ISSN: 2226-3624
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Entrepreneurial intention is a critical predictor of actual entrepreneurial behavior, serving as a foundation for fostering entrepreneurship among underrepresented groups. Despite its significance, there is a lack of studies examining the entrepreneurial intentions of B40 (low-income) women in Malaysia, leaving a gap in understanding the factors influencing their aspirations. This study integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Entrepreneurial Event Model (EEM) to examine entrepreneurial intentions among B40 women in Sabah, Malaysia. A quantitative approach was adopted, employing purposive sampling to select 134 respondents. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) with SmartPLS 4.0 software. The findings revealed that all hypotheses were supported: attitude toward entrepreneurship, family support, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy positively and significantly influenced both perceived desirability and perceived feasibility. Moreover, perceived desirability and perceived feasibility were found to be significant predictors of entrepreneurial intention. This study addresses the paucity of research on underrepresented groups, specifically low-income women, and proposes future directions for researchers and practitioners to enhance understanding and support for this demographic.
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