Leveraging Human and Social Capital for Micro-Entrepreneurship Sustainability in Terengganu: A Conceptual Review
Leveraging Human and Social Capital for Micro-Entrepreneurship Sustainability in Terengganu: A Conceptual Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24191/aej.v12i1.14001Keywords:
Micro-Entrepreneurial Sustainability, Human Capital, Social Capital, Sustainable Entrepreneurship, TerengganuAbstract
Micro-entrepreneurship is crucial in sustaining local economies, particularly in developing regions like Terengganu, Malaysia. However, micro-enterprises are constantly challenged by limited capital, poor digital readiness, and weak support networks. Drawing on the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Social Capital Theory (SCT), the contribution of human and social capital was discussed, focusing on how they contribute to entrepreneurial sustainability. Employing a conceptual, systematic review based on 65 academic sources, three theoretical propositions were presented on the impact of human and social capital. Also, a conceptual framework was developed to guide future empirical research. Importantly, the study emphasizes the synergistic interaction between human and social capital, highlighting that their integration yields greater resilience and adaptability than either form of capital alone. This approach extends RBV and SCT by situating them in the context of rural micro-entrepreneurship, contributing new insights to the sustainability literature and offering practical guidance for policymakers and entrepreneurship development programs.
References
Adler, P. S., & Kwon, S. W. (2002). Social capital: Prospects for a new concept. Academy of Management Review, 27(1), 17-40.
Ahmad, M. A., Hashmi, A., Ali, W., & Faheem, M. (2021). The influence of human resource management practices on the SMEs performance: mediating role of employee engagement. Review of Education, Administration & LAW, 4(1), 79-91.
Al Mamun, A., & Uddin, M. A. (2025). Exploring the relationship between sustainable strategy and sustainable performance in a
mediated mechanism with socially responsible human resource management. Asia Pacific Management Review, 100372.
Al Mamun, A., Muniady, R., & Nasir, A. (2021). Effect of participation in development initiatives on competitive advantages,
performance, and sustainability of micro-enterprises in Malaysia. Contemporary Economics, 122-137.
Al Mamun, A., Saufi, R. A., & Ismail, M. B. (2016). Human capital, credit, and startup motives: A study among rural microenterprises in Malaysia. The Journal of Developing Areas, 50(4), 383-400.
Alauddin, A. H. B. (2024). The Factors Influencing Entrepreneurial Success Among Micro Entrepreneurs In Kedah.
Ariffin, E. H., Mathew, M. J., Roslee, A., Ismailluddin, A., Yun, L. S., Putra, A. B., ... & Lee, L. H. (2023). A multi-hazards coastal
vulnerability index of the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 84, 103484.
Awang, N., Samsurijan, M. S., Zahri, F. A., Awang, N., Ambak, A., & Zahri, M. A. (2025). The four capitals of success: A
conceptual framework for sustainable micro-entrepreneurship in Terengganu. International Journal of Academic Research in
Business and Social Sciences, 15(6).
Baptista, R., Karaöz, M., & Mendonça, J. (2014). The impact of human capital on the early success of necessity versus opportunitybased entrepreneurs. Small Business Economics, 42(4), 831-847.
Barney, J. B. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120.
Baron, R. A., & Tang, J. (2016). The role of entrepreneurs in firm-level innovation: Joint effects of positive affect, creativity, and
environmental dynamism. Journal of Business Venturing, 26(1), 49–60.
Becker, G. S. (1962). Investment in human capital: A theoretical analysis. Journal of political economy, 70(5, Part 2), 9-49.
Benitez, J., Henseler, J., Castillo, A., & Schuberth, F. (2020). How to perform and report an impactful analysis using partial least
squares: Guidelines for confirmatory and explanatory IS research. Information & management, 57(2), 103168.
Botelho, T. L., Gulati, R., & Sorenson, O. (2024). The sociology of entrepreneurship revisited. Annual Review of Sociology, 50.
Bourdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital. Handbook of theory and research for the sociology of education/Greenwood.
Buratti, M., & Menter, M. (2025). The resilience of entrepreneurial ecosystems: an analysis of ecosystem network structures. Review
of Managerial Science, 1-33.
Cao, X., Zhang, X., & Xing, Z. (2024). Exploring the influence of social capital on innovation networks in emerging industries: The
mediating role of knowledge sharing. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 1-17.
Cheah, J. H., Amaro, S., & Roldán, J. L. (2023). Multigroup analysis of more than two groups in PLS-SEM: A review, illustration,
and recommendations. Journal of Business Research, 156, 113539.
