IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/asiapa/v36y2019i4d10.1007_s10490-018-9574-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Entrepreneurial attention to deregulations and reinvestments by private firms: Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Weiqi Dai

    (Zhejiang University of Finance & Economics)

  • Mingqing Liao

    (South China University of Technology)

Abstract

To increase the understanding of entrepreneurship in China and contribute to the view that deregulation facilitates the rapid development of the private sector in transitional economies, we examine the positive relationship between entrepreneurial attention to deregulation (formal institution at the country level) and reinvestment by Chinese private firms. We supplement this main aim by identifying two moderating factors: the entrepreneurs’ political connections (informal institution) and the regional institution development (formal institution at the regional level). We also explore how the interaction of political connections and regional institution development moderate the “entrepreneurial attention to deregulation-reinvestment” link. We find support for our hypotheses from survey data on 3,284 private firms in China. This paper contributes to the research on the relationship between institution and entrepreneurship in general and the association of deregulation and reinvestment in particular by considering two categories of institutional arrangements (formal and informal institutions; national and regional institutions) simultaneously and by exploring the antecedent of reinvestment from a fresh perspective—the attention-based view, highlighting the importance of “noticed” or “perceived” deregulation that influences entrepreneurial decision-making.

Suggested Citation

  • Weiqi Dai & Mingqing Liao, 2019. "Entrepreneurial attention to deregulations and reinvestments by private firms: Evidence from China," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 36(4), pages 1221-1250, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:asiapa:v:36:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1007_s10490-018-9574-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10490-018-9574-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10490-018-9574-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10490-018-9574-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Christine M. Chan & Shige Makino & Takehiko Isobe, 2010. "Does subnational region matter? Foreign affiliate performance in the United states and China," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(11), pages 1226-1243, November.
    2. Yongqiang Gao & Taïeb Hafsi, 2015. "Government Intervention, Peers’ Giving and Corporate Philanthropy: Evidence from Chinese Private SMEs," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 132(2), pages 433-447, December.
    3. Sunny Li Sun & Mike W. Peng & Weiqiang Tan, 2017. "Institutional relatedness behind product diversification and international diversification," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 339-366, June.
    4. Dean A. Shepherd & Jeffery S. Mcmullen & William Ocasio, 2017. "Is that an opportunity? An attention model of top managers' opportunity beliefs for strategic action," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(3), pages 626-644, March.
    5. Simon Johnson & John McMillan & Christopher Woodruff, 2002. "Property Rights and Finance," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(5), pages 1335-1356, December.
    6. Cull, Robert & Xu, Lixin Colin, 2005. "Institutions, ownership, and finance: the determinants of profit reinvestment among Chinese firms," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 117-146, July.
    7. Jing Zhang & Justin Tan & Poh Wong, 2015. "When does investment in political ties improve firm performance? The contingent effect of innovation activities," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 363-387, June.
    8. Ahlstrom, David & Bruton, Garry D. & Lui, Steven S. Y., 2000. "Navigating China's changing economy: Strategies for private firms," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 5-15.
    9. Seung Ho Park & Yadong Luo, 2001. "Guanxi and organizational dynamics: organizational networking in Chinese firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(5), pages 455-477, May.
    10. Olivier Blanchard & Andrei Shleifer, 2001. "Federalism With and Without Political Centralization: China Versus Russia," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 48(4), pages 1-8.
    11. Nguyen, Thang V. & Le, Ngoc T.B. & Bryant, Scott E., 2013. "Sub-national institutions, firm strategies, and firm performance: A multilevel study of private manufacturing firms in Vietnam," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 68-76.
    12. Wei, Li-Qun & Ling, Yan, 2015. "CEO characteristics and corporate entrepreneurship in transition economies: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(6), pages 1157-1165.
    13. Haiyang Li & Yan Zhang, 2007. "The role of managers' political networking and functional experience in new venture performance: Evidence from China's transition economy," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(8), pages 791-804, August.
