IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/asiapa/v42y2025i1d10.1007_s10490-024-09982-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How voluntary sector experience as a unique institutional catalyst shapes general entrepreneurial alertness and intentions

Author

Listed:
  • Wei Deng

    (Northwestern Polytechnical University)

  • Stephen X. Zhang

    (University of Adelaide)

  • Qiaozhuan Liang

    (Xi’an Jiaotong University)

  • Wei Wang

    (Xi’an Jiaotong University)

  • Yue Zhang

    (Northwestern Polytechnical University)

Abstract

This study addresses how voluntary sector employment can enhance an individual’s general entrepreneurial alertness and intentions. Specifically, it examines the mediating role of entrepreneurial alertness and the moderating role of the societal values of benevolence and egalitarianism, across several countries. We tested the model using a larger dataset of 457,407 country-year matched samples based on Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to alleviate endogeneity and selection bias from 38 countries/regions spanning 2015–2019. Results reveal that individuals with voluntary sector experience are more alert to recognizing entrepreneurial opportunities, and this relationship is amplified in societies with strong benevolence and egalitarian values. Consequently, this research advances the theoretical understanding of opportunity and provides actionable implications for individuals navigating the intersection of voluntary work and entrepreneurship.

Suggested Citation

  • Wei Deng & Stephen X. Zhang & Qiaozhuan Liang & Wei Wang & Yue Zhang, 2025. "How voluntary sector experience as a unique institutional catalyst shapes general entrepreneurial alertness and intentions," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 233-266, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:asiapa:v:42:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10490-024-09982-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10490-024-09982-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10490-024-09982-0
    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/s10490-024-09982-0?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. Aldrich, Howard E. & Cliff, Jennifer E., 2003. "The pervasive effects of family on entrepreneurship: toward a family embeddedness perspective," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 18(5), pages 573-596, September.
    2. Deng, Wei & Orbes, Irina & Ma, Pengcheng, 2024. "Necessity- and opportunity-based female entrepreneurship across countries: The configurational impact of country-level institutions," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(4).
    3. Zahra, Shaker A. & Gedajlovic, Eric & Neubaum, Donald O. & Shulman, Joel M., 2009. "A typology of social entrepreneurs: Motives, search processes and ethical challenges," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 519-532, September.
    4. Tang, Jintong & Levasseur, Ludvig & Karami, Masoud & Busenitz, Lowell, 2021. "Being alert to new opportunities: It is a matter of time," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 15(C).
    5. Laffineur, Catherine & Dubard Barbosa, Saulo & Fayolle, Alain & Montmartin, Benjamin, 2020. "The unshackled entrepreneur: Occupational determinants of entrepreneurial effort," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(5).
    6. KruegerJR, Norris F. & Reilly, Michael D. & Carsrud, Alan L., 2000. "Competing models of entrepreneurial intentions," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 15(5-6), pages 411-432.
    7. Ardichvili, Alexander & Cardozo, Richard & Ray, Sourav, 2003. "A theory of entrepreneurial opportunity identification and development," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 105-123, January.
    8. Araujo, Clécio Falcão & Karami, Masoud & Tang, Jintong & Roldan, Lucas Bonacina & dos Santos, Julia Aita, 2023. "Entrepreneurial alertness: A meta-analysis and empirical review," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 19(C).
    9. Israel M. Kirzner, 1997. "Entrepreneurial Discovery and the Competitive Market Process: An Austrian Approach," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 35(1), pages 60-85, March.
    10. Wellens, Lore & Jegers, Marc, 2014. "Effective governance in nonprofit organizations: A literature based multiple stakeholder approach," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 223-243.
    11. Zhao, Mengli & Sheng, Shibin & Yang, Xiangyu, 2023. "Are government employees more or less likely to venture? Evidence from China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    12. Tang, Jintong & Kacmar, K. Michele (Micki) & Busenitz, Lowell, 2012. "Entrepreneurial alertness in the pursuit of new opportunities," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 77-94.
    13. Sophie Casanova & Chaffik Bakkali & Jintong Tang, 2023. "Entrepreneurial alertness and entrepreneurial orientation: Contributions to opportunity identification," Post-Print hal-04563782, HAL.
    14. Saurav Pathak & Etayankara Muralidharan, 2016. "Informal Institutions and Their Comparative Influences on Social and Commercial Entrepreneurship: The Role of In‐Group Collectivism and Interpersonal Trust," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(S1), pages 168-188, October.
    15. Lim, Dominic S.K. & Oh, Chang Hoon & De Clercq, Dirk, 2016. "Engagement in entrepreneurship in emerging economies: Interactive effects of individual-level factors and institutional conditions," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 933-945.
    16. Wei Deng & Qiaozhuan Liang & Peihua Fan & Lin Cui, 2020. "Social entrepreneurship and well-being: The configurational impact of institutions and social capital," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 37(4), pages 1013-1037, December.
