Regional entrepreneurial ecosystems in China

Author(s)

Lai, Yanzhao ^[1] ; Vonortas, Nicholas S. ^{[2, 3, 4, 5]}

Affiliation

^[1] Southwest Jiaotong Univ, Sch Econ & Management, 111, Sect 1, North Erhuan Rd, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan - Peoples R China

^[2] George Washington Univ, Inst Int Sci & Technol Policy, 1957 E St NW, Suite 403, Washington, DC - USA

^[3] George Washington Univ, Dept Econ, 1957 E St NW, Suite 403, Washington, DC - USA

^[4] Univ Estadual Campinas, Sao Paulo Excellence Chair, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[5] Natl Res Univ Higher Sch Econ, Inst Stat Studies & Econ Knowledge, 11 Myasnitskaya St, Moscow - Russia

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: INDUSTRIAL AND CORPORATE CHANGE; v. 28, n. 4, p. 875-897, AUG 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

This study focuses on regional entrepreneurial ecosystems in the largest emerging economy in the world. We use a two-stage structural model distinguishing between two sets of factors, those that have direct impact on entrepreneurial activities and those that have indirect impact. Based on an empirical analysis of 263 Chinese prefecture-level municipalities from 2008 to 2015, we find that human capital, knowledge creation, and access to finance are the main factors that drive local entrepreneurial activity. New technology-based startups are significant predictors of the regional stock of human capital and the presence of risk finance suggesting the unique role of technology-based firms in promoting sustainable growth in regional entrepreneurial ecosystems. The presence of research-intensive universities also has a strong positive impact on regional entrepreneurial ecosystems. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/50524-6 - Innovation systems, strategies and policies
• Grantee: Nicholas Spyridon Vonortas
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - SPEC Program