ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTIONS AMONG FINAL YEAR HOSPITALITY STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA (UiTM)

Entrepreneurship has emerged as a key mechanism for economic growth, innovation, and employment generation, particularly in developing economies such as Malaysia. Despite significant investments in entrepreneurship education across higher education institutions, findings regarding the determinants of entrepreneurial intention among undergraduate students remain mixed and context-dependent across different studies. This study aims to examine the determinants of entrepreneurial intention among undergraduate students at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), with a particular emphasis on the mediating role of psychological capital (PsyCap). Drawing upon the Entrepreneurial Event Model (EEM) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study investigates the influence of perceived desirability, perceived feasibility, propensity to act, and subjective norms on entrepreneurial intention. A quantitative research design was employed using a structured questionnaire administered to undergraduate students. Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that psychological capital significantly influences entrepreneurial intention and partially mediates the relationship between key antecedents and entrepreneurial intention. The study contributes to the literature by integrating psychological capital into established entrepreneurial intention models within the Malaysian higher education context. The findings provide important implications for educators, policymakers, and curriculum designers in enhancing entrepreneurship education.