Entrepreneurial Intentions and Role Model Influence

Entrepreneurial intention reflects an individual’s conscious state of mind directing attention and action towards starting a new business. It emerges from the interplay of personal attributes—such as self-efficacy and risk tolerance—and social factors, notably the presence and characteristics of role models. Role models shape entrepreneurial intention by demonstrating practical success or failure, offering cognitive templates for action and influencing perceived feasibility and desirability through observational learning. Familial figures, peers, educators and media personalities each contribute distinctively, with parents often transmitting both resources and social comparison pressures. Educational interventions and storytelling further modulate intentions by evoking entrepreneurial passion and illustrating pathways to overcome barriers. Across diverse cultural and economic contexts, research shows that the nature of the role model (for example, peer versus idol, success versus failure story) and the mode of exposure (direct interaction, narrative, vicarious observation) critically determine whether intentions are fostered or inadvertently suppressed. Understanding these dynamics is vital for policymakers, educators and incubator programmes aiming to nurture inclusive and effective entrepreneurship ecosystems.

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Entrepreneurial Intentions and Role Model Influence publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in entrepreneurial intentions and role model influence across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Entrepreneurial intention: a person’s self-acknowledged conviction to start a new venture at some point in the future.

Role model: an individual whose attitudes, behaviours or achievements are emulated and internalised by observers seeking to guide their own actions.

Self-efficacy: belief in one’s capability to organise and execute courses of action required to manage prospective endeavours.

Social comparison: the process of evaluating oneself against others, which can enhance or undermine motivation depending on perceived similarity and performance gaps.

Observational learning: acquisition of knowledge and behavioural scripts by watching others, rather than through direct experience alone.

References

1. The impact of role models on entrepreneurial intentions and behavior: a review of the literature. Management Review Quarterly (2020).
2. Parents’ performance in entrepreneurship as a “double-edged sword” for the intergenerational transmission of entrepreneurship. Small Business Economics (2017).
3. Which Role Model Is More Effective in Entrepreneurship Education? An Investigation of Storytelling on Individual’s Entrepreneurial Intention. Frontiers in Psychology (2019).