The Four Capitals of Success: A Conceptual Framework for Sustainable Micro-Entrepreneurship in Terengganu

This paper develops a conceptual framework integrating four dimensions of success capitalfinancial, human, social, and spiritual to explain entrepreneurial sustainability among urban micro-entrepreneurs in Terengganu, Malaysia.Grounded in the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Social Capital Theory (SCT), the framework highlights how both internal resources and external relationships shape long-term business resilience.RBV emphasizes the strategic value of tangible assets like financial resources and skills, while SCT underscores the importance of social networks and trust in accessing support and opportunities.By incorporating spiritual capital, a frequently overlooked but culturally significant dimension the model offers a more holistic and context-sensitive perspective on micro-enterprise viability.Each form of capital is treated as an independent contributor to sustainability, advancing both theoretical understanding and practical application in entrepreneurship development.The framework also proposes hypotheses for empirical testing and informs policies and training programs that promote balanced, values-driven enterprise support.Future research is encouraged to validate this model across varied socioeconomic and cultural settings.