Dadhich, M., Opoku-Mensah, E., Kant Hiran, K., Akwasi Gyamfi, B., Tuffour, P., & Mahmoud, A. (2024). Exploring the mediating
roles of social networks and trust in the blockchain-social sustainability nexus. Journal of Economic Policy Reform, 27(3),
293-315.
Davidsson, P., & Honig, B. (2003). The role of social and human capital among nascent entrepreneurs. Journal of business
venturing, 18(3), 301-331.
Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). (2025, April 24). ICT use and access by individuals and households survey report,
2024.
Department of Statistics Malaysia. (2023). SME Performance 2023 Report
Falahat, M., Ramayah, T., Soto-Acosta, P., & Lee, Y. Y. (2020). SMEs internationalization: The role of product innovation, market
intelligence, pricing and marketing communication capabilities as drivers of SMEs’ international performance. Technological
forecasting and social change, 152, 119908.
Fang, Y. X., Gill, S. S., Kunasekaran, P., Rosnon, M. R., Talib, A. T., & Abd Aziz, A. (2022). Digital divide: An inquiry on the
native communities of Sabah. Societies, 12(6), 148.
Fatoki, O. (2020). Ethical leadership and sustainable performance of small and medium enterprises in South Africa. Journal of
Global Business and Technology, 16(1), 62-79.
Fazal, S. A., Al Mamun, A., Ahmad, G. B., & Al-Shami, S. S. A. (2022). Entrepreneurial competencies and microenterprises
sustainability. Vision, 26(1), 39-47.
Ghani, I., & Jan, S. A. (2025). The role of social capital: resilience and recovery of informal business after the pandemic. Quality &
Quantity, 1-12.
Hair, J. F. (2014). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). sage.
Halim, M. A. S. A., Awang, N. F., Omar, K., Saputra, J., Kamaruddin, S. N. A. A., & Samsudin, H. (2022). Analyzing the factors
that influence the entrepreneur business performance of tourism destination of Kuala Terengganu City Centre,
Malaysia. Journal of Environmental Management & Tourism, 13(2), 403-413.
Hashim, M. J., Osman, I., & Khamis, M. R. (2023). Effect of Intellectual Capital on SME Performance: Role of Social
Capital. Jurnal Ekonomi Malaysia, 57(2), 63-79.
Hashim, M. J., Osman, I., & Khamis, M. R. (2023). Effect of intellectual capital on SME performance: Role of social capital (Kesan
modal intelek terhadap prestasi PKS: Peranan modal sosial). Jurnal Ekonomi Malaysia, 57(2), 63–79.
Hashim, N. H., Mohammad, H., & Alam, M. M. (2023). The contribution of sustainability practices and microfinance on microenterprise business performance in Malaysia: the moderating role of business location. Management & Accounting Review
(MAR), 22(2), 275-305.
Hazudin, S. F., Zaki, S. M., Soffiq, M., Saripin, F. A. J., Ramayah, T., & Mohamad, N. I. (2023). Sustainable entrepreneurship
practices as predictor of micro enterprises performance in rural context: A structural equation modelling approach. Journal of
Sustainability Science and Management, 18(7), 11-35.
Hendratmi, A., Salleh, M. C. M., Sukmaningrum, P. S., & Ratnasari, R. T. (2024). Toward SDG's 8: How sustainability livelihood
affecting survival strategy of woman entrepreneurs in Indonesia. World Development Sustainability, 5, 100175.
Ibrahim, N., Mahmood, R., Zahari, A. S. M., & Mulyana, M. (2024). Entrepreneurial specific factors, support factors and micro
enterprises performance: The case of Malaysian microcredit program. Information Management and Business Review, 16(1),
51-63.
Ince, H., Imamoglu, S. Z., & Karakose, M. A. (2023). Entrepreneurial orientation, social capital, and firm performance: The
mediating role of innovation performance. The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 24(1), 32-43.
Jabareen, Y. (2009). Building a conceptual framework: philosophy, definitions, and procedure. International journal of qualitative
methods, 8(4), 49-62.
Jibril, A. B., Amoah, J., Panigrahi, R. R., & Gochhait, S. (2024). Digital transformation in emerging markets: the role of technology
adoption and innovative marketing strategies among SMEs in the post–pandemic era. International Journal of Organizational
Analysis.
Kadiyono, A. L., & Susanto, H. (2025). Human capital and entrepreneurial performance: the mediating effect of entrepreneurial
innovation in Indonesia. Cogent Social Sciences, 11(1), 2474191.
Kamaludin, M. F. (2023). Social sustainability within social entrepreneurship. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 192,
122541.
