This study examines how classroom climate and feedback quality/internalization shape the development of entrepreneurial creativity among undergraduates in China, and whether narrative re-authoring practice amplifies this process. We surveyed students enrolled in entrepreneurship courses across four innovation ecosystems-Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Xi'an-and paired surveys with expert ratings of artifact novelty and usefulness across course milestones. After distributing 634 questionnaires, 496 valid responses were retained (in-person proctoring; tokenized QR to prevent duplicates). Established, Chinese-adapted scales showed strong measurement quality (loadings ≥0. 70; α = 0. 84-0. 92; CR = 0. 89-0. 94; AVE = 0. 61-0. 71; SRMR = 0. 058; HTMT <0. 85). Using SmartPLS 4 with 5000 bootstrap resamples, we found that supportive classroom climate directly promoted entrepreneurial creativity development (β = 0. 12, p =. 009) and strongly enhanced feedback quality/internalization (β = 0. 58, p <. 001). Feedback quality/internalization, in turn, predicted creativity growth (β = 0. 41, p <. 001). The indirect effect of classroom climate on entrepreneurial creativity via feedback was significant and substantial (βᵢndirect = 0. 24, p <. 001; partial mediation), and narrative re-authoring practice positively moderated the feedback→creativity path (β = 0. 09, p =. 007). Framed by Self-Determination Theory and the Componential Theory of Creativity, the findings identify an actionable mechanism-ignite motivation with climate, steer progress with high-quality feedback, and stabilize iteration with narrative practice-offering theory-driven guidance for scaling China's innovation-oriented entrepreneurship education.
Caichan et al. (Fri,) studied this question.