Purpose
Amidst pressure on emerging economies to reconcile economic development with environmental goals, understanding the drivers of sustainable entrepreneurial intention (SEI) is crucial. This study examines the determinants of SEI among university students, extending the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) by incorporating sustainability-oriented entrepreneurial cognition (SOEC) and entrepreneurial skills (ES), and exploring the mediating role of TPB components.
Methodology
A cross-sectional survey gathered 173 responses from business students in a Latin American emerging economy. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test explanatory direct and mediating effects among attitudes toward sustainable entrepreneurship (ATS), subjective norms (SN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), ES, SOEC, and SEI.
Results
Findings show that ATS and PBC strongly predict SEI, whereas SN and ES have no significant direct effects. Crucially, SOEC exerts significant indirect effects on SEI primarily through ATS and PBC. The indirect path via SN is non-significant. These results suggest that SOEC strengthens SEI by acting as a foundational catalyst for pro-sustainability attitudes and perceived control.
Practical and theoretical implications
Theoretically, this study clarifies SOEC’s role not as a direct predictor that increases explanatory power, but as a distal antecedent that structures the TPB’s cognitive architecture. Furthermore, the insignificance of SN reflects the emerging economy context, where traditional corporate careers are socially favored over perceived high-risk sustainable ventures, making profound personal conviction (ATS) and self-efficacy (PBC) essential. Practically, entrepreneurship education should prioritize cultivating SOEC, attitudes, and perceived control alongside concrete skills to foster sustainability-driven mindsets.
