Is It Because I Can or Because of Who I Am? The Moderating Effect of Entrepreneurs’ Social Identity on Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacys’-Entrepreneurial Intention Relationship

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to examine whether potential entrepreneurs are mainly driven by entrepreneurial skills or by a social identity to engage in entrepreneurial behaviors. Using a sample of 696 Colombian students from the data of Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Students‘Survey (GUESSS), findings confirm Darwinian and Missionary social identity influence entrepreneurial intention positively. Furthermore, we find that the more a person identifies with a Darwinian social identity, the less entrepreneurial intention depends on entrepreneurial self-efficacy, while the contrary happens for missionary social identity. This study provides empirical evidence that competence, and identification influence the entrepreneurial process. Additionally, this study provides an explanation in a new setting, about why some individuals with strong entrepreneurial self-efficacy do not exhibit strong entrepreneurial intention.