Is corruption good or bad for entrepreneurship? Prior research has presented mixed results when exploring this question. This article takes a micro-foundational approach by focussing on how foreign entrepreneurs cognitively deal with corruption in the host environment. We argue that the entrepreneur’s motivational antecedent to engaging in corruption, or corruption propensity, represents a cognitive belief in the legitimacy and effectiveness of corruption. We find that higher corruption propensity leads to lower firm growth. In addition, the effects of corruption propensity are conditioned by the corruption difference between home and host countries. Finally, we discuss implications for research, practice and public policy.

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外国企业家将如何应对腐败压力？微观基础方法

腐败对创业有利还是不利？在探索这个问题时，先前的研究结果好坏参半。本文采用微观基础方法，重点关注外国企业家如何在认知上处理东道国环境中的腐败问题。我们认为，企业家参与腐败的动机或腐败倾向，代表了对腐败合法性和有效性的认知信念。我们发现较高的腐败倾向会导致较低的公司增长。此外，腐败倾向的影响取决于母国和东道国之间的腐败差异。最后，我们讨论了对研究、实践和公共政策的影响。