Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.30924/mjcmi.27.1.13
Exploring entrepreneurial alertness and entrepreneurial intention in times of the COVID-19 pandemic
Dino Arnaut
orcid.org/0000-0003-4262-5757
; University of Zenica, Faculty of Economics
Marina Stanić
orcid.org/0000-0002-3835-6358
; Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Economics
Damir Bećirović
orcid.org/0000-0002-6589-7213
; International Business and Information Academy Tuzla
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought an unexpected level of uncertainty worldwide. However, not everyone responds to uncertainty in the same way. This study examines the fundamental constructs of entrepreneurship - entrepreneurial intention and entrepreneurial alertness - in the context of the new uncertainty created by the pandemic. The study design included the CAWI method and a sample of students from two higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Consistent with previous studies, the research results confirmed a strong positive relationship between entrepreneurial alertness and the main elements of the theory of planned behaviour. The final model shows a partial mediation effect of attitude and control variables in the relationship between evaluation and judgement (the dimension of entrepreneurial alertness) and entrepreneurial intention. In addition, the results suggest that pandemic-induced uncertainty is not related to individuals’ decisions to start a business. However, the perception of the pandemic as a threat may increase individuals’ willingness to be alert. The results are discussed, considering entrepreneurial intention and alertness as predictors of entrepreneurial behaviour and their sensitivity to current environmental uncertainty.
Keywords
theory of planned behaviour; uncertainty; the mediation effect
Hrčak ID:
279191
URI
Publication date:
28.6.2022.
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