Entrepreneurial Opportunities Research Articles

Valorizing Fruit and Vegetable Waste: The Untapped Potential for Entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa—A Systematic Review

Valorizing food waste (FW) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) can enhance the efficiency of limited resources, make healthy diets more affordable, and foster the creation of innovative enterprises. The vast quantities of FW from the agri-food chain significantly threaten food security. To address this issue and maximize potential environmental and socio-economic benefits, valorizing waste, a value-adding process for waste materials, has emerged as a sustainable and efficient strategy. Valorizing FW reduces greenhouse gas emissions, mitigates climate change, enhances resource efficiency, and improves planetary health. As a pivotal player in the transition toward the circular economy, this study investigates the potential of converting FW into value-added products, offering entrepreneurial opportunities for SSA’s unemployed youth. A systematic literature review is conducted to identify and filter relevant articles over five years by applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 33 articles were included for in-depth analysis to address the study’s aim. The findings highlight a range of value-added products derived from FW, including renewable energy sources, nutraceuticals, and heavy metal adsorbents. These products present promising entrepreneurial prospects within SSA. Nonetheless, overcoming barriers to FW valorization adoption is crucial for fully realizing its potential as a profitable business avenue.

Digital technologies' impacts on alleviation of poverty: a bibliometric review

PurposeDigital technologies have been found to have long-lasting impacts on poverty. This study has been conducted to shed light on the contributions made by digital technologies toward poverty alleviation and also provide future research directions.Design/methodology/approachThe authors thoroughly studied the sample of 258 publications from the Scopus database, covering the period from 1982 to June 2023. Using VOS viewer and Bibliometrix R, various graphs and networks are developed to understand publication trends, research collaborations and intellectual structures.FindingsA significant amount of the existing literature on the impact of digital technologies on poverty alleviation demonstrates the need for more studies in this area. Lack of information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure and access exhibits less opportunity for work, social networking and entrepreneurship, directly affecting people’s livelihoods in developing countries.Practical implicationsThis study will help country planners, regulatory bodies and academicians get a deeper insight into the impact of digital technologies on poverty alleviation and also develop the future research agenda.Originality/valueThis study employs a considerable period of time, from the year 1982 to June 2023. To the best of authors’ knowledge, the current study is a pioneer in using bibliometric analysis to identify the impact of digital technologies on the alleviation of poverty. This attempt will surely be helpful to academicians, researchers and those working on identifying the impact of digital technology on poverty alleviation.

Religiosity and entrepreneurship: women entrepreneurs in Turkiye

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to showcase how entrepreneurial opportunities can be contextually formed differently for women entrepreneurs concerning their relationship with religion. This article reveals the multi-level and nuanced relationship between religiosity and entrepreneurship through a contextual lens by studying the interaction in a specific national country, Turkiye.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses the life stories of 10 Turkish women entrepreneurs operating in Turkiye. Data were selected purposefully to conduct an in-depth analysis. Thematic content analysis with a discursive approach and deductive and inductive coding methods were performed.FindingsThe findings suggest that the relationship between religiosity and entrepreneurial opportunities is highly contextual and nuanced. Religiosity brings trust and provides access to religious networks which can lead to entrepreneurial opportunities, while leaving people outside of this network bereft of these benefits. The creation of a closed circle for its beneficiaries is a feature of a social network, yet the results show that contextual forces of politics and gender can lead women entrepreneurs outside of this religious network to limit their possibilities of accessing public funding and facilities based on their perceptions as well as negative experiences. It is also seen that religiosity at a certain level is necessary to operate in conservative settings and traditionally masculine business environments with patriarchal practices and norms, as well as due to the religious affinity of the ruling political party. However, because of perceptions and discursive meanings attached to religion and religiosity in the country, women entrepreneurs need to be cautious in expressing their religiosity and find a balance so that they are not seen as unprofessional, incompetent and unqualified as well as do not jeopardise their business due to a controversial religious affiliation.Originality/valueThis paper is of value as it studies religiosity from a contextual perspective enabling and constraining women entrepreneurs in their entrepreneurship in relation to gendered and political structures. In this way, it displays the multiple ways of limitation and support that religiosity can bring for them concerning entrepreneurial opportunities. Turkiye provides a rich context with its mixed religious and secular societal norms and values and neo-liberal institutions and policies to examine the so-far underexplored issue of religiosity in the field of entrepreneurship.

