Factors Influencing Returning Migrants’ Entrepreneurship Intentions for Rural E-Commerce: An Empirical Investigation in China

Lijuan Huang, Yi Huang, Raoyi Huang, Guojie Xie and Weiwei Cai
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Lijuan Huang: School of Management, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Yi Huang: School of Management, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Raoyi Huang: Faculty of Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Guojie Xie: School of Management, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Weiwei Cai: Graduate School, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-23

Abstract: Many Internet users have provided a favorable atmosphere for rural e-commerce to thrive, and the return of rural inhabitants starting their own companies has had a significant impact on rural economic development. Understanding the influencing elements for returning residents to carry out rural e-commerce operations can provide suggestions for the ongoing development of the economy in rural regions and the lack of talent faced in rural areas, especially in light of the trend of people returning to their hometowns. This work offers a research model based on the push–pull–mooring (PPM) theory to explain the factors that drive returning residents to engage in rural e-commerce entrepreneurship. The empirical results determined using the PLS-SEM method and SmartPLS 3.0 software to analyze the survey data of 151 returning residents revealed that urban employment obstacles, policy support, and infrastructure are positively connected with returning residents carrying out rural e-commerce entrepreneurship. Start-up costs are negatively correlated with rural e-commerce entrepreneurship by returning residents. Policy support plays an intermediary role in the price of starting a business and in the return of rural residents starting a rural e-commerce business. We recommend that the government strengthens policy support for returning entrepreneurs, improves rural e-commerce infrastructure, assists entrepreneurs in lowering their start-up costs, and initiates activities aimed at enhancing entrepreneurial intentions and sustaining entrepreneurial activities, based on the findings of this study.

Keywords: rural e-commerce; returning migrants; rural e-commerce entrepreneurship; PPM theory; influencing factors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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