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Refugee entrepreneurship is increasingly viewed as a “silver bullet” being able to promote host countries’ economic performance and enable the successful integration of refugees. This study aims to identify the main determinants of entrepreneurial intentions of refugees in Portugal based on the underdog theory.

In this study, the authors scrutinize the entrepreneurial intentions of refugees living in Portugal, an overlooked context, using a purpose-built inquiry responded to by 41 refugees and resorting to fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, complemented with partial least squares path modeling.

Some important results are worth highlighting: the entrepreneurial intentions of the respondent sample of refugees living in Portugal are high; the theoretical arguments underlying the underdog or challenge-based entrepreneurship theory are validated in the context of the respondent sample; and psychological related factors associated with the more standard explanations of entrepreneurial intentions constitute necessary conditions for high refugee entrepreneurial intentions.

Entrepreneurial intentions to launch a business have been discussed in the entrepreneurship literature vastly, but it has not yet received much attention when focusing on refugees, often identified as underdogs (potential) entrepreneurs. This study contributes to the literature by testing the challenge-based entrepreneurship theory to identify the primary factors influencing refugee entrepreneurial intentions.

This study investigates the role of mindfulness in the relationship between entrepreneurial intention and behavior.

To investigate the effect of mindfulness on entrepreneurial intention and behavior, we adopt a conceptual framework based on the theory of planned behavior and develop our hypothesis, anticipating that mindfulness has a moderating effect on the entrepreneurial intention–behavior relationship. We conduct an empirical study by administering a survey questionnaire with 329 respondents who attended a training program organized by one of the leading management institutes in India.

We find a positive effect of entrepreneurial intention and mindfulness on entrepreneurial behavior. Further, mindfulness has a moderating effect on the entrepreneurial intention–behavior relationship.

The study has a few limitations. It was conducted among unemployed youth who participated in a government-sponsored training program for the promotion of entrepreneurship. Although not all the participants in the program were automatically eligible for government funding for starting a business, their entrepreneurial intention–behavior relationship may vary based on their conditions after the training concluded. This study emphasizes only the relationship between mindfulness and entrepreneurial intention behavior, considering EI and well-being implicit in mindfulness. Other contingent factors might also influence the entrepreneurship intention–behavior relationship, but our argument is that, ultimately, all emotional and rational factors can be subordinated to mindfulness. Hence, future research could be carried out to study the effect of mindfulness practice, entrepreneurial intention and the effectiveness of implementation behavior. Further longitudinal studies could be designed to understand how mindfulness training bridges the gap in the entrepreneurial intention–behavior relationship.

Through this study, we offer empirical evidence on the role of mindfulness in moderating the intention–behavior relationship in entrepreneurship. Mindfulness makes people more aware of their internal and external environment when they pay attention with a purpose that helps them to regulate their emotions, cognition, novelty seeking and social contexts to sustain the ups and downs in starting a business.

The findings of the study offer new insights into the nuanced association between entrepreneurial intention and behavior through the lens of mindfulness.

Intentions are central to entrepreneurial thinking and thus entrepreneurial action yet we have not explored the different pathways of how intent evolves. How does an easily assessed measure of cognitive style influence how entrepreneurs develop their intentions?

We examine how cognitive style interacts with entrepreneurial intentions testing the model separately with subjects scoring as Intuitives or Analytics on cognitive style, plus nationality and gender as covariates with entrepreneurial intensity as a prospective moderator, using 528 university students from Norway, Russia and Finland.

Cognitive style does moderate the intentions model. For intuitives, country influenced social norms and entrepreneurial intensity proved a moderator. For analytics, neither perceived desirability, country, nor entrepreneurial intensity were significant.

We will replicate these findings in different samples, especially non-WEIRD settings. It will also be useful to test alternate measures of cognitive style and other likely moderators.

We offer diagnostics for educators and ecosystem actors given that our findings suggest intriguing differences in the entrepreneurial mindset.

Understanding multiple pathways exist to entrepreneurial intent and thus action helps policymakers and entrepreneurial champions better able to help nurture entrepreneurs and thus entrepreneurship in their communities.

Cognitive style has dramatic effects on the specification of the formal intentions model arguing for multiple pathways to entrepreneurial intent. For example, two entrepreneurs might arrive at the same intention but through very different processes because they differ in cognitive style.

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of entrepreneurial skills and entrepreneurial education on students’ intention to become entrepreneurs through the theory of planned behaviour and the mediating effect of subjective norms on the relationship between entrepreneurial education and students’ entrepreneurial intentions.

A total of 257 students in the Higher Institute of Management at Gabès University participated in this study by means of a questionnaire. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.

Subjective norm was found to be the strongest predictor of student’s entrepreneurial intentions followed by entrepreneurial skills and entrepreneurial education. Moreover, the findings revealed that the relationship between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial intentions was mediated by subjective norm.

It is expected that the findings of this study can help policy makers, researchers and academicians in better understanding the intentions of nascent entrepreneurs.

This study is one of the few studies that have empirically tested the indirect effects of entrepreneurial skills and entrepreneurship education on students’ entrepreneurial intentions using the theory of planned behaviour in developing countries, particularly in Arab countries. The results suggest that subjective norms mediate the relationship between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial intentions of students. It is an unexplored issue to date, and helps to understand how and why entrepreneurial intentions emerge.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Many studies on entrepreneurial intention have explored the impact of different factors; however, few have examined the relationship between and impact mechanisms of informal social networks and entrepreneurial intention. This study aimed to bridge this research gap.

This study is based on social capital and ambidexterity theories. After surveying the data of 302 college students from different provinces and universities in China, a mediation model for research is constructed.

Informal social networks help enhance college students’ entrepreneurial intentions, whereas entrepreneurial learning (exploratory and exploitative learning) partially mediates this relationship.

This study empirically explores the impact of informal social networks on the entrepreneurial intentions of Chinese college students and indicates the crucial role played by entrepreneurial learning (divided into exploratory and exploitative learning).

This study examines how perceived institutional support, parental role models, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy, representing both macro-level and personal-level factors, collectively influence students' intentions to pursue entrepreneurship in Mexico and Uruguay.

This research utilized quantitative methodology, specifically survey techniques, to collect data from students attending private universities. The study achieved a valid sample size of 419 respondents. Various reliability and validity tests were conducted before structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized relationships between variables.

The analysis revealed that perceived institutional support does not directly impact students' entrepreneurial intentions (EI). Instead, its effect is mediated through entrepreneurial self-efficacy and the presence of parental role models, both of which are strong predictors of EI. Additionally, the study identified a direct correlation between students' nationality, their academic programs, and their EI. Age and gender, however, did not significantly influence EI.

This study provides theoretical insights into understanding EI by combining macro-level and personal factors. This integrative method contributes to a more comprehensive approach of predicting EI within the context of Latin America.

The study suggests boosting investment to improve the quality of institutions, fostering an environment that supports entrepreneurship, and offering students opportunities to learn from successful role models.

This study was conducted in the context of two economies in Latin America. The novelty lies in combining perceived institutional factors and individual motivators to understand EI in Latin America. It uniquely emphasizes the significance of familial influences, particularly parental role models, in its analysis.

Most of current studies have explored the impact of entrepreneurial culture on entrepreneurial intentions in specific region rather than cross-cultural regions; in addition, these studies have looked more at entrepreneurial role models as part of the environmental factors that influence individuals’ entrepreneurial intentions (Lafuente et al., 2007), rather than viewing environmental factors as independent variables. Furthermore, less research exists to hypothesize and validate the mechanism of this process, even if some studies have already shown the similar ideas. To fill the aforementioned research gap in this area, based on new institutional theory and social cognitive career theory, this paper aims to explore the influence of entrepreneurial role models on entrepreneurial intentions in different cultural contexts by introducing two independent national-level factors, collectivism and media publicity, and subsequently examines the mediating role of self-efficacy.

Two major international databases, Adult Population Survey Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (APS GEM) 2017 and Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE), were used as data sources for this paper. In total, the authors obtained data from 174,128 respondents in the APS GEM 2017 database. Because there is a national-level variable, collectivism, which was collected by the GLOBE, the authors excluded 50,046 participants because their countries did not score collectivism in this database. After screening, 124,082 valid observations from 35 countries were obtained. In this study, hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used as the method and HLM 6.08 was adopted for data analysis. According to the purpose of the study, the following four different models will be tested in turn using the HLM, which include the null model, random coefficients regression model, intercepts as outcomes model and slopes as outcomes model.

