Financial literacy and entrepreneurial motivation: An empirical analysis of the mediating role of financial behaviour
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12928/jombi.v3i2.1864Abstract
Purpose-This study aims to analyze the role of financial literacy in increasing student entrepreneurial motivation by considering financial behavior as a mediating variable. By building on previous studies on the importance of financial capacity in entrepreneurial decision-making, this study fills the gap regarding how financial literacy and behavior interact in influencing entrepreneurial motivation in the context of students in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Methodology-This study used purposive sampling with 163 student respondents in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The questionnaire was distributed online and filled out independently by the students. The data was then processed using SmartPLS 4.0, with validity and reliability tests, as well as hypothesis testing to assess the relationship between variables based on the respondents' answers.
Findings-The results show that all hypotheses were accepted. Financial literacy has a positive and significant effect on financial behavior and entrepreneurial motivation. Financial behavior also has a positive and significant effect on entrepreneurial motivation. In addition, financial behavior was found to significantly mediate the relationship between financial literacy and entrepreneurial motivation, confirming the theoretical framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior.
Research Limitations-This study is limited to students in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and uses purposive sampling with self-reported data. The research model only covers financial literacy, financial behavior, and entrepreneurial motivation, without considering other variables such as self-efficacy, social support, or other factors that may influence entrepreneurial motivation.
Novelty-This study makes a theoretical contribution by integrating financial literacy and financial behavior into a TPB-based entrepreneurial motivation model. Practically, this study confirms that financial education not only increases knowledge but also shapes financial behavior, which is the foundation of entrepreneurial motivation. These findings open up opportunities for further research testing other contextual factors such as family support, self-efficacy, and early business experience.
References
Abu, J. K. (2024). Empowering Vulnerable Populations and Fostering Entrepreneurship through Financial Literacy: A Case Study of Economic Benefits in the US. Asian Journal of Economics, Business and Accounting, 24(12), 218-231. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajeba/2024/v24i121604
Abubakar, H. A. (2015). Entrepreneurship development and financial literacy in Africa. World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 11(4), 281-294. https://doi.org/10.1108/WJEMSD-04-2015-0020
Adinugroho, H. Y. (2023). The Impact of Financial Management Knowledge on Entrepreneurial Intentions Among Digital Business. Arthatama: Journal of Business Management and Accounting, 7(2), 63-70. https://journal.lifescifi.com/index.php/art/article/view/513
Agarwal, S., Amromin, G., Ben-David, I., Chomsisengphet, S., & Evanoff, D. D. (2015). Financial literacy and financial planning: Evidence from India. Journal of Housing Economics, 27, 4-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhe.2015.02.003
Ahmad, N. L., Mohamad Fazil, N. F., & Yusof, R. (2025). The Relationship between Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship Spirit with Mediating Effect of Personal Financial Management. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 33(2). https://doi.org/10.47836/pjssh.33.2.17
Ahmad, N. L., Yusof, R., Ahmad, A. S., & Ismail, R. (2019). The importance of financial literacy towards entrepreneurship intention among university students. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9(9), 18-39. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v9-i9/6266
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Allgood, S., & Walstad, W. B. (2016). The effects of perceived and actual financial literacy on financial behaviors. Economic inquiry, 54(1), 675-697. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecin.12255
Alshebami, A. S., & Al Marri, S. H. (2022). The impact of financial literacy on entrepreneurial intention: The mediating role of saving behavior. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 911605. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.911605
