Does family really matter for Generation Z student’s digital entrepreneurial intention? Evidence from Vietnam

Abstract

This study examines the role of family in the digital entrepreneurial intentions  of Generation Z (Gen Z) in developing countries. Drawing on survey data from 377 Gen Z students in Vietnam, this study clarifies how family background and family support influence young people’s digital entrepreneurial intention. The results show that family background significantly impacts perceived behavioral control (β = 0.294), while family support positively influences entrepreneurial attitude (β = 0.360) and subjective norms (β = 0.373). The model explains 41.7% of the variance in digital entrepreneurial intention, with family support and family background serving as key upstream antecedents. Notably, the path from subjective norms to intention was not statistically significant and is not supported. This research fills a gap regarding family’s role in digital entrepreneurship in developing countries and extends the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) by integrating family-related variables as key antecedents of Gen Z students’ digital entrepreneurial intention.