Environmental affordances and Chinese expatriate (Entrepreneur) Success: How social support systems and personality traits codetermine entrepreneurial work performance (in cross cultural setting)

Abstract

This study examines how environmental affordances, social support systems, and personality traits codetermine entrepreneurial work performance among Chinese expatriate entrepreneurs in cross-cultural settings, addressing theoretical gaps in understanding the synergistic relationships between environmental, social, and psychological factors in expatriate entrepreneurial success. Methodology: A mixed-methods approach was employed with 187 Chinese expatriate entrepreneurs in Semporna, Malaysia. Data collection integrated structured surveys with semi-structured interviews, utilizing structural equation modeling to examine co-determinant mechanisms, interaction effects, and mediation pathways across different cultural adaptation stages and venture types. Findings: Environmental affordances perception significantly influenced psychological well-being (β = 0.47, p < 0.001) more than financial performance (β = 0.19, p = 0.084), explaining 22.6% versus 8.4% of variance respectively. Co-determinant interactions between social support and personality traits contributed 9.7% additional variance in work performance. Highly extraverted entrepreneurs exhibited diminishing returns from extensive social support (β =-0.21, p < 0.05), while emotionally stable individuals demonstrated linear enhancement patterns (β = 0.39, p < 0.001). Personality traits influenced performance primarily through psychological adaptation pathways (31.4% of total effects). Conclusion: Environmental affordances function as fundamental catalysts in cross-cultural entrepreneurial performance through complex psychological adaptation mechanisms rather than direct economic pathways, with success emerging from sophisticated person-environment matching processes. Practical Implications: Findings inform the design of culturally sensitive entrepreneurial support programs that leverage environmental psychology principles, enabling more effective cross-cultural business development strategies for multinational organizations and policymakers.