IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/abaman/v24y2025i2d10.1057_s41291-025-00299-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unpacking the role of context in East Asian innovation and entrepreneurship: insights and research implications

Author

Listed:
  • Martin Hemmert

    (Korea University)

Abstract

Innovation and entrepreneurship research are dominated by Western-originated theories, and these theories are often applied to non-Western regions such as East Asia without sufficient consideration of their fit with the local context. Therefore, there is a need to consider context explicitly and thoroughly when studying innovation and entrepreneurship in East Asia. In this paper, I review the influence of the cultural, institutional, economic, and political context on innovation and entrepreneurship in the three largest East Asian countries: China, Japan, and South Korea. All major types of activities in these two fields are strongly influenced by the four contextual dimensions. Based on this topical review, I propose ways for better integrating context into East Asian innovation and entrepreneurship studies. Finally, I identify various promising future directions for contextualized innovation and entrepreneurship research in East Asia.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Hemmert, 2025. "Unpacking the role of context in East Asian innovation and entrepreneurship: insights and research implications," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 24(2), pages 167-186, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:abaman:v:24:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1057_s41291-025-00299-4
    DOI: 10.1057/s41291-025-00299-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41291-025-00299-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41291-025-00299-4?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. Ken Kusunoki, 2006. "Invisible Dimensions of Innovation: Strategy for De-commoditization in the Japanese Electronics Industry," Springer Books, in: Cornelius Herstatt & Christoph Stockstrom & Hugo Tschirky & Akio Nagahira (ed.), Management of Technology and Innovation in Japan, pages 49-71, Springer.
    2. Cai, Li & Anokhin, Sergey & Yin, Miaomiao & Hatfield, Donald E., 2016. "Environment, Resource Integration, and New Ventures’ Competitive Advantage in China," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(2), pages 333-356, June.
    3. Martin Hemmert & Adam R. Cross & Ying Cheng & Jae-Jin Kim & Florian Kohlbacher & Masahiro Kotosaka & Franz Waldenberger & Leven J. Zheng, 2019. "The distinctiveness and diversity of entrepreneurial ecosystems in China, Japan, and South Korea: an exploratory analysis," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(3), pages 211-247, July.
    4. Garry D. Bruton & Shaker A. Zahra & Andrew H. Van de Ven & Michael A. Hitt, 2022. "Indigenous Theory Uses, Abuses, and Future," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(4), pages 1057-1073, June.
    5. Igor Filatotchev & Li‐Qun Wei & Riikka M. Sarala & Penny Dick & John E. Prescott, 2020. "Connecting Eastern and Western Perspectives on Management: Translation of Practices Across Organizations, Institution and Geographies," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(1), pages 1-24, January.
    6. Selin Dilli & Niklas Elert & Andrea M. Herrmann, 2018. "Varieties of entrepreneurship: exploring the institutional foundations of different entrepreneurship types through ‘Varieties-of-Capitalism’ arguments," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 293-320, August.
    7. Van de Ven, Andrew H. & Meyer, Alan D. & Jing, Runtian, 2018. "Opportunities and Challenges of Engaged Indigenous Scholarship," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(3), pages 449-462, September.
    8. Li Cai & Mathew Hughes & Miaomiao Yin, 2014. "The Relationship between Resource Acquisition Methods and Firm Performance in Chinese New Ventures: The Intermediate Effect of Learning Capability," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(3), pages 365-389, July.
    9. Igor Filatotchev & R. Duane Ireland & Günter K. Stahl, 2022. "Contextualizing Management Research: An Open Systems Perspective," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(4), pages 1036-1056, June.
    10. Van de Ven, Andrew H. & Meyer, Alan D. & Jing, Runtian, 2018. "Opportunities and Challenges of Engaged Indigenous Scholarship—ADDENDUM," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(3), pages 647-647, September.
    11. Colombo, Massimo G. & Grilli, Luca, 2010. "On growth drivers of high-tech start-ups: Exploring the role of founders' human capital and venture capital," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 25(6), pages 610-626, November.
