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Abstract

Drawing upon social learning theory, this study discusses entrepreneurial learning by including personal, social, and environmental factors as drivers of entrepreneurial learning and simultaneously exploring their mediator and moderator. Empirical tests are conducted using the data of graduate students in Taiwan. The test results show (1) entrepreneurial optimism, relational support, and environmental friendliness are positively and indirectly related to entrepreneurial learning through the mediation of entrepreneurial engagement; (2) the relationship between entrepreneurial optimism and entrepreneurial engagement is positively moderated by problem-solving efficacy; and (3) the relationship between environmental friendliness and entrepreneurial engagement is negatively moderated by problem-solving efficacy.

Résumé

Motiver l’apprentissage entrepreneurial: Modération de l’efficacité de la résolution de problèmes S’appuyant sur la théorie de l’apprentissage social, cette étude traite de l’apprentissage entrepreneurial en incluant les facteurs personnels, sociaux et environnementaux comme moteurs de l’apprentissage entrepreneurial et en explorant simultanément leur rôle de médiateur et de modérateur. Des tests empiriques sont réalisés à l’aide des données d’étudiant·e·s diplômé·e·s à Taïwan. Les résultats des tests montrent (1) que l’optimisme entrepreneurial, le soutien relationnel et la convivialité environnementale sont positivement et indirectement liés à l’apprentissage entrepreneurial par la médiation de l’engagement entrepreneurial, (2) que la relation entre l’optimisme entrepreneurial et l’engagement entrepreneurial est positivement modérée par l’efficacité de la résolution de problèmes, et (3) que la relation entre la convivialité environnementale et l’engagement entrepreneurial est négativement modérée par l’efficacité de la résolution de problèmes.

Zusammenfassung

Motivation für unternehmerisches Lernen: Moderation der Problemlösungskompetenz Unter Berufung auf die sozialkognitive Lerntheorie diskutiert diese Studie unternehmerisches Lernen, indem sie persönliche und soziale Faktoren sowie Umweltfaktoren als Treiber des unternehmerischen Lernens einbezieht und gleichzeitig deren Mediation und Moderation untersucht. Empirische Tests wurden anhand von Daten von Absolvent: innen in Taiwan durchgeführt. Die Testergebnisse zeigen, (1) dass unternehmerischer Optimismus, relationale Unterstützung und Umweltfreundlichkeit positiv und indirekt mit unternehmerischem Lernen durch die Mediation von unternehmerischem Engagement verbunden sind, (2) dass die Beziehung zwischen unternehmerischem Optimismus und unternehmerischem Engagement positiv durch die Problemlösungskompetenz moderiert wird und, (3) dass die Beziehung zwischen Umweltfreundlichkeit und unternehmerischem Engagement durch Problemlösungskompetenz negativ moderiert wird.

Resumen

Motivación del aprendizaje de la iniciativa emprendedora: Moderación de la eficacia en la resolución de problemas Basándose en la teoría del aprendizaje social, este estudio analiza el aprendizaje de la competencia emprendedora incluyendo factores personales, sociales y ambientales como impulsores de dicho aprendizaje y explorando simultáneamente sus efectos mediadores y moderadores. Se han realizado pruebas empíricas con datos de estudiantes de posgrado de Taiwán. Los resultados muestran que (1) el optimismo emprendedor, el apoyo relacional y la cordialidad con el entorno están positiva e indirectamente relacionados con el aprendizaje de la iniciativa emprendedora a través de la mediación del compromiso emprendedor, (2) la relación entre el optimismo emprendedor y el compromiso emprendedor está positivamente moderada por la eficacia en la resolución de problemas, y (3) la relación entre la cordialidad con el entorno y el compromiso emprendedor está negativamente moderada por la eficacia en la resolución de problemas.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan.

Funding

MOST 111-2410-H-A49-036.

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Correspondence to Chieh-Peng Lin.

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The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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Appendix 1: Measurement items

Appendix 1: Measurement items

Entrepreneurial learning (Source Brett & VandeWalle, 1999)

  • EL1. I do my best to learn entrepreneurial practices.

  • EL2. I look for opportunities to develop new skills for entrepreneurship.

  • EL3. I enjoy learning new knowledge for entrepreneurship.

  • EL4. I am willing to take a risk of trying many learnings related to entrepreneurship.

  • EL5. I strive to enhance my entrepreneurial capability.

Entrepreneurial engagement (Source Lin, 2010)

When discussing about entrepreneurship,

  • EE1. I often feel full of energy.

  • EE2. I often feel vigorous.

  • EE3. I often feel enthusiastic.

  • EE4. I often feel excited.

  • EE5. I often feel happy.

  • EE6. I am often immersed in it.

Entrepreneurial optimism (Source Chiu et al., 2018)

If I decide to strive for entrepreneurship,…

  • EO1. I look forward to it with hope and enthusiasm.

  • EO2. I have great faith on it.

  • EO3. I expect to be happier than I am now.

  • EO4. I expect to succeed in what concerns me most.

  • EO5. I expect to get more of the good things in life than the average person.

Relational support (Source Youssef et al., 2021)

If I decide to strive for entrepreneurship,…

  • RS1. My classmates will support me.

  • RS2. My friends will support me.

  • RS3. My online friends of social networks will support me.

Environmental friendliness (Source Schwarz et al., 2009)

  • EF1. There are sufficient subsidies available for entrepreneurship in society.

  • EF2. There are sufficient qualified entrepreneurial consultant and entrepreneurial service support in society.

  • EF3. The bureaucratic procedures for founding a new company are not complicated.

  • EF4. The current environment in society for entrepreneurship is friendly.

Problem-solving efficacy (Source Mei et al., 2020)

If I decide to strive for entrepreneurship,…

  • PSE1. I am confident in working for my entrepreneurial goals continuously even if I am frustrated by my entrepreneurship.

  • PSE2. I am confident in solving problems in entrepreneurship.

  • PSE3. I am confident in dealing with different situations in entrepreneurship.

  • PSE4. I am confident in handling different affairs in entrepreneurship.

  • PSE5. I am confident in making things right in entrepreneurship.

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Lin, CP. Motivating entrepreneurial learning: moderation of problem-solving efficacy. Int J Educ Vocat Guidance (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-023-09607-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-023-09607-w

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