuan Gong

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role leader attention plays in the nurture of transformational leadership (TL) behavior, as well as the mechanism by which TL affects innovation ambidexterity, this research empirically studied the relationship between leader attention scope (LAS) and innovation ambidexterity (exploratory innovation and exploitative innovation) through the mediating role of TL. Further, the moderating effect of environmental dynamism (ED) on the relationship between TL and innovation ambidexterity was examined. Design/methodology/approach Empirical study was adopted by distributing questionnaires to high echelon leaders in mainland China to assess related variables. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationships of the variables based on the 188 returned questionnaires. Findings The results show that LAS had a positive effect on innovation ambidexterity, and the relationship was partially mediated by TL. ED negatively moderated the relationship between TL and innovation ambidexterity. Practical implications The results suggest that upper echelon leaders receive more unfamiliar, outward-oriented, and source-diverse information to broaden their attention scope. The broad outlook they get obliges them to engage in TL behavior which is beneficial for innovation ambidexterity. Originality/value Based on upper echelons theory, this research reveals the realization mechanism of innovation ambidexterity from the perspectives of leader attention and leadership behavior. This paper avoids the previous research limitation of prevalently employing demographic measurements to substitute for leaders’ psychological processes. The study of LAS also explains the formation mechanism of TL. ED is considered to examine the effectiveness of TL.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ansumalini Panda ◽  
Chandan Kumar Sahoo

PurposeThis study aims to explore the relationship between work–life balance and employee retention by examining the mediating role of psychological empowerment among software firms based in India.Design/methodology/approachThe study collected 283 responses by using a structured questionnaire and interview method. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to validate the hypothesized research model for examining the consistency and sturdiness of the study variables by applying AMOS 20.FindingsThe result reveals that psychological empowerment partially mediates the relationship between work–life balance and the retention of professionals. This indicates that a high degree of psychological empowerment strengthens the relations between work–life balance and the retention of professionals.Research limitations/implicationsThe research outlined a best-fit model of psychological empowerment as a partial mediator among work–life balance and the retention of professionals. The study presents a set of sensible and practical aspects where work–life balance and retention of professionals can aid in developing and generating commitment to the organization which could offer new insights for software professionals, managers and practitioners.Originality/valueThis study emphasized that psychological empowerment helps in enhancing dedication, loyalty, integrity, allegiance and trustworthiness among employees, thus playing a role between work–life balance and the retention of professionals.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 136-147
Author(s):  
Alisha Soni ◽  
Kanupriya Misra Bakhru

Entrepreneurial intention plays a decisive role in the process of becoming an entrepreneur. It is not only the prerequisite for establishing a business but it also influences an individual’s behavior. This study aims to investigate the impact of three key personality traits of a prospective entrepreneur (entrepreneurial passion, creativity, and self-efficacy) in shaping their entrepreneurial intention. It is proposed that entrepreneurial passion, creativity, and self-efficacy positively influence entrepreneurial intention. Primary data were collected from 408 Chartered Accountancy (CA) students of the National Capital Region (NCR) of India with the help of a structured questionnaire. The cluster sampling method was used to select the sample from the targeted population. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results establish that the entrepreneurial intention of CA students is significantly influenced by their creativity, entrepreneurial passion, and self-efficacy, as all three traits allow an entrepreneur to identify opportunities with profit potential. A student who is passionate, creative, and confident in exploiting the new business idea will develop an intention to become an entrepreneur. The present study contributes to the literature by investigating the entrepreneurial intention of CA students, which has not been explored earlier. The significance of this study facilitates academicians and accounting organizations to focus on the personality traits of students, which helps in developing entrepreneurial intention in them.


Author(s):  
Jitu Saikia ◽  
Pranjal Protim Buragohain ◽  
Hari K. Choudhury

Purpose This study investigates the relationships of visitors’ recreational experiences and their future behavior for the wildlife destinations of Assam, a North-Eastern state of India. Design/methodology/approach Recreational experiences have been measured through the visitors’ perceptions on various destination characteristics. The future behavior of the visitors is measured by considering two indicators in the forms of revisit and recommendation to others. Primary data, collected from two wildlife destinations have been analyzed by using structural equation modeling technique. Findings The empirical results have revealed the influence of destination characteristics on visitors’ future behavior, where perceptions mediate the relationship. Practical implications The findings suggest the adoption of policies to create positive perceptions on destination attributes and product oriented promotional strategies toward making wildlife destinations more competitive. The study also provides implications for tourism literature by suggesting an integrative approach for better understanding of tourists’ future behavior. Originality/value The study is based on primary data collected from two wildlife destinations of Assam. The investigation will help to adopt policies to make wildlife destinations more competitive.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isa Nsereko ◽  
Samuel S. Mayanja ◽  
Waswa Balunywa

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the mediating role of novelty ecosystem in the relationship between prior knowledge and social entrepreneurial venture creation (SEVC) among community-based organizations (CBOs) in Uganda.Design/methodology/approachThe study is cross sectional and quantitative. Data were collected from CBO owner-managers. Mean, standard deviations, correlations and structural equation modeling were conducted to check the relationships among variables.FindingsResults show that both prior knowledge and novelty ecosystem are significantly associated with SEVC. Results further indicate that novelty ecosystem partially mediates the relationship between prior knowledge and SEVC.Research limitations/implicationsThe design was cross sectional in nature, thus limiting monitoring changes in knowledge and its effect on SEVC. The results should be interpreted as they are because there could be some endogeneity biases, which were not detected like measurement errors and failure to identify appropriate instruments.Originality/valueThis study provides an initial empirical evidence on the relationship between prior knowledge, novelty ecosystem and SEVC using evidence from a developing African country – Uganda. Mostly, this provides an initial evidence of the mediation role of novelty ecosystem in the relationship between prior knowledge and SEVC.


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