Andarsari, P. R., & Ningtyas, M. N. (2019). The role of financial literacy on financial behavior. Journal of accounting and business education, 4(1), 24-33. http://dx.doi.org/10.26675/jabe.v4i1.8524
Anshika, & Singla, A. (2022). Financial literacy of entrepreneurs: a systematic review. Managerial Finance, 48(9-10), 1352-1371. https://doi.org/10.1108/MF-06-2021-0260
Bilal, M. A., Khan, H. H., Irfan, M., Ul Haq, S. M., Ali, M., Kakar, A., ... & Rauf, A. (2021). Influence of financial literacy and educational skills on entrepreneurial intent: empirical evidence from young entrepreneurs of Pakistan. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 8(1), 697-710. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2021.vol8.no1.697
Burchi, A., Włodarczyk, B., Szturo, M., & Martelli, D. (2021). The effects of financial literacy on sustainable entrepreneurship. Sustainability, 13(9), 5070. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095070
Carsrud, A., Brännback, M., Elfving, J., & Brandt, K. (2017). Motivations: The entrepreneurial mind and behavior. In Revisiting the entrepreneurial mind: Inside the black box: An expanded edition (pp. 185-209). Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45544-0_13
Çera, G., Ajaz Khan, K., Mlouk, A., & Brabenec, T. (2021). Improving financial capability: the mediating role of financial behaviour. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, 34(1), 1265-1282. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2020.1820362
Csorba, L. (2020). The determining factors of financial culture, financial literacy and financial behavior. Public Finance Quarterly= Pénzügyi Szemle, 65(1), 67-83. https://doi.org/10.35551/PFQ_2020_1_6
Dewi, V., Febrian, E., Effendi, N., & Anwar, M. (2020). Financial literacy among the millennial generation: Relationships between knowledge, skills, attitude, and behavior. Australasian Accounting, Business and Finance Journal, 14(4). https://doi.org/10.14453/aabfj.v14i4.3
Dinç Aydemir, S., & Aren, S. (2017). Do the effects of individual factors on financial risk-taking behavior diversify with financial literacy?. Kybernetes, 46(10), 1706-1734. https://doi.org/10.1108/K-10-2016-0281
Duarte, P., Silva, S., Feitosa, W. R., & Sebastião, R. (2022). Are business students more financially literate? Evidence of differences in financial literacy amongst Portuguese college students. Young Consumers, 23(1), 144-161. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-12-2020-1264
Dwiastanti, A. (2015). Financial Literacy as the Foundation for Individual Financial Behavior. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(33), 99-105. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1083664
Ergün, K. (2018). Financial literacy among university students: A study in eight European countries. International journal of consumer studies, 42(1), 2-15. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12408
Furrebøe, E. F., & Nyhus, E. K. (2022). Financial self‐efficacy, financial literacy, and gender: A review. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 56(2), 743-765. https://doi.org/10.1111/joca.12436
Ghozali, I. (2021). Partial least squares: Konsep, teknik, dan aplikasi menggunakan program SmartPLS 3.2.9 untuk penelitian empiris (Edisi ke-3). Badan Penerbit Universitas Diponegoro.
Hair Jr, J. F., Howard, M. C., & Nitzl, C. (2020). Assessing measurement model quality in PLS-SEM using confirmatory composite analysis. Journal of business research, 109, 101-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.11.069
Hamzat, L., Abiodun, D., & Joseph, A. (2023). Empowering entrepreneurial growth through data-driven financial literacy, market research, and personalized education tool. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 19, 1692-1711. https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2023.19.2.1568
Hashmi, F., Aftab, H., Martins, J. M., Nuno Mata, M., Qureshi, H. A., Abreu, A., & Mata, P. N. (2021). The role of self-esteem, optimism, deliberative thinking and self-control in shaping the financial behavior and financial well-being of young adults. Plos one, 16(9), e0256649. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256649
Hussain, J., Salia, S., & Karim, A. (2018). Is knowledge that powerful? Financial literacy and access to finance: An analysis of enterprises in the UK. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 25(6), 985-1003. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-01-2018-0021
