Rural women’s entrepreneurship is vital for rural revitalization, yet its drivers are often oversimplified. Previous research typically views digital technology as a gender-neutral efficiency tool, ignoring its potential to address psychological need deficits (autonomy, competence, relatedness) rooted in gendered structural constraints, while reducing age effects to mere “skill gaps.” Integrating self-determination theory (SDT) with digital capital theory (informed by van Dijk’s digital divide framework), this study establishes a dual-pathway model. We argue that digital technology empowers mainly by compensating for psychological needs, whereas an entrepreneur’s age—reconceptualized as gendered digital capital—moderates the effectiveness of this compensation. Using survey data from 169 rural female entrepreneurs in China’s Leading Goose Project, we find strong support. Digital technology enhances entrepreneurial performance, partially mediated by satisfaction of autonomy and competence needs, though relatedness need mediation is insignificant. Moreover, age negatively moderates this relationship: Younger entrepreneurs (18-44 years) effectively convert digital access into performance, whereas older entrepreneurs (45[Formula: see text] years), constrained by barriers like caregiving burdens and limited training, benefit less. By theorizing the psychological compensation pathway and its structural boundary condition, this study transcends instrumental accounts. It clarifies the complementary roles of SDT (the “how”) and digital capital theory (the “for whom”), offering a nuanced framework for life course-informed digital empowerment policies.

Entrepreneurship is a driver of a country’s economic growth and innovation. This study explores the mediating role of institutional factors in the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and entrepreneurship (ETP). Using panel data from 63 Vietnamese provinces from 2018 to 2022, the Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) estimation shows that FDI has a direct positive effect on promoting entrepreneurial activities. Additionally, institutional quality, measured by the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) and the Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI), plays a significant mediating role in FDI’s effect on entrepreneurship. Moreover, the inflows of FDI also helps improve the province’s institutional frameworks, improving the business environment and fostering preferential policies that support entrepreneurship. These findings advance the knowledge spillover theory of entrepreneurship and provide practical insights for policymakers on FDI attraction, institutional development and entrepreneurship promotion in Vietnam.

Indigenous entrepreneurship (IE) is generally considered to emerge within culturally and geographically monolithic communities, with academic literature presupposing those communities are stationary. This paper is among the first to investigate the role of migration and mobility in IE, developing an instrumental case study of Swalrawdru, a pseudonymous Rukai mountain community in Taiwan. Eight research participants were identified who migrated from the mountains to the cities of the plains when they were young and later returned to the mountains to establish a business. Through the use of a short survey and semi-structured interviews, we analyze the experiences of these Rukai entrepreneurs to consider the ways in which this mountain-plain mobility affects entrepreneurial aspirations and outcomes. In doing so, first, we challenge the dominant monolithic model in IE research. Second, we contribute to the migrant entrepreneurship (ME) literature. The Rukai entrepreneurs are embedded in mountain and plain settings, mirroring the focus within the prominent “mixed embeddedness” perspective on ethnic and non-ethnic networks and resources. However, we go beyond this focus on structural embeddedness to suggest that indigenous entrepreneurs’ aspirations and choices are inspired not by their mixed embeddedness per se, but rather by the place-belonging generated in the process of migration.

Exploring the intricate relationship between national culture and entrepreneurial intentions, this study digs into the effect of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions on the entrepreneurial landscape within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and non-OIC countries. Revealing a nuanced interplay, the research underscores how cultural dimensions such as power distance, masculinity, long-term orientation and indulgence shape entrepreneurial intentions, casting shadows over intent in OIC nations and conversely fostering positivity in non-OIC counterparts. This study’s findings resonate with policymakers and entrepreneurs, advocating for the cultivation of cultural environments that foster and celebrate entrepreneurship–a cornerstone not only for economic growth, job creation and innovation, but also for holistic sustainable development.

Many researchers have investigated the reasons why some social entrepreneurs are more successful than others at leading businesses and fostering their growth in developed nations, but there have been few studies on the continent of Africa. This viewpoint is relevant to the study’s focus on Tunisia. This study analyzed the relationships between the psychological capital of social entrepreneurs and the performance of social enterprises. The purpose of this study was to examine the nexus between psychological capital, social performance and the economic performance of social enterprises. The study uses a quantitative approach based on questionnaires administered to 171 social entrepreneurs. Hypothesis testing was carried out using structural equation methods on PLS 4 software. The results confirm the positive effect of the social entrepreneur’s psychological capital on the economic performance of social enterprises. Social performance exerts a double positive effect on economic performance: A direct positive effect and an indirect positive effect by acting as a moderator on the relationship between the social entrepreneur’s psychological capital and the economic performance of social enterprises. The implication of the above findings is that psychological capital is a key determinant of the performance of enterprises. Thus, social entrepreneurs are encouraged to engage in activities that can boost their psychological capital.

Subsistence entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in India by providing livelihood opportunities to a significant portion of the population. The present study delves into the distinct challenges encountered by Muslim female entrepreneurs in the slums of New Delhi. Employing a narrative inquiry methodology that provides a platform for these women to share their stories, it offers an in-depth exploration of their entrepreneurial experiences. Through interviews and storytelling, participants articulate their challenges, experiences and coping strategies, enabling a comprehensive understanding of their entrepreneurial journeys. Thematic analysis of the collected narratives reveals recurring patterns, barriers and adaptive measures employed by the participants. The findings highlight challenges rooted in socio-cultural dynamics, political challenges and economic constraints. The study also sheds light on coping strategies, reflecting creativity and innovation. This research contributes to an enhanced understanding of the multifaceted constraints confronting Muslim female entrepreneurs in marginalized communities, providing insights to inform policies and interventions aimed at promoting their empowerment and socio-economic progress.

From inception, start-ups are torn between two opposing legitimacy pressures: the need to differentiate from competitors and the need to conform to stakeholders’ expectations. In this study, we adopt an organizational identification perspective, coupled with a legitimacy-seeking lens, to explore the start-up legitimation progress for entrepreneurs who identify with their ventures either intrinsically or instrumentally. Applying a longitudinal multi-case study design and using rich interview data, we track the decisions and actions of ten Russian high-tech start-ups over a twenty-month period. Our findings reveal that start-up legitimation is a dynamic process guided by the organizational identification of the founders and bounded by identity tensions. The study extends the literature on new venture legitimation and its constraints. Theoretical and practitioner implications are discussed.

This paper examines how rural female entrepreneurs in Lebanon navigate challenges and opportunities amidst economic crises. It aims to understand how they leverage resources to overcome barriers and enhance their entrepreneurial potential, offering insights for fostering sustainable entrepreneurship in crisis-affected regions. This study employs Integrative Qualitative Methods, combining participatory action research (PAR) and narrative inquiry, to explore the motivations, experiences and aspirations of rural female entrepreneurs in Lebanon. Amidst severe economic crises, 28 female entrepreneurs participated in a three-year program supporting their businesses. The findings indicate that rural female entrepreneurs in Lebanon are primarily motivated by family sustainability, social effect and personal fulfillment. They demonstrate significant adaptability to market changes and are able to leverage support networks to manage resources effectively. Strategic resource allocation, communication and collaboration are key to their success. Overall, these findings highlight the resilience and strategic acumen of rural female entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of ongoing support for economic growth and community development.