How Do International Students Become Entrepreneurs? The Role of Cross-Cultural Competence in Shaping Entrepreneurial Intention and Behavior

Although there is an increasing global interest in international students' entrepreneurship, how individual psychological resources are translated into actual entrepreneurial actions remains underexplored. This study examines the influence of psychological capital on the entrepreneurial intentions and behaviors of international students in South Korea, with a particular focus on the mediating role of cross-cultural competence. Based on the psychological capital and the Theory of Planned Behavior, data from 180 international students were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Results show that hope (β =0.204, p=0.010), self-efficacy (β =0.307, p=0.006), and optimism (β =0.323, p<0.001) significantly enhance cross-cultural competence, whereas resilience is not significant (β = 0.016, p=0.844). Cross-cultural competence positively influences entrepreneurial intention (β = 0.567, p<0.001) but not behavior directly, while entrepreneurial intention strongly predicts behavior (β =0.465, p<0.001). The indirect effect of competence on behavior through intention is significant (β =0.264, p<0.001), supporting a sequential mediating mechanism and indicates that the impact of cross-cultural competence on behavior is completely mediated by intentions. This study expands entrepreneurship theory by integrating psychology and a cross-cultural perspective, and emphasizes that universities and policymakers need to take measures to enhance students' psychological resources, cross-cultural abilities, and institutional support, in order to promote the entrepreneurial participation of international students.