Maintaining the impact of action‐oriented entrepreneurship training: Extending the path‐centric account

Abstract Recent research introduced the path‐centric account of action‐oriented entrepreneurship training, which explains training transfer by reciprocal relationships between entrepreneurial motivation and action evolving after training. Based on the path‐centric account, we develop a theoretical model that suggests a reciprocal relationship between entrepreneurial goal intentions and entrepreneurial action moderated by need fulfillment to explain long‐term effects of action‐oriented entrepreneurship training on business creation. We tested the model by conducting two longitudinal experimental field studies with university students in Mexico and South Africa, taking measurements before, shortly after, and 1 year after the training program. The findings across the two studies consistently supported the theoretical model. The study extends the path‐centric account of training transfer by revealing boundary conditions of post‐training dynamics that explain the long‐term transfer of action‐oriented entrepreneurship training.