    14. Nikolai Roussanov, 2010. "Diversification and Its Discontents: Idiosyncratic and Entrepreneurial Risk in the Quest for Social Status," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 65(5), pages 1755-1788, October.
    15. Zhou, Wubiao, 2013. "Political connections and entrepreneurial investment: Evidence from China's transition economy," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 299-315.
    16. Zhao, Hongxin & Lu, Jiangyong, 2016. "Contingent value of political capital in bank loan acquisition: Evidence from founder-controlled private enterprises in China," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 153-174.
    17. Brian R Chabowski & G Tomas M Hult & Tunga Kiyak & Jeannette A Mena, 2010. "The structure of JIBS's social network and the relevance of intra-country variation: A typology for future research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(5), pages 925-934, June.
    18. Stephen W. Raudenbush, 1988. "Educational Applications of Hierarchical Linear Models: A Review," Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, , vol. 13(2), pages 85-116, June.
    19. Toby Stuart & Yanbo Wang, 2016. "Who cooks the books in China, and does it pay? Evidence from private, high‐technology firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(13), pages 2658-2676, December.
    20. Weiwen Li & Ai He & Hailin Lan & Daphne Yiu, 2012. "Political connections and corporate diversification in emerging economies: Evidence from China," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 799-818, September.
    21. Ge, Jianhua & Stanley, Laura J. & Eddleston, Kimberly & Kellermanns, Franz W., 2017. "Institutional deterioration and entrepreneurial investment: The role of political connections," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 405-419.
    22. Estrin, Saul & Korosteleva, Julia & Mickiewicz, Tomasz, 2013. "Which institutions encourage entrepreneurial growth aspirations?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 564-580.
    23. Nan Jia & Kyle J. Mayer, 2017. "Political hazards and firms' geographic concentration," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 203-231, February.
    24. Boubakri, Narjess & Cosset, Jean-Claude & Saffar, Walid, 2008. "Political connections of newly privatized firms," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 14(5), pages 654-673, December.
    25. Yiu, Daphne W. & Wan, William P. & Ng, Frank W. & Chen, Xing & Jun Su,, 2014. "Sentimental Drivers of Social Entrepreneurship: A Study of China's Guangcai (Glorious) Program," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(1), pages 55-80, March.
    26. Elvira Sojli & Wing Wah Tham, 2017. "Foreign political connections," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(2), pages 244-266, February.
    27. Jianfeng Wu & Sali Li & Zijie Li, 2013. "The contingent value of CEO political connections: A study on IPO performance in China," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 30(4), pages 1087-1114, December.
    28. Chong‐En Bai & Jiangyong Lu & Zhigang Tao, 2006. "Property rights protection and access to bank loans," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 14(4), pages 611-628, October.
    29. Garry D. Bruton & David Ahlstrom & Han–Lin Li, 2010. "Institutional Theory and Entrepreneurship: Where Are We Now and Where Do We Need to Move in the Future?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(3), pages 421-440, May.
    30. MARA FACCIO & RONALD W. MASULIS & JOHN J. McCONNELL, 2006. "Political Connections and Corporate Bailouts," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(6), pages 2597-2635, December.
    31. Weilei (Stone) Shi & Sunny Li Sun & Brian C Pinkham & Mike W Peng, 2014. "Domestic alliance network to attract foreign partners: Evidence from international joint ventures in China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(3), pages 338-362, April.
    32. Sheila M. Puffer & Daniel J. McCarthy & Max Boisot, 2010. "Entrepreneurship in Russia and China: The Impact of Formal Institutional Voids," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(3), pages 441-467, May.
    33. Yan Zhang & Haiyang Li, 2010. "Innovation search of new ventures in a technology cluster: the role of ties with service intermediaries," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 88-109, January.
    34. Arnoldi, Jakob & Villadsen, Anders R., 2015. "Political Ties of Listed Chinese Companies, Performance Effects, and Moderating Institutional Factors," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(2), pages 217-236, June.
    35. Daniela P. Blettner & Zi-Lin He & Songcui Hu & Richard A. Bettis, 2015. "Adaptive aspirations and performance heterogeneity: Attention allocation among multiple reference points," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(7), pages 987-1005, July.
    36. Cyril Bouquet & Allen Morrison & Julian Birkinshaw, 2009. "International attention and multinational enterprise performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(1), pages 108-131, January.
    37. Baumol, William J., 1996. "Entrepreneurship: Productive, unproductive, and destructive," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 3-22, January.
