The catalytic role of self-regulation in the association of proactive personality with entrepreneurial intention among potential entrepreneurs

Amidst the shifting landscapes of education and economic development, the burgeoning significance of entrepreneurial intention within educational institutions has captured the attention of researchers and policymakers alike. As the nexus between academia and society continues to evolve, understanding the profound impact of entrepreneurial aspirations on graduates’ lives and the broader socioeconomic landscape has become a focal point for scholarly research and policy formulation. The present endeavor is an attempt to check the direct as well as indirect contributing role of proactive personality by taking self-regulation as mediator toward shaping entrepreneurial intention among university graduates. The purpose of this study is to examine the significance of entrepreneurial intention through institutions toward socio-economic development, with its immense influence on graduates’ lives and society in general. Finally, it is contended that proactive personality and self-regulation are both significant personality traits of graduates that infuse feelings of entrepreneurship in their minds. A total of 315 business administration graduates from different public-sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (a province of Pakistan) were surveyed. Questionnaires, containing scales adopted from the existing literature, were employed as data collection instruments to measure the current study constructs after obtaining Research Ethics Clearance from the Multimedia University. Scale reliability, correlation, mediation, and statistical tools were employed to test the present study’s hypotheses. The results revealed a significant positive association between proactive personality, entrepreneurial intention, and self-regulation. Self-regulation was also found to play a catalytic role in mediating the association between proactive personality and entrepreneurial intention in the current study context. A significant positive link between entrepreneurial intention and proactive personality. validated the common concept that individuals with proactive personality attributes have the capability to alter their environment by initiative and working diligently unless the desired target is achieved.