Exploring the Role of Sustainability Knowledge in Shaping Entrepreneurial Intentions

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is not only linked with economic performance but also with social inclusion, economic development, and employment. This is even more evident when it comes to young people. To understand the sensitivity of young people's involvement in terms of entrepreneurship, it is necessary to analyze their entrepreneurial intentions. The development of entrepreneurial intentions among university students has been seen as a response to rapid technological development. Understanding which factors influence entrepreneurship behavior is important. This study uses the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a foundational framework to investigate the role of psychological factors influencing entrepreneurial intention. While TPB components have been extensively studied, limited research has explored the role of sustainability knowledge in this context. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the influence of sustainability knowledge not only on entrepreneurial intention directly, but also its role as an antecedent to attitude towards entrepreneurship, social norms, and perceived behavior control as components of TPB. A quantitative approach was adopted, using a structured and validated questionnaire distributed among university students in Albania. Findings are in line with previous research, in which TPB components significantly influence entrepreneurial intention. Additionally, sustainability knowledge demonstrates a positive and significant effect as an independent predictor of entrepreneurial intention and through its influence on TPB constructs. The results highlight the importance of integrating sustainability-oriented content into entrepreneurship education. This study makes an important contribution to the existing literature on entrepreneurship while providing practical implications for educators and policymakers seeking to foster entrepreneurial mindsets aligned with sustainability principles.