FROM MARKETING SKILLS TO ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL SELF-EFFICACY

Abstrak

Digital marketing competency is increasingly relevant to prospective entrepreneurs because digital channels reduce barriers to market access and enable customer interaction, promotion, and performance measurement. This study examines the effect of Digital Marketing Competency on Entrepreneurial Intention among university students, and investigates Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy as a mediating mechanism. Data were collected from 160 university students using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS. The results show that Digital Marketing Competency significantly influences both Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy and Entrepreneurial Intention, while Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy significantly influences Entrepreneurial Intention and partially mediates the effect of Digital Marketing Competency on Entrepreneurial Intention. These findings indicate that digital marketing competency functions as an entrepreneurial enabler that strengthens students' self-belief before translating into a stronger intention to start a business. Higher education institutions are encouraged to integrate digital marketing skill development into entrepreneurship education to enhance students' entrepreneurial self-efficacy and intention.