An Integrated Structural Model of Big Five Personality Traits, Critical and Creative Thinking, and Entrepreneurial Intention in Vietnam: A Mathematical Framework

Abstract

While prior research has separately examined creative and critical thinking as mediators between personality traits and entrepreneurial intention, few have tested an integrated model where both operate simultaneously. Addressing this gap, we propose a structural model for Vietnamese university students in the Southeast region. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior and Social Cognitive Theory, the Big Five traits (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism) influence entrepreneurial intention through two parallel cognitive pathways creative thinking and critical thinking with both direct and indirect effects. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with matrix equations (B and Γ), all path coefficients are estimated simultaneously. Methodologically, a mixed‑methods design includes a quantitative survey of students in Ho Chi Minh City and nearby provinces. Expected contributions fill a theoretical void in Vietnam's entrepreneurship literature and offer practical guidance: entrepreneurship programs should deliberately foster both creativity and analytical reasoning, not just business planning skills.