Entrepreneurial intention among university students in the digital economy: the mediating role of alertness and the moderating effect of motivation

Jing Zhao, Lin Zhao (), Kim Mee Chong, Mehrunishah Begum Bt YPS Bathusha Hamid and Muhamad Zulkiflee Osman
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Jing Zhao: Anhui Technical College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
Lin Zhao: Shandong Jiaotong University
Kim Mee Chong: Taylor’s University
Mehrunishah Begum Bt YPS Bathusha Hamid: International Medical University
Muhamad Zulkiflee Osman: SEGi University

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 2025, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Amid the deepening integration of the digital economy into youth employment systems, the psychological mechanisms shaping university students’ entrepreneurial intentions remain insufficiently explored. This research seeks to elucidate the mediating and moderating functions of entrepreneurial alertness and motivation within the relationships linking entrepreneurial passion, curiosity, digital competence, and entrepreneurial intention, thereby extending the theoretical framework of digital entrepreneurial behavior. Based on 381 valid survey responses collected from universities and vocational colleges spanning five major regions in China, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied for empirical validation. Findings reveal that digital competence exerts a significant positive effect on entrepreneurial intention (β = 0.238, p

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1057/s41599-025-06136-5

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