The differential impact of perceived job security on part-time and full-time entrepreneurial intention: A moderated mediation model

Abstract

Entrepreneurship has been conceptualized as a dichotomous choice for a long time, which blends two types of entrepreneurship (i.e., part-time and full-time) and consequently hinders our understanding of entrepreneurial activities. Drawing on real options perspective, we theorize that the certainty related to paid employment (i.e., perceived job security) may increase personal further investment in wage employment, indicated by the affective organizational commitment. The high affective commitment would, in turn, influence an individual's intention to enter part-time versus full-time entrepreneurship. In addition, we further suggest that core self-evaluation moderates the relationship between affective organizational commitment and entrepreneurial intentions. Drawing on one cross-sectional and one time-lagged self-report survey (N₁ = 360; N₂ = 376), we find consistent evidence supporting our hypotheses. The study offers a more nuanced understanding of the career choices employees may consider across different employment certainties and identifies the conditions under which employees are inclined to pursue entrepreneurial ideas on a part-time or full-time basis.