Self-Efficacy as an Intervening Variable in the Effect of Social Media on Entrepreneurial Intention: Evidence from Universitas Muara Bungo, Jambi

Abstrak

The advancement of digitalization has not only transformed the way students acquire information but also fostered a new orientation toward career choices, particularly by enhancing entrepreneurial intentions. This study aims to investigate the impact of social media on self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention among students, with self-efficacy serving as a mediating variable. A quantitative approach was employed by surveying 101 active students during the even semester of the 2024/2025 academic year, selected through proportionate stratified random sampling. Data were analyzed using Smart-PLS 4, and the results revealed that both social media and self-efficacy exert a positive and significant influence on entrepreneurial intention. Self-efficacy has been proven to fully mediate the relationship between social media and interest in entrepreneurship. These findings underscore the strategic role of higher education institutions, particularly Universitas Muara Bungo, in strengthening self-efficacy development programs, optimizing the use of social media as a learning tool, designing more relevant and effective entrepreneurship curricula, and establishing entrepreneurship laboratories and business incubator centers. Such initiatives are expected to enhance students’ entrepreneurial intentions, create future employment opportunities, and contribute to economic growth in Bungo Regency.