20.500.12556/RUL-176708 The role of personality traits and entrepreneurial self-efficacy in SME sustainability This study examines the role of personality traits in shaping sustainable business practices among entrepreneurs, focusing on the mediating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, we conceptualize entrepreneurial self-efficacy as a cognitive belief mechanism that strengthens entrepreneurs' confidence in their ability to implement sustainable strategies. Using data from Slovenian SME owners, the results show that conscientiousness and openness to experience are positively associated with the adoption of sustainability strategies. Entrepreneurs who exhibit these traits are more likely to adopt environmentally and socially responsible business practices. Furthermore, entrepreneurial self-efficacy plays a crucial mediating role by strengthening the link between extraversion, openness, and sustainable business practices and underpinning the role of cognitive beliefs in entrepreneurs' sustainable business practices. The study contributes to the growing body of research on sustainability in entrepreneurship by clarifying how personality determinants relate to sustainability efforts in SMEs through the lens of Social Cognitive Theory. These findings offer practical implications for policymakers, educators, and support institutions and emphasize the importance of fostering entrepreneurial self-efficacy and the personality traits that drive sustainable behaviors in business to promote sustainable entrepreneurship. Big Five entrepreneurial self-efficacy personality SME sustainable business practices majhna in srednja podjetja uspešnost poslovanja družbena odgovornost trajnostni razvoj true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Članek v reviji 2025-12-09 15:25:24 2025-12-09 15:25:29 2025-12-23 04:16:28 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2025 0 0 Str. 5689-5703 iss. 4 Vol. 32 Jul. 2025 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 658 1535-3958 10.1002/csr.3261 238194691 Corp_Soc_Responsibility_Env_-_2025_-_Malenkovic_-_The_Role_of_Personality_Traits_and_Entrepreneurial_Self‐Efficacy_in_SME.pdf Corp_Soc_Responsibility_Env_-_2025_-_Malenkovic_-_The_Role_of_Personality_Traits_and_Entrepreneurial_Self‐Efficacy_in_SME.pdf 1 342ED0790E9CA5164F35207A80828215 ad3ea9250cda001e65b7ff9d1d2965a6af90d4b073e8af137ebc3bda2add9ef0 c285bd07-d50a-11f0-9328-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=223227 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/csr.3261 0 a9a28bcc-d50a-11f0-9328-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=223226 Ekonomska fakulteta 0 0 0