Necessity entrepreneurship: A journey from unemployment to self‐employment

AbstractThis study provides a comprehensive examination of necessity entrepreneurship, a concept distinct from its counterpart, opportunity entrepreneurship. Necessity entrepreneurship emerges from the compelling need to address economic hardship or unemployment, contrasting with opportunity entrepreneurship, which is driven by the pursuit of new market opportunities. The backdrop of this study is anchored in the escalating unemployment crisis and its implications for sustainable economic growth and the attainment of sustainable development goals. Through an integrative review combining bibliometric–content analysis of 96 publications, following the PRISMA protocol, and a detailed case analysis of 10 globally recognized entrepreneurs who embarked on their ventures driven by necessity, this study unravels the critical factors fueling the rise of necessity entrepreneurship. The findings delineate the relationship between necessity and opportunity entrepreneurship, highlighting how an entrepreneurial orientation can serve as a pivotal link. This orientation not only mitigates the adverse effects of unemployment but also propels the economy toward sustainable growth, thereby contributing significantly to the sustainable development goals. The insights derived from this study traverse multiple domains including entrepreneurial orientation, socio‐economic factors, as well as innovation and digitalization, offering a granular perspective on business policy, entrepreneurial ecosystems, the disparate impacts on developed versus developing nations, and the role of innovation in dynamic entrepreneurship. Through a conceptual framework, this study elucidates how entrepreneurial orientation can effectively bridge the gap between the unemployment crisis and sustainable economic growth. Therefore, this study not only enriches the academic discourse on necessity entrepreneurship but also provides pragmatic insights for entrepreneurs, policymakers, and scholars, emphasizing the crucial role of entrepreneurship in navigating economic and social challenges.

Rural Tourism and Homestays in India: Impact on Local Economy, Culture and Ecology

Purpose of the study: This study explores rural tourism as a sustainable form that encompasses environmental preservation, entrepreneurial opportunities, and the preservation of traditional village customs, values, and practices. Methodology: The research methodology employed a literature review approach, focusing on secondary data sources. The search utilized the Google Scholar database as a search engine, with the initial 500 results sorted by relevance to ensure comprehensive coverage of relevant scholarly sources. Finally, 31 articles were selected for this study. Principal Findings: Operating homestays can provide alternative accommodation options and catalyze the promotion of rural tourism, benefiting the local community, economy, and regional art and culture. A well-executed marketing plan in rural tourism can bring significant societal advantages by channeling resources from urban to rural areas and curbing rural-urban migration. Applications of the study: This study can be helpful in the tourism and hospitality industry. It is instrumental in promoting rural tourism and supplementary accommodation like homestays in India, thus boosting the local economy and promoting local culture and tradition. Novelty/Originality of the study: Tourism and related industries substantially impact employment due to the sector's labor-intensive nature. Village tourism can generate income and employment and contribute to rural development, preventing rural-urban migration and promoting sustainable revenue generation.

E-commerce development, poverty reduction and income growth in rural China

PurposeThis research examines the impact of the National Rural E-commerce Comprehensive Demonstration Project (NRECDP) on poverty reduction and income growth in rural China.Design/methodology/approachThe study develops a theoretical framework, which considers the role of geographical, technological, institutional and cultural factors for the e-commerce poverty alleviation (e-CPA) model. Empirically, this study applies the difference-in-differences (DID) model and the event study approach to evaluate the effectiveness of NRECDP on the basis of large-scale county-level and household-level panel data spanning 2010 to 2020.FindingsThe study found that the NRECDP, as a government-led, information and communication technology (ICT)-enabled, market-based program, has led to a significant increase in per capita output of primary industry employees, as well as in the disposable income of rural residents, especially those in national-level poverty-stricken (NP) counties. The interventions of the NRECDP achieved these positive outcomes through transportation and Internet infrastructure improvement, ICT adoption and human capital accumulation in impoverished towns and villages in remote rural areas. These effects are larger in the eastern region of China, followed by the central region, whereas the weakest effects were found in the western region. However, we found little evidence of the NRECDP increasing household developmental expenditure.Research limitations/implicationsThe study findings have important practical and policy implications for rural e-commerce development and self-sustained poverty alleviation solutions. The research revealed the significance of government NRECDP interventions for increasing rural income, reducing living costs, and empowering the rural population in its multiple social roles, namely, as consumers, producers, employees and microentrepreneurs. The local cultural context may also play a role in ICT adoption and entrepreneurship cultivation with a downstream effect on the effectiveness of e-CPA practices. Policymakers would need to ensure a supportive entrepreneur-friendly environment for rural e-commerce development and continue implementing progressive policies for poverty alleviation.Originality/valueThis study explores poverty alleviation issues in China by developing for the first time a multi-faceted framework that is subsequently tested by both county-level and household-level large-scale observations. Also, it is the first study to provide nationwide empirical evidence on the effectiveness of e-CPA in narrowing down the spatial and digital divides in China. In addition to the impact of geography, technology and governmental support, this study also sheds light on the role of culture in the adoption and diffusion of digital technologies and as a source of local entrepreneurial opportunities.

