Assessing the Impact of Digital Literacy Programs on Entrepreneurial Intentions among Final-Year Business Education Students

Project Abstract

This study investigates how digital literacy programs influence entrepreneurial intentions among final-year students in business education, with a specific focus on identifying cognitive, affective, and behavioral mechanisms that translate digital competencies into startup motivation. Employing a convergent mixed-methods design, the research triangulates quantitative survey data from 420 final-year business education undergraduates across three universities and qualitative insights from 20 in-depth interviews with students, instructors, and program coordinators. The digital literacy framework encompasses information literacy, media literacy, coding and data analytics literacy, digital collaboration and communication skills, and digital safety and ethical use, assessing their relative contributions to entrepreneurial intention as measured by a validated entrepreneurial intentions scale and behavioral indicators such as participation in business plan competitions and startup incubator enrollments. Quantitative analyses utilize structural equation modeling to test a hypothesized model where digital literacy directly predicts entrepreneurial intention and indirectly influences it through perceived feasibility, perceived desirability, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy, controlling for prior entrepreneurial exposure, socio-economic background, and gender. Mediation and moderation analyses explore whether peer support, entrepreneurial education exposure, and access to digital startups ecosystems amplify or attenuate these relationships. Qualitative data are analyzed thematically to unpack the contextual factors shaping students’ interpretation of digital literacies, including classroom pedagogy, resource availability, and cultural attitudes towards entrepreneurship. The study also examines potential differential effects across subgroups by university type (public vs. private) and gender. Preliminary findings suggest that higher levels of digital literacy correlate with stronger entrepreneurial intentions, with coding and data analytics literacy exerting the most robust direct effect, while information and media literacy predominantly influence self-efficacy and perceived feasibility. Perceived desirability emerges as a key mediator, driven by exposure to success stories and practical, project-based digital entrepreneurship activities embedded in the curriculum. Qualitative insights reveal that real-world problem-solving with digital tools, mentorship from digital entrepreneurs, and access to university-led digital ecosystems significantly strengthen intent by converting digital prowess into actionable venture ideas and concrete business planning steps. Notably, the impact of digital literacy on intention is contingent upon the quality of institutional support, including availability of digital labs, software access, and structured entrepreneurship modules integrated with business education coursework. The study contributes to theory by integrating digital literacy with entrepreneurial intention models in higher education and to practice by informing curriculum designers, policymakers, and educators on how to structure digital literacy interventions that effectively foster entrepreneurial mindsets. Practical implications include recommendations for scalable, integrated digital literacy curricula, targeted supports for underrepresented groups, and strategies to build robust digital entrepreneurship ecosystems within business education settings. Limitations and avenues for future research address longitudinal stability of intentions and the translation from intention to venture creation.

Project Overview

What This Project Is About

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A straightforward study that explores whether digital literacy programs can influence final-year business education students’ interest in starting their own ventures or pursuing entrepreneurial careers. It looks at what digital skills are taught, how students perceive themselves as entrepreneurs, and how these skills might boost confidence and intention to act on entrepreneurial ideas.

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The Problem It Addresses

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Objectives of the Project

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1. Assess current levels of digital literacy among final-year business education students.
2. Examine students’ entrepreneurial intentions before and after exposure to digital literacy training.
3. Identify which digital skills are most linked to stronger entrepreneurial intent.
4. Provide recommendations for integrating effective digital literacy modules into the curriculum.

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What You Will Do Step by Step

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1. Review relevant literature on digital literacy and entrepreneurial intention.
2. Design or select a digital literacy program suitable for final-year students.
3. Administer a pre-test to measure baseline digital skills and entrepreneurial intent.
4. Deliver the digital literacy program to participants.
5. Administer a post-test to measure changes in skills and intentions.
6. Analyze data to identify relationships between digital literacy gains and entrepreneurial intention.
7. Discuss findings in light of existing theories and practical implications.
8. Propose curriculum enhancements and future research directions.

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Expected Outcome

The project should show whether digital literacy training correlates with higher entrepreneurial intentions, highlight which skills matter most, and offer actionable guidance for integrating such training into business education curricula.