How Green Creativity Acts as a Mediator between the Intention of Female Entrepreneurship and Career Sustainability: A Research Conducted within the Context of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Pakistan

Jan, Shahina Qurban; Junfeng, Jiang; Iqbal, Muhammad Babar; Ansari, Bilawal

doi:10.2478/zireb-2025-0018

Abstract

This research investigates how entrepreneurial intention affects career sustainability. It also examines green creativity’s intervening role. The data was gathered from 150 women business owners from active small and medium enterprises, operating in Pakistan’s three major cities. Via a closed-ended questionnaire. The data was analyzed using structural equation modeling with partial least squares. Resultantly, entrepreneurial intention is directly associated with career sustainability and green creativity. Additionally, green creativity meaningfully mediates for entrepreneurial intention-green creativity relationship. The study’s findings provide individual female managers to introduce green innovation in businesses and further study delivers insightful knowledge that the Ministry of Commerce and company owners can utilize to encourage entrepreneurship in Pakistan. The study is limited to a single nation, and limited cities further exploration is highly to flourish the field of female entrepreneurship.

References

Ajzen, I. (1985). From intentions to actions: A theory of planned behavior. In Action control: From cognition to behavior (pp. 11-39): Springer.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ali, J., Shabir, S., & Shaikh, A. (2021). Exploring antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions among females in an emerging economy. International Journal of Social Economics, 48(7), 1044-1059.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Babar Iqbal, M., Li, J., Nie, Y., Raza, A., & Qurban Jan, S. (2023). Assessing the Influential Act of Compensation and Leadership on Stressful Jobs: also Devising Leadership and Compensation as Mediators. Zagreb International Review of Economics & Business, 26(2), 137-162.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bagozzi, R. P., Yi, Y., & Phillips, L. W. (1991). Assessing construct validity in organizational research. Administrative science quarterly, 421-458.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator–mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of personality and social psychology, 51(6), 1173.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Betáková, J., Havierniková, K., Okręglicka, M., Mynarzova, M., & Magda, R. (2020). The role of universities in supporting entrepreneurial intentions of students toward sustainable entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 8(1), 573.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Biswas, A. (2023). Deciphering Predictors of Tourists’ Value and Intention amid COVID-19: The Interplay of Scarcity, Enjoyment, Visual Presentations, and Pandemic Threat. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 1-20.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bodnar, T. V., Rieznikova, V. V., & Kravets, I. M. (2019). Concepts and Signs of Risk in Entrepreneur-ship. Journal of Advanced Research in Law and Economics, 10(2 (40)), 468-476.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Chen, C. C., Greene, P. G., & Crick, A. (1998). Does entrepreneurial self-efficacy distinguish entrepreneurs from managers? Journal of business venturing, 13(4), 295-316.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Chen, Y.-S., Chang, T.-W., Lin, C.-Y., Lai, P.-Y., & Wang, K.-H. (2016). The influence of proactive green innovation and reactive green innovation on green product development performance: The mediation role of green creativity. Sustainability, 8(10), 966.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Chin, T., Jawahar, I., & Li, G. (2022). Development and validation of a career sustainability scale. Journal of Career Development, 49(4), 769-787.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Chin, T., Li, G., Jiao, H., Addo, F., & Jawahar, I. (2019). Career sustainability during manufacturing innovation: a review, a conceptual framework and future research agenda. Career Development International, 24(6), 509-528.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Chin, W. W. (1998). The partial least squares approach to structural equation modeling. Modern methods for business research, 295(2), 295-336.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Content, J., Bosma, N., Jordaan, J., & Sanders, M. (2020). Entrepreneurial ecosystems, entrepreneurial activity and economic growth: new evidence from European regions. Regional Studies, 54(8), 1007-1019.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Duarte, P. A. O., & Raposo, M. L. B. (2010). A PLS model to study brand preference: An application to the mobile phone market. In Handbook of partial least squares (pp. 449-485): Springer.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Fayolle, A., & Gailly, B. (2015). The impact of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial attitudes and intention: Hysteresis and persistence. Journal of small business management, 53(1), 75-93.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of marketing research, 18(1), 39-50.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Gibb, R., Browning, E., Glover/Kapfer, P., & Jones, K. E. (2019). Emerging opportunities and challenges for passive acoustics in ecological assessment and monitoring. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 10(2), 169-185.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hair, J., Joe F, Sarstedt, M., Matthews, L. M., & Ringle, C. M. (2016). Identifying and treating unobserved heterogeneity with FIMIX-PLS: part I–method. European business review, 28(1), 63-76.