Culture and entrepreneurial intentions of Madagascan ethnic groups
Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies
ISSN: 2053-4604
Article publication date: 1 June 2015
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to delve deeper into understanding to what extent does culture influence entrepreneurship by connecting the causal chain from cultural values to perceived desirability to entrepreneurial intention (EI). Cultural values form a central part of entrepreneurial discourse and have accordingly been the subject of several studies relating to EIs.
Design/methodology/approach
The study takes place in an under-researched country, Madagascar, where instead of focussing on national culture a more nuanced approach is taken by studying several fine-grained groupings of culture at the ethnic level. Based on a survey, 2,220 responses are statistically analysed according to the three main ethnic groups in Madagascar.
Findings
In terms of hypotheses testing, findings show that cultural dimensions influence the relationship between perceived desirability and EI only for the highlander ethnic group. Differences between the ethnic groups are also observed in terms of the indulgence-restraint cultural dimension.
Practical implications
When encouraging entrepreneurship in Madagascar policymakers should take cognisance of the complexity of cultural factors among ethnic groups and the interrelationship between perceived desirability and intentions.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies to measure cultural values in Madagascar and include the indulgence-restraint cultural dimension. The study takes place in a multicultural, non-Western and predominantly necessity-based entrepreneurship context, where understanding the role that culture plays in shaping intentions can prove to be valuable.
Keywords
Citation
Urban, B. and Ratsimanetrimanana, F.A. (2015), "Culture and entrepreneurial intentions of Madagascan ethnic groups", Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, Vol. 7 No. 2, pp. 86-114. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEEE-01-2015-0008
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited