Explicating Who Has a Desire to Go Green! Personality, Green Opportunity Recognition and Green Entrepreneurship Intention

ABSTRACT Green entrepreneurship has become an important approach to address the environmental challenges through innovative ideas and business solutions. This study investigates the role of green opportunity recognition on the influence of the Big Five personality traits on the green entrepreneurial intentions of youth (university students) in an emerging country, that is, Thailand, which is an ideal context for investigation given the government is putting efforts towards sustainability initiatives. Drawing on 620 valid survey responses and employing PLS‐SEM analysis, we observe that openness and extraversion have significant indirect effects on green entrepreneurial intention through green opportunity recognition. Additionally, green opportunity recognition exhibits a significant effect on green entrepreneurial intention. Our findings show novel empirical evidence explaining green opportunity recognition as a central mechanism for fostering environmentally conscious entrepreneurship that integrates venture ideas with a sustainable business concept. Lastly, our research offers an avenue for policymakers and educators to nurture students and youth alike with greater exposure to entrepreneurial opportunities in green sectors to promote their awareness and desire to act.