How does institutional environment in the digital context affect technology entrepreneurship? The moderating roles of government digitalization and gender

Abstract

PurposeBased on institutional theory, this study aims to analyze the influencing mechanisms of the institutional environment in the digital context on technology entrepreneurship.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, World Bank and World Economic Forum, this study builds a multilevel database covering 79 countries and 97,146 individuals from 2013 to 2017. A mixed-effects logistic regression model with the fixed part and random part was chosen to test the hypotheses in this study. The mixed-effects logistic regression model used in this study includes a random intercept with random effects at the country level, while the robustness test considers a more complex two-level model with a random intercept plus random slope.FindingsThe findings indicate that different dimensions of the institutional environment in the digital context have different effects on individual technology entrepreneurship. The analysis shows that exposure to digital networks and innovative culture positively influences technology entrepreneurship. However, intellectual property rights protection has a negative impact on technology entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the government digitalization has different effects on above relationships. When a government digitalization is higher, there will be a weaker positive relationship between exposure to digital networks and technology entrepreneurship. When a government digitalization is higher, there will be a stronger positive relationship between innovative culture and technology entrepreneurship. When a government digitalization is higher, there will be a weaker negative relationship between Intellectual property rights protection and technology entrepreneurship. Finally, the effect of innovative culture on technology entrepreneurship in the digital context is stronger for females than for males.Originality/valueThe aforementioned findings contribute to a better understanding of the theoretical logic underlying digital factors affecting the institutional environment and technology entrepreneurship and act as a reference for the country in terms of raising its scientific and technological levels and promoting economic structure transformation in the digital era.

Digital entrepreneurship: towards a knowledge management perspective

“…The main external reason is that digitisation has changed the process and form of technological entrepreneurship, thereby affecting knowledge creation, acquisition and re-creation (Fuller and Pickernell, 2018). Jiao et al (2022) revealed that different dimensions of the institutional environment in the digital context have varying impacts on individual technology entrepreneurship and that digital networks/internet and innovation culture positively impact technology entrepreneurship. The external environment stems from globalisation, supported by emerging information technologies, and places higher demand on digital-based enterprises to engage in collaborative innovation and learning (i.e.…”

Metaverse meets digital entrepreneurship: a practitioner-based qualitative synthesis

“…, 2022). Third, although the difficulty for individual entrepreneurs to implement significant investments (Jiao et al. , 2022), we discover how even in the case of the metaverse, support from public companies (e.g.…”

“…While digital pervasiveness is highest in large companies, this is more limited for small-to-medium-sized companies or single-entrepreneurship entities. For example, Jiao et al (2022) highlight how digital entrepreneurship is more difficult in single-entrepreneurship cases and is positively influenced by exposure to digital networks and innovative culture, even according to the gender of the entrepreneur himself. Other studies point out that being a digital entrepreneur depends on variables such as business innovativeness, intentionality, convenience, culture, flexible design, entrepreneurship orientation, generality, openness, network, and technology orientation (Dutot and van Horne, 2015;Upadhyay et al, 2022).…”

“…Second, for the metaverse to be explored by more and more entrepreneurs, it is necessary to create collaborative, flexible environments aimed at the market launch of new services (Upadhyay et al, 2022). Third, although the difficulty for individual entrepreneurs to implement significant investments (Jiao et al, 2022), we discover how even in the case of the metaverse, support from public companies (e.g. central governments) can be vital, for example, through tax credits (France 2030(France , 2022 and finalised participation in hackathons (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, 2022;Koduri, 2021).…”

“…While digital pervasiveness is highest in large companies, this is more limited for small-to-medium-sized companies or single-entrepreneurship entities. For example, Jiao et al . (2022) highlight how digital entrepreneurship is more difficult in single-entrepreneurship cases and is positively influenced by exposure to digital networks and innovative culture, even according to the gender of the entrepreneur himself.…”