This article contributes to research on the role of government in entrepreneurship by extending the current focus from government policies to policymakers. Specifically, we examine how entrepreneurs’ identity alignment with regime leaders influences their access to government support in Africa. Drawing from ethnocentrism and neopatrimonialism perspectives, we develop a theoretical model that explains how entrepreneurs’ ethnic and political identity alignment influences their access to government support. We also advance theory by discussing the “dark side” of identity-based government support in Africa. In doing so, we shed some light on the rather complex sociopolitical determinants of resource access in Africa.

本文将当前的重点从政府政策扩展到政策制定者，有助于研究政府在创业中的作用。具体而言，我们研究了企业家与政权领导人的身份一致性如何影响他们在非洲获得政府支持的机会。我们从种族中心主义和新世袭制的角度出发，开发了一个理论模型，解释了企业家的种族和政治身份一致性如何影响他们获得政府支持的机会。我们还通过讨论非洲基于身份的政府支持的“阴暗面”来推进理论。在这样做的过程中，我们揭示了非洲资源获取的相当复杂的社会政治决定因素。