Challenges and opportunities for rural entrepreneurship in times of crisis

Challenges and opportunities for rural entrepreneurship in times of crisis

Mamaearth: a digital first brand venturing offline

Learning outcomes The key learning objectives are as follows: analyze Mamaearth’s growth trajectory in the Indian market, illustrate the meaning of a direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand, analyze the importance of social media in building a D2C brand, analyze the challenges and advantages associated with a D2C brand, analyze growth and expansion options available with Mamaearth and evaluate the strategies for Indian start-ups in the beauty and personal care space. Case overview/synopsis In 2016, what began as a quest to find safe baby care products for the first-time parents Varun and Ghazal, turned into an entrepreneurial opportunity. The couple started Honasa Consumer Private Limited at Gurugram, which owned the brand Mamaearth. Conceived as a D2C brand for mothers opposed to harsh baby care products, it debuted with just six baby care products with exclusive online availability. For the brand to grow, it recreated the marketing mix to be perceived as a brand for all ages. The step successfully garnered a customer base of over 1.5 million consumers in 500 cities and a valuation of INR 1bn within four years of operations. In February 2021, Mamaearth became a brand with INR 5bn annualized revenue run rate and aspired to double it to INR 10bn by 2023. Though Mamaearth debuted as a D2C brand, after tapping around 10,000 retail stores, the Alaghs realized that many consumers still preferred transacting in the offline space. Alaghs decided to expand by acquiring a robust offline space in 100 smart cities in India. Would it be wise for Mamaearth to take forward their offline expansion plans? Alternatively, would an aggressive product innovation coupled with a more substantial online presence be a more sustainable proposition? Complexity academic level The case study is appropriate for Post Graduate Diploma in Management/Master of Business Administration level courses of second year in strategic brand management, digital marketing, integrated marketing communication and marketing strategy. The case stuudy may also be useful for prospective entrepreneurs planning to embark upon a D2C venture. The case study elaborates on the emergence, marketing and branding of Mamaearth. The case study helps students understand the meaning of a D2C brand and the growth options available in the Indian market for a D2C brand from the perspective of Mamaearth. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

Menu Engineering: Evaluasi Produk Minuman (Kopi) di Kopiloka 3.0 Palembang

The coffee shop business in Indonesia is currently developing rapidly, especially in big cities such as Bandung, Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan, Bali, Palembang, and several other big cities, of course it is a big opportunity for entrepreneurs to open a business in this field, by various concepts or ideas that aim to attract customers from various circles, several cafes have even appeared in small towns in each region. South Sumatra is one of the 8 provinces producing the best coffee beans in Indonesia, with the dominant type of coffee being Robusta coffee. By seeing this opportunity, in the city of Palembang many coffee shops or what are usually called cafés are starting to appear, not only as a place to just drink a cup of coffee, but also as a place to relax, gather with friends, family, and even become a place to relax. to do a business, one of which is Kopiloka 3.0 Palembang. The function of a menu is to make it easier for visitors to choose what they want to order. A good menu can be seen from the level of sales and contribution in providing profits to the restaurant. Menu engineering is used to find out how much profit and actual food costs are, based on the basic cost and selling price of a product. In this menu evaluation, there are three indicators that will be discussed, namely popularity index, contribution margin, and menu classification. The method used in this research is a quantitative method with a descriptive approach, with data collection techniques in the form of observation, interviews, documentation studies and literature studies. The research results stated that the Popularity Index for the coffee menu was 88.64% for the HIGH category menu items and 11.34% for the LOW category menu items. The coffee menu items consist of 18 menus, for the HIGH category there are 14 menus and for the LOW category there are 4 menus; The contribution margin of the 18 coffee menu items served is that there are 9 menu items that fall into the HIGH category with a percentage of 58.17%. Meanwhile, 9 other menus fall into the LOW category with a percentage of 41.81%; Menu classification in the coffee menu, namely, there are 8 menu items included in the STAR category with a percentage of 55.24%, 6 menu items included in the PLOWHORSE category with a percentage of 33.4%, 3 menu items included in the DOG with a percentage of 8.41%, and 1 menu item which is included in the PUZZLE category with a percentage of 2.93%.

