Impact of Entrepreneurial Self-Construction on Entrepreneurial Intention: Moderating Role of Institutions

The paper discusses the influence of individual self-construction on entrepreneurial intention from the perspective of self-cognition while considering the institutional context at the national level. The research contends that individual entrepreneurial self-construction has a positive impact on entrepreneurial intentions and the institutional context moderates the relationship between individual entrepreneurial self-construal and entrepreneurial intention. These relationships are stronger in countries with regulation, cognition, and normative which favour the creation, growth, and management of new businesses. Analysis of Global Entrepreneurship Monitoring (GEM) survey data from 60 countries and regions supports the hypotheses. The conclusions provide important implications for research of entrepreneurial intentions and the soundness of the entrepreneurial system.


Introduction
Entrepreneurial activities are critical to economic and social development (Cornwall, 1998). Whereas entrepreneurial intentions are the first step in a typical long-term entrepreneurial process (Krueger, 1993), which profoundly affects entrepreneurs behaviour (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1980). While entrepreneurial intention as a cognitive structure widely used in entrepreneurial literature (Thompson, 2009) has long been a subject of academic attention.
What are the influencing factors of entrepreneurial intention? This paper at-tempts to study entrepreneurial intentions from the perspective of self-construction. Existing research ideas on the influencing factors of entrepreneurial intention are mainly divided into individual perspective and organisational perspective. From the perspective of individuals, such as individual characteristics (active personality (Crant, 1996), uncertainty tolerance for risk-taking tendency ( (Koh, 1995), etc.), individual background (family background, educational background, work experience (Crant, 1996), entrepreneurial experience (Singer, 1995), Individual perceived characteristics (e.g. self-efficacy (Bandura & Walters, 1977)) and perceived risk resilience (Bullough, Renko, & Myatt, 2014) have essential effects on individual entrepreneurial intentions. Organisational perspectives such as social culture (Malhotra & McCort, 2001), entrepreneurship education (Noel, 2001) and so on also affect the individual entrepreneurial intentions to varying degrees. On the whole, we found that previous research only discussed one or a few specific individual factors or social factors that affect entrepreneurial intention. It did not analyse the dynamic formation process of entrepreneurial intentions and rarely integrated the organisation. The interaction with individual elements, the cognitive performance and preference propensity of individuals in the process of entrepreneurial role construction are still unknown in this field. In this study, we try to develop the concept of self-construction into the subjective cognitive level of the individual and the construction of self-character and explore the dynamic formation of entrepreneurial intention from the perspective of self-cognition.
We believe that self-construction is likely to have a positive impact on entrepreneurial intentions. The concept of self-construction is based on the study of the formation and development of self-concepts by psychology and anthropology. It was proposed by Markus and Kitayama. It was initially used to describe the individual's understanding of the relationship between self and others (Markus & Kitayama, 1991). It is divided into independent self-construction and Interdependent self-construction, although individuals have two types of self-construction, a specific cultural environment encourages the development of one of these constructs (Cross, Hardin, & Swing, 2009). As the concept develops, scholars have different understandings of self-construal. Lam (Lam, 2006) believes that self-construction refers to the extent to which an individual considers himself to be in a social relationship. This paper defines the individual's self-construction as the construction of self-concept, which is the psychological selfperception of the self (Hardin, Leong, & Bhagwat, 2004), individual's cognising and understanding during the process of growing up. In the context of entrepreneurship, self-construction can be understood as the individual's understanding of the entrepreneurial role model or the individual's own knowledge, skills, experience and other aspects of entrepreneurial knowledge. Reviewing research on self-construction mainly exists in the field of psychology, such as the study of gender differences in self-construal (Cross & Madson, 1997), the relationship between self-construction and social cognition (Cross, Gore, & Morris, 2003). Self-construction studies on the impact of self-esteem (Hannover, Birk-Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies ner, & Pöhlmann, 2006). Studies have shown that self-construction has an important effect on cognitive, motivational, emotional and other psychological characteristics (Markus, Kitayama, & Heiman, 1996). The entrepreneurial intention reflects a subjective attitude of potential entrepreneurs in their future entrepreneurial activities (Bird, 1988;Carr & Sequeira, 2007;Wilson, Kickul, & Marlino, 2007). It is the intrinsic cognition, preference and behavioural tendency of entrepreneurs for entrepreneurship (De Noble, Jung, & Ehrlich, 1999). Therefore, self-construction is likely to have an impact on individual entrepreneurial intentions, and it is necessary to further study the relationship between self-construction and entrepreneurial intentions.
The present paper also addresses the contingent role of the institution on the main effect. We use the three-dimensional concept of the institution (Busenitz, Gomez, & Spencer, 2000;Scott, 2008). The formation of individual entrepreneurial intentions is the result of constant communication and interaction between individual factors and institutional environment. The institution is likely to have an impact on the relationship between individual entrepreneurial self-construction and entrepreneurial intention. The institutional context can help individuals to better act by complying with the rules and norms of the system and analyse and judge the legitimacy, appropriateness and value orientation of their own cognition and behaviour in a complex market environment. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the institutional background at the national level and analyse how the institutional context regulates the relationship between individual entrepreneurial self-construction and the formation of entrepreneurial intentions.
The contributions of this research are mainly reflected in the following aspects. First, our study attempts to provide a new way of thinking about the influencing factors of entrepreneurial intentions. Self-construction promotes entrepreneurial intentions. Individuals continuously learn and accumulate entrepreneurial knowledge, skills and experience in the dynamic process of building entrepreneurial roles, and expand entrepreneurial cognition to strengthen entrepreneurial intentions. Second, our research focuses on the interactivity at the individual and macro levels and shifts the research perspective from individual to macro cross-layer. We develop a multi-level framework that contributes to the intersection of entrepreneurial theory, social cognitive theory, and institutional theory. We use 181,281 large representative samples from 60 countries to test our model hypothesis in the context of a widely developed system. It may be institutionalised for entrepreneurial self-construction of entrepreneurial intentions. The resulting role provides a new interpretation of the optimal institutional context in which entrepreneurial self-construction may promote entrepreneurial intentions.

