Weligodapola et al.

Journal of Innovation and

Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89
[Link] Entrepreneurship

RESEARCH Open Access

Personality traits empower entrepreneurial

intention of generation Z in Sri Lanka
Mano Weligodapola1, Ranitha Sachinthana Weerarathna1* , Kariyawasam Godage Kavindya Hansini1,
Pallimulle Hewa Geeganage Wathma Ravini1, Wijendra Gamladdalage Tharindu Priyashan Sarathchandra1 and
Samarathunga Muhandiramge Dona Piumi Dilshara Samarathunga1

*Correspondence:
ranitha.w@[Link]; Abstract
rsachinthana@[Link] Entrepreneurship has a critical role in making society more creative and conscience.
1
SLIIT Business School, Sri Entrepreneurial Intention (EI) guided and supported to build job creators, innovations,
Lanka Institute of Information and entrepreneurial mindset to foster both men and women entrepreneurial spirit.
Technology, Malabe, Sri Lanka
Youth generation also plays a significant role in economic growth of country. The
research predominantly aimed to identify and measure the influence of personality
traits on the EI of generation Z in Sri Lanka. The primary cause for concern is the ris-
ing demand for entrepreneurs who can spur economic growth by developing fresh
concepts and turning them into successful ventures. The present study investigates
the impact of the big five personality traits on EI. The study used both quantitative
and qualitative approaches. In the qualitative survey, the data collected from eight
semi-structured interviews were analyzed using the thematic analysis and NVivo tool.
The quantitative survey used a cluster sample of generation Z in the Colombo district,
Sri Lanka. A total of 384 valid questionnaires were received and examined. To test
the hypotheses, the researchers used Smart PLS software (version 4.0) and the Struc-
ture Equation Model technique. The result showed that Conscientiousness, and Neu-
roticism significantly impact on the EI of generation Z. Further, Extraversion, Agreeable-
ness and Openness to Experience have an insignificant impact on EI. The study gives
policymakers and the government advice on how to understand the characteristics
of generation Z, which are likely to become future entrepreneurs, and how to support
new businesses by providing various incentives.
Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Intention, Personality traits, Generation Z

Introduction
Entrepreneurship is becoming more and more popular and increasingly predominant
worldwide, especially in emerging nations that continuously face obstacles in their
economies (Landström, 2020). Entrepreneurial acts are originate through EI(Karabulut,
2016). Moreover, since the early 1990s, more studies have been conducted exploring
employing EI as a research framework, demonstrating the significance of EI in a multi-
tude of settings (Liñán & Fayolle, 2015).

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Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 2 of 23

In early twentieth century, unemployment was recognized as a significant global

issue. Unemployment has raised concerns since the turn of the century, particularly
among young people (Wangmo, 2017). Here in Sri Lanka, the unemployment rate was
5.1% in 2021 (Central Bank Sri Lanka, 2021). The number of employed people slightly
climbed from 7.999 million in 2020 to 8.114 million in 2021, however it has not yet
reached the prior employment level (Central Bank Sri Lanka, 2021). Due to this rea-
son, people of Generation Z including graduates eventually shift their focus from
looking for employment to generating jobs on their own. Much is attributable nation’s
government’s inability be guarantee sufficient opportunities for future graduates qual-
ifying from higher educational institutions (Reuel Johnmark et al., 2016). Accelerating
the entrepreneurial process and advancing the theory and practice of entrepreneur-
ship requires an understanding of the elements influencing a person’s ambition to
become an entrepreneur (Anjum et al., 2022).
Developed nations have utilized entrepreneurship as a weapon to combat the eco-
nomic crisis (Yıldırım et al., 2019). Some have exploited entrepreneurial opportu-
nities. More notably, entrepreneurship, economic growth, and innovation are all
strongly positively correlated, as reported by the Global Entrepreneurship Develop-
ment Institute (GEDI). As it promotes long-term benefits like employment creation,
national revenue contribution, rural development, industrialization, technological
advancement, trade facilitation, etc., entrepreneurship serves as a keystone country’s
economic prosperity.
Therefore, to meet the needs of today’s society and to thrive in this fast-changing mod-
ern world young generation (Generation Z) must be geared to deal effectively in various
scenarios. “Pew research” describes Generation Z spanning 15 years from1997 to 2012.
According to previous reseaches, Generation Z is habituated to be on the lookout for
solutions on their own. The reason is that they were raised with exposure to mobile tech-
nology and the internet at a young age; hence, Generation Z is exposed to the empower-
ment of entrepreneurship, and they may immediately put those talents to use.
Personality is the collection of ingrained thought, behavior, and emotional patterns
that have developed due to biological and environmental influences. One of the most
significant areas of inquiry into people’s EIs is their personality features (Kerr et al.,
2018). Developing entrepreneurial concepts like entrepreneurial job choice depends
critically on personality (Zhao & Seibert, 2006). Karabulut, (2016) stated that personal-
ity attributes favorably impact the intention to start a business. As per the findings of
Ahmad and Gul, (2021) certain personality qualities encourage men and women to start
new businesses. According to Zisser et al., (2019) personality might be one of the pieces
of the EI. As such, it is worth investigating whether personality is a key part of EI.
Several years ago, particularly in the final third of the twentieth century, stud-
ies emerged on the connection between personality and entrepreneurship (Kerr et al.,
2018). For that reason, to better understand the relationship between personality traits
and EI, several scholars have started identifying and investigating the elements that
indicate EI (Awwad & Al-Aseer, 2021). The findings of multiple studies suggest that the
Big Five personality qualities are linked to business potential (López-Núñez et al., 2020;
Şahin et al., 2019; Zhao & Seibert, 2006). Apparently, much research has not been done
to determine how well the Big Five profile predicts EI (López-Núñez et al., 2020).
Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 3 of 23

Although personality factors that affect EI have been extensively examined in devel-
oped nations, these studies are scarce in underdeveloped nations. Therefore, the find-
ings from one study have a limited potential for generalizability that would enable cross
comparisons because personality traits and EI differ from nation to nation and person
to person. Also in research, less emphasis has been placed on emerging nations like Sri
Lanka on the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and entrepreneur-
ship, which has been primarily evident in industrialized nations (Ranwala & Dissanay-
ake, 2016). According to Vodă and Florea(2019) and Ranwala and Dissanayake (2016),
despite extensive studies on entrepreneurial propensity, discrepancies in the literature
make it a subject of great interest to pursue research. In order to eliminate the inconsist-
encies, this study’s goal was to positively contribute to the existing research.
This study aims to provide answers to the following research questions: (1) what are
the primary personality attributes that Sri Lanka’s Generation Z can use to influence
their EI? (2) Can the personality qualities identified affect an individual’s intention to
pursue entrepreneurship? Correspondingly, the current study examines how five per-
sonality factors affect EI of Generation Z in Sri Lanka.