    12. Unger, Jens M. & Rauch, Andreas & Frese, Michael & Rosenbusch, Nina, 2011. "Human capital and entrepreneurial success: A meta-analytical review," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 341-358, May.
    13. Yipeng Liu, 2024. "Leveraging the power of innovation for common prosperity and better AI governance in Asia and globally," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 23(3), pages 367-373, July.
    14. Li Xiong, 2022. "Improvise to win: the relationship between entrepreneurial improvisation and start-up competitive advantage," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(2), pages 184-204, April.
    15. Benjamin Jones & Viet Nguyen‐Tien & Robert J. R. Elliott, 2023. "The electric vehicle revolution: Critical material supply chains, trade and development," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(1), pages 2-26, January.
    16. Linsu Kim, 1998. "Crisis Construction and Organizational Learning: Capability Building in Catching-up at Hyundai Motor," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 9(4), pages 506-521, August.
    17. Yoshihiro Eshima & Brian S. Anderson, 2017. "Firm growth, adaptive capability, and entrepreneurial orientation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(3), pages 770-779, March.
    18. Yu, Xiaoyu & Wang, Xinchun, 2021. "The effects of entrepreneurial bricolage and alternative resources on new venture capabilities: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 527-537.
    19. Ross Brown & Suzanne Mawson, 2019. "Entrepreneurial ecosystems and public policy in action: a critique of the latest industrial policy blockbuster," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 12(3), pages 347-368.
    20. Panagiotis Ganotakis, 2012. "Founders’ human capital and the performance of UK new technology based firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 39(2), pages 495-515, September.
    21. Thomas C. Powell, 1995. "Total quality management as competitive advantage: A review and empirical study," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(1), pages 15-37.
    22. Martin Hemmert & Adam R. Cross & Ying Cheng & Jae-Jin Kim & Masahiro Kotosaka & Franz Waldenberger & Leven J. Zheng, 2024. "The influence of founders’ human capital on the performance of new technology-based firms in China, South Korea and Japan: an exploratory study," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(4), pages 808-832, August.
    23. Liu, Yipeng, 2020. "The micro-foundations of global business incubation: Stakeholder engagement and strategic entrepreneurial partnerships," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    24. Yipeng Liu, 2024. "Reviving the aspiration, fostering impactful research, and contributing to the sustainable development and societal impact at Asian Business and Management," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 23(1), pages 1-8, February.
    25. Martin Hemmert & Adam R. Cross & Ying Cheng & Jae-Jin Kim & Masahiro Kotosaka & Franz Waldenberger & Leven J. Zheng, 2023. "Environmental uncertainty and the entrepreneurial orientation–performance relationship among East Asian new technology-based firms: an institutional perspective," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(4), pages 1683-1711, September.
    26. Kapturkiewicz, Agata, 2022. "Varieties of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: A comparative study of Tokyo and Bangalore," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(9).
    27. Tsang, Eric W.K. & Colpan, Asli M., 2025. "Reconciling the tension between contextualization and generalization in qualitative international business research," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(2).
    28. Ye Dai & Philip T. Roundy & Jay I. Chok & Fangsheng Ding & Gukdo Byun, 2016. "‘Who Knows What?’ in New Venture Teams: Transactive Memory Systems as a Micro-Foundation of Entrepreneurial Orientation," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(8), pages 1320-1347, December.
    29. Hu, Yimei & Tian, Kailan & Wu, Tian & Yang, Cuihong, 2021. "The Lose-Lose Consequence: Assessing US-China Trade Decoupling through the Lens of Global Value Chains," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 17(2), pages 429-446, May.
    30. Martin Hemmert & Adam R. Cross & Ying Cheng & Jae-Jin Kim & Masahiro Kotosaka & Franz Waldenberger & Leven J. Zheng, 2022. "New venture entrepreneurship and context in East Asia: a systematic literature review," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(5), pages 831-865, November.
    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. Martin Hemmert & Adam R. Cross & Ying Cheng & Jae-Jin Kim & Masahiro Kotosaka & Franz Waldenberger & Leven J. Zheng, 2022. "New venture entrepreneurship and context in East Asia: a systematic literature review," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(5), pages 831-865, November.
