Abstract: This research examines the impact of motivation and networking on students’ entrepreneurial intentions in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Based on relevant theoretical frameworks such as the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Social Capital theory, this research aims to contribute to a better understanding of the factors that promote entrepreneurial intentions. This study used a quantitative research design; the data were collected using a simple random sampling from 120 students in the Enculturation of Entrepreneurship course at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI). The results show that motivation has a positive and significant effect on entrepreneurial intention (β = 0.62, p < 0.001), meaning motivated students tend to be more engaged in an entrepreneurial career path. Networking was positively related to entrepreneurial intention (β = 0.28, p < 0.01), which indicates the importance of social networks, exposure to entrepreneurship, and access to a range of support systems in aspirations towards entrepreneurship. In addition, networking positively moderated the relationship between motivation and entrepreneurial intention (β = 0.19; p < 0.01), suggesting that students with wider and more supportive networks increase the strength of the effect between motivation and entrepreneurial intention. In general, this indicates that the interaction between individual motivation and social capital is influencing the entrepreneurial intention.

Keywords: Entrepreneurial intention, motivation, networking, Muslim youth, SMEs, Maqasid al-Shari'ah, resilience, sustainable development

Pages: 684-692