Drivers of Entrepreneurial Spirit among Young Women Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh: Role of Social Media as Mediation

The economic advancement of a country necessitates the promotion and support of the entrepreneurial spirit, especially for young female entrepreneurs. The objectives of this study are to explore the significant factors of the entrepreneurial spirit of young female entrepreneurs, to develop a model reflecting the relationships among the antecedents of entrepreneurial spirit, and to test the mediating role of social media. Based on the ‘positivism’ research philosophy, this study has used a quantitative methodology. It has utilized convenientsampling with a cross-sectional design to collect data from 212 respondents. This research developed a conceptual model and tested the hypothesized relationships by applying partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). This study reveals the impact of entrepreneurs’ personal and environmental factors, along with digital competence, on entrepreneurial spirit. This study also finds that social media mediates the relationship between digital competence and the entrepreneurial spirit of young female entrepreneurs. The empirical data support all hypotheses of this research. The study has provided theoretical and practical implications that will help academics, researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. The researchers also mention the limitations and future research directions for comparative studies and for research on the impact of advanced digital tools on entrepreneurial spirit. JEL Classification: O