    38. Li, Hongbin & Meng, Lingsheng & Wang, Qian & Zhou, Li-An, 2008. "Political connections, financing and firm performance: Evidence from Chinese private firms," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(2), pages 283-299, October.
    39. Justin Tan, 1996. "Regulatory Environment and Strategic Orientations in a Transitional Economy: A Study of Chinese Private Enterprise," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 21(1), pages 31-46, October.
    40. Klaus E. Meyer & Hung Vo Nguyen, 2005. "Foreign Investment Strategies and Sub‐national Institutions in Emerging Markets: Evidence from Vietnam," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(1), pages 63-93, January.
    41. Kevin Zheng Zhou & Laura Poppo, 2010. "Exchange hazards, relational reliability, and contracts in China: The contingent role of legal enforceability," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(5), pages 861-881, June.
    42. Bruton, Garry D. & Ahlstrom, David, 2003. "An institutional view of China's venture capital industry: Explaining the differences between China and the West," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 233-259, March.
    43. Weilei (Stone) Shi & Sunny Li Sun & Mike W. Peng, 2012. "Sub-National Institutional Contingencies, Network Positions, and IJV Partner Selection," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(7), pages 1221-1245, November.
    44. Julie Juan Li & Laura Poppo & Kevin Zheng Zhou, 2008. "Do managerial ties in China always produce value? Competition, uncertainty, and domestic vs. foreign firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(4), pages 383-400, April.
    45. Tina C. Ambos & Julian Birkinshaw, 2010. "How Do New Ventures Evolve? An Inductive Study of Archetype Changes in Science-Based Ventures," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 21(6), pages 1125-1140, December.
    46. Huang,Yasheng, 2008. "Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521898102.
    47. Kafouros, Mario & Wang, Chengqi & Piperopoulos, Panagiotis & Zhang, Mingshen, 2015. "Academic collaborations and firm innovation performance in China: The role of region-specific institutions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 803-817.
    48. Sunny Sun & Xiaoming Yang & Weiwen Li, 2014. "Variance-enhancing corporate entrepreneurship under deregulation: An option portfolio approach," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 31(3), pages 733-761, September.
    49. Zoltan Acs & Sameeksha Desai & Jolanda Hessels, 2008. "Entrepreneurship, economic development and institutions," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 31(3), pages 219-234, October.
    50. Nee, Victor & Opper, Sonja, 2012. "Capitalism from Below: Markets and Institutional Change in China," Economics Books, Harvard University Press, number 9780674050204, Spring.
    51. Zhou, Wubiao, 2017. "Institutional environment, public-private hybrid forms, and entrepreneurial reinvestment in a transition economy," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 197-214.
    52. Du, Xingqiang & Luo, Jin-hui, 2016. "Political Connections, Home Formal Institutions, and Internationalization: Evidence from China," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(1), pages 103-133, March.
    53. John McMillan & Christopher Woodruff, 2002. "The Central Role of Entrepreneurs in Transition Economies," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 16(3), pages 153-170, Summer.
    54. Zhou, Wubiao, 2009. "Bank Financing in China's Private Sector: The Payoffs of Political Capital," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 787-799, April.
    55. Daphne W. Yiu & Chung–Ming Lau, 2008. "Corporate Entrepreneurship as Resource Capital Configuration in Emerging Market Firms," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 32(1), pages 37-57, January.
    56. Jeffery S. McMullen & Dean A. Shepherd & Holger Patzelt, 2009. "Managerial (In)attention to Competitive Threats," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(2), pages 157-181, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. García-Lillo, Francisco & Seva-Larrosa, Pedro & Sánchez-García, Eduardo, 2023. "What is going on in entrepreneurship research? A bibliometric and SNA analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    2. Weiqi Dai & Mingqing Liao & Qiao Lin & Jincai Dong, 2022. "Does entrepreneurs’ proactive attention to government policies matter?," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(3), pages 396-431, July.
    3. Sunny Li Sun & Weilei (Stone) Shi & David Ahlstrom & Li (Rachel) Tian, 2020. "Understanding institutions and entrepreneurship: The microfoundations lens and emerging economies," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 37(4), pages 957-979, December.
    4. Weiqi Dai & Juelin Yin & Mingqing Liao & Felix Arndt, 2023. "Corporate philanthropy, political connections, and external corporate venturing: Evidence from a transitional economy," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 1253-1287, September.
    5. Peng Zhou & Felix Arndt & Kun Jiang & Weiqi Dai, 2021. "Looking Backward and Forward: Political Links and Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 169(4), pages 631-649, April.

