The impact of prosocial behavior on the social entrepreneurial intention of the youth: a theory of planned behavior perspective

Purpose This study aims to assess the extent to which the constructs of theory of planned behavior drive the social entrepreneurial intention (SEI) of the youth and provide a nuanced understanding of the role of prosocial behavior in shaping this intention. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was used to collect data with a sample size of 690 students, regarded as youth, across higher education institutions in Oman. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0 and partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings The results of the preliminary analysis confirmed that subjective norms toward social entrepreneurship (SE) and perceived behavioral control over SE were generally regarded as factors strongly associated with SEI. However, attitude toward SE did not affect the intention of the youth differently in this measure. Moreover, a positive correlation was found between prosocial behavior and SEI. Other results and implications were discussed. Originality/value The proposed SEI model sheds light on the possible influence of the prosocial behavior construct on the youth’s intention to be engaged in SE. The findings may help governments, policymakers and decision makers to promote positive youth development in three domains: education, labor market and community.