Digital Literacy and Inclusive Growth: Examining Digital Empowerment of Female Students in Lahore

The digital economy has created various entrepreneurship opportunities for women in Pakistan. E-commerce platforms and online marketplaces have enabled women to start their own businesses, reach a larger customer base, and overcome traditional gender-based constraints. The ability to operate businesses from home has also provided flexibility, allowing women to balance their work and family responsibilities. The primary objective is to explore the digital empowerment status of female students in Lahore. This study utilizes a modified scale for the dependent variable, focusing on the dimensions of digital awareness, legal understanding, and economic aspects of digital empowerment. To investigate digital empowerment, the questionnaire is distributed to gather data from 390 female students of both public and private universities in Lahore, Pakistan. Data is analyzed using Smart-PLS 4 and SPSS, while graphical analysis is done through R studio. Frequency, mean, standard deviation, and percentage of variables are calculated for data analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis CFA is used to evaluate the hypotheses. The results reveal that the majority of the 65.3% of respondents have a medium level of digital empowerment. Income has a positive and significant impact on digital empowerment. Digital literacy skills, digital training, and internet skills have positive and significant impact on digital empowerment. Independent variables are considered as important factors in promoting digital empowerment among female students. Institutions and discipline negatively and significantly influence digital empowerment. Additionally, the study examines female students' access to a digital device and their internet usage behavior. Results show that 25.9% of respondents do not have access to the device at home. This research endeavors to pave the way for policy formulation aimed at empowering young female students with essential digital literacy skills that align with international standards.

A Comprehensive Review on Evolution, Challenges of Models, Opportunities in Urban Farming Practices in the World

This review delves into the historical evolution of urban farming, tracing its roots from ancient civilizations to modern-day urban landscapes. It explores diverse urban farming models, ranging from rooftop gardens and vertical farms to community gardens and hydroponic systems, highlighting their unique characteristics and contributions to food security, environmental sustainability, and community resilience. Additionally, the abstract addresses the myriad challenges faced by urban farmers, including limited space, soil contamination, regulatory hurdles, and access to resources. Despite these challenges, urban farming presents abundant opportunities for innovation, social entrepreneurship, and urban revitalization. By leveraging technological advancements, community engagement, and policy support, urban farming has the potential to transform cities into vibrant hubs of agricultural production and sustainability. This abstract sets the stage for a comprehensive review that not only illuminates the past and present of urban farming but also identifies pathways for its future growth and impact in shaping resilient, equitable, and sustainable cities.

A framework for investigating new firm entry: The (limited) overlap between informal-formal and necessity-opportunity entrepreneurship