Literature review
Entrepreneurial intention
The explicit behavioral intent to start a business is referred to as entrepreneurial intent
(Zhao & Seibert, 2006). The EI is a person’s desire to launch a business, according to
its definition (Krueger et al., 2000). Thus, Liñán and Rodríguez-Cohard, (2015) stated
that EI denotes a person’s capacity and inclination to engage in entrepreneurial behavior.
In other words, EI is “a self-acknowledged belief by an individual planning to establish
a new enterprise and firmly plan the future” (Thompson, 2009). In line with research
developments, the emphasis of many recent studies has switched from entrepreneur-
ship to EI (Maheshwari et al., 2022). The literature demonstrates that determining the
underlying motives for the entrepreneurial process requires a grasping the concept of
EI (Awwad & Al-Aseer, 2021; Ambad & Damit, 2016). According to some studies, the
intention is crucial for a successful firm establishment (Keat et al., 2011). Peng et al.,
(2012) stated that several scholars have explored the factors that affect the intention to
start a business, offering various theoretical models for this purpose.

Big Five personality traits

A characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, or acting that is typically constant over time
and in relevant contexts is referred to as a personality trait (Bornstein, 2018). Entrepre-
neurs are people with certain personality types who want to start a new business and use
innovation as a tool to expand and advance that firm (Kerr et al., 2018). When prepar-
ing for an unknown future, having a proactive personality is essential since it shows that
person to be able to sincerely seek possibilities and seize them regardless of the limita-
tions of the scenario (Neneh, 2019). According to Kumaranayake, (2017), trait theorists
contend that traits which are manifested as individual differences in behavior or distinc-
tive patterns of emotions or thoughts should be amenable to measurement. As literature
demonstrates, human personality is complicated. As such, a thorough “Big five model”
showed distinct personality features in five thorough categories (Goldberg, 1992). Also,
Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 4 of 23

he argued in favor of a comprehensive framework for the many personality qualities. To

confirm this, Goldberg employed the Big Five personality traits: agreeableness, extraver-
sion, conscientiousness, and neuroticism. Additionally, each Big Five represents a sizable
group of linked behavioral characteristics (Bornstein, 2018).

Extraversion
This personality trait concerns that extroverts are enthusiastic, dynamic, sociable,
interactive, and seek exciting opportunities (Barrick et al., 2003). Extroversion aids in
a person’s ability to use their intuition and project a charismatic image of themselves as
successful entrepreneurs (Ahmad & Gul, 2021).
The Big Five’s extroversion defines how forceful, domineering, ambitious, and desir-
ous of leadership people are. Additionally, it describes how engaged, communicative,
and enthusiastic individuals are (Costa & McCrae, 2013). Extraverted people are often
friendly and optimistic. Being so facilitates their creation of social networks (Espíritu-
Olmos & Sastre-Castillo, 2015).
While fewer extravert people prefer to spend more time alone and are characterized as
reserved, quiet, and independent, highly extroverted people tend to be upbeat, admire
people and large groups, and seek excitement and stimulation (Zhao & Seibert, 2006).
The study of Şahin et al., (2019) also offers ample evidence to support the assumption
that extraversion and entrepreneurial goals are positively correlated. Antoncic et al.,
(2015) claimed that extrovert personality among entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs
differs significantly.
Similarly, Zhao et al., (2010) discovered an optimistic relationship between extraver-
sion and career aspirations. In contrast, extraversion did not impact on EI, according to
the research of Murugesan and Jayavelu, (2017).

Openness to experience
A person’s intellectual curiosity, the propensity to seek out new experiences and research
fresh ideas are examples of their openness to experience, is sometimes referred to as
imagination (Zhao & Seibert, 2006). Since it is the fundamental tool to seek new oppor-
tunities and exploit new trends (Jeraj et al., 2015). This dimension describes individuals
who are be curious, novel, creative, and unpredictable (Ciavarella et al., 2004). Noticea-
bly, openness to experience is a critical psychological quality and an important predictor
of EI, given that people who are more creative, imaginative, philosophical, intellectual,
sophisticated, and deep-thinking tend to be more likely to become entrepreneurs (Ant-
oncic et al., 2015). A person open to new experiences tends to be creative, sensitive,
curious, well-educated, and autonomous (John & Srivastava, 1999). Further, Zhao and
Seibert (2006) discovered that openness and entrepreneurial intent are closely related. A
similar study by Antoncic et al., (2015), which included a sample of 248 student partici-
pants proved that the openness personality trait may be the most important of the five
characteristics that set real-world entrepreneurs apart from other people. The empirical
analysis also demonstrates that the quality of being open to new experiences contributes
to entrepreneurial development (Caliendo et al., 2014).
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Conscientiousness
Achievement orientation, trustworthiness and orderliness are included in the multi-
faceted personality characteristics of conscientiousness. Furthermore, it reveals how
organized, persistent, and motivated a person is to achieve their goals (Zhao & Seibert,
2006). They are characterized by being organized, reliable, hardworking, and persistent,
motivated, and focused, which have been linked to entrepreneurial behavior. Conscien-
tious individuals tend to strive for their goals and adhere to principles while fulfilling
their responsibilities and duties (Ariani, 2017). Similarly, Lumpkin et al., (2011) affirm
that conscientiousness has two aspects, including the urge for success and working hard.
Built on the solid understanding of duty that fosters their reliability at work, conscien-
tious individuals are diligent, ambitious, and driven (Gul & Khilji, 2021).
Proven as well as widely seen, a person with a conscientious personality is account-
able, disciplined, organized, and capable of achieving their goals. Conscientiousness is
the key personality quality for being an entrepreneur (Simmons, 2009). Wilfling et al.,
(2011) revealed that sincerity intensifies the risk of failure when a firm first launches,
even when the effect eases with time. Colbert, (2014) asserted that entrepreneurship
necessitates tenacity, diligence, and a well-defined plan of attack. Conscientious peo-
ple are dedicated, focused, and committed to learning and learning. Given that people
are attracted to careers that suit their personality traits, conscious people will pursue
entrepreneurship.

