HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ VIEWS ON
FREE ENTERPRISE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
A comparison of Chinese and American students 2014
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
JA China would like to thank all the schools who participated in the various stages of this program. This research
could not have been completed without the support and suggested improvements from the teachers and
students at our program schools in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Xi’an.
We would also like to wholeheartedly thank all of our partners in the education sector and the media for sharing
their expertise, providing us with constructive feedback and contributing much to this report.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
P1
INTRODUCTION
P2
METHODOLOGY
P3
SUMMARY OF MAJOR FINDINGS
P5
DETAILED MAJOR FINDINGS
Major Finding 1: Chinese high school students have a good understanding of free enterprise, they
believe instruction on free enterprise is important, and they believe that free enterprise plays an
important role in economic growth. Students learn about free enterprise through a variety of channels,
including school, internet, and family. School plays the major main role in their free enterprise
education.
Major Finding 2: Unlike their American counterparts, Chinese high school students generally support
government regulation for business operation. In terms of general statements of the economic theory,
Chinese and American students presented similar views. However, their views are significantly different
for the specific situations that involve whether the government should exercise regulation on business.
Major Finding 3: Chinese high school students have a good understanding of entrepreneurship, and
they believe learning about entrepreneurship is important. They are also interested in learning about
entrepreneurship in class at school; however, most do not have access to such opportunities.
Major Finding 4: Chinese high school students have a positive view of entrepreneurship. At the same
time, they do not have sufficient understanding of the risks involved with entrepreneurship. They have
a good grasp of the qualities necessary to be a successful entrepreneur, though many overlooked the
importance of being skilled with managing money.
Major Finding 5: Chinese high school students are highly interested in entrepreneurship; however,
very few have held a paid job or participated in any entrepreneurial activities.
Major Finding 6: Chinese high school students have a positive outlook for the Chinese economy,
but are somewhat concerned about their job prospects after they finish school. Students who are
interested in entrepreneurship have a more positive outlook on their job prospects.
P33 AFTERWORD
P35 LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES
P36 STATEMENTS
P37 JA CHINA INTRODUCTION
1 INTRODUCTION
An understanding of free enterprise principles and entrepreneurial ability are instrumental to young people’s
future success in the global economy. As such many major industrialized countries have actively introduced
economics education and entrepreneurship education in high school in order to help students master basic
economic principles and entrepreneurial skills. As its economy becomes increasingly globalized, China must
also develop its pool of strong global business talents. Current high school students will soon be entering the
workforce, becoming the leading force behind China’s economic development and entrepreneurial activities.
Until this century, there was very little economics or entrepreneurship content included in China's national high
school curriculum. In the early 2000s, the education sector has since made efforts to change this situation. In
2003, the Ministry of Education issued the “High School Political Science Curriculum Standards (Experimental)”.
This new curriculum standard adds increased emphasis on modern economics concepts and their analysis, as
well as providing entrepreneurship education. Specifically, this content has been added to the “Economy and
Life” first year high school political science course. Since the publishing of these standards, many local schools
have begun revising their own curriculums to include more economics and entrepreneurship courses in addition
to those outlined by the national curriculum.
After 10 years of implementing this new curriculum, to what extent do high school students agree with the
principles of free enterprise? How do they view entrepreneurship? Do Chinese high school students understand
free enterprise differently than students in other countries? The answers to these questions can help to assess
the effectiveness of current economics and entrepreneurship education as well as informing future policy. Policy
departments, businesses and parents can also gain valuable insight from this information. However, the current
body of research lacks the ability to answer these questions. There have been no empirical studies of Chinese
high school students’ attitudes towards free enterprise or comparative studies of Chinese and American high
school students conducted since T. Y. Shen’s 1993 article “Economics in China: Chinese economic knowledge and
attitudes of high school students” published in Economics Education. Additionally, studies of Chinese high school
students’ knowledge and views of entrepreneurship are also even rarer. Therefore, the need to increase the
body of research on this topic was a large motivating factor in JA China’s decision to conduct this research.
