This study profiles new Mainland Chinese entrepreneurs and their enterprises as well as explores the cultural and family forces shaping small‐ and medium‐size enterprise development. The study uncovers entrepreneurial motives, demographic attributes, and the type of businesses being established. Family and enterprise relationships relating to financial investment and employment are also presented. The majority of enterprises were found to be closely held small businesses focused on the retail and technology sectors. The findings suggest that entrepreneurs are motivated by the need for independent‐based achievement and continuous learning around a family focus. Family played an active role in enterprise formation and development in China. Entrepreneurs were found to rely on family members both to establish and develop their enterprises. The majority of the entrepreneurs surveyed employed at least one family member on a full‐time basis. Entrepreneurs were also found to use family finances as the primary source of start‐up capital.

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If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to profile the characteristics, attributes and growth orientations of Lebanese entrepreneurs, including the relationships, roles, and contributions that family and culture make and play in the development of private small and medium-sized enterprises. Design/methodology/approach -Drawing on a sample of 112 entrepreneurs, psychographic motives, demographic attributes, and business activities are revealed. A series of 112 in-depth personal interviews was conducted over a 12 month period between May 2006 and 2007. The entrepreneurial profile questionnaire (EPQ) was utilized as a data collection instrument. The EPQ was designed to survey the effect of individual, societal, and environmental factors on entrepreneurship and family business development by collecting a combination of demographic information and extensive detail related to characteristics and orientations. Findings -The findings suggest that entrepreneurs are motivated by the need for independence and flexibility. Entrepreneurs were found to rely heavily on family member participation to establish, develop, and grow their enterprises. The majority of the entrepreneurs surveyed employ at least one family member on a full-time basis. Entrepreneurs were also found to use family finances as the primary source of start-up capital. Family participation in the form of employment and investment was found to have a positive impact on entrepreneurial growth intentions and expansion plans. Originality/value -The paper offers insights into family contributions to entrepreneurial development in Lebanon.

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