Entrepreneurial Self-Construct and Entrepreneurial Intention
In general, the intent to explore purposeful behaviour is critical to our under-Q. Gui et al. standing of the behaviour (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1980). Intention has long been considered a reliable predictor of behaviour, and entrepreneurial intent is the beginning of the entrepreneurial process (Thompson, 2009). Entrepreneurship intention is the best predictor of entrepreneurial behaviour, reflecting a subjective attitude of potential entrepreneurs in their future entrepreneurial activities Wilson et al., 2007), is the intrinsic cognition, preference, and behavioural tendency of entrepreneurs for entrepreneurship (De Noble et al., 1999). We describe entrepreneurial intentions as a state of perception: an individual-recognised idea or decision that targets entrepreneurship.
First of all, entrepreneurial self-construction is the construction of the concept of self-playing entrepreneurs, repeated re-organisation and re-engineering in the process, so the cultivation of ability, the acquisition of knowledge and the accumulation of experience play an essential role in entrepreneurial intention. Based on the planned behaviour theory (Krueger Jr., Reilly, & Carsrud, 2000), entrepreneurial intentions are considered to be developed by the perception of the desirability and feasibility of entrepreneurial behaviour (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1980). Individuals with high entrepreneurial self-construction often have more knowledge reserves, stronger business capabilities, more relevant experience and experience have laid a cognitive foundation for entrepreneurial behaviour, raising their expectations of entrepreneurial viability and entrepreneurial success. It is anti-strike, anti-risk ability and courage to overcome difficulties, rapid adjustment of the determination and continuous learning and accumulation continue to carry out the entrepreneurial role of the construction process. Therefore, individuals with high entrepreneurial self-construction are more likely to generate entrepreneurial intentions.
Thus, we offer the following hypothesis: H1: Individual entrepreneurial self-construction has a positive impact on entrepreneurial intentions.

