Entrepreneurship has been central to China's transformation into the world's second largest economy since the country's reform and opening-up. Today, the entrepreneurial landscape is undergoing significant change. A new generation of entrepreneurs-shaped more by market dynamics than the legacy of central planning-is taking the lead. Early ventures have grown into national champions, now grappling with complexityand the risk of complacency. Meanwhile, a stronger state presence and global headwinds have reshaped the policy and business environment. As China confronts demographic shifts and the limits of an export-led growth model, it once again turns to entrepreneurship to drive innovation and avoid the middle-income trap.
This handbook looks at the complex dynamics and changing nature of entrepreneurshipin China. It provides overviews of up-to-date research in four important areas: how Chinese entrepreneurs exercise their ability to seek and seize market opportunitiesin the face of uncertainty; how entrepreneurial firms in China facilitate the continuous leveraging of opportunities; how entrepreneurial ecosystems are evolving to support the entrepreneurial actions of both individuals and organisations; and how entrepreneurship is exercised as an instrument to address pressing societal challenges.