Jabeen, F., Faisal, M. N., & I. Katsioloudes, M. (2017). Entrepreneurial mindset and the role of universities as strategic drivers of entrepreneurship: Evidence from the United Arab Emirates. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 24(1), 136-157. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-07-2016-0117
Kewangan, L. (2021). Entrepreneurship motivation among accounting students: The role of financial literacy and financial behaviour. Journal Pengurusan, 63, 141-152. https://doi.org/10.17576/pengurusan-2021-63-11
Lent, R. W. (2018). Future of work in the digital world: Preparing for instability and opportunity. The Career Development Quarterly, 66(3), 205-219. https://doi.org/10.1002/cdq.12143
Llados-Masllorens, J., & Ruiz-Dotras, E. (2022). Are women's entrepreneurial intentions and motivations influenced by financial skills?. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 14(1), 69-94. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJGE-01-2021-0017
Lusardi, A. (2019). Financial literacy and the need for financial education: evidence and implications. Swiss journal of economics and statistics, 155(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41937-019-0027-5
Lusardi, A., & Mitchell, O. S. (2014). The economic importance of financial literacy: Theory and evidence. American Economic Journal: Journal of Economic Literature, 52(1), 5-44. https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.52.1.5
Maheshwari, H., Samantaray, A. K., Panigrahi, R. R., & Jena, L. K. (2025). Financial literacy in predicting investment decisions: do attitude and overconfidence influence?. International Journal of Social Economics, 52(2), 220-235. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSE-05-2023-0370
Marinov, K. M. (2023). Financial literacy: Determinants and impact on financial behaviour. Economic Alternatives, 1, 89-114. https://doi.org/10.37075/EA.2023.1.05
Megananda, T. B., & Faturohman, T. (2022). Improving financial well-being in Indonesia: the mediating role of financial behavior. Review of Integrative Business and Economics Research, 11, 201-219.
Muñoz-Céspedes, E., Ibar-Alonso, R., & Cuerdo-Mir, M. (2024). Individual entrepreneurial behavior and financial literacy. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 20(3), 2263-2285. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-023-00936-4
Murnieks, C. Y., Klotz, A. C., & Shepherd, D. A. (2020). Entrepreneurial motivation: A review of the literature and an agenda for future research. Journal of organizational behavior, 41(2), 115-143. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2374
Nasir, M. (2019). Navigating economic challenges: Opportunities and challenges for emerging entrepreneurs. Journal of Policy Options, 2(3), 126-139. http://resdojournals.com/index.php/jpo/article/view/50
Nurisaputri, A. D., Fikri, M. A., Windikasari, E. S., & Wardana, M. G. W. (2024). Financial management behavior: The role of financial knowledge, financial attitude, and personality. Kompartemen: Jurnal Ilmiah Akuntansi, 22(2), 342-352. https://doi.org/10.30595/kompartemen.v22i2.21988
Obi-Anike, H. O., Daniel, O. C., Onodugo, I. J., Attamah, I. J., & Imhanrenialena, B. O. (2023). The role of financial information literacy in strategic decision-making effectiveness and sustainable performance among agribusiness entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Sustainability, 15(13), 10416. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310416
Obschonka, M., Hakkarainen, K., Lonka, K., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2017). Entrepreneurship as a twenty-first century skill: entrepreneurial alertness and intention in the transition to adulthood. Small business economics, 48(3), 487-501. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-016-9798-6
Pandey, A., & Gupta, R. (2018). Entrepreneur’s performance and financial literacy–A critical review. International Journal of Management Studies, 5(3), 1-14. http://dx.doi.org/10.18843/ijms/v5iS3/01
Peng, C. S., & Ismail, S. (2025, March). Assessment of Investment Intention Based on Financial Literacy, Personality Traits, Behavioral Biases, Investor Traits and Financial Self-Efficacy. In 12th International Conference on Business, Accounting, Finance and Economics (BAFE 2024) (pp. 294-308). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-666-6_18
Rapina, R., Meythi, M., Rahmatika, D. N., & Mardiana, M. (2023). The impact of financial literacy and financial behavior in entrepreneurial motivation–evidence from Indonesia. Cogent Education, 10(2), 2282827. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2282827
Razen, M., Huber, J., Hueber, L., Kirchler, M., & Stefan, M. (2021). Financial literacy, economic preferences, and adolescents’ field behavior. Finance Research Letters, 40, 101728. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.frl.2020.101728
