In an era defined by rapid digital transformation, the entrepreneurial spirit among university students is increasingly viewed as a key driver of economic growth and innovation. A groundbreaking study based on a robust sample of 381 students from universities and vocational colleges across China’s diverse geographic regions sheds new light on the nuanced cognitive and motivational mechanisms fueling entrepreneurial intentions in the digital economy. Utilizing advanced structural equation modeling (SEM), this research disentangles the complex interplay between digital capabilities, entrepreneurial alertness, passion, curiosity, and motivation, offering vital insights for educators, policymakers, and future entrepreneurs alike.
At the heart of this study is a clear positive correlation between digital capability and entrepreneurial intention. Digital skills, encompassing technical competencies and functional abilities, appear to substantially influence a student’s desire to launch new ventures. After carefully controlling for demographic variables such as gender, academic discipline, program year, and institutional type, digital capability exhibited a statistically significant standardized effect size of β = 0.238 with a p-value of 0.000. This finding underscores the notion that mastery of digital tools and platforms is not merely a supportive skill but a foundational element catalyzing entrepreneurial aspiration in today’s technology-driven markets.
Equally compelling is the role of entrepreneurial alertness, which refers to an individual’s cognitive ability to detect and assess emerging opportunities. The research reveals that entrepreneurial alertness strongly predicts entrepreneurial intention, with an effect size nearly as impactful as digital capability (β = 0.231, p = 0.000). In environments characterized by rapid technological change and shifting market dynamics, this alertness becomes crucial for spotting viable business ideas early and acting on them swiftly. The synergy between digital proficiency and heightened alertness forms an essential cognitive scaffold supporting the entrepreneurial mindset.
Interestingly, affective components such as entrepreneurial passion did not significantly influence entrepreneurial intention in this study (β = 0.072, p = 0.226), challenging common assumptions held in entrepreneurship literature. Whereas passion might inspire individuals emotionally, it appears insufficient alone to trigger tangible entrepreneurial action. Even more surprising, entrepreneurial curiosity, which reflects general exploratory traits and eagerness to discover, was negatively associated with entrepreneurial intention (β = -0.116, p = 0.016). This counterintuitive result suggests that curiosity without direction or strategic focus might distract potential entrepreneurs rather than propel them toward concrete ventures.
Delving deeper, the research highlights that the pathway from cognitive traits like digital capability and curiosity to entrepreneurial intention is substantially mediated by entrepreneurial alertness. In other words, the capacity to recognize and evaluate entrepreneurial opportunities transmits the effect of underlying cognitive traits into the actual intention to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors. Specifically, mediation analyses indicate significant indirect effects from digital capability and curiosity through alertness on intention (β = 0.117, p = 0.000 for digital capability; β = 0.032, p = 0.042 for curiosity), confirming alertness as a cognitive bridge. Conversely, passion failed to produce any meaningful indirect effect, reinforcing its limited role in this model.
The study further unpacks the moderating role of entrepreneurial motivation—defined as the psychological drive or willingness to engage in entrepreneurship. Researchers discovered that motivation amplifies the effects of digital capability and curiosity on entrepreneurial intention. Interaction terms associated with motivation showed significant positive moderating influence on the relationships between curiosity and intention (γ = 0.068, p = 0.042) and between digital capability and intention (γ = 0.110, p = 0.001). This finding implies that when students possess higher entrepreneurial motivation, their exploratory tendencies and digital competencies more readily translate into entrepreneurial ambitions. Still, motivation did not significantly moderate the effect of passion on intention (γ = 0.041, p = 0.174), highlighting a distinction between emotional and cognitive-motivational pathways in entrepreneurship.
One of the most valuable contributions of this research is its comprehensive model that integrates cognitive traits, motivational states, and entrepreneurial alertness within the context of the digital economy. Digital capability emerges not just as a skill set but as an enabler that, combined with cognitive vigilance, drives entrepreneurial intentions with tangible significance. The differential roles of entrepreneurial curiosity and passion also invite reconsiderations of widely held presumptions, emphasizing that mere emotional engagement or undirected curiosity are insufficient catalysts without the cognitive framework provided by alertness and the motivational intensity fueling deliberate action.
