Why is it important? Financial literacy in students in entrepreneurship: A systematic literature review

Research design

This study uses a systematic literature review method with PRISMA guidance. This method involves four main stages: identification, screening, feasibility, and inclusion (Page et al., 2021).

PRISMA procedure

A. Identification

Relevant literature is identified through an academic database search from Scopus. Scopus with more than 22,794 titles and more than 78 million bibliographic records includes research journals, conference proceedings, and academic books from more than 5,000 publishers worldwide, and was selected as the main database for academic literature despite some limitations noted (Gasparyan & Kitas, 2021). The keywords used include “financial literacy” and “entrepreneurship”. Source search using Publish or Perish software (Harzing, 2024). The results of the Scopus keyword search, visualized using Publish or Perish, are shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Scopus keyword search using publish or perish.

Paper selection from 2014-2024 with an average number of citations of 10 per year. The number of papers obtained was 155 with a total of 1210 citations and an average of 121 citations, followed by 7.8 citations per paper. Scopus with more than 22,794 titles and more than 78 million bibliographic records includes research journals, conference proceedings, and academic books from more than 5,000 publishers worldwide, and was selected as the main database for academic literature despite some limitations noted (Gasparyan & Kitas, 2021).

B. Filtering

Articles that are irrelevant, such as those that are not student-focused or entrepreneurial, are filtered by title and abstract. The study of the selection process is a process consisting of search, selection, and development, each of which is divided into a number of stages and performs different activities. To start your search, use the Publish or Perish electronic database, which has a Scopus output of 155 works of literature. In addition, the process consists of selecting articles that meet the criteria that have been set, as well as analyzing the development of the article.

C. Eligibility

Articles that pass the screening stage are further evaluated based on eligibility criteria, such as the research method used, the suitability of the topic, and the validity of the research results.

D. Inclusion

Articles that meet all eligibility criteria are included in the final review for further analysis. To ensure relevance and appropriateness in systematic reviews and other research methodologies, inclusion and exclusion criteria are an important component in selecting studies to conduct. They are used to determine which research is considered relevant and which is not, based on pre-defined parameters that are in accordance with the research objectives. Creating clear and clear criteria for inclusion and exclusion is critical to the decision-making process (Tod, 2019).

E. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

Results are collected after the search is applied. Each study must be eligible for inclusion and removal. In the first section, 155 articles were reviewed based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. After that, the last 144 articles were selected for judging. This systematic literature review discusses financial literacy and entrepreneurship in students. The main questions discussed in this review are as follows: definition of financial literacy and ethics in students; Objectives, methodologies, and key outcomes of research on financial literacy and credit in students over the past 10 years.

Inclusion research criteria will be incorporated into it, and research that does not meet them will be thoroughly reviewed to ensure that it meets certain quality standards. This overview focuses on quality standards. It concentrates on the description of the draft financial literacy in entrepreneurship, purpose research, design research, instruments, samples, answers to research questions, conclusions, weaknesses, and recommendations for financial literacy in entrepreneurship in college students. In the end, 36 articles were selected for analysis and used in research that answered the questions. Here are the total documents based on the type of documents sorted in Table 1.

Result

From the search results, a number of relevant articles were obtained as many as 115 papers, The distribution of citation counts across the analyzed articles is illustrated in Figure 3 (Romadhon & Mulyadi, 2025).

Figure 3. PRISMA flow diagram.

Discussion

The results of this literature review show that knowledge about finance should be part of the entrepreneurship education program at the university. There is also a need for more practical and relevant educational programs that teach students how to manage money.

It is essential to have a good understanding of finance, which should be thoroughly incorporated into the entrepreneurship education program in college. Students gain extensive financial knowledge. It not only teaches them the basics of personal financial management, such as budgeting, savings planning, investment, and debt management, but also helps them understand more complex financial dynamics, such as capital management strategies in business competition, and risk analysis when making investment decisions.

In addition, these results show that educational programs must be created on a theoretical and practical basis. Realistic case study analysis, business simulations, and involvement in real entrepreneurial projects should be part of a program like this. This method will allow students to use their understanding of finance in relevant and challenging situations. This will improve their abilities in financial analysis, business planning, and financial risk management.

A college entrepreneurship curriculum that integrates in-depth financial knowledge is expected to produce graduates who not only have a strong theoretical understanding, but are also practically prepared to face the complex financial challenges of the business world. Therefore, financial literacy can be a strategic tool that helps reduce the rate of business failure caused by a poor understanding of finance. In addition, financial literacy can prepare students to become smarter and more flexible business leaders in the face of constant economic changes.

Budgeting, cash flow monitoring, and investment allocation are just a few of the technical aspects of financial management, but financial literacy affects many things. A strong understanding of finance helps students gain more confidence when facing difficult and uncertain business challenges. With good financial knowledge, students can not only overcome various methods of capital management and financial instruments, but they can also make more careful and strategic decisions in a dynamic business environment. This includes looking for profitable investment opportunities, managing financial risk, and creating sustainable growth strategies.

In addition, entrepreneurship education that incorporates financial knowledge is also an important foundation for building a proactive and flexible entrepreneurial mentality. Students who have a good financial understanding tend to be better prepared to take calculated risks and more confident in the face of changing market pressures. They rely not only on basic knowledge or intuition, but also in-depth financial analysis and accurate calculations to help them make important decisions.

Therefore, the inclusion of financial knowledge into the high school entrepreneurship curriculum is very important. This step not only improves students’ technical skills in financial management, but also builds a resilient and confident mindset to manage a business in the real world. By understanding finance well, students will be better prepared to face the complex business world, better equipped to adapt to market changes, and ultimately will become successful and innovative entrepreneurs in the future.