College students’ entrepreneurial intention: Testing an integrated model of SDT and TPB

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to test an integrated entrepreneurial motivation and intention model based on self-determination theory (SDT) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Particularly, it aims at testing the direct and indirect effects of the basic psychological needs satisfaction of SDT, that is, autonomy, competence, and relatedness on entrepreneurial intention through the TPB attitudinal factors, that is, attitude toward entrepreneurship, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. A sample of 622 university students from two universities in Yemen has been used, and the integrated model was tested using structural equation modeling to check its validity and the hypothesized relationships. The study findings lend support to the theoretical integration of the model, where basic psychological needs satisfaction has a positive effect on attitude toward entrepreneurship, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, and in turn, they have positive effect on entrepreneurial intention. The findings suggest full mediation of attitude toward entrepreneurship and perceived behavioral control due to the insignificant direct path from need satisfaction on entrepreneurial intention, whereas no mediation effect was observed in the case of subjective norms.