Emotional Intelligence and Entrepreneurial Intention: The Mediating Role of Life Satisfaction

Entrepreneurial intention, which is accepted as the first of many steps taken by an individual to create a new venture, is defined as the individual's belief in creating a new job and planning to do it consciously in the future. Emotional intelligence is thought to play an important role in predicting entrepreneurial processes. It is stated that if individuals trust their ability to regulate their own emotions and recognize the emotions of others, they can feel more competent to take on the frustrations and struggles associated with being an entrepreneur. The ability of an individual to perceive and understand the emotions of those around him/her ensures that the individual is sensitive to others. Studies show that individuals with high levels of emotional intelligence also have higher levels of entrepreneurial intention and exhibit a higher level of entrepreneurial attitude. Life satisfaction is explained as an important indicator of subjective well-being, which is the evaluative reaction of individuals towards their lives and is accepted as a measure of happiness. It is stated that higher emotional intelligence levels are especially associated with life satisfaction. People will be able to enjoy life only in an environment where they feel happy, healthy, successful and peaceful. As much as they can enjoy life, they will be able to find energy to set a new purpose, to embark on a new job. Otherwise, the person who worries, worries about the future and makes negative comments about the future will lose focus in planning the future. Therefore, it is thought that people who are self-aware, have self-awareness, can overcome difficulties, have internal motivation, can empathize, and who have emotional intelligence, have a purpose, have an internal motivation to achieve something, and have entrepreneurial intentions regardless of the circumstances. However, it is thought that life estimation plays a mediating role in the effect of emotional intelligence on entrepreneurial intention. In this study, it is aimed to examine the mediating role of life satisfaction in the effect of emotional intelligence on entrepreneurial intention. The research was carried out on 215 students selected by convenience sampling method in Gaziantep University Islahiye Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences. Explanatory factor analysis (EFA) and then confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and reliability analyzes, correlation and regression analyzes were performed on the data obtained as a result of the field research. As a result of the analysis, it has been determined that emotional intelligence has an effect on entrepreneurial intention and life satisfaction. However, it was determined that life satisfaction had no effect on entrepreneurial intention, so it was concluded that there was no mediation effect.