DETERMINANTS OF DECENT WORK INTENTION AMONG YOUTH IN SELANGOR: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF EMOTIONAL ENGAGEMENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJEPC.1164037Keywords:
Emotional Engagement, Entrepreneurial Soft Skills, Decent Work Intention, Digital Civic Literacy, Perceived Institutional Trust, Youth Social Awareness ProgramAbstract
This study investigates the influence of social issues, perceived institutional trust, digital civic literacy, influencer credibility, and entrepreneurial soft skills on emotional engagement and intention toward decent work among youth. Despite increased exposure to social issues and digital content, youth emotional engagement toward meaningful career goals remains inconsistent, which raises concern about their intention to pursue decent work. Using the Affective Events Theory (AET) as a guide, this study aims to examine the role of emotional engagement as a determinant element linking social and digital experiences to career-related intentions. This study uses a quantitative approach with a descriptive survey design. The online questionnaire was distributed to youth in Selangor, Malaysia, using purposive sampling. A total of 154 valid respondents were obtained. The collected data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Research findings indicate that the credibility of influencers has a significant impact on emotional engagement. However, continuous exposure to social challenges has a significant negative impact on emotional engagement, indicating that repeated exposure to social issues can trigger frustration, anxiety, or emotional withdrawal. On the contrary, perceived institutional trust, digital civic literacy, and entrepreneurial soft skills do not show a significant direct effect on emotional engagement. Furthermore, emotional engagement has a strong positive effect on youth intention to obtain decent work, which is fair, safe, and meaningful. Overall, the findings contribute to the academic literature by applying Affective Events Theory in the context of youth social awareness and career intentions. This study also provides practical guidance to educators, policymakers, and youth organizations in supporting meaningful engagement and aspirations for decent work in the digital environment among young people.
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