A serial mediation model of entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial intention: a social cognitive career theory approach

Purpose This study aims to answer two questions: do self-efficacy and outcome expectations serial mediate the effect of entrepreneurial education (EE) on the intention to start a business? and how can the social cognitive career theory explain entrepreneurial intention (EI)? Design/methodology/approach This study is based on the social cognitive career theory to examine the effect of EE on start-up intention via self-efficacy and outcome expectations by a serial mediation model. A sample of 1,232 students in Vietnam and the structural equal modelling method was used to test the hypotheses. Findings The results of this study reveal that entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) significantly mediates the effect of EE on the intention to start a business. Similarly, entrepreneurial outcome expectations (EOEs) mediate the association between EE and EI. Especially, the results of serial mediation analysis show that ESE and EOEs serially mediate the EE–intention relationship. Originality/value Under a new perspective of social cognitive career theory, the current study is expected to contribute to clarifying the gap in the relationship between EE and EI. In addition, this study also contributes to investigating the antecedents of ESE and outcome expectations and providing empirical evidence supporting the relevance of social cognitive career theory in explaining EI.