A Cross-Cultural Approach to Understanding Entrepreneurial Intention

TLDR

The Theory of Planned Behavior has been widely used to predict entrepreneurial intentions, yet most studies have focused on Western contexts. The study investigates how culture shapes entrepreneurial career intentions by testing whether the relationships and predictors of the Theory of Planned Behavior are invariant across cultures. Researchers compared 1,074 students from six culturally distinct countries—Germany, India, Iran, Poland, Spain, and the Netherlands—to assess entrepreneurial intentions and examine the invariance of TPB predictor relationships and predictors. Attitudes and perceived behavioral control consistently predict entrepreneurial intentions across cultures, while the effect of subjective norms differs among the countries.

Abstract

The current research aims to shed light on the role of culture in the formation of career intentions. It draws on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB; Ajzen), which has been widely employed to predict intentions, including entrepreneurial career intentions, but past research has almost exclusively been conducted in “Western” countries. The current research specifically explores the extent to which both the strength of relationships of TPB predictors with entrepreneurial career intentions and the TPB predictors themselves are invariant across cultures. The study compares six very different countries (Germany, India, Iran, Poland, Spain, and the Netherlands), drawing on an overall sample of 1,074 students and their assessments of entrepreneurial career intentions. Results support culture universal effects of attitudes and perceived behavioral control (self-efficacy) on entrepreneurial career intentions but cultural variation in the effects of subjective norm.