{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,9]],"date-time":"2026-04-09T15:01:21Z","timestamp":1775746881203,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,21]],"date-time":"2025-07-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1753056000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Systems"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study examines the factors that influence individuals\u2019 intentions to create socially oriented ventures, emphasizing the joint role of social and technical systems. Grounded in Socio-Technical Systems Theory, the research investigates how perceptions of social legitimacy and technological infrastructure shape social entrepreneurial intention (SEI) and how these effects are conditioned by generational cohort, familiarity and intent to use artificial intelligence (AI), and social proximity to entrepreneurial peers. Based on survey data from 388 respondents in China who expressed interest in both entrepreneurship and social problem-solving, the study applies a conditional process structural equation model to capture the complex interplay between external systems and individual-level readiness. The results show that both social and technical systems significantly and positively influence SEI, particularly among younger generations (Millennials and Generation Z). Furthermore, AI familiarity and social proximity operate as moderated mediators, differentially transmitting and shaping systemic influences on SEI. These findings advance the theoretical understanding of socio-technical determinants of social entrepreneurship and offer practical insights for fostering inclusive, generationally responsive entrepreneurial ecosystems.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/systems13070616","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,21]],"date-time":"2025-07-21T14:55:18Z","timestamp":1753109718000},"page":"616","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Socio-Technical Antecedents of Social Entrepreneurial Intention: The Impact of Generational Differences, Artificial Intelligence Familiarity, and Social Proximity"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1181-8695","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rob Kim","family":"Marjerison","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute for Sustainability Studies, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou 325060, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-8691-9786","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jin Young","family":"Jun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of International Trade, College of Social Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0037-2117","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jong Min","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of International Trade, College of Social Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"705","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bushor.2020.05.002","article-title":"The COVID-19 Virtual Idea Blitz: Marshaling social entrepreneurship to rapidly respond to urgent grand challenges","volume":"63","author":"Bacq","year":"2020","journal-title":"Bus. Horiz."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"285","DOI":"10.1111\/joms.12641","article-title":"Social entrepreneurship and COVID-19","volume":"58","author":"Bacq","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Manag. Stud."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"391","DOI":"10.5465\/annals.2019.0143","article-title":"Entrepreneurship for the public good: A review, critique, and path forward for social and environmental entrepreneurship research","volume":"16","author":"Vedula","year":"2022","journal-title":"Acad. Manag. Ann."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1066","DOI":"10.46932\/sfjdv4n3-004","article-title":"Social Entrepreneurship in a Pandemic: Challenges and Opportunities","volume":"4","author":"Benavides","year":"2023","journal-title":"South Fla. J. Dev."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106231","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbusvent.2022.106231","article-title":"Communities at the nexus of entrepreneurship and societal impact: A cross-disciplinary literature review","volume":"37","author":"Bacq","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Bus. Ventur."},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Howe, N., and Strauss, W. (2000). Millennials rising: The next great generation, Vintage."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"344","DOI":"10.1108\/SEJ-05-2021-0041","article-title":"Social entrepreneurial sustainability during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"18","author":"Kamaludin","year":"2022","journal-title":"Soc. Enterp. J."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"329","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bushor.2021.03.006","article-title":"From AI to digital transformation: The AI readiness framework","volume":"65","year":"2022","journal-title":"Bus. Horiz."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Park, J.-H., and Bae, Z.-T. (2020). Legitimation of social enterprises as hybrid organizations. Sustainability, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/su12187583"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"698","DOI":"10.1111\/beer.12510","article-title":"Passionate to be a social entrepreneur in Saudi Arabia: A moderated mediation analysis of social entrepreneurial intention","volume":"32","author":"Aloulou","year":"2023","journal-title":"Bus. Ethics Environ. Responsib."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.2307\/248710","article-title":"MIS problems and failures: A Socio-technical Perspective","volume":"1","author":"Bostrom","year":"1976","journal-title":"MIS Q."},{"key":"ref_12","first-page":"79","article-title":"Some social and psychological consequences of the longwall method of coal-getting","volume":"1","author":"Trist","year":"2000","journal-title":"Technol. Organ. Innov. Early Debates"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Nguyen, T.T., Nguyen, T.