IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i19p14219-d1248042.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Digital Rural Construction and Rural Household Entrepreneurship: Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Yunwen Zhou

    (College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China)

  • Zhijian Cai

    (College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China)

  • Jie Wang

    (College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China)

Abstract

Promoting rural entrepreneurship is an important approach to achieving rural revitalization, accelerating the construction of a new development pattern, and enhancing the well-being of farmers. Based on the County Digital Rural Index (CDRI) and the China Household Finance Survey (CHFS), we empirically examine the impact and role of digital rural construction (DRC) on rural household entrepreneurship. Our findings are as follows: (1) DRC plays a vital role in facilitating entrepreneurial behaviors (EB) and entrepreneurial performance (EP) among rural households. (2) DRC indirectly fosters rural household entrepreneurship by facilitating resource acquisition and opportunity identification. (3) Our heterogeneity analysis reveals that DRC’s promotion effect is stronger among local entrepreneurs and individuals with risk-averse tendencies. Additionally, DRC has a more pronounced effect in stimulating EB within lower-income families, while its impact on EP shows the opposite trend. Furthermore, DRC’s influence on rural household entrepreneurship is particularly significant in regions with more advanced digital rural development. (4) Additionally, we observe a significant positive impact of the four dimensions of DRC on rural household entrepreneurship, further affirming the role of DRC in driving rural household entrepreneurship. In the digital economy era, this study provides empirical evidence to promote the integration of digital technology and rural entrepreneurship, offering valuable insights for advancement in this domain.