Kamaru, J. M. (2023). Entrepreneurial and Business Management Skills Development and Growth of Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises in Nairobi, Kenya (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi).
Kim, J., & Jin, W. (2024). Impact of digital capabilities on entrepreneurial performance in SMEs. Journal of Innovation &
Knowledge, 9(4), 100609.
Kim, Y. K., & Heo, C. M. (2024). A Study on Factors Influencing the Management Performance of Small Business Owners: The
Moderating Effect of Social Capital. Journal of Venture Innovation, 7(1), 131-149.
Kock, N. (2015). Common method bias in PLS-SEM: A full collinearity assessment approach. International Journal of eCollaboration (ijec), 11(4), 1-10.
Kock, N., & Hadaya, P. (2018). Minimum sample size estimation in PLS‐SEM: The inverse square root and gamma‐exponential
methods. Information systems journal, 28(1), 227-261.
Laila, N., Ismail, S., Mohd Hidzir, P. A., Ratnasari, R. T., & Alias, N. E. (2025). Impact of social trust, social networks, and financial
knowledge on financial well-being of micro-entrepreneurs in Malaysia and Indonesia. Cogent Business & Management, 12(1),
2460614.
Latip, A. R. A., Othman, N., & Yusoff, O. M. (2020). Socio-Economic Impacts Of Ecer-Human Capital Development Programmes
In Empowering The Rural Women Of Malaysia. International Journal of Business & Society, 21(1).
Lestari, E. D., Abd Hamid, N., Shamsuddin, R., Kurniasari, F., & Yaacob, Z. (2024). Investigating the factors of SMEs’ business
resilience in the post-pandemic crisis of COVID-19 with technology adoption as a quasi-moderator: a multigroup analysis of
Indonesian and Malaysian SMEs. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1), 2301135.
Lu, H., Wang, B., Wang, H., & Zhao, T. (2020). Does social capital matter for peer-to-peer-lending? Empirical evidence. PacificBasin Finance Journal, 61, 101338.
Malhotra, N. (2026). How peer mechanism impacts loan repayment in a Self-help group?: An empirical study in India. PloS
one, 21(1), e0341674.
Mamun, A. A., Nawi, N. B. C., Permarupan, P. Y., & Muniady, R. (2018). Sources of competitive advantage for Malaysian microenterprises. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 10(2), 191-216
Martin, B. C., McNally, J. J., & Kay, M. J. (2013). Examining the formation of human capital in entrepreneurship: A meta-analysis
of entrepreneurship education outcomes. Journal of business venturing, 28(2), 211-224.
Minniti, M., & Bygrave, W. (2001). A dynamic model of entrepreneurial learning. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 25(3), 5-
16.
Morgado, F. F. R., Meireles, J. F. F., Neves, C. M., Amaral, A. C. S., & Ferreira, M. E. C. (2017). Scale development: Ten main
limitations and recommendations to improve. Psicologia: Teoria e Prática, 23(1), 1-22.
Munawaroh, M., Indarti, N., Ciptono, W. S., & Nastiti, T. (2023). Learning from entrepreneurial failure: examining attribution and
contextual factors of small-and medium-sized enterprises in Indonesia. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise
Development, 30(3), 501-522.
Mustapha, W. N. W., Al Mamun, A., Mansori, S., & Balasubramaniam, S. (2020). Effect of entrepreneurial competencies on microenterprises income and assets in Malaysia. Asia Pacific Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 14(3), 249-261.
Muthee, E., & Maina, R. (2023). Entrepreneurial Social Capital and Performance of Micro, Small, and Medium
Enterprises. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Knowledge, 11(2), 127-138.
OECD. (2022). OECD Economic Outlook, Volume 2022 Issue 2. https://www.oecd.org/economic-outlook
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2024). SME digitalisation to manage shocks and transitions: 2024
OECD D4SME survey (OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Papers). OECD.
Osman, D. W. D. A. (2025). The Impacts Of Improved Strategic Planning, Networking, And Innovation Usage After Business
Coaching On Malaysian Smes' Performance. TPM–Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, 32(S8
(2025): Posted 05 November), 218-223.
Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community. Simon & Schuster.
Reniati, R., Susantyo, B., Irmayani, N. R., Sabri, F., & Widiastuti, W. (2024). The influence of leadership strategies and social
capital on the business performance and resilience of Indonesian MSMEs. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 1-40.
Rijal, S., Utomo, B., & Ramdhani, R. (2024). The influence of social capital on entrepreneurial success: a study of networks and
relationships in MSMEs. International Journal of Business, Law, and Education, 5(2), 1686-1696.