    2. Teixeira, Aurora A.C. & Tavares-Lehmann, Ana Teresa, 2014. "Human capital intensity in technology-based firms located in Portugal: Does foreign ownership matter?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 737-748.
    3. Bernd Wurth & Erik Stam & Ben Spigel, 2022. "Toward an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Research Program," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 46(3), pages 729-778, May.
    4. Eriko Naiki & Yuta Ogane, 2022. "Human capital effects on fundraising for necessity- and opportunity-based entrepreneurs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 721-741, August.
    5. Igor Filatotchev & R. Duane Ireland & Günter K. Stahl, 2022. "Contextualizing Management Research: An Open Systems Perspective," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(4), pages 1036-1056, June.
    6. Eriko Naiki & Yuta Ogane, 2024. "Effects of entrepreneurial heterogeneity within necessity- and opportunity-based entrepreneurs on business performance," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 807-840, June.
    7. Subhabrata Bobby Banerjee, 2022. "Decolonizing Management Theory: A Critical Perspective," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(4), pages 1074-1087, June.
    8. Honjo, Yuji, 2021. "The impact of founders’ human capital on initial capital structure: Evidence from Japan," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    9. Atzmon, Morane Batya & Vanderstraeten, Johanna & Albers, Sascha, 2022. "Small-firm growth-enabling capabilities: A framework for young technology-based firms," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    10. Honjo, Yuji & Kwak, Charee & Uchida, Hirofumi, 2022. "Initial funding and founders’ human capital: An empirical analysis using multiple surveys for start-up firms," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    11. Martin Hemmert & Adam R. Cross & Ying Cheng & Jae-Jin Kim & Masahiro Kotosaka & Franz Waldenberger & Leven J. Zheng, 2023. "Environmental uncertainty and the entrepreneurial orientation–performance relationship among East Asian new technology-based firms: an institutional perspective," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(4), pages 1683-1711, September.
    12. Ganotakis, Panagiotis & D'Angelo, Alfredo & Konara, Palitha, 2021. "From latent to emergent entrepreneurship: The role of human capital in entrepreneurial founding teams and the effect of external knowledge spillovers for technology adoption," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    13. K. Poehlmann & R. Helm & O. Mauroner & J. Auburger, 2021. "Corporate spin-offs’ success factors: management lessons from a comparative empirical analysis with research-based spin-offs," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(6), pages 1767-1796, August.
    14. Thomas Ã…stebro & Kevyn Yong, 2016. "Invention Quality and Entrepreneurial Earnings: The Role of Prior Employment Variety," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 40(2), pages 381-400, March.
    15. Xiaoyu Yu & Xiaotong Meng & Laura Stanley & Franz W. Kellermanns, 2024. "Self-employment and life satisfaction: The contingent role of formal institutions," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 63(1), pages 135-163, June.
    16. Amon Simba & Mahdi Tajeddin & Léo-Paul Dana & Domingo E. Ribeiro Soriano, 2024. "Deconstructing involuntary financial exclusion: a focus on African SMEs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 62(1), pages 285-305, January.
    17. Jean-François Hennart & Dylan Sutherland, 2022. "International business research: The real challenges are data and theory," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(9), pages 2068-2087, December.
    18. Siepel, Josh & Cowling, Marc & Coad, Alex, 2017. "Non-founder human capital and the long-run growth and survival of high-tech ventures," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 34-43.
    19. Seung Hoon D. Chung & Simon C. Parker, 2023. "Founder affiliations: jobseeker reactions and impact on employee recruitment by start-up ventures," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(1), pages 259-283, June.
    20. Najib Ullah Khan & Shuangjie Li & Muhammad Nabeel Safdar & Zia Ullah Khan, 2019. "The Role of Entrepreneurial Strategy, Network Ties, Human and Financial Capital in New Venture Performance," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, March.

    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:pal:abaman:v:24:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1057_s41291-025-00299-4. 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.palgrave.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.