The mediating effects of social entrepreneurial antecedents on the relationship between prior experience and social entrepreneurial intent: The case of Filipino and Indonesian university students

Purpose The paper aims to investigate how the social entrepreneurial intention antecedents directly and indirectly affect social entrepreneurial intent. The participants of the study were Filipino and Indonesian university students from selected higher education institutions (HEIs). Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research design was used and partial least square-structural equation modeling was used to measure the direct and indirect effects of the structural model. Findings The results revealed that prior experience with social problems positively and significantly affects empathy, moral obligation, social entrepreneurial self-efficacy and perceived social support. Moreover, it was also found that social entrepreneurial self-efficacy and perceived social support positively and significantly affect social entrepreneurial intent, and these two antecedents mediate the positive relationship between prior experience with social problems and social entrepreneurial intent. Research limitations/implications As the present study only examined social entrepreneurial intentions among Filipino and Indonesian university students, other researchers may test the framework in another locale. Others may find interest in identifying the significant difference in social entrepreneurial intent among between or among nations. Practical implications The findings of the present study can benefit HEIs in terms of offering social entrepreneurship programs and courses. The role of HEIs is truly important. Providing an avenue for students for them to be socially entrepreneurial and empowering them to be future social entrepreneurs can truly help in sustainably promoting social entrepreneurship. These can be done by designing relevant learning materials and requirements that will permit students to be social venture creators. Social implications Based on this study, if these students were exposed to social entrepreneurship activities during their university life (prior experience), then the propensity for them to be social venture creators in high. With the myriad problems in the Philippines and Indonesia, exposure to social problems is evident. Through proper inculcation of social entrepreneurial spirit, Filipino and Indonesian students will greatly create massive impact in the landscape of Asian social entrepreneurship. Originality/value The present study offers a new perspective on social entrepreneurial intentions, as it is in Asian setting. It also provides a viewpoint where only social entrepreneurial self-efficacy and perceived social support positively affect social entrepreneurial intent and, at the same time, act as mediators between prior experience with social problem and social entrepreneurial intent. With these results, it enriches the theoretical foundations of social entrepreneurship.