A systematic literature review of Chinese entrepreneurship: utilizing feminist theory with implications for public policy

ABSTRACT

Entrepreneurship in China is a recent phenomenon, whereby self-employment was formally legalized in the 1980s. Despite the growing significance of Chinese entrepreneurship, literature is without consistent contextual analysis. Our study is the first to systematically review Chinese entrepreneurship by using a mixed-methods analysis through combining quantitative Leximancer data-mining software with a traditional qualitative content analysis. We analysed 2,572 relevant publications and provide 11 key themes within Chinese entrepreneurship coinciding with the introduction of China’s Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation policy campaign. Next, we extracted 126 publications specific to women and analysed the thematic results using post-structural feminist theorizing, we challenge the hegemonic normalization of gender order created within Chinese entrepreneurship literature and the othering of women entrepreneurs. Our results indicated several limitations and new opportunities to refine the focus of future studies utilizing feminist theory with implications for public policy and entrepreneurship. We believe by understanding a longitudinal view of Chinese entrepreneurship through a post-structural feminist lens, scholars can adopt research strategies to reduce potential marginalization in Chinese entrepreneurship theory and practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Chinese entrepreneurship
• feminist theory
• gender
• Leximancer
• public policy
• systematic literature review

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. For further information on Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation, read the State Council white paper (2015) Opinions of the State Council on Several Policies and Measures for Vigorously Promoting Mass Entrepreneurship and Mass Innovation. Specifically, the policy addresses a framework for stimulating economic and social development, whereby the focus moves from investment-driven to innovation-driven production methods via micro, small and medium size businesses. The policy’s focus is Marxist-socialism whereby, the mission is to implement fair and just policies, eliminating institutional obstacles to stimulate business wealth accumulation to grow employment and vertical social mobility. Specifically, innovation driven industries, markets, enterprises and to develop new products. The policy places particular emphasis on entrepreneurship education and training and encouraging the society as a whole to tolerate failure by accepting risks embedded in entrepreneurship.

2. 2.We decided to include papers beginning with publication dates of 2015, despite the possibility that data could have been collected years before the start of MEI. The Communist Party of China strategizes economic and social development plans years prior to policy implementation. In fact, the National People’s Congress’ (2011) 12th Five-year plan (FYP) (2011-2015) included policies to stimulate the economy through SME business creation in technology, manufacturing, and the service industry. The FYP included strategies to improve product quality, competitiveness, innovation capabilities and managerial expertise; by offering training and education, preferential tax structures to ease the burden of employment, and guaranteed financial credit. The same rhetoric is at the heart of the MEI policy, but the aforementioned misses Xi Jinping’s strategic narrative. The success of the 12th 5-year plan was evident because at the start of MEI in 2015, the Ministry of Science and Technology found an increase in incubators (44.9%) and their tenant companies (29.4%) (Nishimura, 2020). Therefore, we argue entrepreneurship was already in the incubation stage according to CPC policy.