The “Gospel” of Entrepreneurship? Entrepreneurialism, Development, and the Youth Enterprise
批判性地审视创业主义如何被推崇为青年发展的道德合法模式，指出其脱离现实且效果有限，尤其对全球南方边缘青年不利，并呼吁因地制宜的替代方案。
In the contemporary world, entrepreneurship is valorized as a driver for economic growth and social change. Youth entrepreneurship, in particular, has been touted as a vehicle with which to address issues such as unemployment, youth marginalization, and other relevant development challenges. Drawing on neo-institutional theory, this article critically examines the rise and spread of entrepreneurialism, likened to a “gospel” of entrepreneurship driven by neoliberal values that emphasize individual agency. The article first provides a conceptual model that elucidates how entrepreneurship became a morally legitimate and culturally attractive youth development model, even though it is often disconnected from the realities of entrepreneurial success. It then reviews extant empirical evidence, highlighting youth entrepreneurship programs’ ambiguous and limited outcomes and how the valorization of youth entrepreneurship overlooks critical barriers and pitfalls. This analysis contributes to entrepreneurship research by providing a framework for understanding how entrepreneurial ideologies are disseminated globally and the implications and consequences for youth, especially the marginalized in the Global South. The article concludes by offering pragmatic recommendations and future research directions, calling for alternative approaches to youth entrepreneurship development and more context-specific strategies that align with local realities rather than replicating Western neoliberal models.