Associations between entrepreneurial empowerment and reasons for self-employment

Abstract

Building on previous research relating to entrepreneurship, empowerment and self-employment, this article investigates the relationship between entrepreneurial empowerment, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and self-employment. These constructs are formulated into distinct factors and a sample of undergraduate students (N = 112) early in their careers surveyed to establish the structure formed by these factors. These instruments are tested and shown to provide robust scales able to ensure construct validity and reliability. Multiple correlational and multiple regression analysis are then conducted to test the relationships between the specified variables, with results indicating almost unequivocal support for the hypothesised associations between entrepreneurial empowerment and reasons for business start-up. In particular the “risk-taking” factor is found to have great predictive power on various reasons provided for business start-up is analysed. Several practical and theoretical implications are drawn from the empirical results and integrated with established conceptual findings.