Some previous studies have shown that entrepreneurial role models have a positive impact on individuals' entrepreneurial intentions, however, the exploration of this effect and its mechanisms in different cultural contexts is lacking (Abbasianchavari and Moritz, 2021). In response, based on a cross-level and cross-national survey, this paper advances the original literature by introducing two cultural dimensions, collectivism and media publicity. The current results suggest that the positive influence of entrepreneurial role models on individuals’ entrepreneurial intentions is somewhat generalized and that self-efficacy plays a mediating role. Moreover, collectivism and media publicity can negatively and positively moderate the effects of entrepreneurial role models on self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intentions, respectively. The findings provide some theoretical support for the role of cultural context in the formation of entrepreneurial intentions, which can help countries with diverse cultures to develop differentiated entrepreneurial role model advocacy strategies to better facilitate the emergence of potential entrepreneurs and advance their subsequent entrepreneurial activities.

First, because this study assumes that entrepreneurial role models are templates that can inspire potential entrepreneurs and provide them with entrepreneurial approaches (Laviolette et al., 2012), which has a certain positive bias, it may mean that the findings of this paper are not applicable to all scenarios, as role models are usually classified by scholars into positive and negative ones. The effect of different types of role models on entrepreneurial intention in a cross-cultural context will be considered as one of the future research directions. Second, in the measurement of country-level variables, this paper assumes that the degree of media publicity and collectivism are homogeneous within a country and does not take into account the differences in these two variables across regions within the same country. Future research is expected to use more granular designs to explore, for example, the effect of entrepreneurial role models on entrepreneurial intentions based on regional differences in media publicity and collectivism, rather than national differences. Third, due to the cross-sectional research design used in this paper, the dynamic influence of entrepreneurial role models in the entrepreneurial process was not included in the analysis. In addition, the focus of this study is only on entrepreneurial intention, which is separated from the subsequent entrepreneurial behavior of entrepreneurs. Therefore, the longitudinal study design that explores the dynamic influence of role models in entrepreneurial process should receive more attention.

First, enhancing the exposure of entrepreneurial role models is necessary because the authors found that entrepreneurial role models can positively promote entrepreneurial intentions, whereas self-efficacy plays a mediating role. For example, it is advised for the society to publish entrepreneurs' autobiographies, open entrepreneurial forums, create entrepreneurial interview columns, etc. In these books and activities, detailed descriptions of successful entrepreneurs' methods and skills are highly needed, as these can help potential entrepreneurs to better understand the entrepreneurial process, thus improving their self-efficacy and facilitating their entrepreneurial activities (Zhao et al., 2005). It is necessary to note here that matching the characteristics of entrepreneurial role models and potential entrepreneurs cannot be ignored, as similar characteristics could facilitate the desire of potential entrepreneurs to become more like entrepreneurial role models (Hoffner and Buchanan, 2005).These similar characteristics encompass both demographic characteristics, such as gender, race and age (Garcia, 2017; Harwood, 1999; Jose, 1989), and personal characteristics, such as goal embodiment and educational background (Bosma et al., 2012; Morgenroth et al., 2015). Moreover, the authors believe that the media's promotion of entrepreneurial role models and entrepreneurial activities needs to be enhanced, for example, by incorporating entrepreneurship education in television programs, allowing youth to meet face-to-face with successful entrepreneurs, and developing entrepreneurship lectures or interview programs.

At the same time, role models should be presented differently in diverse cultural contexts. For example, in countries with a strong collectivist orientation, the media should include collectivist messages when promoting entrepreneurial role models, such as his cooperation with the government, family and friends, which is in line with collectivist values, so that potential entrepreneurs in a collectivist context may perceive more similarity to role models and thus increase their entrepreneurial intentions (Morris et al., 1994); On the contrary, in countries with low collectivist tendencies, the media can appropriately carry an element of individualism when promoting entrepreneurial role models, for example, by telling how entrepreneurs succeed on their own strength and superior abilities, which is in accordance with the values of individualism. Based on the same logic, potential entrepreneurs in the context of individualism may thus generate more entrepreneurial intentions (Morris et al., 1994).

