What Motivates a Chinese Entrepreneur to Invest Offshore?

DOI: 10.5176/2251-2039_IE16.31

Authors: Stuart Orr and Chanrong Zhou

Abstract: Chinese SME business development by entrepreneurs from developing countries has become a topic of increasing research interest, however, the factors that enable these entrepreneurs to be successful are not well understood. Findings from 12 interviews with Chinese entrepreneurs that had established SMEs in Australia determined that Chinese entrepreneurial ISME behaviors were best described as responses to regulatory, normative and social factors, moderated by the availability of finance and a long-term perspective. The regulatory and normative differences created internationalization barriers such as the time and effort required to learn about Australian norms and opportunities from the simpler and more transparent legal, political and transaction systems which facilitated entrepreneurial business development.

Keywords: Internationalising, SMEs, China, Entrepreneurship