Clan culture and women’s entrepreneurship: empirical evidence from China

Purpose This study aims to examine the influence of clan culture on women’s entrepreneurship through the lens of the challenge-based entrepreneurship model and explore how women’s education and social trust moderate this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) from 2014 to 2018, this study conducted multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression to test proposed model. Findings Results indicate that clan culture positively influences women’s entrepreneurship. However, this effect is attenuated for women with higher education level or greater social trust, highlighting the moderating role of cognitive and relational embeddedness within the clan system. Practical implications These findings highlight the need for targeted entrepreneurial support services for women navigating traditional sociocultural constraints. Policymakers should adopt a dialectical perspective on the role of clan culture and design differentiated strategies to promote women’s entrepreneurship in diverse cultural contexts. Originality/value This research represents an early attempt to empirically examine the relationship between clan culture and women’s entrepreneurship, introducing a relatively novel triggering factor for women entrepreneurs. It also verifies and extends the challenge-based entrepreneurship model by applying it to women’s entrepreneurship, reflecting the role of sociocultural challenges in shaping entrepreneurial activities.