We analyse entrepreneurial entry along the dimensions of informal-formal and necessity-opportunity entrepreneurship, distinguishing between them yet considering them jointly. While the dominant view in the literature conflates necessity with informal entry, and opportunity with formal entry, we hypothesise that informal entrepreneurship may be attractive to higher-income individuals as a testing ground for entrepreneurial ideas. We also explain why higher-income individuals may undertake necessity entrepreneurship. We utilise individual Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) data from Chile (2019–2021), which identifies informal-formal and necessity-opportunity entrepreneurial entry modes, to test hypotheses on the role of individuals´ income in the four types of entrepreneurial entry. We also consider changes in entrepreneurial entry during a crisis and a non-crisis periods. Our results confirm that the patterns in the data are consistent with hypotheses derived from our proposed theoretical framework. Executive summaryEmerging markets economies have very large informal sectors, and their entrepreneurial entry is often motivated by economic necessity rather than by business opportunity. But neither informal nor necessity entrepreneurship are usually expected to generate the positive benefits for growth and development predicted for formal and opportunity entrepreneurship. We argue that the dominant stream in the literature actually conflates informal and necessity entrepreneurship, both of which have been associated with low human and financial capital and productivity. We propose that the appropriate typology is more complex than this because there are examples of successful and dynamic informal firms. This leads us to identify four categories of entrepreneurial entry: informal-necessity (Type 1), formal-opportunity (Type 2), informal-opportunity (Type 3), and formal-necessity (Type 4). While necessity entrepreneurship has typically been associated with low-income individuals, we propose that formal-necessity entrepreneurship may be an entry path for both low- and high-income individuals, though for different reasons. Informal opportunity entry may likewise be an option for people with low-income as well as high-income.We therefore seek to disentangle the analysis of opportunity-necessity and of formal-informal entry and to demonstrate that the two less explored entry modes - informal-opportunity, and formal-necessity - are of considerable theoretical and practical significance in emerging economies. We test our framework in the emerging market economy setting of Chile, one of the more prosperous and open economies in Latin America. We use Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) data which uniquely for Chile allow us to distinguish between individuals along both the formal-informal and the necessity-opportunity dimensions. On this basis, we distinguish empirically between these four categories of entrepreneurial entry and explain how higher-income individuals may use informal-opportunity entrepreneurial entry as a “seed bed” to test their new business ideas. At the same time, we show that necessity entrepreneurship may be attractive to both lower- and higher-income individuals.We also show that the interplay between individuals´ income groups and four entrepreneurial entry modes is stable over “normal times” versus “crisis periods”. We observe that in response to a crisis, individuals with lower-incomes are likely to engage more in informal-necessity entrepreneurship while opportunity-informal entry by higher-income individuals will decline. These changes represent a more complex adjustment pattern than has been identified for developed economies, where entrepreneurial activity has been found to be countercyclical. Thus, in emerging markets, informal-necessity entrepreneurship plays a stabilizing role for those individuals with a more marginal position in the labor market during the crisis. In contrast, for those individuals who have access to higher household income, all forms of entrepreneurship become a less attractive option. We interpret this as indicating that these individuals have the option to wait for higher return opportunities to re-emerge. This is one of the first papers to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on entrepreneurship in an emerging market economy.

Pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities is not a choice: the interplay between gender norms, contextual embeddedness, and (in)equality mechanisms in entrepreneurial contexts

PurposeAll entrepreneurs interact simultaneously with multiple entrepreneurial contexts throughout their entrepreneurial journey. This conceptual paper has two central aims: (1) it synthesises the current literature on gender and entrepreneurship, and (2) it increases our understanding of how gender norms, contextual embeddedness and (in)equality mechanisms interact within contexts. Illustrative contexts that are discussed include entrepreneurship education, business networks and finance.Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper draws upon extant literature to develop its proposed conceptual framework. It provides suggestions for systemic policy interventions as well as pointing to promising paths for future research.FindingsA literature-generated conceptual framework is developed to explain and address the systemic barriers faced by opportunity-driven women as they engage in entrepreneurial contexts. This conceptual framework visualises the interplay between gender norms, contextual embeddedness and inequality mechanisms to explain systemic disparities. An extra dimension is integrated in the framework to account for the power of agency within women and with others, whereby agency, either individually or collectively, may disrupt and subvert the current interplay with inequality mechanisms.Originality/valueThis work advances understanding of the underrepresentation of women entrepreneurs. The paper offers a conceptual framework that provides policymakers with a useful tool to understand how to intervene and increase contextual embeddedness for all entrepreneurs. Additionally, this paper suggests moving beyond “fixing” women entrepreneurs and points towards disrupting systemic disparities to accomplish this contextual embeddedness for all entrepreneurs. By doing so, this research adds to academic knowledge on the construction and reconstruction of gender in the field of entrepreneurship.

Opportunity abandonment: Why are entrepreneurs vulnerable to type I and II errors?

