E-Entrepreneurial intention among young Chinese adults

E-entrepreneurship plays a key role in China’s economic development because it encourages new business ventures and innovation. Hence, understanding what motivates young Chinese people to engage in e-entrepreneurship is an important issue for regional and global development. This study proposed entrepreneurship policy and entrepreneurship education as key antecedents of people’s attitude towards e-entrepreneurship, subjective norms, and perceived behaviour control, which in turn influenced their intention to start an e-business. The proposed model was tested using the responses from 220 young Chinese adults. The results of structural equation modelling confirmed that entrepreneurship policy and e-entrepreneurship education were antecedents of people’s attitude towards e-entrepreneurship, subjective norms, and perceived behaviour control, while subjective norms and perceived behaviour control significantly influenced their e-entrepreneurial intention. Nevertheless, people’s attitude towards e-entrepreneurship did not have a significant influence on their e-entrepreneurial intention. The study findings were discussed with respect to the critical e-business trend in China that shapes young entrepreneurs and their creative goals.