Theses and Dissertations

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8254-9998

Advisor

Long, Rebecca

Committee Member

Craven, Michele

Committee Member

Arteaga Fonseca, Jorge

Committee Member

Marett, Kent

Date of Degree

5-15-2026

Original embargo terms

Visible MSU Only 2 Years

Document Type

Dissertation - Campus Access Only

Major

Business Administration (Management)

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Business

Department

Department of Management and Information Systems

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is often deemed as a university remedy for various social ills, offering pathways out of structural disadvantage. However, entrepreneurship is not a neutral process; it is intricately shaped by systems of social identity that produce disparate access to resources and opportunities for those belonging to minority and marginalized groups. While prior research establishes intention as a strong predictor of behavior across various domains, within the field of entrepreneurship, evidence suggests that entrepreneurial intentions do not consistently translate into venture creation. This gap is especially pronounced among Black individuals who often report higher intentions yet engage in comparatively less venture creation. This dissertation addresses this paradox by investigating the role of bonding and bridging social capital in the transition from intention to behavior, and how these effects vary across intersecting identities, integrating the theoretical perspectives of social capital, intersectionality, and the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Drawing on intersectionality and identity-based perspectives, this research conceptualizes the intersectional, lived experiences of Black emerging entrepreneurs as antecedents to TPB determinants (attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control). Furthermore, this work empirically explores how intersecting social identities moderate access to and influence the utility of bonding and bridging social capital in facilitating entrepreneurial action, utilizing the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics II dataset. This dissertation addresses three research questions: (1) how systems of identity shape TPB determinants of entrepreneurial intention; (2) the role of bonding and bridging social capital in the intention–behavior relationship; and (3) how intersecting identities influence the ways social capital is accessed and leveraged in the transition to entrepreneurial behavior. This body of work contributes to entrepreneurship literature by moving beyond intention formation to explore socially embedded mechanisms that influence behavioral enactment. It positions entrepreneurial behavior as contingent on structural privilege, and the associated benefits of social capital as varying across intersectional positions. This dissertation highlights the heterogeneity within Black entrepreneurship and advances theory by positioning intersectionality as a critical lens for understanding both the development of entrepreneurial intentions and the conditions under which those intentions are realized.

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