Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Embeddedness, Knowledge Dynamic Capabilities, and User Entrepreneurial Opportunity Development in China: The Moderating Role of Entrepreneurial Learning

Abstract

Digital entrepreneurial ecosystem embeddedness disrupts existing boundaries and content of innovative entrepreneurial activities, restructuring entrepreneurial landscape. However, how it drives the process and mechanisms of user entrepreneurial opportunity development remains underexplored. Based on entrepreneurial ecosystem theory and knowledge dynamic capability theory, this study examines the mediating role of knowledge dynamic capabilities in the relationship between digital entrepreneurial ecosystem embeddedness and user entrepreneurial opportunity development. Using a sample of 232 user entrepreneurial enterprises in China, hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrap methods are employed to investigate the mechanisms. The results reveal that digital entrepreneurial ecosystem embeddedness significantly promotes knowledge acquisition and sharing capabilities, which in turn facilitate entrepreneurial opportunity development. Moreover, under higher levels of entrepreneurial learning, the promotion of knowledge acquisition and sharing capabilities by digital entrepreneurial ecosystem embeddedness becomes more significant. Furthermore, knowledge dynamic capabilities, consisting of knowledge acquisition and sharing capabilities, significantly promote entrepreneurial opportunity development, partially mediating the relationship between digital entrepreneurial ecosystem embeddedness and entrepreneurial opportunity development. Additionally, knowledge sharing capability serves as the preferable pathway in the dual-driven process of digital entrepreneurial ecosystem embeddedness and entrepreneurial opportunity development. Our findings contribute to understanding the dynamics of user entrepreneurship in China in the digital environment, and offer practical insights for leveraging digital embeddedness to improve the quality and efficiency of opportunity development and promote the sustainability of the digital entrepreneurial ecosystem.