-D., and Mustafa, M.J. (2024). Empathetic concern and social entrepreneurial intention: A moderated mediation model of social entrepreneurial self-efficacy and perceived cultural support. Int. J. Innov. Sci., ahead-of-print.","DOI":"10.1108\/IJIS-07-2024-0191"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ruiz-Rosa, I., Guti\u00e9rrez-Ta\u00f1o, D., and Garc\u00eda-Rodr\u00edguez, F.J. (2020). Social entrepreneurial intention and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic: A structural model. Sustainability, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/su12176970"},{"key":"ref_15","first-page":"305","article-title":"How do social responsibility and social entrepreneurship generate value creation in pandemics?","volume":"17","author":"Silva","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Enterprising Communities People Places Glob. Econ."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ram\u00edrez-Herrero, V., Ortiz-de-Urbina-Criado, M., and Medina-Merodio, J.-A. (2024). Intergenerational leadership: A leadership style proposal for managing diversity and new technologies. Systems, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/systems12020050"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"121361","DOI":"10.1016\/j.techfore.2021.121361","article-title":"Capabilities of digital servitization: Evidence from the socio-technical systems theory","volume":"176","author":"Marx","year":"2022","journal-title":"Technol. Forecast. Soc. Chang."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S95","DOI":"10.1086\/228943","article-title":"Social capital in the creation of human capital","volume":"94","author":"Coleman","year":"1988","journal-title":"Am. J. Sociol."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103018","DOI":"10.1016\/j.technovation.2024.103018","article-title":"Reconceptualizing socio-tech entrepreneurship: A systematic literature review and research agenda","volume":"134","author":"Amaral","year":"2024","journal-title":"Technovation"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bostrom, N., and Sandberg, A. (2009). The wisdom of nature: An evolutionary heuristic for human enhancement. Philosophical Issues in Pharmaceutics, Springer.","DOI":"10.1093\/oso\/9780199299720.003.0019"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"201","DOI":"10.1007\/s10869-010-9165-6","article-title":"A review of the empirical evidence on generational differences in work attitudes","volume":"25","author":"Twenge","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Bus. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1037\/1082-989X.12.1.1","article-title":"Methods for integrating moderation and mediation: A general analytical framework using moderated path analysis","volume":"12","author":"Edwards","year":"2007","journal-title":"Psychol. Methods"},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"1673","article-title":"Teens, social media & technology 2018","volume":"31","author":"Anderson","year":"2018","journal-title":"Pew Res. Cent."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.2307\/30036519","article-title":"Trust and TAM in online shopping: An integrated model","volume":"27","author":"Gefen","year":"2003","journal-title":"MIS Q."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8","DOI":"10.1108\/JMP-07-2014-0210","article-title":"How have careers changed? An investigation of changing career patterns across four generations","volume":"30","author":"Lyons","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Manag. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought and Action, SAGE."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"Hayes, A.F. (2017). Introduction to Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional Process Analysis: A Regression-Based Approach, Guilford Publications."},{"key":"ref_28","first-page":"328","article-title":"Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology: A synthesis and the road ahead","volume":"17","author":"Venkatesh","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Assoc. Inf. Syst."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"674","DOI":"10.2307\/2096399","article-title":"The sources and consequences of embeddedness for the economic performance of organizations: The network effect","volume":"61","author":"Uzzi","year":"1996","journal-title":"Am. Sociol. Rev."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"481","DOI":"10.1086\/228311","article-title":"Economic action and social structure: The problem of embeddedness","volume":"91","author":"Granovetter","year":"1985","journal-title":"Am. J. Sociol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1016\/0749-5978(91)90020-T","article-title":"The theory of planned behavior","volume":"50","author":"Ajzen","year":"1991","journal-title":"Organ. Behav. Hum. Decis. Process."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"573","DOI":"10.1016\/S0883-9026(03)00011-9","article-title":"The pervasive effects of family on entrepreneurship: Toward a family embeddedness perspective","volume":"18","author":"Aldrich","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Bus. Ventur."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"319","DOI":"10.2307\/249008","article-title":"Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology","volume":"13","author":"Davis","year":"1989","journal-title":"MIS Q."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jwb.2005.09.002","article-title":"Social entrepreneurship research: A source of explanation, prediction, and delight","volume":"41","author":"Mair","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. World Bus."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.55.1.68","article-title":"Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being","volume":"55","author":"Ryan","year":"2000","journal-title":"Am. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Marjerison, R.K., and Kim, J.M. (2022). MSE response during times of crisis: The roles of budgeting micro functions and guanxi. Sustainability, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/su141710990"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"334","DOI":"10.1287\/isre.13.3.334.81","article-title":"Developing and validating trust measures for e-commerce: An integrative typology","volume":"13","author":"McKnight","year":"2002","journal-title":"Inf. Syst. Res."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1360","DOI":"10.1086\/225469","article-title":"The strength of weak ties","volume":"78","author":"Granovetter","year":"1973","journal-title":"Am. J. Sociol."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pallant, J. (2020). Ebook: SPSS Surival Manual: A Step by Step Guide to Data Analysis using IBM SPSS, McGraw-Hill Education.","DOI":"10.4324\/9781003117445"},{"key":"ref_40","first-page":"118","article-title":"A socio-technical approach to knowledge contribution behavior: An empirical investigation of social networking sites users","volume":"32","author":"Chai","year":"2012","journal-title":"Int. J. Inf. Manag."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.2307\/30036518","article-title":"Predicting intention to adopt interorganizational linkages: An institutional perspective","volume":"27","author":"Teo","year":"2003","journal-title":"MIS Q."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lin, N., Fu, Y.-C., and Hsung, R.-M. (2017). The position generator: Measurement techniques for investigations of social capital. Social Capital, Routledge.","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315129457-3"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"242","DOI":"10.2307\/259373","article-title":"Social capital, intellectual capital, and the organizational advantage","volume":"23","author":"Nahapiet","year":"1998","journal-title":"Acad. Manag. Rev."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"425","DOI":"10.2307\/30036540","article-title":"User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view","volume":"27","author":"Venkatesh","year":"2003","journal-title":"MIS Q."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115","DOI":"10.1007\/s11747-014-0403-8","article-title":"A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling","volume":"43","author":"Henseler","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Acad. Mark. Sci."},{"key":"ref_46","unstructured":"Hair, J.F., Black, W.C., Babin, B.J., and Anderson, R.E. (2010). Multivariate Data Analysis: A Global Perspective, Pearson Education."},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"673","DOI":"10.1007\/s11135-006-9018-6","article-title":"A caution regarding rules of thumb for variance inflation factors","volume":"41","year":"2007","journal-title":"Qual. Quant."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ple\u010dko, S., and Brada\u010d Hojnik, B. (2024). Sustainable business practices and the role of digital technologies: A cross-regional analysis. Systems, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/systems12030097"},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chen, X., Zhang, X.-E., Cai, Z., and Chen, J. (2024). The non-linear impact of digitalization on the performance of SMEs: A hypothesis test based on the digitalization paradox. Systems, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/systems12040139"},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Prani\u0107, L. (2023). What Happens to the Entrepreneurial Intentions of Gen Z in a Crony Capitalist Economy Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic?. Sustainability, 15.","DOI":"10.3390\/su15075750"},{"key":"ref_51","first-page":"1","article-title":"Digital natives, digital immigrants part 2: Do they really think differently?","volume":"9","author":"Prensky","year":"2001","journal-title":"Horizon"},{"key":"ref_52","unstructured":"Dees, J.G. (1998). The meaning of social entrepreneurship. Case Studies in Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainability, Routledge."},{"key":"ref_53","first-page":"99","article-title":"Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage","volume":"17","author":"Barney","year":"1991","journal-title":"J. Manag."},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1029","DOI":"10.1111\/etap.12254","article-title":"Digital entrepreneurship: Toward a digital technology perspective of entrepreneurship","volume":"41","author":"Nambisan","year":"2017","journal-title":"Entrep. Theory Pract."},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"164","DOI":"10.5430\/ijfr.v12n2p164","article-title":"Consumer behavior in the information economy: Generation Z","volume":"12","author":"Grigoreva","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Financ. Res."},{"key":"ref_56","first-page":"21","article-title":"Multi-generational marketing: Descriptions, characteristics, lifestyles, and attitudes","volume":"11","author":"Williams","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Appl. Bus. Econ."},{"key":"ref_57","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"411","DOI":"10.1016\/S0883-9026(98)00033-0","article-title":"Competing models of entrepreneurial intentions","volume":"15","author":"Krueger","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Bus. Ventur."}],"container-title":["Systems"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2079-8954\/13\/7\/616\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T18:13:31Z","timestamp":1760033611000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2079-8954\/13\/7\/616"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,21]]},"references-count":57,"journal-issue":{"issue":"7","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7]]}},"alternative-id":["systems13070616"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/systems13070616","relation":{},"ISSN":["2079-8954"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2079-8954","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,21]]}}}