Moderating Effect of the Institution
Social cognition theory suggests that interactions between environmental factors, personal factors, and individual behaviours influence an individual's ultimate behaviour (Bullough et al., 2014;Wood & Bandura, 1989). The institutional theory provides an ideal basis for the study of individual arguments in context. The system defines what is legal, appropriate, and subconsciously oriented in an objective sense (Bruton, Ahlstrom, & Li, 2010). Previous studies have shown that institutions influence entrepreneurial behaviour. The institutional context directly shapes the individual's social-cognitive characteristics or mitigates the relationship between individual cognitive characteristics and near-end selection behaviour. Generally speaking, we believe that individuals are more likely to generate entrepreneurial intentions when they are in a favourable entrepreneurial system and have a higher entrepreneurial self-construction. Regarding the discussion of the system, we adopt the three-dimensional concept of Q. Gui et al. Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies institutional background (Busenitz et al., 2000;Scott, 2008), which divides the system into three dimensions: regulation, cognition and normativeness, and studies the institutional background for entrepreneurial self-construction and individual entrepreneurial intention. The regulatory aspect reflects policies and regulations related to entrepreneurship (Bowen & De Clercq, 2008). While the cognitive aspect indicates the extent to which knowledge related to entrepreneurship is domestically available (Busenitz & Lau, 1996). Such as the national education system attaches importance to the development and growth of new businesses (Levie & Autio, 2008). The normative dimension reflects the extent to which the people of the country consider entrepreneurship to be an ideal career choice, that is, the degree to which society recognises entrepreneurship (De Clercq, Danis, & Dakhli, 2010).

Regulatory Dimension of the Institution
The regulatory dimension of the system restricts, regulates, and regulates behaviour, and has the function of both restricting and enabling social behaviour.
The regulatory dimension represents a model of rational actors based on sanctions and hermeneutics that guides behaviour through rules, oversight, and enforcement (Bruton et al., 2010). In the context of entrepreneurship, the regulatory dimension reflects policies and regulations related to entrepreneurship (Bowen & De Clercq, 2008). This dimension influences the entrepreneurial process through various policy measures (Lim, Morse, Mitchell, & Seawright, 2010). The regulatory dimension of the system determines the degree to which people are willing and willing to allocate available social cognitive resources to entrepreneurial activities (Baumol, 1996). Such activities provide permission and convenience for the entrepreneurial process.
For countries where laws, support programs, and legislation lead to new business development, growth and management, their regulations and opportunities effectively reduce the obstacles and risks to entrepreneurship (Baumol & Strom, 2007). It also increases the productivity of the entrepreneurial system, decreases person perceptions on entrepreneurship challenges and requirements of the expertise, skills and even encouraged the people to participate in entrepreneurial activities. Individual efforts may be used more smoothly and more centrally for entrepreneurship, enhancing the motivation for individuals to continue to accumulate entrepreneurial learning, enabling individuals to gain a stronger belief in entrepreneurial success, and then inspiring individuals with higher self-construction to generate stronger entrepreneurship. The intention, more energy is invested in entrepreneurial behaviour.
Thus, we provide the following hypothesis: H2: The regulatory dimension of the institutional context moderates the relationships between individuals' entrepreneurial self-construal and their entrepreneurial intention, such that these relationships are stronger in countries with policies, support programs, and regulations that favour the creation, growth, and management of new businesses.
The cognitive dimension of the institutional context refers to the knowledge and cognitive categories shared by individuals within a country (Kostova & Roth, 2002). In the context of entrepreneurship, the cognitive dimension reflects the extent to which knowledge about entrepreneurship is widely disseminated (Busenitz et al., 2000), such as the importance of national education systems for entrepreneurial development and growth (Levie & Autio, 2008). This dimension is increasingly essential for entrepreneurial research in how society creates a cultural environment that embraces and encourages entrepreneurship (Bosma & Levie, 2010;Harrison, 2008;Li, 2011), which deals with Does a country's education system specifically address entrepreneurial relevance (such as the creation and growth of new businesses) (Bowen & De Clercq, 2008;Reynolds et al., 2005).
The focus on entrepreneurship in the education system not only prepares individuals for the specific skills needed to develop their entrepreneurship but also promotes universal awareness of entrepreneurship as a possible career choice (Souitaris, Zerbinati, & Al-Laham, 2007). On the one hand, the education system that emphasises entrepreneurial development and growth helps individuals to develop and accumulate the knowledge, skills and experience needed for individual entrepreneurship in the process of self-construction through objective teaching and practice and promotes the individual's concept of playing the role of entrepreneur. The construction process has increased the possibility of the formation of its entrepreneurial intentions. On the other hand, the degree to which the national education system attaches importance to entrepreneurial development and growth also reflects the social orientation of entrepreneurship.
High social entrepreneurship cognition and the role model of successful entrepreneurs can motivate individuals to continuously learn and imitate the motivations of successful entrepreneurs' entrepreneurial paths and entrepreneurial experiences, making them firmer in entrepreneurship and more determined to start a business.
Thus, we offer the following hypothesis: H3: The cognitive dimension of the institutional context moderates the relationships between individuals' entrepreneurial self-construal and their entrepreneurial intention, such that these relationships are stronger in countries where the education system pays more considerable attention to the creation, growth, and management of new businesses.