Suggested Citation

  • Yunwen Zhou & Zhijian Cai & Jie Wang, 2023. "Digital Rural Construction and Rural Household Entrepreneurship: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-17, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:19:p:14219-:d:1248042
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/19/14219/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/19/14219/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Madestam, Andreas, 2014. "Informal finance: A theory of moneylenders," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 157-174.
    2. Täuscher, Karl & Laudien, Sven M., 2018. "Understanding platform business models: A mixed methods study of marketplaces," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 319-329.
    3. Sharon A. Alvarez & Jay B. Barney & Philip Anderson, 2013. "Forming and Exploiting Opportunities: The Implications of Discovery and Creation Processes for Entrepreneurial and Organizational Research," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(1), pages 301-317, February.
    4. Timo Boppart, 2014. "Structural Change and the Kaldor Facts in a Growth Model With Relative Price Effects and Non‐Gorman Preferences," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 82, pages 2167-2196, November.
    5. Yue Zhang & Mengwei Feng & Zhengshuai Fang & Fujin Yi & Zhenzhen Liu, 2023. "Impact of Digital Village Construction on Agricultural Carbon Emissions: Evidence from Mainland China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-19, February.
    6. Nambisan, Satish & Wright, Mike & Feldman, Maryann, 2019. "The digital transformation of innovation and entrepreneurship: Progress, challenges and key themes," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(8), pages 1-1.
    7. repec:oup:ajagec:v:99:y:2017:i:1:p:1-18. is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Veronika Zavratnik & Andrej Kos & Emilija Stojmenova Duh, 2018. "Smart Villages: Comprehensive Review of Initiatives and Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-14, July.
    9. Barnett, William A. & Hu, Mingzhi & Wang, Xue, 2019. "Does the utilization of information communication technology promote entrepreneurship: Evidence from rural China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 12-21.
    10. Wei Chen & Quanzhong Wang & Hong Zhou, 2022. "Digital Rural Construction and Farmers’ Income Growth: Theoretical Mechanism and Micro Experience Based on Data from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-21, September.
    11. Scott Shane, 2000. "Prior Knowledge and the Discovery of Entrepreneurial Opportunities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 11(4), pages 448-469, August.
    12. Chan-Yuan Wong & Boon-Kwee Ng & Suzana Ariff Azizan & Maisarah Hasbullah, 2018. "Knowledge Structures of City Innovation Systems: Singapore and Hong Kong," Journal of Urban Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(1), pages 47-73, January.
    13. Soluk, Jonas & Kammerlander, Nadine & Darwin, Solomon, 2021. "Digital entrepreneurship in developing countries: The role of institutional voids," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    14. Popkova, Elena G. & Sergi, Bruno S., 2020. "A Digital Economy to Develop Policy Related to Transport and Logistics. Predictive Lessons from Russia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    15. Yan Mei & Jingyi Miao & Yuhui Lu, 2022. "Digital Villages Construction Accelerates High-Quality Economic Development in Rural China through Promoting Digital Entrepreneurship," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-29, October.
    16. Fokko J. Eller & Michael M. Gielnik & Hendrik Wimmer & Corinna Thölke & Sara Holzapfel & Silke Tegtmeier & Jantje Halberstadt, 2020. "Identifying business opportunities for sustainable development: Longitudinal and experimental evidence contributing to the field of sustainable entrepreneurship," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1387-1403, March.
    17. Mack, Elizabeth A. & Marie-Pierre, Lisa & Redican, Kyle, 2017. "Entrepreneurs’ use of internet and social media applications," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 120-139.
    18. Sabine Müller & Steffen Korsgaard, 2018. "Resources and bridging: the role of spatial context in rural entrepreneurship," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(1-2), pages 224-255, January.
    19. Yiran Wang & Zhijian Cai & Jie Wang, 2022. "The Impact of Digital Technology Use on Passive Entrepreneurial Exit in Rural Households: Empirical Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-18, August.
    20. Shi, Xianwei & Shi, Yongjiang, 2022. "Unpacking the process of resource allocation within an entrepreneurial ecosystem," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(9).
    21. Jie Wang & Zhijian Cai, 2022. "The Effect of Dependency Burden on Household Entrepreneurial Exit Behavior: Empirical Evidence from Chinese Households," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-15, July.
    22. Dillon, Andrew & Sharma, Manohar & Zhang, Xiaobo, 2011. "Estimating the impact of rural investments in Nepal," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 250-258, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Thomas Kreuzer & Anna-Katharina Lindenthal & Anna Maria Oberländer & Maximilian Röglinger, 2022. "The Effects of Digital Technology on Opportunity Recognition," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 64(1), pages 47-67, February.
    2. Chandra, Yanto, 2022. "Non-fungible token-enabled entrepreneurship: A conceptual framework," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 18(C).
    3. Jianyu Zhao & Yining Huang & Xi Xi & Shanshan Wang, 2021. "How knowledge heterogeneity influences business model design: mediating effects of strategic learning and bricolage," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 889-919, June.
    4. Isabel Luis-Rico & María-Camino Escolar-Llamazares & Tamara De la Torre-Cruz & Alfredo Jiménez & Álvaro Herrero & Carmen Palmero-Cámara & Alfredo Jiménez-Eguizábal, 2020. "Entrepreneurial Interest and Entrepreneurial Competence Among Spanish Youth: An Analysis with Artificial Neural Networks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-17, February.
    5. Vandor, Peter & Franke, Nikolaus, 2016. "See Paris and… found a business? The impact of cross-cultural experience on opportunity recognition capabilities," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 388-407.
    6. Lanivich, Stephen E. & Smith, Adam & Levasseur, Ludvig & Pidduck, Robert J. & Busenitz, Lowell & Tang, Jintong, 2022. "Advancing entrepreneurial alertness: Review, synthesis, and future research directions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 1165-1176.
    7. Jean-Marie Nkongolo-Bakenda & Elie V. Chrysostome, 2020. "Exploring the organizing and strategic factors of diasporic transnational entrepreneurs in Canada: An empirical study," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 336-372, September.
    8. Yáñez-Valdés, Claudia & Guerrero, Maribel & Barros-Celume, Sebastián & Ibáñez, María J., 2023. "Winds of change due to global lockdowns: Refreshing digital social entrepreneurship research paradigm," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    9. Ping Chen, 2023. "The Effect of Value Creation on Startups Performance in the Digital Environment: Evidence from Chinese Digital Startups," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-18, February.
    10. Martin Henning & Maureen McKelvey, 2020. "Knowledge, entrepreneurship and regional transformation: contributing to the Schumpeterian and evolutionary perspective on the relationships between them," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 495-501, February.
    11. Andrew D. Henderson & Melissa E. Graebner, 2020. "Entering a Golden Age of Sustained Superiority: Entrepreneurial Creation or Discovery?," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 31(6), pages 1432-1451, November.
    12. Charlotte Sophia Diepolder & Holger Weitzel & Johannes Huwer, 2024. "Exploring the Impact of Sustainable Entrepreneurial Role Models on Students’ Opportunity Recognition for Sustainable Development in Sustainable Entrepreneurship Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-25, February.
    13. Per Davidsson, 2023. "Ditching Discovery-Creation for Unified Venture Creation Research," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(2), pages 594-612, March.
    14. Marcela Miozzo & Lori DiVito, 2020. "Productive opportunities, uncertainty, and science-based firm emergence," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 539-560, February.
    15. Satish Nambisan, 2017. "Digital Entrepreneurship: Toward a Digital Technology Perspective of Entrepreneurship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(6), pages 1029-1055, November.
    16. Franco Malerba & Maureen McKelvey, 2020. "Knowledge-intensive innovative entrepreneurship integrating Schumpeter, evolutionary economics, and innovation systems," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 503-522, February.
    17. Maureen McKelvey, 2016. "Firms navigating through innovation spaces: a conceptualization of how firms search and perceive technological, market and productive opportunities globally," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 26(4), pages 785-802, October.
    18. Orrensalo, Thao & Nikou, Shahrokh, 2021. "Digital Source Adoption and Information-Seeking Behaviours of Entrepreneurs: A Systematic Literature Review," 23rd ITS Biennial Conference, Online Conference / Gothenburg 2021. Digital societies and industrial transformations: Policies, markets, and technologies in a post-Covid world 238044, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    19. Fellnhofer, Katharina, 2022. "Entrepreneurial alertness toward responsible research and innovation: Digital technology makes the psychological heart of entrepreneurship pound," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    20. Shi, Xianwei & Liang, Xingkun & Luo, Yining, 2023. "Unpacking the intellectual structure of ecosystem research in innovation studies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:19:p:14219-:d:1248042. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.