    17. Cope, Jason, 2011. "Entrepreneurial learning from failure: An interpretative phenomenological analysis," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(6), pages 604-623.
    18. Sonia Goltz & Mari W. Buche & Saurav Pathak, 2015. "Political Empowerment, Rule of Law, and Women's Entry into Entrepreneurship," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(3), pages 605-626, July.
    19. Pamela S. Tolbert & Robert J. David & Wesley D. Sine, 2011. "Studying Choice and Change: The Intersection of Institutional Theory and Entrepreneurship Research," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(5), pages 1332-1344, October.
    20. Chapel, Capucine, 2022. "Impact of official development assistance projects for renewable energy on electrification in sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    21. Capucine Chapel, 2022. "Impact of official development assistance projects for renewable energy on electrification in sub-Saharan Africa," Post-Print hal-04085797, HAL.
    22. Amber Y. Chang & Yalan Xu, 2023. "Decoding underperformance of entrepreneurship at the bottom of the pyramid: a literature review of the field," New England Journal of Entrepreneurship, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 26(2), pages 88-106, February.
    23. Boudreaux, Christopher J. & Nikolaev, Boris N. & Klein, Peter, 2019. "Socio-cognitive traits and entrepreneurship: The moderating role of economic institutions," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 178-196.
    24. Chenjian Zhang & Tao Wang & David Ahlstrom, 2024. "Entrepreneurs’ Networking Styles and Normative Underpinnings during Institutional Transition," Post-Print hal-04325764, HAL.
    25. Susan L Young & Mona V Makhija, 2014. "Firms’ corporate social responsibility behavior: An integration of institutional and profit maximization approaches," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(6), pages 670-698, August.
    26. Erkko Autio & Saurav Pathak & Karl Wennberg, 2013. "Consequences of cultural practices for entrepreneurial behaviors," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 44(4), pages 334-362, May.
    27. Wei Wang & Kimberly A. Eddleston & Francesco Chirico & Stephen X. Zhang & Qiaozhuan Liang & Wei Deng, 2023. "Family Diversity and Business Start-Up: Do Family Meals Feed the Fire of Entrepreneurship?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(4), pages 1265-1297, July.
    28. Pia Arenius & Maria Minniti, 2005. "Perceptual Variables and Nascent Entrepreneurship," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 233-247, February.
    29. repec:ucp:bkecon:9780226316529 is not listed on IDEAS
    30. Corbett, Andrew C., 2007. "Learning asymmetries and the discovery of entrepreneurial opportunities," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 97-118, January.
    31. Franczak, Jennifer & Lanivich, Stephen E. & Adomako, Samuel, 2023. "Filling institutional voids: Combinative effects of institutional shortcomings and gender on the alertness – Opportunity recognition relationship," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PB).
    32. Deng, Wei & Liang, Qiao Zhuan & Fan, Pei Hua, 2019. "Complements or substitutes? Configurational effects of entrepreneurial activities and institutional frameworks on social well-being," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 194-205.
    33. Helge Svare & Anne Haugen Gausdal & Guido Möllering, 2020. "The function of ability, benevolence, and integrity-based trust in innovation networks," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(6), pages 585-604, June.
    34. Ludvig Levasseur & Jintong Tang & Masoud Karami & Lowell Busenitz & K. Michele Kacmar, 2022. "Increasing alertness to new opportunities: the influence of positive affect and implications for innovation," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 27-49, March.
    35. Wu Zhao & Jizhen Li & Xiaohua Li & Thomas Schøtt, 2020. "Implications of Network Diversity for Venture Growth: The Mediation Effect of Entrepreneurial Alertness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-15, November.
    36. 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.
    37. 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.
    38. 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.
    39. Sanjay Jain, 2022. "From jugaad to jugalbandi: Understanding the changing nature of Indian innovation," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 1-26, March.
    40. Fellnhofer, Katharina, 2022. "Entrepreneurial alertness toward responsible research and innovation: Digital technology makes the psychological heart of entrepreneurship pound," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    41. Rieger, Verena & Gründler, Anna & Winkler, Hans-Jörg & Tschauner, Benjamin & Engelen, Andreas, 2021. "A cross-national perspective of compassion's role in driving social entrepreneurial intentions," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1).
    42. Sophie Casanova & Chaffik Bakkali & Jintong Tang, 2023. "Entrepreneurial alertness and entrepreneurial orientation: Contributions to opportunity identification," Post-Print hal-04149087, HAL.
    43. Mair, Johanna & Marti, Ignasi, 2009. "Entrepreneurship in and around institutional voids: A case study from Bangladesh," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 419-435, September.
    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. Jintong Tang & David Ahlstrom & Jeffrey M. Pollack & Andrew C. Corbett, 2025. "Advancing entrepreneurial alertness research: theoretical, empirical, and Asia Pacific perspectives," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 43-55, March.

