Understanding the intention–behavior gap: The role of entrepreneurship education and creative self-efficacy among university students

Entrepreneurship education is widely promoted as a way to encourage entrepreneurial action; however, the psychological links between education and behavior remain poorly understood, especially in low-income and fragile institutional settings. Using social cognitive theory, this study examines how entrepreneurship education and creative self-efficacy influence entrepreneurial behavior, particularly entrepreneurial intention, among university students in Afghanistan. The analysis, based on data from 213 undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in business and management programs at three universities, uses Smart PLS. The results show that entrepreneurship education has a significant, positive impact on both intention and behavior. Additionally, creative self-efficacy is mainly linked to entrepreneurial behavior indirectly through intention. Path comparisons reveal that entrepreneurship education has a stronger direct effect on entrepreneurial behavior than creative self-efficacy, emphasizing the importance of formal education in promoting entrepreneurship in environments with limited institutional support. These findings expand social cognitive theory by demonstrating how educational efforts can counteract the disadvantages of weak labor markets and institutions. This research improves understanding of the connection between intention and behavior within psychological frameworks and offers practical recommendations for advancing entrepreneurship education in resource-scarce environments.