Modeling of Entrepreneurial Intention among Public University Students in Malaysia using Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM)

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing entrepreneurial intentions among undergraduate accounting students in public universities, specifically emphasizing the role of higher education. Grounded in the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (DTPB), the research explores the psychological dimensions of entrepreneurial intention, aiming to uncover the key constructs shaping entrepreneurial behavior. A survey of 520 final-year accounting students was conducted using a structured questionnaire comprising eight items that assessed attitudes toward entrepreneurship, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. The study examined the impact of these constructs on students’ intentions to pursue entrepreneurship. The analysis employed the PLS-SEM technique, supplemented by the bootstrapping method, to test the research models and validate the relationships between the constructs. Both the measurement (outer) model and the structural (inner) model of the latent constructs were thoroughly evaluated. The findings strongly supported all seven hypotheses, demonstrating significant relationships between the variables under investigation. These results provide critical insights for stakeholders and policymakers, emphasizing the importance of fostering entrepreneurial attitudes, supportive social norms, and perceptions of behavioral control to nurture entrepreneurial aspirations among students. The study’s outcomes offer valuable contributions to the development of a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem that can drive national economic growth. By elucidating the psychological and behavioral mechanisms underpinning entrepreneurship, this research enhances our understanding of the factors that motivate entrepreneurial behavior, offering a foundation for targeted interventions and strategies to cultivate entrepreneurial talent in higher education institution