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Canonical correlation: A supplement to multivariate data analysis. Multivariate Data Analysis: A Global Perspective, 7th ed.; Pearson Prentice Hall Publishing: Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hair, J. F., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2011). PLS-SEM: Indeed a silver bullet. Journal of Marketing theory and Practice, 19(2), 139-152.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European business review.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hair Jr, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2016). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) Sage Publications. Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hassan, N., & Raziq, A. (2019). Effects of knowledge management practices on innovation in SMEs. Management Science Letters, 9(7), 997-1008.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sinkovics, R. R. (2009). The use of partial least squares path modeling in international marketing. In New challenges to international marketing: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hockerts, K. (2017). Determinants of social entrepreneurial intentions. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 41(1), 105-130.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Iqbal, M. B., Li, J., Yang, S., & Sindhu, P. (2022). Value-driven career attitude and job performance: An intermediary role of organizational citizenship behavior. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 1038832.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Jan, S. Q., Junfeng, J., & Iqbal, M. B. (2023). Examining the factors linking the intention of female entrepreneurial mindset: A study in Pakistan’s small and medium-sized enterprises. Heliyon, 9(11).
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Jan, S. Q., Junfeng, J., Iqbal, M. B., Raza, A., Baig, M., & Majeed, K. A. (2025). The role of sustainable digital innovation in achieving sustainability in female-owned businesses of Gilgit-Baltistan: do entrepreneurial attitude, perceived behavior and subjective norms matter. Discover Sustainability, 6(1), 1-19.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Jan, S. Q., Junfeng, J., Iqbal, M. B., Raza, A., Naz, M., & Bhatt, T. K. (2025). The impact of entrepreneurial ecosystems and sustainable digital innovation on business performance: a study of Gilgit-Baltistan Pakistan. Frontiers in Sustainability, 6, 1485680.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Jiang, H., Wang, S., Wang, L., & Li, G. (2020). Golden apples or green apples? The effect of entrepreneurial creativity on green entrepreneurship: A dual pathway model. Sustainability, 12(15), 6285.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Joshi, G., & Dhar, R. L. (2020). Green training in enhancing green creativity via green dynamic capabilities in the Indian handicraft sector: The moderating effect of resource commitment. Journal of cleaner production, 267, 121948.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Kautonen, T., Hatak, I., Kibler, E., & Wainwright, T. (2015). Emergence of entrepreneurial behaviour: The role of age-based self-image. Journal of Economic Psychology, 50, 41-51.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Kiani, A., Liu, J., Ghani, U., & Popelnukha, A. (2020). Impact of future time perspective on entrepreneurial career intention for individual sustainable career development: The roles of learning orientation and entrepreneurial passion. Sustainability, 12(9), 3864.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Krueger, N. F., & Carsrud, A. L. (1993). Entrepreneurial intentions: Applying the theory of planned behaviour. Entrepreneurship & regional development, 5(4), 315-330.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Li, J., Huang, S.-z., Chau, K. Y., & Yu, L. (2021). The influence of undergraduate entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intention: evidence from universities in china’s pearl river delta. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 732659.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Liñán, F., & Chen, Y.-W. (2006). Testing the entrepreneurial intention model on a two-country sample.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Liñán, F., Moriano, J. A., & Jaén, I. (2016). Individualism and entrepreneurship: Does the pattern depend on the social context? International Small Business Journal, 34(6), 760-776.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Meoli, A., Fini, R., Sobrero, M., & Wiklund, J. (2020). How entrepreneurial intentions influence entrepreneurial career choices: The moderating influence of social context. Journal of business venturing, 35(3), 105982.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Nitzl, C., Roldan, J. L., & Cepeda, G. (2016). Mediation analysis in partial least squares path modeling: Helping researchers discuss more sophisticated models. Industrial management & data systems.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ogbeibu, S., Emelifeonwu, J., Senadjki, A., Gaskin, J., & Kaivo-oja, J. (2020). Technological turbulence and greening of team creativity, product innovation, and human resource management: Implications for sustainability. Journal of cleaner production, 244, 118703.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Peiró, J. M., Svicher, A., & Di Fabio, A. (2023). Innovative behaviors and eudaimonic well-being: The contribution of human capital sustainability leadership to sustainable career, decent work, decent lives, and healthy lives. Australian Journal of Career Development, 32(3), 215-224.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Phong, N. D., Thao, N. T. P., & Nguyen, N. P. (2020). Entrepreneurial intent of business students: Empirical evidence from a transitional economy. Cogent Business & Management, 7(1), 1747962.