Can there only be one? – an empirical comparison of four models on social entrepreneurial intention formation

For years, research in social entrepreneurship (SE) has been dominated by theoretical papers and case studies. However, recently, the number of empirical papers on antecedents of SE-intention increased with the underlying models being either adapted from general entrepreneurship or specifically developed for the SE-context. Despite these models postulating different mechanisms of SE-intention formation it remains unclear whether there is one best-suited model for SE-intention prediction or each model features relevant mechanisms contributing to the intention formation process. In order to shed light on this, the current study investigates (i) the mechanisms impacting an individual’s SE-intention formation and (ii) the empirical suitability of the most frequently utilized SE-intention models by Ajzen (1991), Heuer and Liñán (2013), Mair and Noboa (2006) and Hockerts (2017). Structural equation modelling was applied to investigate direct and indirect effects on SE-intention as postulated in the above-mentioned models on the basis of a German sample (N = 355). Subsequently, a χ2-Difference test was used to compare the models. It was found that (i) direct and indirect effects on SE-intention exist and (ii) the models by Ajzen and Mair and Noboa showed a better empirical fit than the models by Heuer and Liñán and Hockerts, respectively. This is remarkable as the former two models only postulate direct effects whereas the latter two also include indirect effects. Notwithstanding acknowledgeable limitations, the current study provides valuable insights and avenues for future research and points out the potential educational benefits of enriching SE-course syllabi with psychological contents.