Vietnamese and American student commitment: the impact of exercise self-efficacy and collectivism

Purpose This study examines the relationship between exercise self-efficacy (ESE) and student commitment (SC) to address challenges in business school student engagement and retention. We aim to close the empirical gap between ESE and SC and explain the role of cultural values by exploring how individualism and collectivism (IC) shape the ESE–SC relationship within different cultural contexts. Design/methodology/approach Over 1,300 undergraduate students from the United States of America and Vietnam participated in three studies. Study 1 used regression analyses to examine ESE–SC in a USA university. Study 2 investigated potential moderating effects of IC in Vietnam. Study 3 tested the replicability of findings with a diverse USA sample, further analyzing the relationship between ESE, SC and IC. Findings Study 1 found a negative ESE–SC relationship. Study 2 observed a positive ESE–SC relationship in Vietnam. Study 3 confirmed the positive ESE–SC relationship and demonstrated significant IC moderation. Research limitations/implications We used self-reported measures and a cross-sectional design with undergraduate student samples. Findings contribute to the self-efficacy and commitment literature, underscoring the instrumental role of cultural dimensions in moderating the relationship between ESE and SC, while advancing scholarship on commitment and providing evidence that ESE can be a significant predictor of academic outcomes. Practical implications For business schools, promoting ESE among students could serve as a strategic tool for enhancing SC, which ultimately supports and enhances their retention and accreditation targets. Originality/value Empirical support for an ESE–SC relationship reveals that cultural values moderate the ESE–SC relationship.