Agreeableness
Agreeableness refers to the ability to foster social consensus while upholding mutual
trust and understanding (Llewellyn & Wilson, 2003). A good-natured person is kind,
sympathetic, trustworthy, forgiving, obedient, and empathic, unlike to an unpleasant
person who is uncooperative, mistrust, egocentric, self-centered, and suspicious of oth-
ers’ motives. Being agreeable emphasizes the value of relationships based on trust and
collaboration. People that perform better on the agreeableness scale exhibit qualities
like civility, collaboration, consideration, and adaptability (Awwad & Al-Aseer, 2021).
Caliendo et al., (2014) in their findings denote a flexible and altruistic attitude that is
characterized by forgiveness. According to them, building external business networks
may need the aforementioned characteristics. This is because, people who score well
on agreeableness are seen as trustworthy, forgiving, and kind. In contrast, people who
score poorly are seen as cunning, self-centered, suspicious, and ruthless. Compassionate
people, especially some with ethical and sustainable ideals, will consider societal issues
to develop answers and promote teamwork to enhance social values (Koe et al., 2017).
According to Antoncic et al., (2015) proved cooperative, courteous, and compassionate
are much less start their own business The reason being they can better able to fit in with
the rules, procedures, structures, and status quo mentality. According to this theory,
agreeableness is probably connected to students’ EI negatively (Laouiti et al., 2022).

Neuroticism
Neuroticism refers to the degree to which a person is afraid, unstable, nervous, stressed,
depressed, and emotional (Ciavarella et al., 2004). Neuroticism examines how people
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deal with stress and highlights how different people react to different situations (Zhao
& Seibert, 2006). Individual variations in adjustment and emotional stability are repre-
sented by neuroticism ranging from calm, relaxed people to those with the propensity
toward worry. According to McCrae and Costa, (1997) high neurotic individuals fre-
quently experience mood swings, low in self, sadness, impulsivity, and self-conscious-
ness. Zhao and Seibert, (2006) and Espíritu-Olmos & Sastre-Castillo (2015) also affirm
these with similar findings. Negative feelings including anxiety, aggression, despair, self-
esteem, impulsivity, and vulnerability are frequently experienced by highly neurotic peo-
ple. On the one hand, individuals who are very neurotic frequently display mood swings,
impulsivity, unawareness, low self-esteem, and sadness. On the other hand, emotionally
stable, can remain calm under pressure and display great levels of comfort, confidence,
and self-worth (Colbert et al., 2014). Entrepreneurs are constantly challenged by the
variety and complexity of starting and running a new business. Therefore, people must
deal with the psychological and physical costs of difficulties, the potential for failure, or
a lack of self-confidence (Luc, 2022). Precisely, those who place a high value on emo-
tional stability are more likely to desire to take on the difficult responsibilities required
in entrepreneurship, particularly in social entrepreneurship (Koe et al., 2017). Van Ness
et al., (2020) highlighted that individuals with high levels of emotional stability are con-
fident and relaxed compared to those with low emotional stability who feel insecure and
fearful (Goldberg, 1992). Neurotic people are negatively impacted by their environment
(Judge & Bono, 2001) and struggle to build relationships with their social network. There
are many instances when neurotic persons are regarded as emotionally stable, confident,
peaceful, even-tempered, and easygoing Caliendo et al. (2014) or (Van Ness et al., 2020).
Therefore, a job as an entrepreneur would require higher degrees of self-confidence and
a larger faith in one’s capacity to influence environmental outcomes (Chen et al., 1998).
Antoncic, (2009) discovered that neuroticism has a detrimental effect on technological
advancement, hence a major setback to gaining ground on entrepreneurship.

EI and Big Five personality traits

Over the past three decades, the vast bulk of research on entrepreneurial start-up behav-
iors has concentrated only on predicting and explaining what separates people who
express an intention to start their own business from those who do not (Schlaegel &
Koenig, 2014). Concepts of entrepreneurship, like choosing an entrepreneurial job, are
largely developed through personality (Zhao & Seibert, 2006). One of a person’s person-
ality traits could be their consistent reaction to events outside of themselves. Further,
personality theorists contend that a person’s personality may be used to predict their
conduct (Awwad & Al-Aseer, 2021). However, Şahin et al., (2019) pinpoint that a more
rigorous methodology is required to evaluate the compatibility of personality’s charac-
teristics and the process of generating EI. Additionally, similar other studies have dem-
onstrated a favorable association between personality traits and EI (Karabulut, 2016).
The “Big Five Personality Model” is one of the many diverse personality models and
is excellent to obtain a comprehensive picture of a person’s personality (Rolland et al.,
2002). It contains five different personality dimensions that differ from one another
Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 7 of 23

(John & Srivastava, 1999). The five aspects are openness to experience conscientious-
ness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism (John & Srivastava, 1999). A study
by Antoncic et al., (2015) demonstrated a favorable correlation between openness, con-
scientiousness and extraversion. These scholars claimed that the big five personality
qualities might impact on how entrepreneurial behavior shows up in plans to launch a
business. The five characteristics of individual personality are highly positively corre-
lated with EI, according to López-Núñez et al., (2020), who used a sample of 377 real
entrepreneurs and university students.
Awwad and Al-Aseer, (2021) used a sample of 323 Jordanian university students to
research the impact of the big five personalities on EI. Here they found that conscien-
tiousness, openness and alertness were associated with EI. Zhao and Seibert, (2006),
too, found a positive relationship between openness and conscientiousness. A favora-
ble correlation was observed between openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and
entrepreneurial inclination in a study by Antoncic et al., (2015) utilizing a sample of 546
Slovenians. Paradoxically, agreeableness, neuroticism, and extraversion were negatively
related to EI.
Also, the independent sample T-Test by Ranwala and Dissanayake, (2016) shown that
entrepreneurial propensity differs between high and low categories of Extraversion,
Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, and Openness to Experience. They fur-
ther discovered a link between students’ personality attributes and entrepreneurial pro-
pensity. The following hypotheses have been proposed in light of the aforementioned
arguments:
H1: There is a significant impact of Openness to Experience on EI of generation Zin
Sri Lanka.
H2: There is a significant impact of Conscientiousness on EI of generation Z in Sri
Lanka.
H3: There is a significant impact of Extroversion on EI of generation Z in Sri Lanka.
H4: There is a significant impact of Agreeableness on EI of generation Z in Sri Lanka.
H5: There is a significant impact of Neuroticism on EI of generation Z in Sri Lanka
(Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 Conceptual framework

Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 8 of 23

Data and methods

This study adopts both qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection to suc-
cessfully achieve all research objectives and obtain various perspectives. The research
study was conducted under the approval of SLIIT Business School.
Qualitative research design was selected to gain a better understanding of the phe-
nomenon. This approach better suits this study, as it involves exploring the personality
traits on the EI of Generation Z of Sri Lanka. As the qualitative approach, structured
interviews were carried out among participants in a user friendly manner.
Prior to the interviews, researchers obtained verbal consent from respondents regard-
ing their willingness to participate.
Interviews were conducted via telephone and zoom video platform and each interview
lasted around 20 minutes. The saturation point for the interviews was eight. All obtained
qualitative data have been recorded with permission, transcribed verbatim to Sinhala
and translated into English to convey the meaning. Based on the established research
questions and study objectives, this was conducted to gain thorough knowledge.
This study used purposive sampling technique which continued until data saturation
point was met. Therefore, respondents have been selected from the population, the
upper level of Generation Z, those who have entrepreneurial backgrounds and likely to
have reasonable knowledge about this area. Based on thematic analysis, the collected
data were then analyzed with the use of the NVivo software.
Quantitative information gained by a survey through a questionnaire, using a Lik-
ert scale from 1 to 5, where 1 represents strongly disagree and 5, strongly agree. The
researchers created by using the collected primary data. The questionnaire was created
using Google forms and distributed through virtual platforms.
Researchers provided all participants with verbal clarifications about the study regard-
ing participation in the study. The researchers distributed consent forms and informa-
tion sheets to those who were willing to participate in the study. None of the respondents
received any compensation for participating in this study. Similar to this, none of the
study’s authors or participants disclosed any financial or other conflicts of interest.
The study used cluster sampling technique so that holistic sample was clustered based
on the age category of 18–21 and 22–25.
Also three hundred eighty four questionnaires were delivered as part of a survey to
collect data. The sample size was identified using the Morgan’s table based on the target
population of 564,314. The target population of the entire research is generation Z that
belongs to the age category of 10 years to 25 years in Colombo district.
This survey consisted of two components. Respondents were prompted to submit
some demographic information in Section A. The study’s primary questions designed
based on the results of objective 1, were presented in a questionnaire (as explained
above) in Section B. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM)
method was used to evaluate the questionnaire survey data to derive conclusions on the
study’s five hypotheses. This study used the Smart PLS version 4 software as its analytical
tool. The analysis was completed using two primary procedures in accordance with PLS-
SEM methodology. The structural model was validated after the measurement model.
Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 9 of 23

Results
Results of qualitative objective—explore the personality traits on the EI of Generation Z
among Sri Lanka men and women
The present study has employed purposive sampling for the qualitative approach. The
technique of "purposive sampling" was chosen to focus on particular characteristics of
a population that are important to the present research; it would also help provide the
most accurate answers to the research questions. Therefore, individuals who fit into the
Generation Z demographic, have entrepreneurial experience, and are knowledgeable
about this field have been chosen from the general community. For the interviews, par-
ticipants from Generation Z’s upper grades were chosen. To assess the gendered per-
sonality features of the participants, both men and women are equally chosen. Personal
characteristics of ten interviewees are shown in Table 1.
According to the interview findings, researchers have identified five key themes
addressing the gendered personality traits that can affect the EI of Generation Z in Sri
Lanka. These include Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agree-
ableness, and Neuroticism. The procedure of coding and developing themes was used in
this study’s thematic analysis. Summary of codes and themes are shown in Table 2.

Table 1 Personal characteristics of ten interviewees

Respondent Age Gender Region

Respondent 01 24 Male Kaduwela

Respondent 02 24 Male Homagama
Respondent 03 23 Male Homagama
Respondent 04 23 Female Athurugiriya
Respondent 05 21 Female Malabe
Respondent 06 25 Male Nugegoda
Respondent 07 20 Female Dehiwala
Respondent 08 25 Female Malabe
Source: Author’s compilation (2023)

Table 2 Summary of codes and themes

Themes Codes

Openness to Experience Creativity, Adventurous, Risk taking, Innovative and Exploring new things
Consciousness Organizing, Handling people, Disciplined, Responsible, Diligent, Effectiveness, Disor-
ganized, Laziness, Irresponsible and Politeness
Extroversion Sociable, Interactive, Positivity, Self Confidence, Enthusiastic, Assertiveness, Talkative-
ness, Leadership and Energetic,
Agreeableness Straightforward, Corporative, Kindness, Sympathetic, Humbleness, Acceptance, Trust-
worthy, Understanding, Kindness, Compassionate, Respecting others’ ideas, Flexibility,
Ignoring others’ ideas, Not hearing to others opinion, Selfish
Neuroticism Aggressiveness, Sensitiveness, Nervous, Emotional, Unawareness
Source: Author’s Creation (2023)
Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 10 of 23

Openness to experience
I believe that I’m curious to explore new things in life and thirsty to gain additional
knowledge (Participant 1).
Participant 1 commented that he is eager to learn more and has a strong desire to dis-
cover new things in life.
One of my most preferred personality traits is creativity in everything I do (I think I can
do so).In my school days, I have participated in many competitions like easy competitions,
drama competition, poem, and art competitions among others. And I have won the 1 st
place. Even I have written a story book at the age of 12.
And I like to do some experiments and like innovate new things and like to start my own
business one day which has a uniqueness (Participant 3).
Participant 3 considers himself as creative in whatever he does. He has participated
in several competitions during his school years, including simple competitions, theater
competitions, poetry competitions, and art competitions to name a few. He got the first
place. He believes he has got personality traits, and enjoys experimenting and inventing
new things. He also has an intention to start his own firm someday.
Most of the time, men are more open than women due to some personal issues. Men are
more adventurous than women. So there is a difference between both genders (Participant 4).
According to Participant 4, men are more daring has said that compared to women. As
such, there is a distinction between the two genders.