The implications for entrepreneurship education are profound. Curricula designed to enhance students’ digital literacy and sharpen their entrepreneurial alertness may substantially elevate their likelihood of initiating entrepreneurial activities. Beyond generic passion development, targeted interventions could focus on cultivating students’ ability to identify market gaps, evaluate opportunities rigorously, and develop strategic digital competence tailored to their contexts. Such cognitive and motivational enhancements potentially accelerate the translation of entrepreneurial intention into concrete business ventures.
Moreover, the researchers advocate broadening future explorations by including cross-national samples that capture diverse cultural, educational, and digital development settings. Comparative analyses across countries could illuminate how institutional environments moderate the formation of entrepreneurial intentions, possibly revealing universal or context-specific pathways. This cross-cultural perspective is vital in an increasingly interconnected global digital economy where entrepreneurial opportunities and challenges vary considerably.
Data collection methods should also evolve to encompass a richer array of measures beyond self-report scales. Incorporating objective outcomes—such as performance in business competitions, feedback from incubator programs, mentor ratings, and behavioral analytics from digital platforms—could enhance data robustness and provide multidimensional insights into entrepreneurial cognition and motivation. Application of integrative data techniques would foster better calibration of models predicting entrepreneurial behavior and intention.
Longitudinal studies and experimental designs are further recommended to capture the dynamics of entrepreneurial intention over time and under different pedagogical interventions. Tracking entrepreneurial intention’s evolution would reveal causal relationships and identify key inflection points where education or external stimuli can effectively foster entrepreneurial growth. Comparing traditional classroom-based learning with virtual simulations, interdisciplinary labs, or experiential workshops could expose which formats best nurture entrepreneurial alertness, motivation, and ultimately intention within digital economy contexts.
As the digital economy reshapes labor markets and innovation ecosystems, understanding the psychological and cognitive drivers of entrepreneurship becomes increasingly essential. This study’s novel insights position digital capability and entrepreneurial alertness as central cognitive pillars, moderated by motivation, for fostering entrepreneurial intention among university students. These findings challenge educators, policymakers, and innovation facilitators to rethink approaches aimed at cultivating the next generation of digital entrepreneurs capable of navigating and shaping complex, technology-driven landscapes.
In sum, this research paves the way forward by taking a rigorous, data-driven approach to dissect how functional skills, cognitive vigilance, and motivational states interact to form entrepreneurial intentions. It emphasizes the need to go beyond passion and curiosity, highlighting alertness as the cornerstone of effective opportunity recognition and intention formation. This holistic view offers a blueprint for entrepreneurship education and policy aimed at unlocking student potential in the ever-evolving digital economy.
With entrepreneurship being key to digital era economic resilience and innovation, understanding its cognitive and motivational underpinnings is more critical than ever. This study’s innovative SEM analysis of Chinese university students’ responses provides a valuable, scalable framework with which to explore and enhance these mechanisms worldwide. Its rigorous examination of mediation and moderation effects offers fresh clarity into the drivers of entrepreneurial intention that can inform research, education, and practice amid ongoing technological disruption.
As educational institutions and governments seek to foster entrepreneurship within increasingly digitized environments, these findings highlight the importance of integrating skill development with cognitive training and motivational support. Optimized, evidence-based entrepreneurship programs can then better prepare students to identify opportunities proactively, harness digital tools effectively, and commit with motivation toward launching entrepreneurial ventures that drive innovation and economic growth.
In conclusion, this study marks a significant step in the scientific understanding of entrepreneurial intention formation, particularly in the context of the burgeoning digital economy. It calls for expanded international research, enriched data sources, and longitudinal, intervention-focused studies to deepen insights into the evolving psychological and cognitive dynamics shaping future entrepreneurial leaders. The path forward demands an interdisciplinary and data-empowered approach to cultivating digital-era entrepreneurship fueled by alertness and motivated by purpose.
Article References:
Zhao, J., Zhao, L., Chong, K.M. et al. Entrepreneurial intention among university students in the digital economy: the mediating role of alertness and the moderating effect of motivation. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 1861 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-06136-5
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-06136-5
Image Credits: AI Generated
