The effects of personal abilities and self-efficacy on entrepreneurial intentions

The entrepreneurial intention in this work is addressed from the Theory of Planned Behavior. On the one hand, how personal abilities, such as creativity, proactivity, risk aversion and internal locus of control affect the multidimensional concept of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and the attitude toward entrepreneurship has been studied. Personal abilities can affect to entrepreneurial intention through the mediating effect caused by self-efficacy and attitude toward entrepreneurship. On the other hand, the mediation effect of the attitude toward entrepreneurship in the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention to set up a company has been analyzed. A structural equations model (SEM) has been estimated using the method of partial least squares regression (PLS) with a sample composed of 1126 university students. The results show both direct and indirect effect on the relationship between personal abilities and entrepreneurial intention. In addition, results indicated the mediating effect of attitude toward entrepreneurship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention. These findings indicate that personal abilities play an important role in the understanding of the theory of planned behavior and could be used to promote entrepreneurship through several approaches.