IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0317814.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of corruption on resident entrepreneurship behavior and its mediating effect analysis: An empirical study based on China

Author

Listed:
  • Yifeng Zhu

Abstract

This study utilizes data from the 2015 China General Social Survey (CGSS) to investigate the impact of public sector corruption on resident entrepreneurship, including an analysis of heterogeneity among different types of entrepreneurs and the mediating effects of social networks and social trust. The findings reveal that while corruption may exhibit a certain inflection point effect on entrepreneurship, this effect is statistically insignificant due to the relatively low threshold of corruption. Overall, increasing levels of corruption significantly inhibit entrepreneurial choices among residents, particularly affecting “survival-oriented” and “out of system” entrepreneurs compared to “opportunity-oriented” and “within system” entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the study identifies that both objective social networks and subjective social trust serve as significant partial mediators in the relationship between corruption and entrepreneurship. Based on these insights, the paper recommends implementing robust anti-corruption measures, enhancing support for survival-oriented entrepreneurs, and fostering social trust to create a conducive environment for entrepreneurship.

Suggested Citation

  • Yifeng Zhu, 2025. "The impact of corruption on resident entrepreneurship behavior and its mediating effect analysis: An empirical study based on China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 20(4), pages 1-15, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0317814
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0317814
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0317814
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0317814&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0317814?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jeffrey M Wooldridge, 2010. "Econometric Analysis of Cross Section and Panel Data," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 2, volume 1, number 0262232588, December.
    2. 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.
    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. Aparicio, Sebastian & Urbano, David & Audretsch, David, 2016. "Institutional factors, opportunity entrepreneurship and economic growth: Panel data evidence," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 45-61.
    2. Theodor Florian Cojoianu & Gordon L. Clark & Andreas G. F. Hoepner & Vladimir Pažitka & Dariusz Wójcik, 2021. "Fin vs. tech: are trust and knowledge creation key ingredients in fintech start-up emergence and financing?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1715-1731, December.
    3. Stojčić, Nebojša & Dabić, Marina & Musteen, Martina, 2024. "With a little help from my friends: Institutional obstacles, networking, and SME exporting in emerging European and Asian economies," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(3).
    4. Dvouletý, Ondřej, 2018. "How to analyse determinants of entrepreneurship and self-employment at the country level? A methodological contribution," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 9(C), pages 92-99.
    5. Contractor, Farok J. & Dangol, Ramesh & Nuruzzaman, N. & Raghunath, S., 2020. "How do country regulations and business environment impact foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(2).
    6. Fredström, Ashkan & Peltonen, Juhana & Wincent, Joakim, 2021. "A country-level institutional perspective on entrepreneurship productivity: The effects of informal economy and regulation," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(5).
    7. Aparicio, Sebastian & Audretsch, David & Urbano, David, 2021. "Why is export-oriented entrepreneurship more prevalent in some countries than others? Contextual antecedents and economic consequences," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 56(3).
    8. Lucia Dalla Pellegrina & Damla Diriker & Paolo Landoni & Davide Moro & Mahinda Wijesiri, 2024. "Financial and social sustainability in the European microfinance sector," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 63(3), pages 1249-1292, October.
    9. Daniel L. Bennett & Boris Nikolaev, 2021. "Individualism, pro-market institutions, and national innovation," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 2085-2106, December.
    10. Eva Christine Erhardt, 2022. "Prevalence and Persistence of High-Growth Entrepreneurship: Which Institutions Matter Most?," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 297-332, June.
    11. Kabubo-Mariara, Jane & Machio, Phyllis Mumia & Njoroge, Michael Murigi & Chemengich, Margaret, 2023. "Links between firm registration and performance: Does it pay to register?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    12. David Urbano & David Audretsch & Sebastian Aparicio & Maria Noguera, 2020. "Does entrepreneurial activity matter for economic growth in developing countries? The role of the institutional environment," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 1065-1099, September.
    13. David Urbano & Sebastian Aparicio & David Audretsch, 2019. "Twenty-five years of research on institutions, entrepreneurship, and economic growth: what has been learned?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 21-49, June.
    14. repec:ekd:006356:6689 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Averi Chakrabarti & Karen A Grépin & Stéphane Helleringer, 2019. "The impact of supplementary immunization activities on routine vaccination coverage: An instrumental variable analysis in five low-income countries," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(2), pages 1-11, February.
    16. Harold Alderman & John Hoddinott & Bill Kinsey, 2006. "Long term consequences of early childhood malnutrition," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 58(3), pages 450-474, July.
    17. Ichev, Riste & Valentinčič, Aljoša, 2025. "The effect of impact investing on performance of private firms," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(PA).
    18. Huh, Yesol & Kim, You Suk, 2023. "Cheapest-to-deliver pricing, optimal MBS securitization, and welfare implications," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(1), pages 68-93.
    19. Ji Yan & Sally Brocksen, 2013. "Adolescent risk perception, substance use, and educational attainment," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(8), pages 1037-1055, September.
    20. Sènakpon Fidèle A. Dedehouanou & Luca Tiberti & Hilaire G. Houeninvo & Djohodo Inès Monwanou, 2019. "Working while studying: Employment premium or penalty for youth in Benin?," Working Papers PMMA 2019-03, PEP-PMMA.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:plo:pone00:0317814. 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: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    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.