DIGITAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AMONG GENERATION Z: EXAMINING THE INFLUENCE OF TECHNOLOGY READINESS, INNOVATION ORIENTATION AND RISK-TAKING BEHAVIOUR

Digital entrepreneurship has become an increasingly significant pathway for value creation, innovation and self-employment as digital platforms, cloud services, social commerce and data-driven business models reshape the conditions under which new ventures are established. Generation Z has entered adulthood in an environment characterised by pervasive digital technologies; however, familiarity with digital devices should not be equated with the capability or willingness to create sustainable digital ventures. This paper examines the relationship between technology readiness, innovation orientation and risk-taking behaviour in the context of digital entrepreneurship among Generation Z. Drawing on the Technology Readiness Index, the theory of planned behaviour, entrepreneurial orientation and contemporary digital entrepreneurship scholarship, the paper develops an integrated conceptual framework. The review suggests that technology readiness provides an enabling psychological and capability foundation, innovation orientation supports opportunity recognition and experimentation, while risk-taking behaviour influences the willingness to commit resources under uncertainty. These relationships are conditioned by digital infrastructure, entrepreneurial education, access to finance, mentoring and the institutional environment. The paper further distinguishes calculated entrepreneurial risk from impulsive risk exposure and highlights the importance of digital literacy, financial capability, cybersecurity awareness and responsible platform use. The proposed framework offers a basis for future empirical testing and provides implications for universities, policymakers and ecosystem actors seeking to convert Generation Z’s digital exposure into viable and responsible entrepreneurial activity.