Social Media Networks and Entrepreneurial Psychological Capital of Automobile Mechanics Graduate Entrepreneurs

Abstract

The study was carried out to determine social media networks and entrepreneurial psychological capital of motor vehicle mechanics in south eastern Nigeria. The area of the study is South East Nigeria. The choice of the study area was informed by the presence of technical colleges which has enhanced the training of automobile graduates entrepreneurs. The sample consists of 270 motor vehicle mechanics entrepreneurs purposefully selected from the population based on their qualification as graduates’ entrepreneurs. A structured questionnaire titled Social Networks, Psychological Entrepreneurial Capitals and Performance Questionnaire (SNPECPQ) adapted from Gao et al. (2020) entrepreneurial self-efficacy scale, entrepreneurial optimism scale developed by (Scheier et al., 1994), scale of entrepreneurial hope developed by Gao et al. (2020), scale of entrepreneurial resilience developed by Laguía et al., (2019) and enterprise performance scale developed by Liu et al., (2018) were utilized to collect data for the study. The instrument is made up of 103 items adapted from the reviewed literatures and used to elicit responses from the auto graduates entrepreneurs. Copies of the questionnaires were distributed by the researcher with the help of four research assistants to the respondents and 249 questionnaires were returned. The data collected were analyzed using bivariate correlation, regression analysis and Hayes Process mediation analysis with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Data for answering research questions was analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using regression and Hayes Process mediation analysis. The study reveals moderate and very strong relationship among the dimensions of entrepreneurial psychological capitals and social media networks. It was recommended among others that auto mechanics graduate entrepreneurs should be encouraged to incorporate social media networks in their business enterprises for enhanced visibility and also greater efforts should be placed in enhancing the attractiveness of entrepreneurship within the educational system through functional vocational career guidance for would-be auto mechanics graduate.