This survey was initiated by JA China in March of 2013. This research touches upon the following topics: high
school students’ comprehension of and attitudes towards free enterprise and entrepreneurship, the availability
of economics education and entrepreneurship-related learning activities, students’ understanding of the
regulatory role government plays in free enterprise, their interest in and understanding of entrepreneurship,
and their future career plans. The goal of this research is to analyze high school students’ responses in order to
improve upon the overall body of research in this field and to provide background information for a wider range
of stakeholders. It is worth mention that the target population of the survey was randomly selected from the 1st
and 2nd year high school students from five cities in China: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Xi’an.
The data reflects the features of the high school students in China’s economically developed cities; it does not
reflect all high schools students nationally.
The design of this survey was based off the survey of 2,213 American high school students’ views on free
enterprise and entrepreneurship conducted by Harris Interactive in July and August of 2011 on behalf of Junior
Achievement. Assuming that American high school students’ views have remained relatively stable over the
past two years, JA China uses the results of the current survey and those of the 2011 American survey to make
a comparison and discuss the differences between Chinese and American high school students’ view on free
enterprise and entrepreneurship. Based on the experience gained in the design and implementation of this
research, as well as the feedback received from the education sector and other stakeholders, JA China plans to
continue to publish further research on this subject in the future.
note
1. http://www.councilforeconed.org/news-information/survey-of-the-states/
2. http://www.wu.ac.at/ricc/en/forschung/researchreports/researchreport2011_1/
3. Ruth Shen and T. Y. Shen, Economic Thinking in China: Economic Knowledge and Attitudes of High School Students. The Journal of Economic Education. Vol. 24,
No. 1 (Winter, 1993), pp. 70-84
4. http://www.uschamberfoundation.org/sites/default/files/JA%20Free%20Enterprise%20Survey.pdf/
2 METHODOLOGY
2.1 Survey Objectives and Methods
“High School Students’ Views on Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship: A comparison of Chinese and American
students 2014” is a multi-city survey aimed at understanding Chinese students’ views towards free enterprise,
entrepreneurship and government regulation. In addition, we aim to understand the current status of free
enterprise and entrepreneurship education in Chinese high schools, uncover its achievements and shortcomings,
and then use this information to improve upon the current system. The data collected in this survey will also
serve to fill a gap in the current literature concerning Chinese high school students’ views on free enterprise and
entrepreneurship.
This report implemented both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods, specifically questionnaires
and focused interviews, in order to analyze and evaluate participants’ attitudes, values, behavior recognition and
future planning. Focused interviews were mainly used to help researchers understand and confirm students’
answers to the survey questionnaire.
The JA China Center for Research and Publications conducted paper-based survey questionnaires with 696
Chinese high school students across 5 of China’s major cities. Both single-answer and multiple-answer multiple
choice questions were used. The survey touched upon the following 6 topics:
1
2
3
4
5
6
knowledge of and attitude towards free enterprise;
views on government regulation;
knowledge of and attitude towards entrepreneurship;
understanding of the entrepreneurial spirit;
entrepreneurship and employment options;
plans to start their own business.
2.2. Participants and Timetable
Participants:
■ Locations Surveyed: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi’an.
■ Target Population: First and second year high school students aged 16 to 17.
■ School Selection: Both distinguished, key schools and ordinary schools were included in this survey.
■ Class Selection: Classes were randomly selected from target schools.
Timetable:
■ March 11th - 30th: Confirm research methods and survey creation.
■ April 1st - 30th: Edit survey, confirm target population and decide when surveys will be sent out.
■ May 15th - June 15th: Send out surveys.
■ June 15th - July 31st: Collect, tabulate and analyze survey data.
■ August 1st - September 30th: Conduct focused interviews at high schools in Beijing and Shanghai and
analyze data collected.
3 SUMMARY OF MAJOR FINDINGS
This study is based on empirical data collected by JA China in a survey of Chinese high school students from
March to October in 2013. The results can be summarized in six major findings:
1) Chinese high school students have a good understanding of free enterprise, they believe instruction on free
enterprise is important, and they believe that free enterprise plays an important role in economic growth.
Students learn about free enterprise through a variety of channels, including school, the internet, and family.
School plays the major role in their free enterprise education.