Normative Dimension of the Institution
In general, the normative dimension of a country's institutional environment encompasses behavioural models accepted through various social interactions (Bruton et al., 2010). The normative dimension usually consists of values (what are preferred or considered correct) and norms (how to do things that are consistent with these values) that further consciously establish the basic rules that people follow (Scott, 2008). In the context of entrepreneurship, the normative dimension reflects the extent to which the people of the country consider entre-Q. Gui et al. Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies preneurship to be an ideal career choice, that is, the degree to which society recognises entrepreneurship (De Clercq et al., 2010). This choice may depend on whether the culture of the country emphasises the value of individual initiative and self-fulfilment (Baughn, Chua, & Neupert, 2006), such as how social media views entrepreneurship (Reynolds et al., 2005).
The normative dimension influences the relationship between self-construction and individual entrepreneurial intention by subtly revealing the social value of entrepreneurship and social needs. When society's recognition of entrepreneurship is low, entrepreneurs often cannot be positively praised and encouraged, or even regarded as negative individuals, and their entrepreneurial careers are often disadvantaged (Bruton, Ahlstrom, & Obloj, 2008). Therefore, even if the individual has a high entrepreneurial self-construction, there will be no risk of public opinion to carry out entrepreneurial activities. When society recognises entrepreneurship to a higher degree, society emphasises the value of self-creation and self-realisation. Entrepreneurship becomes an ideal career choice. Individuals with high self-construction will be more likely to form entrepreneurial preferences consistent with social entrepreneurship orientation.
Thus, we offer the following hypothesis in Figure 1: H4: The normative dimension of the institutional context moderates the relationships between individuals' entrepreneurial self-construal and their entrepreneurial intention, such that these relationships are stronger in countries where entrepreneurial careers are considered desirable.

Sample
We selected the data from 60 countries and regions in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitoring (GEM) survey to test the above assumptions. The GEM project began in the late 1990s and is dedicated to the collection of entrepreneurial data surveys and entrepreneurial behaviours around the world. The GEM survey data covers a wide range of sources, reliable sources, and collects program standards to ensure the validity of data structures and measurements (Reynolds et al., 2005).

Measures
In general, individual-level variables in GEM survey data have been used in previous entrepreneurial literature (Autio, Pathak, & Wennberg, 2013;Boudreaux, Nikolaev, & Klein, 2019); the institutional dimension at the national level as a moderator has also been tried in previous literature (De Clercq et al., 2010;Lim, Oh, & De Clercq, 2016). The specific questions used in the GEM survey 1 provide definitions of all variables used in the study.