    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. Dai, Weiqi & Si, Steven, 2018. "Government policies and firms' entrepreneurial orientation: Strategic choice and institutional perspectives," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 23-36.
    2. Zhao, Hongxin & Lu, Jiangyong, 2016. "Contingent value of political capital in bank loan acquisition: Evidence from founder-controlled private enterprises in China," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 153-174.
    3. Weiqi Dai & Mingqing Liao & Qiao Lin & Jincai Dong, 2022. "Does entrepreneurs’ proactive attention to government policies matter?," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(3), pages 396-431, July.
    4. Jing Zhang & Justin Tan & Poh Wong, 2015. "When does investment in political ties improve firm performance? The contingent effect of innovation activities," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 363-387, June.
    5. Zhou, Wubiao, 2017. "Institutional environment, public-private hybrid forms, and entrepreneurial reinvestment in a transition economy," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 197-214.
    6. Zhou, Wubiao, 2013. "Political connections and entrepreneurial investment: Evidence from China's transition economy," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 299-315.
    7. Ma, Xufei & Ding, Zhujun & Yuan, Lin, 2016. "Subnational institutions, political capital, and the internationalization of entrepreneurial firms in emerging economies," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(5), pages 843-854.
    8. Weiqi Dai & Yang Liu & Mingqing Liao & Qiao Lin, 2018. "How does entrepreneurs’ socialist imprinting shape their opportunity selection in transition economies? Evidence from China’s privately owned enterprises," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 823-856, December.
    9. Jianghua Zhou & Rui Wu & Jizhen Li, 2019. "More ties the merrier? Different social ties and firm innovation performance," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 36(2), pages 445-471, June.
    10. Hongjuan Zhang & Rong Han & Liang Wang & Runhui Lin, 2021. "Social capital in China: a systematic literature review," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 20(1), pages 32-77, February.
    11. Hongjuan Zhang & Rong Han & Liang Wang & Runhui Lin, 0. "Social capital in China: a systematic literature review," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 0, pages 1-46.
    12. Ronald S. Burt & Sonja Opper, 2020. "Political Connection and Disconnection: Still a Success Factor for Chinese Entrepreneurs," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 44(6), pages 1199-1228, November.
    13. Jianhua Ge & Michael Carney & Franz Kellermanns, 2019. "Who Fills Institutional Voids? Entrepreneurs’ Utilization of Political and Family Ties in Emerging Markets," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(6), pages 1124-1147, November.
    14. Ge, Jianhua & Stanley, Laura J. & Eddleston, Kimberly & Kellermanns, Franz W., 2017. "Institutional deterioration and entrepreneurial investment: The role of political connections," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 405-419.
    15. Wubiao Zhou, 2014. "Regional institutional development, political connections, and entrepreneurial performance in China’s transition economy," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 161-181, June.
    16. Boudreaux, Christopher, 2019. "Do private enterprises outperform state enterprises in an emerging market? The importance of institutional context in entrepreneurship," MPRA Paper 93039, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Chun Yang & Bart Bossink & Peter Peverelli, 2018. "The Value of Business–Government Ties for Manufacturing Firms’ Product Innovation during Institutional Transition in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-27, December.
    18. Sunny Li Sun & Mike W. Peng & Weiqiang Tan, 2017. "Institutional relatedness behind product diversification and international diversification," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 339-366, June.
    19. Yang Liu & Weiqi Dai & Mingqing Liao & Jiang Wei, 2021. "Social Status and Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from Chinese Privately Owned Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 169(4), pages 651-672, April.
    20. Sharma, Piyush & Cheng, Louis T.W. & Leung, T.Y., 2020. "Impact of political connections on Chinese export firms' performance – Lessons for other emerging markets," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 24-34.

    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:kap:asiapa:v:36:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1007_s10490-018-9574-z. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.