The Effect of Vigor and Affective Commitment on the Performance of Women Student Entrepreneurs: the Moderating Role of the Social and University Environment

This study aims to analyze the performance of university women in active entrepreneurship from the perspective of cognitive variables, such as vigor and affective commitment, and contextual variables, such as the social and university environments. The study follows a multilevel analysis with a three-way interaction model. The data analysis covers 6779 university students from 39 countries, included in the GUESSS Survey, 2018. The evidence indicates a positive influence of the interaction between vigor and affective commitment on the performance of companies created by female university entrepreneurs. It shows the dependence of this interaction on the social and university environment, mainly on the social environment. This empirical study focuses on university students with active startups and determines the main influences on their business performance. This study has important theoretical implications that enrich the understanding of the relationships between the studied variables and contribute to existing knowledge. It mainly highlights the relevance of vigor and affective commitment for business success. Furthermore, it suggests the need for a more elaborate theory on interactions in the business context.