Does the impact of the COVID-19 inhibit global entrepreneurial activities? Structural equation model analysis based on GEM data of 90 countries (Sept, 10.1007/s11365-023-00890-1, 2023)

Using survey data from 90 nations polled by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) in the past two years from 2020 to 2022, this study evaluates the effect of COVID-19 on global entrepreneurship and its mechanism using a structural equation model (SEM). The results show that under the impact of COVID-19, entrepreneurial activities are still active, becoming the fortunate choice for many people to turn danger into opportunity. Entrepreneurial self-efficacy and motivation play a significant chain-mediating role in the impact of COVID-19 on entrepreneurial activities. The entrepreneurial environment played a positive moderating role in the relationship between COVID-19 and entrepreneurial activities. Further heterogeneity analysis shows that this moderating effect is more significant in low- and middle-income economies and in the stage of epidemic normalization. Finally, this study offers policy suggestions on how to propel the entrepreneurial environment, improve entrepreneurial self-efficacy, stimulate entrepreneurial motivation, and promote entrepreneurial activities. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2023. corrected publication 2023.