Effect of Social Power, Cultural Intelligence, and Socioeconomic Status on Students’ International Entrepreneurial Intention

BACKGROUND: Undeniably, international entrepreneurship is important to a nation’s development. The government has engaged in various activities to support international entrepreneurship in China. However, the results were less embracing, particularly among students. Therefore, understanding the factors that influence students’ intentions toward international entrepreneurship is vital in the effort to develop entrepreneurship. Therefore, this study examined whether social power and international entrepreneurship intention are related based on social capital theory, as well as the possible influence of cultural intelligence and socioeconomic status on this relationship. METHODS: A quantitative study was conducted to test the hypotheses. Data were collected through paper-based questionnaires from 372 undergraduate students at 19 universities in China. The partial least squares structural equation modeling technique was used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses using the SmartPLS software. RESULTS: Social power has a positive effect on international entrepreneurship intentions, and motivational cultural intelligence plays a mediating role in this relationship. In addition, behavioral cultural intelligence played a mediating role in this relationship but not in the hypothesized direction. The effect of social power on international entrepreneurship intentions via motivational cultural intelligence is strengthened by socioeconomic status. However, socioeconomic status failed to moderate the mediating effects of social power on international entrepreneurship intentions, as transmitted through behavioral cultural intelligence. CONCLUSION: This study contributes to the scarce empirical literature on students’ international entrepreneurship intention in China by testing the relationship between social power and international entrepreneurship intention via cultural intelligence. In addition, these findings demonstrate that future research should focus on improving students’ perceptions of international entrepreneurship as an important career choice.