Title: Unravelling entrepreneurial competencies and their relation to entrepreneurial intent

Authors: Charlott Menke

Addresses: Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany

Abstract: This study structures a diverse range of entrepreneurial competencies into five broader and hierarchically aligned entrepreneurial competency clusters (i.e., motives, traits, self-concept, skills and knowledge) and explains their influence on the emergence of entrepreneurial intent. Therefore, a new model is developed combining the established theory of planned behaviour and the iceberg model of competencies. This new competency intent model is then tested on a sample of 105 students. The results of structural equation modelling and mediation analyses indicate that each competency cluster significantly contributes to the emergence of entrepreneurial intent. Furthermore, there is evidence that the influences of some competency clusters are mediated through other higher-level clusters and that the cognitive bias of overestimation is present. Overall, the findings suggest that the new model provides a better understanding of the development of an entrepreneurial intent.

Keywords: entrepreneurship; theory of planned behaviour; TPB; entrepreneurial intent; entrepreneurial competencies; entrepreneurial behaviour; empirical analysis; structural equation model; SEM.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEV.2018.095304

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, 2018 Vol.10 No.6, pp.663 - 687

Accepted: 29 Mar 2017
Published online: 03 Oct 2018 *

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