This study investigates how awareness of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) influences entrepreneurial intention among Vietnamese tourism students through cognitive and self-efficacy mechanisms. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory and Institutional Theory, the research proposes that RCEP Awareness (Formula: see text affects Entrepreneurial Intention (Y1) both directly and indirectly through Opportunity Cognition (M1) and Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy (M2), while RCEP Cognitive Level (D1) moderates these relationships. A total of 658 valid responses were collected from tourism students across Vietnam and analyzed using SPSS version 26 and Smart PLS 4.0. Results show that RCEP awareness has a significant positive impact on entrepreneurial intention (Formula: see text, Formula: see text). Both Opportunity Cognition and Self-Efficacy serve as significant mediators, forming a sequential chain between policy awareness and entrepreneurial motivation. Furthermore, the moderating effect of RCEP Cognitive Level strengthens the association between RCEP awareness and opportunity cognition. The model explains 58% of the variance in entrepreneurial intention. These findings highlight the importance of linking macro-level trade policies with micro-level entrepreneurial cognition. The study provides both theoretical insights into the “From Macro-Rules to Micro-Minds” framework and practical implications for entrepreneurship education and policy communication within emerging economies.
Tanam Nguyen (Tue,) studied this question.