Self-Efficacy and Subjective Norms as Moderators in the Networking Competence-Social Entrepreneurial Intentions Link

This study examines self-efficacy and subjective norms (moral obligation, empathy, and perceived social support) as moderators of the effect networking competence has on social entrepreneurial intentions. Using Nigeria as a study area, a survey was conducted on 541 budding entrepreneurs, which were students with a high entrepreneurial propensity. With the use of Andrew Hayes's PROCESS macro, a simultaneous regression analysis was performed to establish the interaction effect of the selected moderators. The results show a positive main effect of networking competence on social entrepreneurial intentions, statistically significant interaction effects of empathy and perceived social support, no interaction effect of moral obligation, and a poor self-efficacy fit. This study extends theories of entrepreneurial intentions and the mediation (additive) models of Mair & Noboa, Krueger, and Hockerts. Suggestions are that other studies should be carried out using self-efficacy among actual early-level entrepreneurs, with a likelihood that results could explain what role self-efficacy could have in predicting social entrepreneurial intentions.