How entrepreneurship education and social capital promote nascent entrepreneurial behaviours: The mediating roles of entrepreneurial passion and self-efficacy

Abstract

Entrepreneurship education and social capital have been addressed in entrepreneurship literature. However, the intervening mechanism under which these two factors influence nascent entrepreneurial behaviours remains underdeveloped. Using the data of 623 graduate students in China, this study investigates the influence of entrepreneurship education and social capital on nascent entrepreneurial behaviours, and examines the mediating roles of entrepreneurial passion and self-efficacy (ESE). The results indicate that entrepreneurship education and social capital promote nascent entrepreneurial behaviours through the intervening mechanisms of entrepreneurial passion and ESE. The results suggest that entrepreneurial behaviours must be developed through psychological mechanisms, including emotion and cognition. This study also provides practical implications regarding how to promote students’ entrepreneurship.