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Rauch, E., Dallasega, P., & Unterhofer, M. (2019). Requirements and barriers for introducing smart manufacturing in small and medium-sized enterprises. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 47(3), 87-94.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ringle, C. M., Wende, S., & Becker, J.-M. (2015). SmartPLS 3. SmartPLS GmbH. Bönningstedt, Germany.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Sarstedt, M., Ringle, C. M., Smith, D., Reams, R., & Hair Jr, J. F. (2014). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM): A useful tool for family business researchers. Journal of family business strategy, 5(1), 105-115.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Schaltegger, S., Lüdeke-Freund, F., & Hansen, E. G. (2016). Business models for sustainability: A co-evolutionary analysis of sustainable entrepreneurship, innovation, and transformation. Organization & environment, 29(3), 264-289.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Shapero, A., & Sokol, L. (1982). The social dimensions of entrepreneurship. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership Historical Research Reference in Entrepreneurship.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Sharma, C., & Ojha, C. (2020). Statistical parameters of hydrometeorological variables: standard deviation, SNR, skewness and kurtosis. Paper presented at the Advances in water resources engineering and management: select proceedings of TRACE 2018.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Sharma, M., Luthra, S., Joshi, S., & Kumar, A. (2022). Developing a framework for enhancing survivability of sustainable supply chains during and post-COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Logistics Research and Applications, 25(4-5), 433-453.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Sharma, S., & Rautela, S. (2022). Entrepreneurial resilience and self-efficacy during global crisis: study of small businesses in a developing economy. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 14(6), 1369-1386.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Stratton, S. J. (2021). Population research: convenience sampling strategies. Prehospital and disaster Medicine, 36(4), 373-374.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Su, Y., Zhu, Z., Chen, J., Jin, Y., Wang, T., Lin, C.-L., & Xu, D. (2021). Factors influencing entrepreneurial intention of university students in China: integrating the perceived university support and theory of planned behavior. Sustainability, 13(8), 4519.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Tabachnick, B. G., Fidell, L. S., & Ullman, J. B. (2007). Using multivariate statistics (Vol. 5): pearson Boston, MA.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Urban, B., & Kujinga, L. (2017). The institutional environment and social entrepreneurship intentions. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 23(4), 638-655.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Vuorio, A. M., Puumalainen, K., & Fellnhofer, K. (2018). Drivers of entrepreneurial intentions in sustainable entrepreneurship. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 24(2), 359-381.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Wang, C., Mundorf, N., & Salzarulo-McGuigan, A. (2022). Entrepreneurship education enhances entrepreneurial creativity: The mediating role of entrepreneurial inspiration. The International Journal of Management Education, 20(2), 100570.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ward, A., Hernández-Sánchez, B. R., & Sánchez-García, J. C. (2019). Entrepreneurial potential and gender effects: the role of personality traits in university students’ entrepreneurial intentions. Frontiers in psychology, 10, 2700.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Wu, L., Jiang, S., Wang, X., Yu, L., Wang, Y., & Pan, H. (2022). Entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions of college students: The mediating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and the moderating role of entrepreneurial competition experience. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 727826.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Yang, G., & Liu, B. (2021). Research on the impact of managers’ green environmental awareness and strategic intelligence on corporate green product innovation strategic performance. Annals of Operations Research.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Yasir, N., Babar, M., Mehmood, H. S., Xie, R., & Guo, G. (2023). The Environmental Values Play a Role in the Development of Green Entrepreneurship to Achieve Sustainable Entrepreneurial Intention. Sustainability, 15(8), 6451.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Yasir, N., Mahmood, N., Mehmood, H. S., Babar, M., Irfan, M., & Liren, A. (2021). Impact of environmental, social values and the consideration of future consequences for the development of a sustainable entrepreneurial intention. Sustainability, 13(5), 2648.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Yousaf, N., & Butt, M. F. K. (2020). Barriers And Contribution Of Small Scale Female Entrepreneurs: A Study Of Small Scale Salons In Faisalabad.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Zahrani, A. A. (2022). Team Creativity and Green Human Resource Management Practices’ Mediating Roles in Organizational Sustainability. Sustainability, 14(19), 12827.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Zhang, Y., Sun, J., Yang, Z., & Wang, Y. (2020). Critical success factors of green innovation: Technology, organization and environment readiness. Journal of cleaner production, 264, 121701.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article

How Green Creativity Acts as a Mediator between the Intention of Female Entrepreneurship and Career Sustainability: A Research Conducted within the Context of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Pakistan

Abstract

Paradigm

My account