Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship

This study investigates the influence of four dimensions of emotional competence, including self-awareness, empathy, motivation, self-regulation and social skills on the social entrepreneurial intention of students through social entrepreneurial outcome expectations. Based on a data set of 482 final year students, the results of the study show that self-awareness, self-regulation and self-motivation affect social entrepreneurial intention and outcome expectations. In contrast, empathy and social skills only directly affect social entrepreneurial intention. This study suggests that higher educators and policymakers incorporate emotional competency development into the higher education process. Higher education should be the place to nurture a generation of emotionally competent and socially conscious entrepreneurs by establishing an educational environment that values and develops emotional intelligence and by providing practical, encouraging experiences that align with the tenets of social enterprise.

Although social incubators provide a variety of entrepreneurial support, little is known regarding their design, implementation, operation and management. The identification and characterization of the clients and stakeholders of social incubators is complicated by multiple definitions of entrepreneurship and multiple typologies of entrepreneurs. Their ventures are accompanied by strategic and tactical confusion about objectives and populations served. This study investigates the dynamics of incubator clients’ needs and attributes as they interact with the values and interests of other stakeholders in a social incubator focused on survival entrepreneurs. Our sampling was a medium sized mixed economy town in Brazil. Our thirteen-month ethnographic study analyzed the collective struggle to transcend the tensions between social and economic values and improve the lives of vulnerable populations. Central to this struggle is the incubator management’s unique humanistic ideology coupled with the search for realistic concrete results modulated by community and client attributes. Through our analysis of various interventions that occurred within the social incubator, we discuss the importance of getting to know the vulnerable to better manage social incubators that focus on subsistence entrepreneurship. These contents are valued when discussed in the context of the evolutionary phases (or trajectory) of the vulnerable in a social incubator from welcoming through training, to improvement and other phases, until citizens’ autonomy is achieved.

This study examines the effect of the shadow economy, economic freedom and other macroeconomic factors on formal entrepreneurship in Asian countries. The dataset encompasses 28 countries over the period from 1995 to 2018. The Fixed Effect Model (FEM) and Generalized Least Squares (GLS) methodologies are employed for regression analysis. The results indicate a nonlinear relationship between the shadow economy and formal entrepreneurship. Economic freedom, particularly trade freedom, significantly enhances entrepreneurship. Positive macroeconomic influences on formal entrepreneurship include financial development, political stability, GDP per capita growth and foreign direct investment net inflows, while government spending and unemployment negatively affect entrepreneurship. The findings suggest that a substantial shadow economy does not inherently impede formal entrepreneurship. Consequently, governments should prudently consider the role of the shadow economy in fostering entrepreneurial growth. Moreover, policies aimed at improving economic freedom, especially trade freedom, can create a conducive environment for boosting formal entrepreneurship.

The relationship between self-resilience, social resilience, coping and resilient coping is explored. A cross-sectional research design is employed. Survey respondents were recruited by panel owners in Centiment. A total of 381 entrepreneurs responded to the survey. Entrepreneurs self-identified themselves as members of each of the groups under study (White, African American and Hispanic). Results were stratified, analyzed and compared by ethnicity and gender. We found a statistically significant positive relationship between self-resilience and coping, and that coping mediates the relationship between self-resilience and resilient coping. The findings could help policymakers and community ecosystems to support the development of resiliency-related skills which could have important implications especially for those in disadvantaged circumstances.

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.

This study investigates the factors involved in digital marketing adoption among small and medium startups (SMSs) in Pakistan using the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework. Data were collected through an online survey from 409 startups based in Karachi, Pakistan, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used for analysis. Results indicate SMSs prioritize internal capabilities and resources for digital marketing adoption over external factors. Key factors identified in digital marketing adoption include technology knowledge, compatibility and cost while the effect of technology complexity was found to be insignificant. Top management support and digital marketing orientation were also crucial, highlighting the importance of strategic leadership and a focused digital approach. These findings highlight the distinct characteristics of SMSs compared to established SMEs, providing insights for developing targeted strategies and regulations to support the startup ecosystem. The research contributes to understanding the unique challenges and factors influencing digital marketing adoption in startups, paving the way for better and effective support mechanisms.

In contemporary times, enterprises run by married women have emerged as a rapidly expanding entrepreneurship group in Tamil Nadu, India. This study explores the influential factors that drive married women to initiate and succeed in their own businesses and to explain their levels of achievement. Based on the insights collected from interviews, observation and focus groups comprised of 50 entrepreneurs, we developed an instrument that included five variables that relate to the driving factors (freedom, spousal support, flexibility, respect and identity) and five variables that relate to the achievement factors (experience, education, government assistance, networks and unique traits/ competencies) of entrepreneurship among married women. Using survey data from 150 entrepreneurs, we further examined key relationships. Among other findings, this study highlights the central role of spousal support as a driving force for the greater success of married female entrepreneurs. The implications of the study findings are examined for both academics and practitioners, and recommendations are given.