The Effect of Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation Factors, Self-Efficacy on Entrepreneurial Intention Among the UAE University Students

This research examined the effect of individual entrepreneurial factors (i.e., innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking), and entrepreneurial self-efficacy on entrepreneurial intention among university students in the UAE, with the mediating role of entrepreneurial motivation. In this quantitative research work, a structured questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale was used as the instrument for data collection from a total of 398 respondents from five public and private universities in the Abu Dhabi region which are Abu Dhabi University, Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), Khalifa University, United Arab Emirates University and Zayed University. Data were analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings revealed that innovativeness, risk-taking, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy had a positive and significant effect on entrepreneurial intention. Also, entrepreneurial motivation had a positive and significant effect on entrepreneurial intention. However, only proactiveness had a negative effect on entrepreneurial intention. With regards to the mediating analysis, entrepreneurial motivation mediates the relationship between innovativeness, proactiveness, risk-taking and entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial intention. The analysis provides important empirical evidence about the positive mediating role of entrepreneurial motivation on the relationship between individual entrepreneurial factors and entrepreneurial intention among university students in the UAE. The study suggests that individual factors can influence entrepreneurial intention among UAE students and provide several recommendations to academicians and policymakers.