Unveiling the Mechanism of Entrepreneurial Intentions: Cognitive Pathway

Abstract

This study investigates how entrepreneurial cognitive ability shapes the entrepreneurial intentions of university students in Pakistan through a sequential mediation pathway involving entrepreneurial capabilities and entrepreneurial opportunity recognition. Anchored in the Theory of Planned Behavior and Social Cognitive Theory, the research adopts a quantitative, cross-sectional survey methodology. Structured questionnaire data were collected from 387 undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled across five leading universities in Pakistan. Covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) was employed for hypothesis testing. Findings confirm that entrepreneurial cognitive ability exerts a significant direct influence on entrepreneurial intention, which is further transmitted through the sequential chain of entrepreneurial capabilities and opportunity recognition. The study advances the entrepreneurship cognition literature by situating cognitive ability as a foundational driver in a staged model of intention formation and offers actionable implications for educators and policymakers seeking to foster entrepreneurial behavior among Pakistani youth. Limitations and avenues for future research are addressed.