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Balancing Efficiency and Equity in Configurational Pathways to Rural Entrepreneurial Activity in China: Evidence from Qualitative Comparative Analysis

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Entrepreneurship is widely recognized as a critical engine of economic growth. This is especially true in rural areas, where resources, policy support, and talent pools are often constrained. Stimulating entrepreneurial vitality in these regions has thus become an urgent policy and research priority. This study adopts an inclusive growth perspective, selecting six key elements—economic level, industrial structure, financial development, educational condition, medical condition, and social security—to construct a theoretical model exploring the configuration pathways that drive rural entrepreneurial activity. Using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), the study examines 982 rural regions in China and draws the following conclusions: (1) None of the six key elements is a necessary condition for rural entrepreneurial activity. (2) The “finance and healthcare-driven” type (C1), “industrial and educational balance” type (C2), “financial and educational synergy” type (C3), and “industrial and healthcare support” type (C4) are the configuration paths to achieve high rural entrepreneurial activity. The findings provide both theoretical and practical insights for stimulating entrepreneurship in rural China. Specifically, they highlight how different developmental configurations can activate local entrepreneurial ecosystems, expand employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for vulnerable groups, and contribute to sustainable poverty alleviation.

Source: Systems

DOI: 10.3390/systems13110954

Authors: Yanling Zheng, Shizhen Jiang, Haiquan Chen, Guojie Xie, Yu Tian

Institutions: Guilin University of Aerospace Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Jinan University, Xiamen University of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Entrepreneurship Studies and Influences

Subfield: Management of Technology and Innovation

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Industry, innovation and infrastructure, No poverty, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896