SYSTEMATIC POST-TRAINING SUPPORT AND ECONOMIC SELF-RELIANCE AMONG RURAL ENTREPRENEURS: EVIDENCE FROM THE EMPOWERNCER PROGRAMME IN NORTHERN MALAYSIA

Abstract

Entrepreneurship development programmes are widely implemented to address rural income disparities and promote economic empowerment. However, empirical evidence on the role of systematic post-training support in sustaining entrepreneurial capability remains limited. This study examines how structured post-training support influences economic self-reliance among participants of the empowerNCER Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Development Programme in Northern Peninsular Malaysia. Using secondary administrative data from 1,778 rural participants across Kedah, Perlis, Penang, and Perak, the study adopts a quantitative pre-post evaluation design. Economic self-reliance is measured using a Self-Reliance Index (SRI) constructed from business formalisation, financial literacy (bookkeeping practices), and business digitalisation indicators. Descriptive analysis and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test are used to assess changes in entrepreneurial capability, while an econometric model examines the determinants of improvements in self-reliance. The findings show significant improvements in post-programme self-reliance. Regression results further indicate that business digitalisation, financial literacy (bookkeeping), and formalisation significantly contribute to improvements in economic self-reliance, with digitalisation showing the strongest effect. However, variations in outcomes persist, suggesting that post-training support functions as an enabling condition, while individual capability and contextual factors influence the extent of improvement. This study contributes empirical evidence from a large-scale administrative dataset and underscores the importance of integrating continuous mentoring and monitoring mechanisms to enhance the sustainability of rural entrepreneurship programmes.