MUHAMMED Yazeed
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
Email: yazeedmuhammed3@gmail.com
Phone No: 07069090472
ABUBAKAR Mohammad Mayanchi
Department of Business Administration,
Faculty of Management Science,
University of Lagos
Email: mayanchi2018@gmail.com
Phone No.: 08069262852
ALIYU Magaji Mafindi
Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State
Phone No.: 08037024446
ABSTRACT
Despite the usefulness of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in predicting intention and
behavior, the results of social norms as one of the constructs in the theory have varied
significantly. Although social norms are classified as injunctive and descriptive, past research
that adopted the TPB has mostly focused on the injunctive component, ignoring the descriptive
component. Given that experimental research have established that injunctive and descriptive
norms are conceptually distinct categories that affect intent and behavior independently, this
article examines the effect of injunctive and descriptive norms on startup intentions.
Additionally, we examine whether entrepreneurial orientation can mediate the relationship.
Using a simple random sample technique, data were collected from 432 final year students at
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, from a population of 9, 825. Structural equation modeling
(SEM) technique was used for data analysis in conjunction with the partial least squares
technique. Both injunctive and descriptive norms were found to have a significant effect on startup intention. Additionally, it was discovered that entrepreneurial orientation partially mediates
the association between the descriptive norms, the injunctive norms, and startup intention.
Although injunctive and descriptive norms influence start-up intention, entrepreneurial
orientation explains why a relationship exists between descriptive norm, injunctive norm, and
start-up intention. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research
Keywords: Social Norms, Descriptive Norm, Injunctive Norm, Entrepreneurial Orientation,
Start-up Intention