How “Benjamin Button” & Subjectif age … fighting Time? Effect of rejuvenating trend on entrepreneurial intention among elderly

This paper explores one of the potential reasons for why seniors intend to create businesses despite their advanced age. To investigate this phenomenon, we focus on the concept of subjective age which has been mainly studied in gerontology, psychology and marketing. Indeed, seniors’ intrinsic defence mechanisms conform to two trends: the rejuvenating trend and the aging process. Relying on the theory of planned behaviour (Ajzen 1991), we demonstrate through a quantitative methodology the direct influence of the rejuvenating trend on entrepreneurial intention among seniors. Moreover, we emphasize that subjective norms play a mediating role in the relationship between rejuvenating trend and entrepreneurial intention. We then discuss these results and suggest some managerial implications.