Dependent Variable
We follow the usual practice of defining entrepreneurship as an attempt to create a new business or new risks, such as self-employment, new business organisations, or expansion of existing businesses. Specifically, the entrepreneurial intention is extracted from the GEM variable "dustup". If the individual wants to launch or try a new business or new risk within the next three years, he or she is considered to have the intention to start a business in the next three years, then the selection value is 1, otherwise the value is 0.

Independent Variable
We used the measurement of entrepreneurial self-construction in the GEM Adults Survey (APS). Specifically, the entrepreneurial self-construction is extracted from the GEM variable "subskill". If the individual knows that he has the knowledge, skills, or experience required for entrepreneurship, the value is chosen to be 1, otherwise the value is 0.

Moderator Variable
The institutional background is the adjustment variable of this study. In the di-vision of the system, the three-dimensional concept of institutional background is adopted, and the system is divided into three dimensions: regulation, cognition and normative. To measure these three dimensions, we used the GEM National Expert Survey (NES) to verify the scale, which was evaluated using the Likert five-point score.
The regulatory dimension of the institutional context reflects policies and regulations related to entrepreneurship. We use the average score of experts in the survey to evaluate government entrepreneurship-related support policies, programs, and entrepreneurial-related laws and regulations.
The cognitive dimension of the institutional background reflects the extent to which knowledge related to entrepreneurship is popularised in China, such as the importance the national education system attaches to entrepreneurial development and growth. We use the average score of the survey's experts' assessment of the state's education system in entrepreneurship, including higher education and vocational education. The normative dimension of the institutional background reflects the extent to which the people of the country consider entrepreneurship to be an ideal career choice, that is, the degree to which society recognises entrepreneurship. We use the average score of the survey's assessment of the desirability of national entrepreneurship careers.

Control Variable
A lot of research on entrepreneurial intentions shows that some other characteristics of individuals have different degrees of influence on the formation of individual entrepreneurial intentions. To ensure the reliability of the empirical research results, according to previous research, the individual's gender, age, education level, working status and income will affect the entrepreneurial will to some extent, and choose the individual's gender, age and education level. As a control variable can significantly reduce the potential risk of the research model. In the GEM survey, gender is divided into two categories: "male" and "female".
The age of the entrepreneur is counted according to the age group. The education level is based on the five standards from specialist to postdoctoral. The work status is based on full-time or part-time work. Income, unemployment, retired or three categories of students, income is divided into three levels of low, medium and high. In addition, since this paper explores the institutional role of the national level as an environmental factor, it is necessary to control some national-level characteristic variables. This study selects the nature of the economy that reflects the stage of national economic development as the control variable and divides it into three stages: factor-driven, efficiency-driven, and innovation-driven to further ensure the validity of the research results.

Analysis and Results
Table 1 provides the mean, standard deviation, and correlation matrix for each Q. Gui et al. Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies variable in the study. The correlation of most of the variables in this study is relatively small, below 0.3, and the correlation between the cognitive dimension and the normative dimension of the institutional background is 0.630, but this value is still within a moderate range, below 0.7. Therefore, the impact on our analysis is relatively small.
In addition, in the process of data analysis, this study examined that the Cronbach's α coefficient of each variable was higher than 0.9, indicating that the measurement scales of each variable in this study have good internal consistency and meet the requirements of further processing. As shown in Table 2. At the same time, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin metric is greater than 0.8, Bartlett's sphericity test corresponds to a probability P-value of 0.00, less than 0.01, EFA test results show that the scale has high validity. In addition, to test the multicollinearity, we calculated the VIF value of each regression equation. The highest VIF value is 1.950, which is much lower than the upper limit of 10 VIF, indicating that there is no problem with multicollinearity.

Discussion and Conclusion
This study explores the relationship and mechanism between individual self- Our study has limitations that provide several directions for future research.