■ 80% believe it is “somewhat important” or “very important” that students are taught about free enterprise;
■ 67% are “somewhat interested” or “extremely interested” in free enterprise education;
■ Students who have been taught about free enterprise have a better grasp of key economic and business
concepts and were more likely to have a positive view of free enterprise than students who had not been
taught about free enterprise (grasp of economic concepts 90% vs. 80%; grasp of entrepreneurship concepts
92% vs. 84%; positive view of free enterprise 83% vs. 78%);
■ Students’ agreement with 6 statements about the positive role of free enterprise reached 8.19~7.68 on a
10 point Likert scale (1= totally disagree, 10= totally agree).
Comparisons:
■ Fewer Chinese high school students have reported taking free enterprise classes than American high school
students;
■ American high school students have a more positive view of free enterprise than Chinese high school students.
2) Unlike their American counterparts, Chinese high school students generally support government regulation
for business operation. In terms of the general statements about economic theory, Chinese and American
students demonstrated similar views. However, their views are significantly different for the specific situations
that involve whether government should exercises regulation on business.
■ Students agreement with 9 statements about government regulation of businesses reached 8.48~7.25 on a
10 point Likert scale (1= totally disagree, 10= totally agree).
Comparisons:
■ Chinese high school students agreed with the 9 statements about government regulation of businesses;
American students are divided on the role of government regulation, only supporting it for certain situations;
■ American high school students who have studied economics show less support for government regulation
of businesses; however, there was no corresponding effect in the Chinese high school student population.
3) Chinese high school students have a good understanding of entrepreneurship, they believe instruction
on entrepreneurship is important, and they are interested in taking classes on entrepreneurship in school,
although most do not have access to such opportunities.
■ 70% know “a great deal” or “some” about entrepreneurship;
■ 81% believe it is “very important” or “somewhat important” that high school students are taught about
entrepreneurship in school;
■ 71% are “very interested” or “somewhat interested” in learning about entrepreneurship in school;
■ Only 18% have been taught about entrepreneurship in school.
Comparisons:
■ American high school students have more opportunities to study entrepreneurship in school (45%);
■ American high school students are more confident in their knowledge of entrepreneurship.
4) Chinese high school students have a positive view of entrepreneurship. At the same time, they do not have
sufficient understanding of the risks involved with entrepreneurship. They have a good grasp of the important
qualities for entrepreneurs, though many overlooked the importance of being skilled with managing money.
■ Students’ agreement with statements about entrepreneurs creating jobs and being drivers of growth for the
economy and product innovation reached 9.06~7.74 on a 10 point Likert scale (1= totally disagree, 10=
totally agree);
■ Chinese high school students believe that communication is the most important quality for a successful
entrepreneur (15 qualities in total); having a bachelor degree ranked last.
Comparisons:
■ Both Chinese and American students choose communication skills, planning skills, time management and
the ability to respond to change as the most important characteristics for entrepreneurs; American high
school students believe being skilled with managing money is the most important quality for a successful
entrepreneur; however, Chinese students listed this quality as not very important;
■ Both Chinese and American students recognize that entrepreneurship contributes to society; American
students are more aware of the risks associated with entrepreneurship.
5) Chinese high school students are highly interested in entrepreneurship; however, very few have held a paid
job or participated in any entrepreneurial activities.
■
■
■
■
88% admire entrepreneurs;
76% have thought about opening their own business someday;
23% have held a paid job;
16% have experience in starting their own business.
Comparisons:
■ There is a significant gap between interest in entrepreneurship and actually participating in entrepreneurial
activities for both Chinese and American high school students;
■ 56% of American high school students have held a paid job. This is significantly higher than Chinese high
school students;
■ Of the students who started their own businesses, American students stated that “making money” was
their main motivation, whereas “enjoyment of the job / hobby” was the main motivator for Chinese
students who started their own businesses.
6) Chinese high school students have a positive outlook for the Chinese economy, but are somewhat
concerned about their job prospects after they finish school. Students who are interested in entrepreneurship
tend to have more positive outlook on their job prospects.
■ 91% believe the economy will improve in the coming year;
■ 34% believe the job market will be very or somewhat good when they finish school; 32% believe the job
market will remain the same;
■ 96% hope to achieve a bachelors degree or higher, specifically 34% hope to achieve a bachelors degree, 42%
masters and 20% PhD;
■ Chinese high school students are mainly focused on foreign enterprises, state-owned enterprises or
entrepreneurship for their future job.