Opportunity actualization is a critical competency attributed to entrepreneurs, which has received widespread attention in the entrepreneurship literature. However, the knowledge of Entrepreneurial Opportunity Abandonment (EOA) decisions is limited. We, therefore, explore the relatively under-studied EOA, analyzing why entrepreneurs commit decision errors, abandon potentially viable opportunities (type I error) or pursue non-opportunity spaces (type II error), and ultimately forsake them later. Through a scoping literature review, we highlight more profound psychological variables that shape entrepreneurial opportunity behavior triggering EOA decisions. We discuss entrepreneurial cognitive limitations in articulating, concretizing, and communicating the opportunity. We argue that varying construal mindsets cause reification fallacies and create perceptual blocks in enunciating an opportunity idea. Further, subjective stakeholder feedback and biased information exchange largely shape EOA decisions, which are mediated through the information processing capacity of entrepreneurs. Finally, we propose four entrepreneurial decision-limiting hypotheses which require an empirical investigation.

The implications of economic freedom and gender ideologies on women's opportunity-to-necessity entrepreneurship

PurposeThis study explores the relationship between economic freedom and gender ideologies on the allocation of women’s opportunity-to-necessity entrepreneurship across countries. Opportunity entrepreneurship is typically understood as one’s best option for work, whereas necessity entrepreneurship describes the choice as driven by no better option for work. Specifically, we examine how economic freedom (i.e. each country’s policies that facilitate voluntary exchange) and gender ideologies (i.e. each country’s propensity for gendered separate spheres) affect the distribution of women’s opportunity-to-necessity entrepreneurship across countries.Design/methodology/approachWe construct our sample by matching data from the following country-level sources: the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor’s Adult Population Survey (APS), the Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom Index (EFI), the European/World Value Survey’s Integrated Values Survey (IVS) gender equality index, and other covariates from the IVS, Varieties of Democracy (V-dem) World Bank (WB) databases. Our final sample consists of 729 observations from 109 countries between 2006 and 2018. Entrepreneurial activity motivations are measured by the ratio of the percentage of women’s opportunity-driven total nascent and early-stage entrepreneurship to the percentage of female necessity-driven total nascent and early-stage entrepreneurship at the country level. Due to a first-order autoregressive process and heteroskedastic cross-sectional dependence in our panel, we estimate a fixed-effect regression with robust standard errors clustered by country.FindingsAfter controlling for multiple macro-level factors, we find two interesting findings. First, economic freedom positively affects the ratio of women’s opportunity-to-necessity entrepreneurship. We find that the size of government, sound money, and business and credit regulations play the most important role in shaping the distribution of contextual motivations over time and between countries. However, this effect appears to benefit efficiency and innovation economies more than factor economies in our sub-sample analysis. Second, gender ideologies of political equality positively affect the ratio of women’s opportunity-to-necessity entrepreneurship, and this effect is most pronounced for efficiency economies.Originality/valueThis study offers one critical contribution to the entrepreneurship literature by demonstrating how economic freedom and gender ideologies shape the distribution of contextual motivation for women’s entrepreneurship cross-culturally. We answer calls to better understand the variation within women’s entrepreneurship instead of comparing women’s and men’s entrepreneurial activity. As a result, our study sheds light on how structural aspects of societies shape the allocation of women’s entrepreneurial motivations through their institutional arrangements.

A Study of University Students’ Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competencies under Internet Plus and China’s Dual Carbon Targets

China’s policy on carbon peaking and carbon neutrality has sparked a new wave of emerging industries towards reaching the dual carbon targets. The growth of these industries meant that there is an urgent need to develop innovative entrepreneurs who are committed to realizing the dual carbon goals. Therefore, it is of great significance to analyze the innovation and entrepreneurship competencies of university students in achieving the goals. Under the background of internet plus, university students are critical in realizing the dual carbon goals as they possess specific characteristics compared to the comprehensive competencies of innovative entrepreneurs. With the help of the internet and through the combination of online and offline model, this paper examined university students in a specific area to determine the structure and influencing factors of their innovation and entrepreneurship competencies. The results indicate that in the era of internet plus, factors such as national policy, students’ place of origin, career direction, as well as innovation and entrepreneurship activities play a key role in the innovation and entrepreneurship competencies of university students towards reaching the dual carbon goals. More proper research needs to be conducted on university students with different personality traits even though university students in the era of internet plus can make use of innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities in achieving the dual carbon targets.

