Entrepreneurial intention among Malaysian student entrepreneurs: The role of education, skills and personal knowledge management

Abstract

Entrepreneurial intention (EI) is critical for understanding individuals’ willingness to engage in venture creation, yet the joint impact of practical competencies and knowledge processing remains insufficiently explored in higher education context.  This study examines the relationships between entrepreneurship education (EE), entrepreneurial skills (ES), personal knowledge management (PKM), and EI among student entrepreneurs in Malaysian higher education institutions. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected via online self-administered questionnaire (N = 182). Pearson product-moment correlation analysis revealed that EE (r = .532, p < .001), ES (r = .671, p < .001), and PKM (r = .698, p < .001) were all positively and significantly correlated with EI, with PKM exhibiting the strongest relationship.  The findings demonstrate that EI depends not only on formal educational exposure, but also on practical skill sets and the capacity to seek, interpret, organize, and share knowledge. This study contributes to entrepreneurship literature by establishing PKM as an important knowledge-based driver of EI.  Practical implications highlight the need for higher education institutions to integrate experiential learning, competency development, and structured knowledge-management practices into their entrepreneurial curricula.