Conscientiousness
So, I prefer some personality traits like, handling people towards an achievement. And
organizing everything well (Participant 1).
The preferences of one are different from others. The participant 1 has highlighted that
he prefers to Managing individuals to reach a goal and properly organizing everything.
Of course, I have encountered when it comes to our country, there were and still have
certain presidents who haven’t had strong personality skills to rule the country. They are
very disorganized, and they haven’t proper plan to execute tasks. Ministers and other
officers around him control his actions as their preferences. But the president is not able to
manage those who influence him (Participant 3).
As per the Participant 3, she explains his opinion in terms of the political background
of the country. He mentioned that there have been and continue to be presidents that
lack the necessary personality traits to manage the country. They are disorderly and lack
a suitable plan for task execution. Ministers and other officers surrounding him direct
his actions based on their preferences. But the president is unable to control them.
Also, I am responsible for myself. Because I think if irresponsible about myself, I can’t do
anything well (Participant 5).
Participant 5 has revealed that He must be accountable to himself. Because he believes
that if he is irresponsible to himself, he will be unable to achieve anything well.
On the other hand, some students don’t contribute to the tasks and they are too lazy
(Participant 2).
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This statement refers the reverse idea of the consciousness. So, in accordance with the
statement of participant 2, some students are too lazy to contribute to the tasks and do
not accomplish these.

Extroversion
I prefer some personality traits like, participating to events without any phobia. (Partici-
pant 1).
Participant 1 stated that he likes some personality traits including participating social
event. So, research have concluded that he admires the sociability.
Some people are more like to stay with others while having fun with each other’s. I also
like to spend my time with others. Because we all are in a complicated society, so we all
need some sort of relaxation for us to rid that complexity. (Participant 4).
As reported by Participant 4, some people prefer to hang out with other people while
having fun together. He said that he enjoys it as well and since we all live in a complex
culture, we all require some form of relaxation to help us get away of the complexity.
Men have strong and extended network with society than women. (Participant 2).
When we inquire about the difference between personality traits of men and women,
participant 2 has commented that men have more connection with the society than
women.
I like personality attributes like, having confidence on the job whatever do, because these
are very useful for living easily with others. (Participant 5).
As mentioned by participant 5, the participant value personality traits like self-assur-
ance in one’s abilities because they help one get along with others.
I always see the positive side of everything and don’t like be negative. (Participant 1).
I like to take leadership just because when others follow me and listen to my orders, it
makes me satisfied. (Participant 6).
Participant 6 has revealed that he enjoys being in charge simply because it makes him
happy when others obey his commands.

Agreeableness
Actually, I would like to be straightforward, because this kind of people want to country
to go forward. Corporation also very useful for develop the country. Apart from personal-
ity attributes having confidence on the job whatever do, I like to give a kind heart about
others. Because, these kind of approaches are very useful for living unitedly with others
(Participant 3).
Participant 3 has stated that she actually prefers to be honest since these types of peo-
ple want the country to advance. Furthermore, highly helpful for the development of the
nation is business. She also appreciates character traits such as self-assurance in one’s
abilities and compassion for others because this helps one get along with others.
Usually I stick to my word and don’t prefer changing it. Also I never break the promises
what I have given. I try my best to accomplish it (Participant 1).
In accordance with the ideas of participant 1, he does not like to change anything he
has stated. Further, he never goes back on the promises he has made. He makes every
Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 12 of 23

effort to achieve that. It means he has the personality trait of trustworthiness which
comes under the theme of agreeableness.
As the answers for our question of bad experience faced in the life, when dealing with
friends and relations due to their personality traits, most participants stated that they
have faced some difficulties because of lack of agreeableness of people. These issues have
risen since some people dislike not consulting the ideas of others.
I’ve encountered a few out of which one thing I disliked the most was when some people
tell their opinions and suggestions immediately to leaders without even obtaining opin-
ions from group members. Then the leader goes along with the decision of that member.
These incidents show lack of respect to group members and a sign of autocratic behavior
(Participant 1).

Neuroticism
I have met some people who always try to find faults of others. There are also some
aggressive people in my workplace. I have to deal with them unfortunately. (Partici-
pant 1).
According to Participant 1, he has come across certain people who are constantly
looking for other people’s problems. He has also encountered some violent people at
work, which is terrible because he has to deal with them.
Also there were some rulers who hasn’t a proper awareness about the country, its
situation and what happens in the country. You know they took some serious incidents
lightly and said “I don’t know what happened I only knew it from Facebook”. People do
not hear to the words of poor people and don’t consider inconvenience of people and
rude to them. (Participant 3).
In accordance with the opinion of Participant 3, some of the rulers lacked a suf-
ficient awareness of the country and its affairs. As you know, they downplayed some
tragic events and said they had only heard about it on Facebook. People disregard the
opinions of the underprivileged and do not view them as bothersome or disrespectful.
Sometimes in my university life I had to do some assignments without the help of my
group members. When I explain about my inconvenience to them, some easily get dis-
appointed (Participant 2).
Participant 2 has indicated that she had to complete certain assignments while at
the university without the assistance of her group members. When she tells them how
I’m causing them trouble, some individuals upset easily.
Additionally, participants indicated that due of the personality trait of neuroticism,
they have encountered negative interpersonal experiences in their lives.
Indeed, Men tend to be more dominant. I mean they are likely to be aggressive and
emotionally stable, while women tend to be more sensitive and warm (Participant 2).
Participant 2 has revealed that males do tend to be more forceful and emotionally
stable than women. This is true, as women tend to be more warm and sensitive.

Results of quantitative objective—examine whether personality traits of men and women

can make a positive impact on EI
The present study has employed cluster sampling for the quantitative approach.
Therefore, the entire sample size was divided into two clusters based on the age
Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 13 of 23

category of 18–21 and 22–25. The data collected were analyzed using Structural
Equation Model of Smart PLS was conducted to ensure whether personality traits
of men and women can make a positive impact on EI. This study typically applied
descriptive, reliability, independent sample t-tests, and regression analysis.

