Title: Does generational cohorts effect student's self-efficacy? The moderating role of social support

Authors: Sonali Narbariya; Musarrat Shaheen; Ashish Arya

Addresses: Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Ahmedabad, India ' Institute of Management Technology Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India ' School of Management Studies, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, India

Abstract: In light of the growing importance of the academic performance of students in the educational sector, this paper aimed to investigate the impact of student's perceived social support and their generational cohort on individual self-efficacy. Statistical techniques such as correlation and multivariate regression analysis (with dummy) using SPSS and syntax were applied to analyse responses of 314 management students, considering their generational cohorts as categorical variables, Gen Z students and Gen Y. The results of data analysis indicate that both perceived social support and generation of the student, significantly influence their self-efficacy. The significant differential impact of the generational cohort was moderated by the students' perceived social support. Finally, this study provides vital insights into the composition of self-efficacy skills for two different generations and implications for future pedagogical practices are discussed.

Keywords: self-efficacy; perceived social support; generation Y; generation Z.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2026.153066

International Journal of Business Excellence, 2026 Vol.38 No.3, pp.381 - 395

Received: 23 Nov 2021
Accepted: 29 May 2022
Published online: 21 Apr 2026 *

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