Entrepreneurial Role Models and Entrepreneurship Education: Shaping Entrepreneurial Intentions and Aspirations in China

Mehdi Zacharia Ebrahimi

Abstract


Purpose: Although entrepreneurial intentions have been widely studied, much of the literature is grounded in Western contexts. Comparatively less attention has been given to how local entrepreneurial role models and entrepreneurship education shape entrepreneurial aspiration and intention in China. This study examines how renowned local startups, technology giants, and entrepreneurship education contribute to entrepreneurial aspirations and intentions among young adults in China.

Methodology: The study adopts a theoretically informed traditional and narrative review approach. This review integrates insights from Social Learning Theory, the Motivational Theory of Role Modeling, the Theory of Planned Behavior, and Self-Determination Theory to interpret how exposure to local entrepreneurial ecosystems shapes attitudes, perceived feasibility, and motivational foundations of entrepreneurial action.

Results: The analysis suggests that the visibility and success of Chinese startups increasingly influence entrepreneurial aspirations and perceptions of attainability among younger generations. However, while government initiatives and institutional expansion have strengthened entrepreneurship education, concerns remain regarding coherence, practical alignment, and instructional quality.

Practical implications: The findings highlight the importance of improving the quality, coherence, and practical alignment of entrepreneurship education and leveraging visible local role models to foster entrepreneurial intentions and strengthen entrepreneurial motivation among young adults in China.

Originality: This paper contributes by addressing the limited attention given to the joint influence of local entrepreneurial role models and entrepreneurship education within the context of China. Further, it advances a contextually grounded conceptual explanation of how locally embedded entrepreneurial role models interact with entrepreneurship education to shape perceived attainability and entrepreneurial intentions.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial intention, entrepreneurship education in China, entrepreneurial motivation, Entrepreneurial Behavior, entrepreneurial role models

DOI: https://doi.org/10.58869/EJABM12(1)/03


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References


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