Entrepreneurial intention among University students in Malaysia: integrating self-determination theory and the theory of planned behavior

The present study endeavors to develop a deeper understanding of the motivational processes involved in intentional entrepreneurial behavior. For this purpose, it integrates the social cognitive approach of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the organismic theory of motivation of self-determination theory (SDT). More specifically, it tests the role of basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness as defined in SDT in shaping university students’ attitudes and intentions toward entrepreneurship. The sample of this study consisted of 438 (Males = 166, Females =272) 3rd and4th year university students from four Malaysian Public Universities. The results of the study show that the model strongly explains about 71% of the variance in entrepreneurial intention. Basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness have a strong indirect impact on entrepreneurial intention via their attitudinal antecedents: attitude,subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. This indicates a full-mediational model,where the attitudinal factors operated as transmitters of effects from the distal constructs ofSDT on entrepreneurial intention. These findings confirm that both SDT and the TPB provide complementary explanations of the motivational processes of entrepreneurial behavior. The study contributes to the existing knowledge by providing a theory-based understanding of the role of motivations in the formation of entrepreneurial intentions. It opens the way for future research to analyze how alternative motivations may affect new venture creation, survival and success

Defining family business: a closer look at definitional heterogeneity

Researchers have used a myriad of different definitions in seeking to explain the heterogeneity of family firms and their unique behavior; however, no widely-accepted definition exists today. Definitional clarity in any field is essential to provide (a) the basis for the analysis of performance both spatially and temporally and (b) the foundation upon which theories, frameworks and models are developed. We provide a comprehensive analysis of prior research and identify and classify 82 definitions of family business. We then review and evaluate five key theoretical perspectives in family business to identify how these have shaped and informed the definitions employed in the field and duly explain family firm heterogeneity. Finally, we provide a conceptual diagram to inform the choice of definition in different research settings

Entrepreneurial Intentions in Initial Vocational Education and Training1

There is no doubt that establishing enterprises contributes significantly to economic growth. However, researchers continue to debate the reasons for starting enterprises, often answering the question of who becomes an entrepreneur from discipline-specific perspectives. Thus, investigations into the establishment of enterprises are conducted by sociologists, economists and psychologists

Female entrepreneurship and management in the immigrants reception sector in Italy

The aim of this paper is to verify whether relational capital allows increasing the information inherent in the process of the network of female cooperative micro-enterprises. The focus on Italy is justified on the grounds that the phenomenon of immigration in Italy has become a central theme in the political and social debate. Based on the literature on the subject and on previous research results it is useful to ask the following research question: does the network affect the competitive advantage of female micro-enterprises operating in the field of immigrant reception in Italy? To gather data for our study, a qualitative research methodology was adopted using a case study approach based on examining in depth current events of real life (Yin in Case study research: design and methods. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, 2009). The survey has involved two enterprises, Formland and Altea, which are two out of the ten business realities committed to immigrants’ reception within the area of the Italian region Lazio. The first one is a female-run business, which includes eight reception centers scattered throughout the territory (four in the province of Frosinone, two in the province of Caserta and two in that of Naples), the second one is an entirely female-owned enterprise and counts around forty reception structures. The structure of the interviews reflects the need to examine the personal features of female managers, the organizational aspects and the style of leadership, the task environment in which the enterprise works and the main possible benefits, or obstacles, they might obtain, or face. The paper develops the CAOS model of micro-entrepreneurship, examining the personal characteristics of a female entrepreneur (C), the environment in which a micro-enterprise operates (A), organizational and managerial aspects (O) and the motivations for starting a new business (S). Using this model, the authors are able to correlate these factors, classify different types of connections, and to identify the kind of existing relationships. The analysis shows a predominant use of networks characterized by informal and permanent relationships, supporting the need to reconcile work and family and to involve relatives and friends in the network. This emphasizes the lack of strategy in the female-run micro-enterprises. Given that female management is regarded as central to the development and welfare of economies, deepening the knowledge of how women managers lead business can contribute to improving the effectiveness of policies aimed at promoting the participation of female managers in the economy

Justice in the family firm: An integrative review and future research agenda

To extend the understanding of justice perceptions in family firms, we take stock of the small but growing literature by reviewing notable conceptual and empirical papers published in the last 15 years that put forward research questions, propositions, and hypotheses related to justice perceptions in the family firm context. With the goal of providing a future research agenda, we identify research questions awaiting empirical answers and present potential difficulties in translating conceptual ideas into empirical studies. To capture differences in how the family aspect of a firm may influence justice, we discuss and identify reliable, valid measures of justice-related constructs and family influence