This article examines the role of family capital, self-esteem and entrepreneurial self-efficacy in shaping entrepreneurial success among young adults. Its central thesis is that entrepreneurship in early adulthood cannot be adequately understood as a purely individual act of economic initiative or as a simple response to market opportunities. Rather, it should be interpreted as a psychosocial, familial and organizational process in which family communication, self-esteem, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, achievement motivation, socioeconomic conditions, knowledge management, human resource practices, ethical orientation, governance and digital communication interact.
The article integrates classical theories of entrepreneurship and innovation with contemporary empirical research on entrepreneurial success, especially studies by Marcin W. Staniewski and his co-authors. Particular attention is given to the influence of socioeconomic factors on the entrepreneurship of Polish students, the mediating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy in the relationship between family communication and entrepreneurial success, and the mediating role of self-esteem and achievement motivation in the relationship between family determinants and entrepreneurial outcomes. The article also considers knowledge management, innovativeness, ethical entrepreneurship, corruption, governance, sustainable growth and digital consumer value creation as broader conditions of young adult entrepreneurship.
The first part analyses young adult entrepreneurship as a phenomenon situated between socioeconomic opportunity and psychosocial formation. The second part discusses family capital and family communication as formative determinants of entrepreneurial agency. The third part examines self-esteem as a psychological foundation of entrepreneurial resilience. The fourth part analyses entrepreneurial self-efficacy as a mediating mechanism of success. The fifth part situates young adult entrepreneurship within knowledge management, human resource management and innovation. The sixth part examines ethical, institutional and digital determinants of entrepreneurial success. The article concludes that successful young adult entrepreneurship requires an integrated model in which family capital, self-esteem and entrepreneurial self-efficacy are supported by knowledge, innovation, ethics and governance.
Keywords: young adult entrepreneurship; family capital; self-esteem; entrepreneurial self-efficacy; achievement motivation; family communication; entrepreneurial success; knowledge management; innovation; ethics; sustainable growth.