4 DETAILED MAJOR FINDINGS
4.1. Chinese high school students have a good understanding of free enterprise,
they believe instruction on free enterprise is important, and they believe that free
enterprise plays an important role in economic growth. Students learn about free
enterprise through a variety of channels, including school, internet, and family. School
plays the major role in their free enterprise education.
4.1.1. Students learn about free enterprise through a variety of channels, but mainly
at school.
The survey questionnaire employed a multiple choice question to learn where students had learned about free
enterprise. The question had 6 options, and students were permitted to select multiple answers (Figure 1). From
their responses, we can see that students learn about free enterprise through a variety of channels. Of these,
school is the primary channel for free enterprise education, with 45% of students selecting this answer. The data
shows that high school students are aware of free enterprise’s place in the curriculum and further reflects the
effectiveness of the experimental curriculum.
Figure 1
I Learned about Free Enterprise… (Multiple Select)
At a class at school
45%
At an organization or
program at school
15%
At an organization or
program outside of school
35%
34%
On the internet
From family
29%
I have not studied free
enterprise before
13%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Students who reported learning about free enterprise through extracurricular activities or the internet reached
35% and 34% respectively, and 29% of students reported being taught about free enterprise by their parents.
Since students are learning about free enterprise from diverse channels, in addition to considering the impact
of the school curriculum on their understanding of and views towards free enterprise, we must also take into
consideration students’ social environments.
Currently, Chinese free enterprise education is taught in the first year high school political science course
“Economy and Life”. Being part of the national curriculum, in theory this class should be taken by all students.
However, only 45% of students surveyed reported learning about free enterprise in school. Even more surprising
is that 13% of students reported having never been taught about free enterprise. During focused interviews,
students who initially reported having “never been taught” about free enterprise stated that they thought the
question referred to a course entitled free enterprise, in which case their political science course did not qualify.
Other students reported not knowing the difference between a market economy in socialist society and free
enterprise.
Related data for American high school students: According to data from JA’s 2011 report entitled, “High School
Junior’s View on Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship: a National Survey” (hereafter referred to as the JA
Report), 57% of American high school students have been taught about free enterprise in a class at school. This
figure is much higher than Chinese students. Few classes in the Chinese curriculum touch upon free enterprise
(i.e. political science, history, and related electives). However, in American schools, numerous classes, including
history, economics, social studies, government, political science, business management, etc. all provide students
with the opportunity to learn about free enterprise (JA Report, p17). Clearly, American students have more
opportunities to learn about free enterprise in a class at school than Chinese students.
4.1.2. Chinese high school students believe it is important to learn about free
enterprise, the majority can define the term, and they are interested in taking a class
on free enterprise at school.
The majority of Chinese high school students say they know “a great deal” or “some” about free enterprise and
can correctly define the term. They also believe in the importance of free enterprise.
■ 80% believe being taught in school about free enterprise is “very important” or “somewhat important”
(Figure 2).
■ 61% say they know “a great deal” or “some” about free enterprise (Figure 3).
■ 84% can correctly define the term “free enterprise” on a 4 choice multiple choice question (Figure 4).
■ 67% are “extremely interested” or “somewhat interested” in taking a class on free enterprise at school (Figure 5).
Figure 2
Importance for Students to Learn about Free Enterprise in School (Percentages may
not total 100% due to rounding)(Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding)
Chinese High School Students
American High School Students
60%
51%
50%
49%
41%
40%
30%
29%
17%
20%
7%
10%
3%
2%
0%
Very
important
Somewhat
important
Not too
important
Not at all
important
Figure 3
Level of Knowledge about Free Enterprise (Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding)
Chinese High School Students
60%
American High School Students
56%
50%
43%
40%
34% 35%
30%
20%
10%
15%
5% 6%
5%
0%
A great deal
Figure 4
Some
Not too much
Nothing at all – I’ve
never heard of this
Which of the Following Best Describes Free Enterprise?
