Role of Successful Entrepreneurs’ Message on Perceived Entrepreneurial Desirability

Abstract

Entrepreneurship education has become a necessity for academic institutions and the government to reduce unemployment and to enhance the economic position of individual nations to position themselves on the global economic map. Though previous studies have extensively explored the drivers of entrepreneurial intention, research on the drivers of entrepreneurial desirability remains limited, despite its role as a fundamental antecedent to intention. In view of this understanding, this study explored the attributes of successful entrepreneurs’ message that drives entrepreneurial desirability using social influence theory through the Stimulus–Organism–Response framework. An experimental design was adopted using 174 participants of an entrepreneurship awareness camp in India. Data were analysed using the two-stage structural equation modelling approach. The results indicate informativeness and credibility as the strongest predictors of perceived usefulness, which further leads to perceived entrepreneurial desirability. The moderating effect of gender and field of education on entrepreneurial desirability was also examined. The study presents significant theoretical implications for practitioners to adopt cost-effective formats that essentially drive entrepreneurial desirability.