Psychological Features and Entrepreneurial Intention among Saudi Small Entrepreneurs during Adverse Times

Ali Saleh Alshebami
Additional contact information
Ali Saleh Alshebami: Applied College in Abqaiq, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 400, Al Hofuf 31982, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 13, 1-15

Abstract: This study’s objective is to examine the influence of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and internal locus of control on the entrepreneurial intention of small Saudi entrepreneurs during adverse times, with entrepreneurial resilience as a moderator. The study, which targeted a sample of 207 small entrepreneurs working in various sectors in Saudi Arabia, gathered data through an online questionnaire sent to respondents and analysed the results using PLS-SEM. The study revealed intriguing findings, such as the existence of a positive significant relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy, internal locus of control and entrepreneurial intention amongst small Saudi entrepreneurs. It also demonstrated that in times of adversity, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic and other environmental challenges, entrepreneurial resilience can act as a moderator between entrepreneurial intention and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Entrepreneurial resilience, in particular, has the potential to strengthen the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention. Accordingly, the government, along with other sectors and stakeholders in Saudi Arabia, should continue to support the psychological characteristics of small Saudi entrepreneurs, notably their internal locus of control, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial resilience to ensure greater sustainability and the continuity of their small businesses.

Keywords: SME; entrepreneurship; personal traits; Saudi Arabia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/13/7604/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/13/7604/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:13:p:7604-:d:845006

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().