Chinese High School Students
American High School Students
The freedom of private business to
organize and operate for profit in a competitive
system with limited government regulation
84%
67%
The freedom of individuals to seek employment
in any industry or area without rules or restrictions
5%
10%
The policy to provide people access to
products of services without charging a fee
6%
4%
5%
Don’t know
19%
0%
Figure 5
15%
30%
45%
60%
75%
90%
Interest in Taking Class on Free Enterprise in School
3% Did not respond
15% Very interested
7% Not at all interested
23% Not too interested
52% Somewhat interested
Students who had been taught about free enterprise had a significantly better understanding of free enterprise
and entrepreneurship and also were significantly more likely to view free enterprise as important (Table 1).
Students Who Have Been Taught about Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
Scored Higher than Others
Table 1
Chinese High School Students＊note
American High School Students
Taught
Not Taught
Taught
Not Taught
Correctly Defined Free Enterprise
90%
80%
78%
48%
Correctly Defined Entrepreneurship
92%
84%
97%
85%
Believe Studying Free Enterprise
at School is Important
83%
78%
n/a
n/a
＊note
The mean of students who correctly defined free enterprise M = 1.19, 1.67, t(384)=3.72, p<0.001. The mean of students who correctly defined entrepreneurship
M = 1.12, 1.53, t(384)=3.47, p<0.001. The mean of students who believe the study of free enterprise at school is important M =3.15, 2.73, t(384)=4.34,p<0.001.
Related data for American high school students: 90% of American high school students believe being taught in
school about free enterprise is “very important” or “somewhat important”, a higher percentage than Chinese
high school students (80%). The percentage that chose “very important” was 41% for American high school
students and 29% for Chinese high school students. With regard to students’ knowledge of free enterprise, the
data for Chinese and American high school students is relatively similar. When asked to choose the definition
of free enterprise on a 4 option multiple choice question, 67% of American high school students answered
correctly, a lower percentage than Chinese students. However, this difference mainly stems from the fact that
14% of American high school students answered “I don’t know”; only 5% of Chinese students selected this
answer. Similar to Chinese students, American students who reported having been taught about free enterprise
had a significantly better understanding of free enterprise and entrepreneurship than other students (JA Report,
p25).
4.1.3. Students have a positive view of free enterprise
Students’ agreement with 6 statements about the positive role of free enterprise reached 8.19~7.68 on a 10
point Likert scale (Figure 6, 1= totally disagree, 10= totally agree). This result demonstrates that students have a
very positive view of free enterprise. Of the 6 statements, students agreed least with free enterprise’s ability to
“create jobs” and “increase the standard of living for everyone”.
Figure 6
Level of Agreement with Statements about Free Enterprise
(Base: How much do you
agree or disagree with the following? 10-point scales from 1 totally disagree to 10 totally agree)
The free enterprise system promotes
competition among enterprises, allowing
only the best to remain in operation
The free enterprise system encourages
the development of new technologies
8.19
8.16
The free enterprise system
encourages economic growth
8.14
The free enterprise system encourages
export and import goods with other countries
8.12
The free enterprise system
encourages job creation
7.88
The free enterprise system increases
the standard of living for everyone
7.68
7.4
7.6
7.8
8.0
8.2
Related data for American high school students: The JA Report posed similar statements to American high
school students using a 4 point Likert scale. 87% “strongly agreed” or “somewhat agreed” with the statement
“the free enterprise system encourages the development of new technologies”. 74% agreed with the statement
“free enterprise system creates jobs”. 65% agreed with the statement “the free enterprise system increases the
standard of living for everyone”. Both Chinese and American students have a positive view of free enterprise.
Additionally, of the 6 statements, they both agree least with free enterprise’s ability to “increase the standard of
living for everyone”. American students who had been taught about free enterprise had a more positive view of
it than other students (JA Report, p39), which was also the case for Chinese students.
4.2. Unlike their American counterparts, Chinese high school students generally
support government regulation for business operation. In terms of general statements
of the economic theory, Chinese and American students presented similar views.
However, their views are significantly different for the specific situations that involve
whether the government should exercise regulation on business.
The JA China survey questionnaire included a 9 question measure of students’ views towards government
regulation of business and profits (Figure 7). The 9 statements can be divided into two categories. 7 statements
described specific instances of government regulation (in light green), whereas 2 statements did not include the
word “government”, but rather restated the general principles of free enterprise (in dark green).
Chinese High School Students’ Level of Agreement with Statements about
Government Regulation for Businesses Operation (Base: How much do you agree or disagree with the
Figure 7
following? 10-point scales from 1 totally disagree to 10 totally agree)
Government laws and regulations are
important to protect employees and jobs
8.48
The amount of profit made by a business
should be regulated by the government
8.19
Some businesses are just too important to be
allowed to fail. The government should step in and save
them rather than let them go out of business
7.88
Prices should be set by supply and demand in
markets free from government control
7.70
Allowing private business to operate competitively for profit with
limited government regulation will increase job opportunities
7.67
The government’s most important industries
should be closely regulated by government
7.66
When a business gets big, it should be
regulated by the government
7.61
The government should play a larger role in economic affairs
7.25
Competition among businesses benefits consumers
7.25
6.5
7.0
7.5
8.0
8.5
Chinese students’ responses to the 7 statements regarding government regulation (in light green) ranged from
8.48 to 7.25, demonstrating their clear support for government regulation of business and profits. However,
students were less likely to agree that the government should play a larger role in China’s economic affairs.
They also gave high ratings (7.70 and 7.25) to the 2 statements concerning the general principles of free
enterprise (in dark green), demonstrating their support of free enterprise principles.
Having been taught about free enterprise did not seem to impact students’ levels of agreement with these 9
statements. Students interested in entrepreneurship had a higher level of agreement with each statement than
other students. No other group differences were found.
Related data for American high school students: The JA Report used the same 9 statements regarding
government regulation as the current report (Figure 8, 4 point Likert scale). American high school students
supported the 2 statements concerning the general principles of free enterprise (in orange). The percentage of
students that “strongly agree” or “somewhat agree” with these 2 statements reached 77% and 74%. This result
was congruent with Chinese students’ responses.
American High School Students’ Level of Agreement with Statements about
Government Regulation for Business Operations (percentage of somewhat agree and strongly agree)
Figure 8
Allowing private business to operate competitively for profit with
limited government regulation will increase job opportunities
84%
Government laws and regulations are
important to protect employees and jobs
82%
Competition among business is the
best form of consumer protection
77%
Prices should be set by supply and demand in
markets free from government control
74%
Some businesses are just too important to be
allowed to fail. The government should step in and save
them rather than let them go out of business
56%
The government’s most important industries should
be closely regulated by government
54%
The government should play a larger role in economic affairs
47%
When a business gets big, it should be
regulated by the government
44%
The amount of profit made by a business
should be regulated by the government
28%
10%
30%
50%
70%
90%
American high school students were more divided on the 7 statements describing specific instances of
government regulation (in yellow). Their level of agreement ranged from 84% agreement with some statements
to only 28% agreement with others. It is clear they believe that there are certain situations in which government
involvement is very important and other situations where it is unnecessary. This view is different from Chinese
students’ overall support of government regulation. Both Chinese and American students agree that “government
laws and regulations are important to protect employees and jobs” and “allowing private business to operate
competitively for profit with limited government regulation increases job opportunities”. As for the remaining
5 statements, Chinese students demonstrated a high level of agreement, whereas American students were less
likely to agree. Less than 50% of American students agreed that “the government should play a larger role in
U.S. economic affairs” (47%) and “when a business gets big, it should be regulated by the government” (44%).
However, only 28% of American students agreed that “the amount of profit made by a business should be
regulated by the government”. Chinese and American students’ differing views towards government regulation
may arise from their different course materials, teaching methods, social environment or media influence;
however, the current research lacks the data to make specific assertions. JA China will continue to research
Chinese high school students’ attitudes towards government regulation of profits and businesses.
Chinese and American High School Students’ Differing Views towards
Government Regulation for Business Operations
Figure 9
Support government regulation of businesses and profits
The majority of Chinese high school
students believe “the amount of profit
made by a business should be
regulated by the government”
Both Chinese and American high
school students believe “Government laws
and regulations are important to protect
employees and jobs” and general
principles of free enterprise
The majority of American high school
students do not believe “the amount of
profit made by a business should be
regulated by the government”
Support free market competition
According to the JA Report, students who have been taught about free enterprise at school are more likely to
support limited government regulation for business and profits and are less likely to agree that the government
should play a larger role in U.S. economic affairs (JA Report, p39). Chinese students demonstrated no
corresponding difference. More specifically, American high school students who have been taught about free
enterprise are:
■ More likely than others to agree that “competition among businesses benefits the consumer” (81% vs. 70%).
