The origin and evolution of entrepreneurship policies: the case of China
Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy
ISSN: 2045-2101
Article publication date: 11 October 2022
Issue publication date: 8 March 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to answer two questions: (1) where do a country's entrepreneurship policies come from? (2) How do they evolve and shape entrepreneurial activities?
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing upon the comparative political economy literature and the institutional perspective, this paper proposes a theoretical model of the origin and evolution of entrepreneurship policies. We use China as a case study to apply the theoretical model and demonstrate the evolution of entrepreneurship policies in three stages during the period 1978 to 2012.
Findings
The case analysis of China provides evidence and support for our theoretical model and unpacks the process by which entrepreneurship policies originate and evolve as the result of the interplay among constantly changing policymaking, production, and knowledge regimes.
Research limitations/implications
Because of the research context, findings may lack generalisability. Additional studies on policymaking and production regimes of different kinds and their respective roles in shaping entrepreneurship policies are encouraged to further advance this line of research.
Practical implications
This paper offers important implications concerning entrepreneurship policy and activities for policymakers, practitioners and other stakeholders in emerging economies.
Originality/value
Our study fills a gap in the entrepreneurship literature by expanding scholarly understanding of the origin and evolution of entrepreneurship policies.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge Per Bylund and two anonymous referees for the constructive editorial guidance and comments. The authors also appreciate the feedbacks provided by participants of the Academy of Management Annual Meeting and the Strategic Management Society Special Conference. The authors thank Lanting Du and Keyao Quan for their research assistance. In particular, the authors would like to dedicate this work to Professor Huseyin Leblebici who passed away in 2017. Huseyin inspired us to pursue the idea and provided insightful suggestions at early stage of this work.
The two authors have contributed equally.
Funding: This work was funded by the Social Science Development Program of Liaoning, China (No: L20CGL013).
Citation
Huo, D. and Wei, Y. (2023), "The origin and evolution of entrepreneurship policies: the case of China", Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 69-91. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEPP-01-2022-0015
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited