디지털 창업 의도 형성 요인에 관한 실증 연구: 기업가적 자기효능감의 매개효과와 디지털 창업 교육의 조절효과

An Empirical Study on the Determinants of Digital Entrepreneurship Intention: The Mediating Role of Entrepreneurial Self‑Efficacy and the Moderating Effect of Digital Entrepreneurship Education

Purpose: This study investigates how five key antecedents—attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, personal innovativeness, and digital technology infrastructure—influence university students’ Digital Entrepreneurship Intention (DEI), based on an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), It further examines the mediating role of Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy (ESE) and the moderatiing effect of Digital Entrepreneurship Education (DEE) within this framework. Research design, data, and methodology: A total of 397 valid responses were collected from Chinese international students residing in Korea via Wenjuanxing during May and June 2025. Measuremen validity and reliability were verified, and the research model was tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4. Results: Subjective norms, digital technology infrastructure, and personal innovativeness have significant positive direct effects on DEI, while attitude and perceived behavioral control do not. All five antecedents positively influence ESE, which in turn exerts a strong impact on DEI. ESE fully mediating the effects of attitude and perceived behavioral control, and partially mediating the influence of the other three factors. DEE strengthens the relationshios between four of the antecedents (excluding attitude) and ESE, but does not significantly moderate the direct paths to DEI or the ESE-to-DEI linkage. Implications: This study extends the applicability of TPB to the digital entrepreneurship context. First, external social-environmental stimuli and innovation orientation exert greater influence on DEI than internal attitudes or perceived control. Second, self-efficacy acts as a pivota psychological mechanism that translates cognition into intention. Third, DEE is most effective when accompanied by post-program commercialization support that helps translate confidence into entrepreneurial behavior. These findings offer strategic insights for policymakers and university educators in emerging digital economies, suggesting the integration of social endorsement mechanisms, shared infrastructure, and follow-up incubation resources into entrepreneurship education curricula.