    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. Hongxin Wang & Wenqing Wu & Chenjian Zhang, 2025. "Bouncing back from failure: Digital technology capability, entrepreneurial alertness, and reentry intention," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 197-232, March.
    2. Jintong Tang & David Ahlstrom & Jeffrey M. Pollack & Andrew C. Corbett, 2025. "Advancing entrepreneurial alertness research: theoretical, empirical, and Asia Pacific perspectives," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 43-55, March.
    3. Araujo, Clécio Falcão & Karami, Masoud & Tang, Jintong & Roldan, Lucas Bonacina & dos Santos, Julia Aita, 2023. "Entrepreneurial alertness: A meta-analysis and empirical review," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 19(C).
    4. Stephen E. Lanivich & Nadia Zahoor & Francis Donbesuur & Domnan Miri & Samuel Adomako, 2025. "Entrepreneurial alertness: A mechanism for innovation and growth in an emerging economy," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 109-136, March.
    5. Sahasranamam, Sreevas & Nandakumar, M.K. & Pereira, Vijay & Temouri, Yama, 2021. "Knowledge capital in social and commercial entrepreneurship: Investigating the role of informal institutions," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1).
    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. Marta Widz & Nadine Kammerlander, 2023. "Entrepreneurial exit intentions in emerging economies: a neoinstitutional perspective," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 615-638, February.
    8. Zhao, Mengli & Sheng, Shibin & Yang, Xiangyu, 2023. "Are government employees more or less likely to venture? Evidence from China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    9. Andy Yu & Jeff Stambaugh & Niyati Kataria & Hsing-Er Lin, 2025. "Linking individual entrepreneurial orientation to entrepreneurial alertness," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 167-195, March.
    10. Nerine Mary George & Vinit Parida & Tom Lahti & Joakim Wincent, 2016. "A systematic literature review of entrepreneurial opportunity recognition: insights on influencing factors," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 309-350, June.
    11. Philip T. Roundy & Subin Im, 2025. "Combining cognition and context: entrepreneurial alertness and the microfoundations of entrepreneurial ecosystems," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 57-75, March.
    12. Ludvig Levasseur & Stephen E. Lanivich & Sai Chittaranjan Kalubandi & Apurva Sanaria, 2024. "Time Perspective and Entrepreneurs’ Alertness," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 48(6), pages 1358-1403, November.
    13. Yongchun Huang & Shangshuo Wu & Chengmeng Chen & Chen Zou & Anqi Pan, 2024. "Similar but yet different: individual cognitive traits and family contingencies as antecedents of intrapreneurship and self-employment," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, December.
    14. Robert J. Pidduck & Daniel R. Clark, 2025. "Alert during what? Beyond the “Big O” to a culturally-cognizant, process view of entrepreneurial alertness," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 137-165, March.
    15. Sebastián Uriarte & Jorge Espinoza-Benavides & Domingo Ribeiro-Soriano, 2023. "Engagement in entrepreneurship after business failure. Do formal institutions and culture matter?," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 941-973, June.
    16. Schmutzler, Jana & Andonova, Veneta & Díaz Serrano, Lluís, 2015. "When culture does (not) matter: role models and self-efficacy as drivers of entrepreneurial behavior," Working Papers 2072/247806, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Economics.
    17. Jase R. Ramsey & Raina Rutti & Eric Arseneau & Smita Srivastava & Trip Knoche, 2025. "Exploring the impact of entrepreneurial alertness and cultural intelligence on creative self-efficacy: A global perspective," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 77-108, March.
    18. Grichnik, Dietmar & Smeja, Alexander & Welpe, Isabell, 2010. "The importance of being emotional: How do emotions affect entrepreneurial opportunity evaluation and exploitation?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 76(1), pages 15-29, October.
    19. Deerfield, Amanda & Elert, Niklas, 2022. "Entrepreneurship and Regulatory Voids: The Case of Ridesharing," Working Paper Series 1426, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    20. Erik Lundmark & Anna Krzeminska & Dean A. Shepherd, 2019. "Images of Entrepreneurship: Exploring Root Metaphors and Expanding Upon Them," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(1), pages 138-170, January.

    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:42:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10490-024-09982-0. 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.