Rosmadi, H. S., Ahmed, M. F., Mokhtar, M. B., & Lim, C. K. (2023). Reviewing challenges of flood risk management in
Malaysia. Water, 15(13), 2390.
Safari, A., & Das, A. (2023). Entrepreneurial failure analysis using quality management approaches. Total Quality Management &
Business Excellence, 34(1-2), 235-260.
Sanusi, N. A., Kusairi, S., & Mohamad, M. F. (2017). The conceptual framework of social innovation in social enterprise. Journal
of Innovation in Business and Economics, 1(01), 41-48.
Schultz, T. W. (1993). Origins of increasing returns. Blackwell.
Seferiadis, A. A., Cummings, S., & Essegbey, G. (2023). Young Women as Social Entrepreneurs in the Environmental Sector in
Ghana: Development Hackers and the Re-imagining of Sustainable Development Models. Highlights of Sustainability, 2(3),
157-170.
Setiawan, A. (2023, December). “Cultivating Growth Empowering Coastal” Communities: Examining Capitals, Empowerment
Strategies, and Digitalization among Indonesian Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. In International Conference SocialHumanities in Maritime and Border Area (SHIMBA 2023) (pp. 32-38). Atlantis Press.
Shatila, K., Aránega, A. Y., Soga, L. R., & Hernández-Lara, A. B. (2025). Digital literacy, digital accessibility, human capital, and
entrepreneurial resilience: a case for dynamic business ecosystems. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 10(3), 100709.
Sheng, Y., Ye, C., Sun, Y., & Bakker, D. (2024). The impact of human capital and social capital on entrepreneurship entry: the
threshold of human capital-social capital coupling. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1), 1-11.
SME Bank. (2025, October). Thematic research on Terengganu.
SME Corp Malaysia. (2022). SME Annual Report 2021/2022.
Stephan, U., Rauch, A., & Hatak, I. (2023). Happy entrepreneurs? Everywhere? A meta-analysis of entrepreneurship and
wellbeing. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 47(2), 553-593.
Subramaniam, G. K. (2024). Digital Transformation Impact and Opportunities For Smes In Malaysia Post-Pandemic. Ukanus:
Indonesian Journal of Economics and Business, 1(1), 1-13.
Talip, S. N. S. H., & Wasiuzzaman, S. (2024). Influence of human capital and social capital on MSME access to finance: Assessing
the mediating role of financial literacy. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 42(3), 458–485.
https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBM-04-2023-0214.
Thawesaengskulthai, N., Chatmarathong, A., Werasopon, N., & Koiwanit, J. (2025). Empirical Implementation of Coach-CashConnect Mentoring Model for Innovation-Driven Enterprises in Thailand: Insights for Policy Development and Sustainable
Growth. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 100650.
Tisdell, E. J., Merriam, S. B., & Stuckey-Peyrot, H. L. (2025). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. John
Wiley & Sons.
Unger, J. M., Rauch, A., Frese, M., & Rosenbusch, N. (2011). Human capital and entrepreneurial success: A meta-analytical
review. Journal of business venturing, 26(3), 341-358.
Van Tran, D., Van Nguyen, P., Dinh, N. T. T., Huynh, T. N., & Van Ma, K. (2024). Exploring the impact of social capital on
business performance: The role of dynamic capabilities, open innovation and government support. Journal of Open Innovation:
Technology, Market, and Complexity, 10(4), 100416.
Vuong, T. T., Ho, M. T., Nguyen, M. H., Nguyen, T. H. T., Nguyen, T. D., Nguyen, T. L., & Vuong, Q. H. (2020). Adopting open
access in the social sciences and humanities: evidence from a developing nation. Heliyon, 6(7).
Wang, W., & Guedes, M. J. (2024). Firm failure prediction for small and medium-sized enterprises and new ventures. Review of
Managerial Science, 1-34.
Watson, J. (2007). Modeling the relationship between networking and firm performance. Journal of business venturing, 22(6), 852-
874.
World Bank Group. (n.d.). Methodology. Enterprise Surveys. Retrieved February 3, 2026, from
https://www.enterprisesurveys.org/en/methodology
Zainol, N. R., Al Mamun, A., Ahmad, G. B., & Simpong, D. B. (2018). Human Capital and Entrepreneurial Ompetencies towards
Performance of Informal Microenterprises in Kelantan, Malaysia. Economics & Sociology, 11(4), 31.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Norafzan Awang, Mohamad Shaharudin Samsurijan, Norbahiyah Awang, Azlinah Ambak, Irwan Yusof, Zahri Hamat

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.


