Mindfulness and the theory of planned behavior: explaining entrepreneurial intentions of refugees in Uganda
Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy
ISSN: 1750-6204
Article publication date: 8 August 2024
Issue publication date: 28 October 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Does trait mindfulness enhance refugees' potential to engage in entrepreneurial activities? Entrepreneurship is increasingly used for the socioeconomic integration of refugees and as an approach to attaining refugees' self-reliance. This study aims to explore the effects of trait mindfulness on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) antecedent variables and, consequently, refugees' entrepreneurial and implementation intentions in a low-income context.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses data collected from 398 refugees from three settlements in Uganda. Participants completed a survey questionnaire related to the constructs in the TPB model (attitudes, subjective norm [SN], perceived behavioral control [PBC] and entrepreneurial intentions), trait mindfulness and intention to implement their entrepreneurial intentions. The paper uses serial mediation analysis conducted in PROCESS Macro.
Findings
As predicted, trait mindfulness was positively associated with the constructs in the TPB model and implementation intention. The three antecedent variables in the TPB model and entrepreneurial intentions mediated the association between trait mindfulness and implementation intention. In addition, the double mediation paths involving the TPB antecedent constructs and entrepreneurial intention were significant except for the path via SN and entrepreneurial intentions.
Originality/value
The paper provides insights for integrating trait mindfulness and the TPB model to predict refugees' entrepreneurial intentions and behavior. The study has explored the usefulness of trait mindfulness to the constructs in the TPB model, suggesting that mindfulness interventions can strengthen entrepreneurial attitudes, SN and PBC, consequently boosting entrepreneurial intentions and the likelihood of acting on one’s entrepreneurial intentions.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Funding: The Government of Uganda supported the study through the Makerere University Research and Innovation Fund (Mak-RIF) – RIF1/CHUSS/003.
Declarations
Conflict of Interest: The author declares no conflict of interest.
Ethics approval statement: This paper reports part of the data from a research project titled “Refugee Entrepreneurship and Skilling for Self-Reliance (RESS-R)”. The project received ethical clearance from Makerere University Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee Clearance No MAKSS REC 03.20.393.
Data availability: Data used for this paper is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Citation
Baluku, M.M. (2024), "Mindfulness and the theory of planned behavior: explaining entrepreneurial intentions of refugees in Uganda", Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, Vol. 18 No. 5, pp. 1170-1192. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEC-01-2024-0008
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited