Cross‐cultural implications of linguistic future time reference and institutional uncertainty on social entrepreneurship

Research Summary Using a sample of 205,792 individuals in 70 countries with 39 languages, this paper presents novel empirical evidence for how language's future time reference, defined as the requirement that speakers mark future, affects speaker's likelihood engaging social entrepreneurship. FTR subtly shapes temporal orientation, such speaking futured language (i.e., strong FTR) favors short-term orientation which positively being entrepreneur. Furthermore, institutional uncertainty arising from weakly entrenched institutions moderates relationship. Individuals who speak languages contexts characterized by regulatory (weak rule law, weak property rights, and corruption) are more likely to engage Theoretical practical implications research directions discussed. Managerial This examines influence on an individual's decision We show entrepreneurial strategies towards value creation be pursued where is using sentences “will/shall + infinitive”) linguistic feature reference (FTR). Moreover, positive impact has strategic become entrepreneur intensifies when there uncertainty. That is, probability individual increases corruption within country. In sum, our study highlights important interplay between language, overlooked cognitive institution, shaping behaviors outcomes.