The relationships between Big-Five personality traits and social entrepreneurship intention

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to test and discuss the relationships between the Big-Five personality traits (agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, and openness to experience) and social entrepreneurial intention. This study applies the technique of structural equation modeling to explore relationships among latent constructs. Survey responses were collected from 753 undergraduate students to compile the analysis. The results confirm that individuals with different personality traits behave differently in relation to social entrepreneurial intention. While agreeableness, extraversion, and openness to experience have positive effects, neuroticism and conscientiousness negatively impact social entrepreneurial intention. Policymakers should build an environment that fosters agreeableness, extraversion, and openness to experience—these are the primary factors that influence SEI. Educators can design personality development programs to help students perfect the personalities that match becoming social entrepreneurs. Future research should be expanded to incorporate other factors such as culture, background, education, and experience to provide a more general view of the impact of personality on intentions.

Keywords

• social entrepreneurship
• social entrepreneurial intention
• personality traits
• Big Five model