Opportunity Recognition Behavior and Readiness of Youth for Social Entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurship is a business approach in which entrepreneurs focus on social problems. Social entrepreneurs generate new initiatives, provide social plans and marshal resources with regard to social problems. This study examines the opportunity recognition behavior and readiness of youth for social entrepreneurship as a career choice. The topic is not arranged systematically; hence, this research aims to organize the topic by combining opportunity recognition behavior and willingness of youth toward social entrepreneurship through comprehensive theoretical modeling and empirical testing. The study hypothesized that social capital, social empathy, normative institutional environment, formal education, and training may enhance opportunity recognition behavior, whereas the regulative institutional environment may harm youth opportunity recognition behavior. This study also hypothesized that opportunity recognition behavior can lead to the readiness of youth for social entrepreneurship. Non-probability purposive sampling technique has been used due to selective participation. The data for this research have been collected from Indian, Pakistani, and Chinese youth. A total of 750 questionnaires were distributed among respondents, and 555 were returned for further analysis. The findings conclude that Social Empathy and Education and Training within formal and informal environments hold strong influence while defining individuals’ Social Entrepreneurial Intentions.