First, building on previous studies that explored the relationship between entrepreneurial role models and individuals’ entrepreneurial intentions (Stupacher et al., 2017), the authors further validated the moderating role of two national-level situational factors, collectivism and media advocacy, in this process, which echoes Abbasianchavari and Moritz (2021) that exploring the effects of entrepreneurial role models on entrepreneurial intentions in different cultural context is an essential topic for the future research. Second, the authors demonstrated that self-efficacy can mediate the relationship between entrepreneurial role models and entrepreneurial intentions and that this finding is generalizable. This responds to the hypothesis presented by Morgenroth et al. (2015) that role models, who are served as behavioral templates, can facilitate the generation of goals and behavioral intentions by increasing role aspirates’ self-efficacy, as it enhances their perceived accessibility to goals. Another contribution is that the authors found a possible explanation that the interaction of collectivism and media publicity with entrepreneurial role models may influence individuals' entrepreneurial intentions by affecting their self-efficacy, which unifies the new institutional theory and social cognition career theory.

This study investigates the factors influencing the intention to use Islamic Debt Financing (IDF) among owners-managers of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Morocco.

We developed and validated a comprehensive model that examines the key behavioral elements affecting attitude towards IDF, entrepreneurial achievement motivation, and IDF usage intention. Entrepreneurial achievement motivation was assessed as a mediator in the relationship between attitude towards IDF and usage intention. Gender and Islamic religiosity were examined as moderators through Multi-Group analysis. Utilizing data from 266 Moroccan MSMEs, we applied structural equation modeling for empirical evaluation.

Results revealed direct relationships with financial literacy, risk perception, and cost perception negatively affecting attitude toward IDF. Financial suitability is inversely related to attitude toward IDF. Entrepreneurial self-efficacy and subjective norms positively influenced entrepreneurial achievement motivation. Attitude toward IDF positively impacted entrepreneurial achievement motivation, and both attitude toward IDF and entrepreneurial achievement motivation were linked to the intention to use IDF. Empirical findings indicated that entrepreneurial achievement motivation partially mediates the relationship between attitude towards IDF and usage intention. Multi-group analysis revealed a significant moderating effect of Islamic religiosity on three out of nine structural relationships.

This study is primarily limited by the absence of a longitudinal examination tracking real usage behavior. Moreover, data collection focused on analyzing the behavioral intention to use Islamic debt-based financing products, excluding equity-based financing instruments. Finally, our proposed model concentrates on establishing usage intention solely based on demand-side factors without explicitly integrating supply-side consideration.

Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of IDF adoption behavior and have the potential to support the development of more effective public policies, targeted promotional campaigns, and impactful financial education programs for MSMEs in similar markets.

This paper represents the first attempt to address MSMEs’ apprehensions regarding Islamic debt-based financing products in the MENA region.

Academic scholars have tested students’ entrepreneurial intention (SEI) through the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Still, the link between entrepreneurial intention and career is missing in previous studies. An extensive literature review developed the rationale that existing theories in the entrepreneurial discipline have limitations in linking entrepreneurial intention with career. This research is conducted to develop a comprehensive model for the relationship between entrepreneurial university support, student entrepreneurial intention, behavior and career. Stimulus-Organism-Behavior-Consequence (SOBC) paradigm from organizational behavior research is borrowed to entrepreneurship literature.

The cross-sectional data was collected from Pakistani university students enrolled in business incubators. A sample of 100 responses was tested with a partial least square–structural equation modelling approach.

The study established that by the underpinning of SOBC, entrepreneurial university support influences students’ entrepreneurial intention. It is also found that the students’ entrepreneurial intention strongly influences their entrepreneurial behavior, leading them to entrepreneurship careers.

The policies influencing students’ entrepreneurial intention and behavior can be developed using the SOBC paradigm. Higher education institutions can improve students’ entrepreneurial intentions and behavior to lead them to entrepreneurship careers.

This research introduced the SOBC paradigm in entrepreneurial intention and behavior literature. SOBC underpinning explored a new dimension of entrepreneurial intention and behavior literature.