A cross-cultural study of entrepreneurial motivation and entrepreneurial intentions amongst university students: the roles of individualism and collectivism

This study addresses how entrepreneurial motivation (i.e., perceived recognition, sense of independence, pursuit of learning/innovation, perceived role model, and perceived financial success) relates to the intentions to venture into a new business. The study also explores the moderating roles of individualism and collectivism in the relations. Based on 948 participants, the data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analyses and hierarchical regressions. Results showed that entrepreneurial motivation related positively to entrepreneurial intentions across five different cultures. Interestingly, culture was also found to moderate some respective relationships between motivational factors and entrepreneurial intentions. By examining these motivational factors across five cultures, this study has revealed that entrepreneurs in both individualistic and collectivistic cultures reported similar motivations, indicating that specific entrepreneurial motivation is not confined in a particular culture. Findings contribute to our understanding on how entrepreneurial motivation is important in business start-ups across diverse cultures.