A cross-cultural study of motivation for self-employment: Comparing China, Mexico, and the USA

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relative levels of multiple individual and environmental factors that influence self-employment motivation in China, Mexico, and the USA and the effect of each factor on motivation for self-employment in each country. Design/methodology/approach: A survey was administered to 987 students at universities in the USA (n=535), Mexico (n=195), and China (n=257). Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to assure measurement model fit. Hypotheses were tested using ANOVA tests and regression analyses. Findings: Results indicate that: the USA has the individual and environmental factors most favorable to self-employment; Mexico has the highest level of motivation for self-employment; independence and risk taking are the best predictors of motivation for self-employment in all three countries; the predictive capability of independence, risk taking, and social networks appears similar for China and the USA; and the predictive capability of informal institutions, government support, and legal support appears similar for China and Mexico. Originality/value: In spite of abundant research on factors involving motivation for self-employment, little research has tested relationships among sizable sets of these factors in different countries. This paper examines the effects of multiple individual and environmental factors on self-employment motivation in China, Mexico, and the USA. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited