Perceived Corruption, Entrepreneurial Exposure and Entrepreneurial Career Intention: Evidence from Five Emerging Countries

In an attempt to extend the remit of the Theory of Planned Behaviour, this study investigates the moderating influence of corruption on the association between entrepreneurial exposure and individuals’ entrepreneurial career intention. Also, to account for the influence of distinct sociocultural backgrounds, data were analysed from a sample of 1,065 students residing in five emerging countries namely Algeria, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine. Interpretation of the path coefficients following structural equation modelling suggested that entrepreneurial exposure enhanced entrepreneurial career intention (conceptualised as entrepreneurial intention) through the mediating role of cognitive factors. More importantly, while perceived corruption played an important role in the entrepreneurial exposure – planned behaviour nexus, some differences were observed across the five contexts examined. Hence, the nuanced role of sociocultural systems is better understood, and this prompts important implications for theory and practice.