Optimizing Personality Traits and Entrepreneurial Creativity to Boost the Precursors of Social Entrepreneurial Intentions: Five Studies in Taiwan

Abstract

This study tested the model proposed by Hockerts, who revised the framework proposed by Mair and Noboa by retaining empathy, self-efficacy, and perceived social support and by adding moral obligation and prior experience of social problems as precursors of social entrepreneurial intentions. This model was further perfected by including personality traits as precursors and entrepreneurial creativity as a mediator. A total of 1,930 participants were included in the five subsequent survey studies. The results revealed that personality traits and prior experience predicted social entrepreneurial intentions through the mediation of entrepreneurial creativity and the four precursors identified earlier. This mediating model responded differently across academic fields, socioeconomic contexts, and work experiences mainly because of prior experience, empathy, and usefulness. Future research could investigate how the alternative model including personality traits, social responsibility, and the nature of different social problems is associated with social entrepreneurial intentions.