The Impact of Active Personality on Entrepreneurial Behaviour among Iranian Students: Evaluating the Mediating and Moderating Role of Entrepreneurial Intention and Gender

Authors
Mohammad Sanaei 1
Nematollah Shiri 2
Razieh Sadraei 3
Mehdizadeh, Hossein 2
1 Department of Entrepreneurship and Rural Development, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran
2 Associate professor, Department of Entrepreneurship and Rural Development, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran
3 Assistant professor, Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham, England
10.61838/KMAN.IRPHE.31.4.3
Abstract
This study examines the impact of proactive personality on entrepreneurial behavior, considering the mediating role of entrepreneurial intention and the moderating role of gender among students in Iran's higher education system. The research aims to enhance understanding of personality traits in fostering entrepreneurship and provide practical insights for improving entrepreneurship education. The statistical population comprised associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral students in Iran’s higher education system. Using simple random sampling in an online setting, 506 students were selected. Data were collected through a standardized questionnaire, whose validity was assessed via expert opinions and construct validity analysis, while reliability was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability. Data analysis, conducted using SPSS 26 and SmartPLS 4, revealed that proactive personality significantly and positively influences entrepreneurial behavior. Students with a proactive personality are more likely to engage in entrepreneurial activities. Additionally, proactive personality affects entrepreneurial intention, which, in turn, enhances entrepreneurial behavior, indicating a mediating role of entrepreneurial intention. The study also explored gender as a moderating factor but found no statistically significant moderating effect on the relationship between proactive personality and entrepreneurial intention or behavior. This suggests that the influence of proactive personality on entrepreneurship is independent of gender. These findings have practical implications for policymakers and educators in designing entrepreneurship programs. Strengthening proactive personality traits in students can encourage entrepreneurial engagement. Moreover, since gender does not play a moderating role, entrepreneurship education should be designed equally for all students.

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References

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  • Receive Date 29 October 2024
  • Revise Date 09 February 2025
  • Accept Date 10 March 2025
  • Publish Date 01 December 2025