Participants’ demographic and descriptive statistics

Table 3 represents the respondents’ demographic data. Most respondents (57%)
belong to the age group of 22 to 25. Since the researchers distributed the question-
naire, males and females equally 192, each with 192 engaged to collect the data via
questionnaire. The gender distribution of the generation Z is combined in the table
explained above. The questionnaire was equally distributed among males and females,
among the selected sample of 384 respondents representing generation Z. Regarding
the labor force, 226 of the total participants are employed while 158 are unemployed.
Considering the first indicator of big five personality traits which is openness to expe-
rience, on average the item code (OE4) has the score of (3.786). Interestingly, item code
(OE3) has the highest standard deviation of (0.965) which is significantly higher than
other item codes. The average value for item code (CON 3) in the following indicator,
conscientiousness, is (3.862), which is greater than the values of other variables. How-
ever, it is noteworthy that item code (CON 4) has the largest standard deviation of
(0.98). The third factor, extroversion, has a highest average score of (EX5) is (3.875) in
contrast to the average score of other indicators. When standard deviation is taken into
account, item code (EX1) has the highest score, which is (0.948). Moving on to the next
indicator, which is Agreeableness, item code (AGR1) has the highest mean score (3.974)
and the standard deviation (0.982) is higher in (AGR4) which is 0.932 opposed to other
item codes. The final indicator of Neuroticism shows the highest item code (NUE3) is
(3.737) but the item code (NUE1) has the highest standard deviation (1.000). Similarly,
regarding the dependent variable, EI, item code (EI) has the highest mean score (3.909),
while item code (EI1) has the largest standard deviation (0.895). The item code (AGR1)
has the greatest impact on personality traits when the average mean scores of each indi-
cator of the independent variables are taken into account. The item code (NEU2), which
is associated to neuroticism, has the least impact. The item code (NEU1) has the great-
est impact on standard deviation compared to other items, while the item code (0.813)
has the least impact. As such, it can be concluded that the standard deviation and mean
score both show the importance of the variable indicators (Table 4).

Table 3 Demographic profile

Age 18–21 162 42.2%

22–25 222 57.8%
Total 384 100%
Gender Male 192 50%
Female 192 50%
Total 384 100%
Labor force Employed 226 58.9%
Unemployed 158 41.1%
Total 384 100%
Source: Author’s compilation (2023)
Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 14 of 23

Table 4 Descriptive statistics of indicators’ items

Name Mean Median Scale min Scale max Standard
deviation

OE1 3.667 4 1 5 0.898

OE2 3.781 4 1 5 0.838
OE3 3.708 4 1 5 0.965
OE4 3.786 4 1 5 0.836
OE5 3.719 4 1 5 0.859
CON1 3.818 4 1 5 0.815
CON2 3.854 4 1 5 0.823
CON3 3.862 4 1 5 0.895
CON4 3.789 4 1 5 0.935
CON5 3.802 4 1 5 0.837
EX1 3.721 4 1 5 0.948
EX2 3.839 4 1 5 0.813
EX3 3.802 4 1 5 0.861
EX4 3.828 4 1 5 0.824
EX5 3.875 4 1 5 0.816
AGR1 3.974 4 1 5 0.835
AGR2 3.812 4 1 5 0.919
AGR3 3.885 4 1 5 0.914
AGR4 3.917 4 1 5 0.932
AGR5 3.883 4 1 5 0.901
NUE1 3.628 4 1 5 1
NUE2 3.607 4 1 5 0.989
NUE3 3.737 4 1 5 0.928
NUE4 3.711 4 1 5 0.953
NUE5 3.695 4 1 5 0.951
EI1 3.781 4 1 5 0.895
EI2 3.883 4 1 5 0.875
EI3 3.909 4 1 5 0.847
EI4 3.836 4 1 5 0.84
EI5 3.846 4 1 5 0.875
EI6 3.854 4 1 5 0.875
Source: Authors’ compilation based on Smart PLS output (2023)

Outer model assessment

Reliability test
The Cronbach’s alpha value is used to determine a survey’s reliability; if it is greater
than 0.7, the survey is considered reliable (Elshaer & Sobaih, 2023). Using the Smart
PLS technique, the researchers evaluated the reliability. For all the study’s dimensions,
the Cronbach’s alpha (a) value was: EI (a = 0.887), Openness to Experience (a = 0.841),
Consciousness (a = 0.827), Extraversion (a = 0.801), Agreeableness (a = 0.842), and Neu-
roticism (a = 0.859) exceeded the value of 0.7, demonstrating a high level of internal
dependability, as shown in Table 5.
Also, the Composite Reliability (CR) values for each of the scales used entrepreneurial
purpose (CR = 0.890); Openness to Experience (CR = 0.846), Consciousness (CR = 0.831),
Extraversion (CR = 0.811), Agreeableness (CR = 0.851), and Neuroticism (CR = 0.865)
and beyond the cutoff value (0.7) confirmed an appropriate level of internal reliability.
Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 15 of 23

Table 5 Reliability statistics of latent variables

Cronbach’s alpha

Agreeableness 0.842
Consciousness 0.827
EI 0.887
Extraversion 0.801
Neuroticism 0.859
Openness to Experience 0.841
Source: Authors’ compilation based on Smart PLS output (2023)

Table 6 AVE scores of latent variables

Average Variance
Extracted (AVE)

Agreeableness 0.612
Consciousness 0.592
EI 0.638
Extraversion 0.559
Neuroticism 0.64
Openness to Experience 0.611
Source: Authors’ compilation based on Smart PLS output (2023)

Convergent validity test

Using the SEM technique in Table 6, two fundamental tests of convergent validity and
discriminating validity were used to evaluate an instrument’s validity. The survey’s con-
vergent validity was examined and assessed using the Average Variance Extracted (AVE)
ratings. The smart PLS program generated scores of EI variable as 0.638, Openness to
Experience is 0.611, Consciousness as 0.592, Extroversion 0.559, Agreeableness as 0.612,
Neuroticism as 0.640. According to the Huang et al., (2013), the validity range is accept-
able only when AVE scores are larger than 0.5. Since the AVE score for all variables are
greater than to 0.5, it is visible that the convergence validity of result is ensured.

Discriminant validity test

In this study, the cross loadings, Fornell–Larcker criterion, and heterotrait–monotrait
ratio were used to test the discriminant validity. In the Fornell–Larcker criterion,
the square root of AVE values indicated in the diagonal should be higher than the

Table 7 Fornell–Larcker criterion

AGR​ CON EI EX NUE OE

AGR​ 0.782
CON 0.629 0.77
EI 0.482 0.558 0.799
EX 0.645 0.688 0.551 0.748
NUE 0.396 0.388 0.439 0.473 0.8
OE 0.599 0.708 0.521 0.65 0.408 0.782
Source: Authors’ compilation based on Smart PLS output (2023)
Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 16 of 23

Table 8 HTMT ratio of latent variables

AGR​ CON EI EX NUE OE

AGR​
CON 0.752
EI 0.547 0.646
EX 0.788 0.84 0.648
NUE 0.458 0.451 0.498 0.57
OE 0.715 0.847 0.595 0.788 0.47
Source: Authors’ compilation based on Smart PLS output (2023)

correlations among constructs to assure the model’s discriminant validity (off-diagonal).

