Entrepreneurial self-efficacy as a mediator in the entrepreneurial education-entrepreneurial intention nexus: the moderating role of government-based support and financial concerns

This study investigates the relationship between entrepreneurial education (EE) and entrepreneurial intention (EI) among university students who have attended entrepreneurship courses. The study explores the mediating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) in this relationship. Additionally, the study examines the moderating impact of government-based entrepreneurial support (GES) and entrepreneurial fear of financial concerns (EFFC) on the relationship between EE and ESE. Quantitative hypothesis testing was used, and survey data were collected from 265 university students who attended entrepreneurship courses in Ankara, Turkey. The data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS 29 and SPSS AMOS 29 software programs. The study findings suggest a significant positive relationship between EE and EI. Furthermore, ESE was found to mediate the relationship between EE and EI. The study also found that GES and EFFC moderate the relationship between EE and ESE. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing new insights into the mechanisms that promote entrepreneurial intentions through educational interventions, external support (i.e., government), and entrepreneurial fears (i.e., financial concerns).