Social Capital, Resource Acquisition, and Return Migrant Peasants? Entrepreneurial Performance: an Empirical Study Based on the Micro Survey Data from the Yangtze River Delta in China

Résumé

Social capital, as a unique form of resource, plays a key role in peasants? entrepreneurial activities and is one of the crucial factors that influence return migrant peasants? entrepreneurial performance. However, existing studies on the relationships between social capital and entrepreneurial performance are not consistent. Using survey data of 177 entrepreneurs who were return migrant peasants from seven cities in the Yangtze River Delta of China from December 2016 to March 2017, this study conducted an empirical investigation into the relationships among social capital, resource acquisition, and entrepreneurial performance. Results show that the size, density, and tie strength of return migrant peasants? social capital exert a significant positive effect on their entrepreneurial performance, with tie strength having the greatest effect. Furthermore, the efficiency and effectiveness of resource acquisition not only directly promote entrepreneurial performance but also mediate between every dimension of social capital and return migrant peasants? entrepreneurial performance. These findings provide a substantial reference for the improvement of entrepreneurial performance with respect to promoting social capital for return migrant peasants, establishing entrepreneurial platforms, and developing supportive policies for entrepreneurship by government departments.