In this study (see Table 7), the AVE values are well above the inter-correlations between
constructs. Therefore, it shows the strong discriminant validity of the model.
The researchers also used heterotrait–monotrait (HTMT) ratio for evaluate the dis-
criminant validity. The calculations summarized in Table 8 on personality traits and
entrepreneurial intent revealed that these were both lower than 0.9, indicating that the
data were discriminatory in nature. Since HTMT levels should be less than the reference
value (see Table 8), the results substantiated all variables. Next, utilizing the structural
outer model, the researchers proceeded on to analyze the study’s hypotheses.

Inner model assessment

Structural model results
The researchers examined the survey’s structural model using the bootstrapping method
to determine the significance of the link between the latent variables. Accordingly, the
association between the five above-mentioned variables on EI was determined with 500
sub-samples and a significance level of 0.05. The results are shown in Table 9 as the beta
value, t-statistic, and p-value.
If the beta value is larger than 0.20, the t-statistic is greater than 1.96, and the p-value
is less than 0.05, the importance of the associations can be assessed. The relationship
between openness to experience and EI is insignificant, and Agreeableness also has a
negative effect on EI because the beta value is 0.077, t statistics is 0.153 and the p value,
is 0.293, as shown in Table 9.
Moreover, it has been verified that the relationship between consciousness and EI is
significant and has a positive effect because the beta value is 0.232, t stat of 2.569 and
the p value is 0. 010. Further it confirms that Extroversion also has a negative impact on

Table 9 Path coefficients of the relationships

Original sample Sample mean Standard deviation T statistics (|O/ P values
(O) (M) (STDEV) STDEV|)

AGR—> EI 0.077 0.075 0.073 1.053 0.293

CON—> EI 0.232 0.232 0.09 2.569 0.01
EX—> EI 0.175 0.183 0.092 1.909 0.057
NUE—> EI 0.187 0.189 0.069 2.724 0.007
OE—> EI 0.121 0.117 0.076 1.58 0.115
Source: Authors’ compilation based on Smart PLS output (2023)
Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 17 of 23

Fig. 2 PLS results of the structural model. Source: Authors’ compilation based on Smart PLS output (2023)

EI as the beta value is 0.175, the t-statistic is 1.909 and the p-value is 0.057. The results
show a substantial association between neuroticism and entrepreneurial intent because
the beta value, t-statistic, and p-value are 0.187, 2.724 and 0.007, respectively. With a
p-value of 0.115, a t-statistic of 1.580, and a beta value of 0.121. It is undeniable that
Openness to Experience has no bearing on EI.
Taking into account above interpretations based one the survey results in Table 7, it
can be concluded that, among the above-mentioned five variables, only Neuroticism and
Consciousness (when considering each variable separately) have a significant relation-
ship between EI, whereas Agreeableness, Extroversion and Openness to experience have
an insignificant relationship between EI. The structural model of the analysis is depicted
in Fig. 2.

Discussion
The elimination of unemployment and economic resilience depend heavily on entrepre-
neurship. Given the complexity of entrepreneurial behavior, there is increased interest
in figuring out how different elements interact (Mathushan & Gamage, 2022). Acceler-
ating the entrepreneurial process and advancing the theory and practice of entrepre-
neurship requires an understanding of the elements that influence a person’s ambition
to become an entrepreneur (Anjum et al., 2022). When defining EI, several scholars
have emphasized personality traits (Awwad & Al-Aseer, 2021). Although many people
have the desire to launch their own business, doing so is occasionally put off or aban-
doned because of shifting tastes and characteristics or the appearance of new constraints
(Gelderen et al., 2015). Past literatures have interpreted that the “Big Five Personality
Model” is one of the many diverse types of personality models and is excellent for getting
Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 18 of 23

a comprehensive picture of a person’s personality (Rolland et al., 2002). This study used
the Big Five paradigm to examine how the personality traits affect Sri Lanka’s Genera-
tion Z.
The present study initially focused to explore the personality traits that can be affected
to the EI. After conducting the interviews researchers have identified five themes that
has been confirmed in the literature including openness to experience conscientious-
ness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Although these are based on sepa-
rate research traditions, the Big Five Model is often employed interchangeably when
analyzing personality traits. Moreover, the Big Five model, serves as a thorough frame-
work for understanding personality and is the most often used personality model
(Goldberg, 1993). In accordance with the past literatures, a person who is open to new
experiences tends to be creative, sensitive, curious, well-educated, and autonomous
(John & Srivastava, 1999). In this research under the theme of Openness to Experi-
ence, the researchers have identified codes which are the characteristics of people who
comprised with the personality trait of openness to experience including Creativity,
Adventurous, Risk taking, Innovative and Exploring new things. In terms of personal-
ity traits regarding the Conscientiousness, the findings has indicated eleven significant
codes including Organizing, Handling people, Disciplined, Responsible, Diligent, Effec-
tiveness, Disorganized, Laziness, Irresponsible and Politeness while existing articles has
been highlighted personality characteristics which comes under the conscientiousness
such as being organized, reliable, hardworking, and persistent, motivated, and focused,
which has been linked to entrepreneurial behavior (Zhao & Seibert, 2006). Extroversion
is a main personality trait of big five personality traits. The researchers found codes that
are characteristics of people who have the personality trait of extroversion under the
theme of extroversion. The codes that researchers have identified for the extroversion
are Sociable, Interactive, Positivity, Self Confidence, Enthusiastic, Assertiveness, Talka-
tiveness, Leadership and Energetic. As same as previous literature papers has stated
that extroverts are enthusiastic, dynamic, sociable, interactive, and seek opportunities
for excitement (Barrick et al., 2003). Moreover, researchers have found from the past
literature findings, that most participants have characteristics which come under the
theme of agreeableness. These include Straightforward, Corporative, Kindness, Sympa-
thetic, Humbleness, Acceptance, Trustworthy, Understanding, Kindness, Compassion-
ate, Respecting others’ ideas, Flexibility, Ignoring others’ ideas, Not hearing to others
opinion, Selfish and it can be confirmed by past literature papers that have been mani-
fested People that perform better on the agreeableness scale exhibit qualities like civility,
collaboration, consideration, and adaptability (Awwad & Al-Aseer, 2021). Regarding the
personality trait of neuroticism, most participants have indicated that they have faced
vary of issues in their lives because of the personality characteristics of people such as,
aggressiveness, sensitiveness, nervous, emotional and there are some reversed ideas
which comes under the neuroticism and past literature have also highlighted that indi-
viduals who are very neurotic frequently display mood swings, impulsivity, unawareness,
low self-esteem, and sadness (Tan et al., 2021).
After that researchers started the quantitative approach of the study that should be
examined the effect of personality traits on EI of Sri Lanka using Structural Equation
Model. The path coefficients for the model are displayed in Table 5. The PLS-SEM
Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 19 of 23

