The relationship between entrepreneurial intention and entrepreneurial behavior: The moderating effects of internal locus of control and social support

The main purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between entrepreneurial intention and entrepreneurial behaviour in university students and to analyse the regulatory role of social support and internal locus of control in this relationship. Starting from the 'intention-behaviour gap' problem, which is frequently emphasised in the entrepreneurship literature, the study addresses the contextual and psychological factors affecting the process of turning intentions into actions in a holistic model. The quantitative data of the study were collected from 430 students studying at the faculties of Economics and Administrative Sciences and Business Administration of a university by questionnaire method. Correlation, regression and moderation analyses were used to analyse the data. Research findings showed that entrepreneurial intention positively and significantly influenced entrepreneurial behaviour. However, both social support and internal locus of control were found to have a significant moderating effect on the intention-behaviour relationship. The findings suggest that students with high social support or high internal locus of control are more likely to transform their entrepreneurial intentions into behaviour. These results show that social and psychological resources are critical in understanding the intention-behaviour gap and provide empirical evidence to the entrepreneurship literature in the Turkish context.