Gendered Perspectives on Sustainable Entrepreneurship: A Study of Finnish SMEs

The objective of this research is to understand how gender is related to opportunities of sustainable entrepreneurship. The data was gathered from Finnish SMEs, and it has responses from 202 SME owner-managers. Of the SME owner-managers, 28 % were women and 72 % male. Most of the SMEs were small sized and employed under 50 employees. First, we developed a taxonomy of green entrepreneurship by building an instrument with 10 items (7-point Likert scale) based on the definitions of green SMEs. For building the taxonomy, we performed an exploratory factor analysis, which produced three factors. The first factor was named as “green entrepreneurs”. This factor measures the behaviour related to seeking business opportunities from green transition and reducing the negative impact of SME’s operations. The second factor was named as “green missionaries”. This factor measures behaviour related to active promotion of green transition and the SME’s vision to improve the state of the environment. The third factor was named as “no concern for environmental issues”. SMEs with high values in this factor represent SMEs who think that environmental issues do not concern their business or industry. Based on these factors, scales were created with acceptable reliability (Cronbach’s alphas over 0,70). Secondly, we performed t-tests to test mean differences between men and women in these scales. Results show that women have higher mean values in the scale “green entrepreneurs” (4,9 vs. 4,3), and lower mean values in the scale “no concern for environmental issues” (2,8 vs. 3,2). No mean differences between men and women were found in the scale “green missionaries”. The results indicate that women approach the opportunities offered by sustainable entrepreneurship differently than men. They are more proactive in seeking new business opportunities and are more inclined than men to promote sustainability principles in their own business operations. This research sheds light on how women and men engage differently in green business initiatives, providing valuable insights for fostering gender-inclusive sustainability strategies.

From shopping centers to cultural centers: Los Angeles strip malls as sites of ethnic and immigrant placemaking

ABSTRACT The strip mall is a ubiquitous urban design type formed by a strip of commercial establishments on a single parcel of land that surround an open, street-facing parking lot. We hypothesize that they are important sites for ethnic and immigrant businesses in LA and, in particular, that their relatively low rents, location, and design (including site layout, unit size, and structure quality) are particularly conducive for ethnic cultural placemaking. Using data about the built environment, real estate market, and our own original “EthniCITY” spatial database of race/ethnicity placemaking patterns in Los Angeles, we use mapping and spatial analysis, descriptive statistics, a hedonic price model, and groundtruthing fieldwork to find that small and medium-sized strip malls are important ethnic places in Los Angeles, hosting the most ethnic commercial establishments amongst all commercial building types. We also find that half of all small strip malls are located within ethnic cultural hubs. Our findings suggest that physical urban design matters in shaping the cultural life of cities and the geographic opportunities for immigrant entrepreneurship.

Advocacy Coalitions, Policy Entrepreneurs, and Windows of Opportunity: Tobacco Control in South Africa, 1948-2018.

This article examines the political history of tobacco control policy in South Africa from 1948 to 2018 by drawing on available historical documents, media reports, published books and articles, the grey literature, and face-to-face interviews with key policy actors. Tracing the historical evolution of tobacco control policies in South Africa reveals how embedded opposition from vested interest groups at every stage of the policy process complicates responses to the tobacco issue. This case study demonstrates how, despite such embedded difficulties, a confluence of regime change, evidence-based messaging, political will, policy entrepreneurs, and advocacy coalitions have led to the gradual transformation of tobacco control policy in South Africa over time. Understanding the historical evolution of tobacco control policy in South Africa opens up space for an in-depth inquiry that allows researchers to trace the policy-making process over the last seven decades, and to understand how those processes have facilitated a shift in the orientation of policy makers over time.

Connecting founding and dissolution: A demographic study of the US nonprofit sector

AbstractDespite a rich literature on nonprofit density, the founding and dissolution of nonprofit organizations remains poorly understood. This study explores the founding and dissolution in nonprofit populations including density dependence, resource concentration, government size, and hypothesizes that dissolution creates an entrepreneurial opportunity. The hypotheses are tested using county level data covering the continental US from 2010 to 2016 (N = 21,756). The results show government size, competition, and resource concentration are important for understanding founding and dissolution, and establishes strong support for a link between the events: a one standard deviation increase in the number of dissolutions in a county predicts an increase of 1.5% (CI: .72–2.31) in the nonprofit founding rate. The study highlights ways for public officials to support nonprofit entrepreneurship and calls for renewed interest in ecological applications in contemporary nonprofit populations.