outcomes exhibited that the openness to experience personality trait has a negative
and insignificant impact on EI (β = 0.121, t-value = 1.580, p > 0.001), thus not support-
ing hypotheses H1. Research showed that entrepreneurial inclinations among business
graduates in Pakistan are highly correlated with openness to experience ( Zollo et al.,
2017) and Butz et al., (2018) manifested that a positive relationship exists between
openness and EI. Meta-analysis of Zhao and Seibert (2006) found a strong correlation
between entrepreneurial ambitions and openness to experience. As a result, it implies
that these people are more likely to start their own firms and lead unconventional lives.
Even though many studies have revealed that there is a positive relationship between the
said variables, this study has emphasized that the impact of openness to experience on
EI is an insignificant.
Hypothesis (H2) foreseen conscientiousness positively impacts EI was supported. The
path coefficients between conscientiousness and EI (β = 0.232, T = 2.569, p < 0.001), the
results of this study confirm those of other studies. Antoncic et al., (2015) and Zadel
(2006) have manifested that Consciousness high scorers are extremely ambitious, goal-
oriented, and persistent. One of the most reliable and powerful predictors of entrepre-
neurial inclinations is conscientiousness. Conscientiousness and entrepreneurship go
hand in hand because someone who is conscientious is more likely to succeed as an
entrepreneur than someone who is not (Baum & Locke, 2004). Therefore, it has been
further confirmed that there is a significant relationship between conscientiousness and
EI.
The results also confirmed that EI was negative and insignificantly impacted by extro-
version (β = 0.175, t-value = 1.909, p > 0.001), thus H3 cannot be accepted. The meta-
analysis by Rauch & Frese, (2007) does, however, show a strong and significant link
between the two dimensions. As such it can be observed that those with high extraver-
sion would have higher intent about new projects given the similarities between the
traits of extroverts and entrepreneurs. However, conflicting results regarding this fea-
ture do not fully support the relationship (Zhao & Seibert, 2006) and the meta-analysis
by Zhao and Seibert, (2006) found no significant relationship between extraversion and
entrepreneurial aspirations. Hypothesis (H4) predicted agreeableness does not positively
impact EI (β = 0.077, T = 1.053, p > 0.001) was not supported. It was similar to the find-
ings of Zhao and Seibert, (2006) which revealed no evidence of a connection between
the agreeableness dimension of the Big Five model and EI. In contrast, some previous
articles discovered that there is a significant relationship between agreeableness and EI
including (Murugesan & Jayavelu, 2017).
On the other, hand neuroticism has a significant positive influence on EI (β = 0.187,
t-value = 0.724, p < 0.001); hence, H5 is accepted. Results from certain studies on this
personality trait have been erratic. In their empirical study, Antoncic et al., (2015)
revealed no discernible difference in neuroticism between entrepreneurs and non-entre-
preneurs. Zhao et al., (2010) identified a positive association between emotional stability
and the intention to become an entrepreneur in their meta-analysis. This is in contrary
to Antoncic et al., (2015) who found no significant difference in neuroticism between
entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs.
Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 20 of 23

Conclusion
This study tested to examine effect of personality traits on EI using the mixed approach.
In the qualitative method, data were collected through structured interviews until data
saturation point was met and utilizing a structured questionnaire for collecting data
with a sample size of 384 members of generation Z for quantitative method. A struc-
tural equation modeling approach was used to validate the hypotheses. This study found
which personality traits need towards EI. According to findings, this study suggested
conscientiousness and neuroticism are entrepreneurial personality traits that encourage
to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors in generation Z. Contrarily, agreeableness, extra-
version, and openness have a negligible impact on EI.

Limitations of the study

The limitation of this study offers variety opportunities for future research. This study
was conducted to examine effect of personality traits on EI of generation Z in Sri Lanka
and the study only focused at a big five personality characteristics and how they related
to EI and there may be additional personality qualities relevant to entrepreneurship that
are not covered by this study. Also, since the study only targeted at generation Z, future
research could examine the impact of a number of generations instead of focusing on
one generation. Moreover, the geographical context was limited to the Colombo Dis-
trict, but it could be expanded in the future. Finally, other significant factors that may
affect EI are not taken into consideration in this research, which primarily focuses on the
role of personality traits on EI and those factors could be considered in future research.

Directions for future research studies

Unemployment has become a drastic problem in Sri Lanka. Therefore, as a solution for
that issue, the requirement of the entrepreneurship has been increased. The explicit
behavioral intent to start a business is referred to as EI. To examine EI of men and
women of the country, upcoming researchers can focus on the other regions to meas-
ure the effect for the holistic country as well as focusing the other generations including
millennials and generation X is worth for future researches. And also future researchers
can use other factors that affect to the EI such as educational and family background
instead of limiting to personality traits. Future researchers also can examine mediating
and moderating variables such as gender, age and cultural variables to better understand
the association between personality traits and EI.

Abbreviations
AVE Average variance extracted
EI Entrepreneurial intention
GEDI Global Entrepreneurship Development Institute

Acknowledgements
We would like to express our deepest and sincere gratitude to Ms. Gayendri Karunarathna for proof reading our research
article and providing necessary guidance for language editing. We particularly need to thank all participants of the
questionnaire surveys for devoting their valuable time to make this research successful.

Author contributions
All authors have made substantial contributions to this manuscript and participated sufficiently in all sections of the
manuscript. The author(s) read and approved the final manuscript.
Weligodapola et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:89 Page 21 of 23

Funding
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Availability of data and materials

Data and materials are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Declarations
Ethics approval and consent to participate
We have had the consent of the persons to collect the responses, complying with the ethical directives of SLIIT Business
School and obtained the approval from undergraduate research evaluation panel. Participants gave their informed
consent. Participants had the option to withdraw from the study at any time before their data were anonymized. No
incentives were provided for any of the participants to take part in this study.

Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests.

Received: 24 May 2023 Accepted: 13 November 2023

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