Maziriri, Eugine Tafadzwa ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8047-4702, Mapuranga, Miston ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4402-5600, Mabuyana, Brian ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6773-4565, Nyagadza, Brighton ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7226-0635 and Mandipaka, Fortunate ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2972-411X (2026) From intention to actual use of metaverse-enabled entrepreneurship: The moderating role of technophobia and technophilia. Strategic Business Research, 2 (1). p. 100042.

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Abstract

Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and Behavioural Reasoning Theory (BRT), this study investigated how entrepreneurial intention translates into the actual utilisation of metaverse-enabled entrepreneurship (MEE), while examining the moderating roles of technophobia and technophilia. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from 321 university students in South Africa and analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that the intention to pursue metaverse-enabled entrepreneurship has a strong and positive impact on actual utilisation, confirming the relevance of intention-based theories in this emerging digital context. Technophilia, operationalised as enthusiasm, dependence, and reputation, significantly strengthens the intention-behaviour relationship, suggesting that positive psychological orientations towards technology increase the likelihood of entrepreneurial intentions. On the other hand, technophobia exerts a statistically insignificant negative moderating effect, indicating that fear of technology does not decisively inhibit the use of metaverse-enabled entrepreneurship among students. The study contributes theoretically by extending TPB through the integration of BRT, showing that psychological technology orientations serve as boundary conditions that explain why strong entrepreneurial intentions may not always lead to action. By modelling technophobia as a "reason against" and technophilia as a set of "reasons for" entrepreneurial behaviour, the research enhances our understanding of digital and metaverse-enabled entrepreneurship. The findings also provide practical insights for universities and policymakers seeking to nurture digital entrepreneurial ecosystems by reducing technological anxiety and promoting positive engagement with technology.

Item Type:	Article
Status:	Published
DOI:	10.1016/j.sbr.2025.100042
School/Department:	London Campus
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/13720

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