Individual purpose in life and entrepreneurial self-efficacy: two antecedents to social entrepreneurship intention among refugees in Lebanon

Purpose Lebanon is one of the fragile developing countries that hosts millions of forcibly displaced refugees. Despite the increased focus on understanding refugee entrepreneurship, the antecedents and moderators of refugees’ social entrepreneurship remain understudied. This study aims to identify new antecedents to refugees’ social entrepreneurship, such individual purpose in life and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Design/methodology/approach The author focused on the moderating effect of social entrepreneurial education in the relationship between individual purpose in life along with entrepreneurial self-efficacy among refugees in Lebanon. The author collected data from 269 refugees. Findings This study positively confirms an individual’s purpose in life and entrepreneurial self-efficacy, particularly in a fragile context such as that of refugees in Lebanon, serve as antecedents to refugee’s social entrepreneurship intention. Furthermore, this study reveals how entrepreneurship education moderates the relationship between individual purpose in life along with self-efficacy and social entrepreneurship intention among refugees in Lebanon. Originality/value The author’s main contribution relies on the finding related to the role of individual factors and traits as purpose in life and self-efficacy on the social entrepreneurship intention among refugees in fragile countries.