Exploring How Passion Shapes Entrepreneurial Intentions: The Mediating Role of Persistence and Resilience

Articles in Press
Authors
S. Karimi 1
A. Yaghoubi Farani 2
A. S. Makreet 3
1 Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
2 Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty of Agriculture, University College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.
3 Academic member of Agricultural Economics and Extension Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Samangan university. Samangan, Afghanistan.
Abstract
Past literature indicates that entrepreneurial passion is positively related to entrepreneurial intentions; however, less is known about the underlying mechanisms that might mediate this relationship, particularly in less developed countries. This quantitative, cross-sectional study extends the existing literature by investigating the mediating roles of persistence and resilience in the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial intentions. A total of 300 agriculture students were selected using proportional stratified random sampling from two public universities in Afghanistan. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, and structural equation modeling (SEM) using partial least squares (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the proposed hypotheses. The results showed that entrepreneurial passion is directly and positively associated with entrepreneurial intentions. Furthermore, persistence and resilience partially mediated this relationship. The findings contribute to a better understanding of how entrepreneurial passion fosters entrepreneurial intentions among students in fragile and resource-constrained environments. The study offers implications for educators and policymakers to design entrepreneurship education programs that promote emotional and psychological readiness for entrepreneurial action.

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Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 16 September 2025