Family Embeddedness and Medical Students’ Interest for Entrepreneurship as an Alternative Career Choice: Evidence From China

Abstract

Joining the ongoing academic debates around medical students’ alternative career choices, this research examines the role of family in medical school attendees’ entrepreneurial intention (EI). Specifically, this study decomposes the multidimensionality of family embeddedness and highlights the mediated nature of the family–EI relationship. The empirical analysis relied on data from graduation year medical students from diverse geographical locations and from different institution types in China. These data were collected from a total of 687 questionnaires covering the basic information of individual, parents, and family composition, as well as the measuring scale of EI. Examining medical students’ EI and its antecedents provide a dual-missing-link in the extant knowledge, i.e., it adds the medical school piece to the overall picture of university students’ EI, and equally important, it de-trivializes entrepreneurship from the extant theorizations of medical students’ career choices. This study also bears implications for educators, practitioners, and policymakers interested in better understanding EI of medical school attendees and family embeddedness.

Mitigating the lack of prior entrepreneurial experience and exposure through entrepreneurship education programs

“…Dyer and Handler (1994) highlight particular career nexus points in terms of ( 1) early experiences in the entrepreneur's family of origin; (2) family involvement in the entrepreneur's start-up activities; (3) employment of family members in the entrepreneurial firm; and (4) the involvement of family members in ownership and management succession. In studying the intentionality of an entrepreneurial career of individuals from the medical field, Zhao et al (2021) illustrate that parental influence mediated personal attitude and behavior contributing to entrepreneurial intention. In addition, their study highlights the influence of the social and economic status of the parents, as well as the sector in which parents are employed.…”

“…Research has also suggested that being socially embedded in an entrepreneurial family, where lived experience of being an entrepreneur is passed on through strong social ties (a form of vicarious learning), contributes to entrepreneurial experience (Shi et al, 2015;Arregle et al, 2015), potentially affecting an entrepreneurial career choice. With such emphasis on informal, socialized learning through family embeddedness (see Zhao et al, 2021) or own practice, what about individuals without prior entrepreneurial experience or exposure through entrepreneurial families? If entrepreneurship education could mitigate for the lack of prior entrepreneurial experience or entrepreneurial pedigree, then it would have important societal implications.…”

“…, 2015), potentially affecting an entrepreneurial career choice. With such emphasis on informal, socialized learning through family embeddedness (see Zhao et al ., 2021) or own practice, what about individuals without prior entrepreneurial experience or exposure through entrepreneurial families? If entrepreneurship education could mitigate for the lack of prior entrepreneurial experience or entrepreneurial pedigree, then it would have important societal implications.…”

The Moderating Effects of Social Responsibility Climate and Safety Climate in Keeping Healthcare Workers’ Engagement during COVID-19

“…Past research indicates a link between career calling and work meaningfulness, which is particularly salient when the work is perceived as challenging. A severe crisis signals urgent societal needs, and nurses have strong feelings of obligation and responsibility to fully utilize their professional skills [ 17 ]. For example, Dobrow and colleagues in longitudinal research show that people with strong early career callings were more likely to pursue challenging careers professionally in adulthood [ 18 ].…”