NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

To want to be a social entrepreneur, empathy is not enough for millennials. They need to feel confident in their ability to solve social problems and feel valued by the people they want to help, according to new research published in the Journal of Business Venturing.

The study examined key character traits of approximately 300 students undertaking modules on social entrepreneurship as part of wider university courses, and found that while not all kind-hearted individuals consider the idea of becoming a social entrepreneur attractive, those that do are the ones who feel confident of making a difference, and who feel valued in their interactions with potential beneficiaries.

The researchers questioned participants at two different stages on their courses, several weeks apart, on elements such as perspective-taking, empathic concern, social entrepreneurial self-efficacy, social worth, and their social entrepreneurial intentions.

The study found that self-efficacy has a strong positive effect on whether someone is intending to become a social entrepreneur, as does a sense of social worth. In addition, the study found that both self-efficacy and social worth explain how empathy translates into social entrepreneurial intentions.

Photo courtesy of David Weekly.