Sajuyigbe, A. S., Adegun, E. A., Adeyemi, F., Johnson, A. A., Oladapo, J. T., & Jooda, D. t. (2024). The Interplay of Financial Literacy on the Financial Behavior and Well-being of Young Adults: Evidence from Nigeria. Jurnal Ilmu Ekonomi Terapan, 9(1), 120- 136. https://doi.org/10.20473/jiet.v9i1.56411
Saoula, O., Abid, M. F., Ahmad, M. J., & Shamim, A. (2025). What drives entrepreneurial intentions? Interplay between entrepreneurial education, financial support, role models and attitude towards entrepreneurship. Asia Pacific Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 19(2), 128-148. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJIE-10-2023-0189
Senaya, G. M. (2025). Mitigating financial risks for entrepreneurs in emerging markets through financial literacy. World Journal Of Advanced Research and Reviews, 25(1), 602-620. https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2025.25.1.0059
Shahriar, M. S., Hassan, M. S., Islam, M. A., Sobhani, F. A., & Islam, M. T. (2024). Entrepreneurial intention among university students of a developing economy: the mediating role of access to finance and entrepreneurship program. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1), 2322021. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2322021
Shih, H. M., Chen, B. H., Chen, M. H., Wang, C. H., & Wang, L. F. (2022). A study of the financial behavior based on the theory of planned behavior. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 14(2), 1. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijms.v14n2p1
Sinnewe, E., & Nicholson, G. (2023). Healthy financial habits in young adults: An exploratory study of the relationship between subjective financial literacy, engagement with finances, and financial decision‐making. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 57(1), 564-592. https://doi.org/10.1111/joca.12512
Stolper, O. A., & Walter, A. (2017). Financial literacy, financial advice, and financial behavior. Journal of business economics, 87(5), 581-643. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11573-017-0853-9
Sugiyanto, T., Radianto, W. E., Efrata, T. C., & Dewi, L. (2019, October). Financial literacy, financial attitude, and financial behavior of young pioneering business entrepreneurs. In 2019 International Conference on Organizational Innovation (ICOI 2019) (pp. 353-358). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/icoi-19.2019.60
Tran, Q. N., Phung, T. M., Nguyen, N. H., & Nguyen, T. H. (2024). Financial knowledge matters entrepreneurial decisions: A survey in the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 15(1), 2274-2297. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-023-01137-8
Wong, A., Holmes, S., & Schaper, M. T. (2018). How do small business owners actually make their financial decisions? Understanding SME financial behaviour using a case-based approach. Small Enterprise Research, 25(1), 36-51. https://doi.org/10.1080/13215906.2018.1428909
Wongso, S. H., Gana, F., & Kerihi, A. S. (2020). The effect of enterpreneurship motivation, enterpreneurship competency, and financial literation on msmes in kupang city. International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research, 9(2), 5236-5241.
Xiao, J. J., & Porto, N. (2017). Financial education and financial satisfaction: Financial literacy, behavior, and capability as mediators. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 35(5), 805-817. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBM-01-2016-0009
Xu, S., & Jiang, K. (2024). Knowledge creates value: the role of financial literacy in entrepreneurial behavior. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03201-3
Yeo, K. H. K., Lim, W. M., & Yii, K. J. (2024). Financial planning behaviour: a systematic literature review and new theory development. Journal of Financial Services Marketing, 29(3), 979-1001. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41264-023-00249-1
Zaki, A., Hapsari, N. R., Soewardi, T. J., Chantika, S. R., & Bidari, S. A. (2024, July). Actors And Factors In Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: A Case Study On Creative Economy-Based Traditional Markets In Yogyakarta. In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Advanced Research in Social and Economic Science (ICARSE 2023) (Vol. 842, p. 61). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-247-7_7
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Management and Business Insight

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).



