Self-esteem, entrepreneurial mindset, and entrepreneurial intention: A moderated mediation model

Entrepreneurial intention has been extensively debated; however, research on factors influencing entrepreneurial intention is still in development. This study examines the relationship between self-esteem, entrepreneurial mindset, and self-efficacy with entrepreneurial intention connections among students from five prominent public Iranian universities. It proposes a moderator role for entrepreneurial self-efficacy in the interaction between self-esteem, mindset, and entrepreneurial intention. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire, and 406 students were collected from five universities in Iran. The SPSS MACRO Process and PLS-SEM software examined the analysis data. The results indicated that the impact of self-esteem and entrepreneurial mindset on entrepreneurial intention was supported, but the influence of self-esteem on entrepreneurial mindset was not supported. However, self-esteem positively affects entrepreneurial intention through mindset only when self-efficacy is low and medium. Furthermore, the direct effect of self-esteem and mindset on intention decreases as self-efficacy increases; this means that when self-efficacy is medium and high, it becomes the most important predictor of intention. Finally, this study provides evidence to families, educational institutions, and policymakers at educational, cultural, and support levels in Iran as a developing country that strengthens self-esteem, self-efficacy, and the entrepreneurial mindset to evolve entrepreneurship. The implications of our findings were discussed. •This study uses a moderated mediation model to extend the relationship between self-esteem and entrepreneurial intention.•Data collected from a developing country, Iran.•The direct effect of self-esteem and mindset on intention decreases as self-efficacy increases.•Self-esteem positively affects entrepreneurial intention through mindset only when self-efficacy is low and medium.•This study provides evidence to families, institutions, and policymakers at educational, cultural, and support levels.