How Role Model Influences Psychological Traits and Perceived Self-Efficacy of Korean and Chinese Undergraduates

Role model has been acknowledged as a crucial determinant of entrepreneurial career choice. However, there has been a little empirical research to verify the importance of role model for undergraduates. The purpose of this study is to test the effect of role model on perceived self-efficacy and psychological traits of undergraduates. Total 446 university students participated in the study from Korea and China. Hierarchical regression method (SPSS, PASW statistic 18 version) was employed to examine the established hypotheses. Our finding presents that role model has a positive effect on all five sub-dimensions of psychological traits. Particularly, both risk-taking propensity and need for achievement were influenced most strongly by role model. The rest three dimensions, locus of control, tolerance of ambiguity, and innovativeness have positive relationships with role model, too. Thus, we suggest that role model would help young people strengthen overall psychological traits. Role model also impacts perceived self-efficacy positively. Simultaneously, perceived self-efficacy influences all five sub- dimensions of psychological traits positively. Particularly, locus of control is impacted most strongly. Perceived self-efficacy affected need for achievement, risk-taking propensity, tolerance of ambiguity, and innovativeness all significantly. From practical standpoint, it becomes obvious that role model is an effective agent for fostering entrepreneurship of young people, and so, the agent needs to be capitalized broadly for promoting entrepreneurship of university students. Further, given the fact this study is based on Korean and Chinese university students, role model must be a powerful means to foster entrepreneurship, regardless of geographical region or different cultural background. Consequently, we suggest that role model should take an essential part in entrepreneurship promotion program not only for university students but secondary school students. Complementary pedagogy incorporated role model can contribute to promoting entrepreneurship on the top of entrepreneurship education. Since role model can allow students to interrelate their specialized knowledge with a specific field, it may serve as the core source of entrepreneurial ideas, too.