■ More likely than others to agree that “prices should be set by supply and demand in markets” (77% vs. 70%).
■ Less likely than others to agree that “in the course that business maximizes its profits, it should be regulated
by the government” (25% vs. 34%).
■ Less likely than others to agree that “the government should play a larger role in economic affairs” (42% vs. 55%).
4.3. Chinese high school students have a good understanding of entrepreneurship,
and they believe learning about entrepreneurship is important. They are also
interested in learning about entrepreneurship in class at school; however, most do not
have access to such opportunities.
4.3.1. Students are learning about entrepreneurship from a variety of channels, but
school is not the main one.
The survey questionnaire employed a multiple choice question to learn where students had learned about
entrepreneurship. The question had 6 options, and students were permitted to select multiple answers (Figure
10). From students’ responses, we find that current high school students can learn about entrepreneurship
from a variety of channels. Of these, a relatively small percentage of students learned about entrepreneurship
at school (18%) or through school activities (11%). It is clear that school has not become the main channel for
entrepreneurship education in China. Overall, the percentage of students who reported having been taught
about entrepreneurship is much lower than those who reported learning about free enterprise (45%, see section
4.1.1.).
Students who learned about entrepreneurship through extracurricular activities reached 33%, and 27% of
students reported being taught about entrepreneurship by their parents. These results are similar to our results
on free enterprise education. Therefore, students’ social environments seem to have a rather large impact on
their understanding of these two subjects.
The percentage of students who reported having never studied entrepreneurship reached 29%. The first year
high school political science course “Economy and Life” is taken by all students and covers entrepreneurship as
part of the curriculum; however, this entrepreneurship education was not reflected in our survey of students’
knowledge.
Figure 10
I Learned about Entrepreneurship… (Multiple Select)
On the internet
33%
At an organization or program
outside of school
33%
I have not studied free
enterprise before
29%
From family
27%
At a class at school
18%
At an organization or
program at school
11%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Related data on American high school students: According to the JA Report, 45% of American high school
students expressed having been taught about entrepreneurship in school, a significantly higher percentage than
Chinese students (18%). In the Chinese curriculum, only political science, history and related electives classes
touch upon the topic of entrepreneurship. However in American schools, numerous classes, including history,
economics, social studies, government, political science, business management, etc. all provide students with
the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship (JA Report, p17). American high school students have more
options to choose from when it comes to entrepreneurship education.
4.3.2. Chinese high school students believe it is important to learn about
entrepreneurship. They have some knowledge of entrepreneurship and are interested
in taking a class on entrepreneurship at school.
The majority of Chinese high school students believe in the importance of being taught about entrepreneurship
and report having some knowledge of it. They also demonstrate interest in taking a class on entrepreneurship at
school. The vast majority can define entrepreneurship. Although entrepreneurship is not emphasized as much
as free enterprise in the school system, students regard both of these topics relatively similarly in terms of their
views, knowledge and interest.
■ 81% believe being taught in school about entrepreneurship is “very important” or “somewhat important”
(Figure 11).
■ 70% say they know “a great deal” or “some” about entrepreneurship (Figure 12).
■ 71% are “extremely interested” or “somewhat interested” in taking a class on entrepreneurship at school
(Figure 13).
■ 88% can correctly define the term “entrepreneurship” on a 4 choice question (Figure 14).
Figure 11
Importance for Students to Learn about Entrepreneurship in School
Chinese High School Students
American High School Students
60%
50%
40%
47%
50%
41%
34%
30%
20%
16%
10%
7%
3% 2%
0%
Very
important
Somewhat
important
Not too
important
Not at all
important
Figure 12
Level of Knowledge about Entrepreneurship
Chinese High School Students
70%
American High School Students
65%
60%
48%
50%
40%
36%
28%
30%
20%
10%
14%
5%
2% 2%
0%
A great deal
Figure 13
Some
Not too much
Nothing at all – I’ve
never heard of this
Interest in Taking Class on Entrepreneurship in School (Percentages may not total 100%
due to rounding)
Chinese High School Students
American High School Students
60%
53%
50%
45%
40%
30%
20%
24%
27%
18% 18%
11%
10%
5%
0%
Very interested
Somewhat
interested
Not too
interested
Not at all
interested
Figure 14
Which of the Following Best Describes an Entrepreneur?
