What entrepreneurial ecosystem elements promote sustainable entrepreneurship?

Abstract

Sustainable entrepreneurship, which aims to address inequality and environmental degradation, is increasingly gaining attention from scholars, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. Based on the ecosystem theory of sustainable entrepreneurship, this study focuses on examining how antecedent conditions in the economic, social, and environmental dimensions can achieve highly sustainable entrepreneurship, using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2022, World Bank, World Development Index (WDI), and Sustainable Development Goals Index (SDG). Using a dataset of 46 countries, this study employs a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to explore the multiple correlated antecedents of achieving highly sustainable entrepreneurship. This study identifies three configurations for achieving sustainable entrepreneurship, where high-quality education (SDG4), responsible consumption and production (SDG12), and GDP play central roles, but the role of environmental quality in sustainable entrepreneurship is not evident. The study also uses Necessary Conditions Analysis (NCA) to examine the relationship between each antecedent condition and outcome. This study enriches the research on sustainable entrepreneurship and provides valuable insights into achieving harmonious economic, environmental, and social development through the promotion of sustainable entrepreneurial initiatives.