Structural Analysis of the Effect of Entrepreneurial Cognition on Intention of Students' Entrepreneurial Behavior with the Mediating Role of Perceived Fear (Case Study: Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz)

This study investigated the effect of entrepreneurial cognition on intention of entrepreneurial behavior with the mediating role of perceived fear using applied and descriptive-correlation research methods. The statistical population included all students of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz. Due to the difficulty of accessing the study population during the Coronavirus epidemic, a non-random sample available to 367 students was selected and studied. Measurement tools included Mitchell's et al.’s Entrepreneurial Cognition Questionnaire (2000), Valliere's Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire (2015), and Perceived Fear Questionnaire of Deniz et al. (2011) and Collins (2007). The validity of questionnaires was confirmed based on expert opinion of professors and their reliability was obtained using Cronbach's alpha coefficient of above 0.7. Data was analyzed by structural equation modeling in SmartPLS software. The results showed that entrepreneurial cognition has a significant negative effect on perceived fear (-0/655) and a significant positive effect on entrepreneurial behavior intention (0/37). Perceived fear also had a significant negative effect on the intention of entrepreneurial behavior (-0/44). Among the indicators of perceived fear, work and social fear and fear of lack of resources had the greatest impact on the intention of entrepreneurial behavior. In addition, the value of coefficient of determination showed that approximately 60% of the variance of entrepreneurial behavior intention was explained through entrepreneurial cognition and perceived fear. According to the findings, it is concluded that entrepreneurial cognition, directly and indirectly due to perceived fear, increases students' desire for entrepreneurial behavior. In other words, the mediating role of perceived fear in influencing cognition on intention of entrepreneurial behavior was confirmed.