ISSN: 2222-6990
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The role of university entrepreneurial ecosystems (UEE) in shaping entrepreneurial outcomes has received extensive scholarly attention, yet limited research examines how regional heterogeneity within UEEs influences entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) among socially underrepresented groups, particularly Chinese female digital entrepreneurs navigating the country's unique platform economy. This qualitative multiple case study addresses this gap by investigating how different types of universities—located in economically developed versus underdeveloped regions of Sichuan Province—shape ESE among Chinese female digital entrepreneurs. Drawing on Bandura's social cognitive theory, Saeed et al.'s (2015) three-dimensional UEE support framework (educational, concept development, and business development support), and Nambisan's (2017) digital entrepreneurship perspective, the study employs an interpretive multiple case design. Data will be collected through semi-structured interviews with 24–32 participants across four universities (two in Chengdu, two in Mianzhu/Luojiang), including female digital entrepreneurs, mentors, incubator staff, counsellors, and alumni entrepreneurs. Thematic analysis and cross-case comparison will be conducted using NVivo. Two theoretical propositions guide the inquiry: (P1) universities in developed regions with diversified subject portfolios are positively associated with female digital entrepreneurs' ESE, including digital self-efficacy; (P2) universities in underdeveloped regions with specialised major fields are positively associated with ESE primarily through community-embedded social networking and concentrated mentorship. Malaysia is incorporated as a regional comparative benchmark to contextualise findings. The study extends UEE theory by integrating regional heterogeneity and digital self-efficacy as analytical constructs, contributes to social cognitive theory through contextualisation within China's platform ecosystem, and provides actionable implications for university resource allocation and Sichuan's digital economy policies.
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