Education and Enterprise Empowerment: The Mediating Role of Digital Skills among Indonesian Micro- Small Entrepreneurs

Afif Zaerofi; Aminah Nuriyah; Shofi Arofatul Marits; Abdullah Haidar

doi:10.32332/ijie.v8i01.13279

Authors

Afif Zaerofi Universitas Islam Tazkia, Bogor, Indonesia
Aminah Nuriyah Universitas Islam Tazkia, Bogor, Indonesia
Shofi Arofatul Marits Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam (STAI) Al-Fatah Cileungsi, Bogor, Indonesia
Abdullah Haidar Suleyman Demirel University, Süleyman Demirel University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32332/ijie.v8i01.13279

Keywords:

Education; Digital Skills; Micro-Small Empowerment; Modelling Partial Least Squares

Abstract

Objective: Education and digital skills are increasingly recognized as key resources for strengthening entrepreneurial capacity and business sustainability. This study examines the influence of education on Micro- Small Entrepreneurs empowerment and investigates the mediating role of digital skills among micro-small entrepreneurs in Indonesia. Method: This study employed a quantitative approach using Structural Equation Modelling Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). Data were collected from 108 valid micro-small entrepreneurs operating in the food, fashion, and retail sectors across West Java Province, Indonesia. The proposed model assessed the relationships among education, digital skills, and Micro- Small Entrepreneurs empowerment. Results: The results indicate that education has a positive and significant effect on digital skills and Micro- Small Entrepreneurs empowerment. Digital skills also significantly enhance Micro- Small Entrepreneurs' empowerment. Furthermore, digital skills partially mediate the relationship between education and Micro- Small Entrepreneurs empowerment, suggesting that educational attainment contributes to entrepreneurial empowerment both directly and indirectly through improved digital capabilities. Implications: The findings highlight the importance of strengthening entrepreneurship education and digital literacy programs to foster inclusive and sustainable Micro- Small Entrepreneurs development. Policymakers, educational institutions, and development agencies should prioritize initiatives that simultaneously enhance educational attainment and digital competencies among micro-entrepreneurs. Originality or Novelty: This study extends the Micro- Small Entrepreneurs empowerment literature by integrating education and digital skills within a single analytical framework and empirically demonstrating the mediating role of digital skills in explaining how education translates into entrepreneurial empowerment among Indonesian micro-small enterprises.

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