(Percentages may not total
100% due to rounding)
5% A person who believes that too much
of the world’s wealth is held by a
number
people
5% A person whosmall
believes
that of
too
much
of the world’s wealth is held by a
small number of people
Chinese
High School
Students
3% A person who negotiates
between individuals or groups
to help
solve who
disagreements
3%
A person
negotiates
between individuals or groups
to help solve disagreements
4% Don’t know
4% Don’t know
88% A person who starts
a business to produce
a88%
newAproduct
service
person or
who
starts
in
the marketplace
a business
to produce
a new product or service
in the marketplace
1% A person who believes that too much of the world’s
wealth is held by a small number of people
1% A person who believes that too much of the world’s
wealth is held by a small number of people
2% A person who negotiates
5% Don’t know
between individuals or groups
to help
solve who
disagreements
2%
A person
negotiates
5% Don’t know
between individuals or groups
to help solve disagreements
American
High School
Students
92% A person who starts a
business to produce a new
product
or service
the marketplace
92% A person
whoinstarts
a
business to produce a new
product or service in the marketplace
Related data of American high school students: American students also believe entrepreneurship should be
taught in school. In their self-evaluations, American students who say they know “a great deal” or “some” about
entrepreneurship is higher than Chinese students (84% vs. 70%). The percentage that stated they knew “a great
deal” was 36% for American students but only 5% for Chinese students. Similarly, more American students were
able to correctly define entrepreneurship than Chinese students (92% vs. 88%).
The JA Report also found that American students who had been taught about entrepreneurship and free
enterprise knew more about these terms than others (entrepreneurship 96% vs. 88%, free enterprise 69% vs.
64%, JA Report, p25). However, no corresponding difference was found for Chinese high school students.
4.4. Chinese high school students have a positive view of entrepreneurship. At
the same time, they do not have sufficient understanding of the risks involved with
entrepreneurship. They have a good grasp of the qualities necessary to be a successful
entrepreneur, though many overlooked the importance of being skilled with managing
money.
4.4.1. Chinese high school students recognize the role entrepreneurs play in job
creation, economic growth and innovation.
The survey questionnaire included a 6 statement measure of students’ perceptions of entrepreneurship and its
influence on job creation and the economy and a 3 statement measure of students’ perceptions of the risks and
benefits for entrepreneurs. Chinese students had a high level of agreement with statements about the value of
entrepreneurship with responses ranging from 9.06 to 7.74, thereby demonstrating their own positive views of
entrepreneurship (Figure 15).
Chinese High School Students’ Level of Agreement with Statements about
Entrepreneurship and Its Influence on Job Creation and the Economy (Base: How much do you
Figure 15
agree or disagree with the following? 10-point scales from 1 totally disagree to 10 totally agree)
Starting one’s own business is the best
way to create new ideas or products
9.06
People starting their own businesses
helps create jobs
8.43
China’s economic development is
inseparable from entrepreneurship
8.28
People who start their own businesses are
drivers of growth for the Chinese economy
8.22
Starting one’s own business promotes the sustained
progress and growth of the Chinese economy
8.21
Individuals who start their own business are more creative
than people who work for already existing businesses
7.74
7.0
7.5
8.0
8.5
9.0
9.5
Related data of American high school students: The JA Report posed similar statements to American high
school students using a 5 statement measure with a 4 point Likert scale. The percentage of American students
who “strongly agreed” or “somewhat agreed” with statements about the value of entrepreneurship ranged
from 95% to 77% (Figure 16). It is clear that both Chinese and American students fully recognize the value of
entrepreneurship. If we divide the statements into categories based on their main idea (excluding the first
statement in the Chinese measure), we find that both Chinese and American students rate job creation as most
important, economic growth second and innovation last. This agreement demonstrates their clear understanding
of the different roles of entrepreneurship and their relative importance.
Figure 16 American High School Students’ Level of Agreement with Statements about
Entrepreneurship and Its Influence on Job Creation and the Economy (percentage of “somewhat
agree” and “completely agree”)
People starting their own businesses helps create jobs
95%
America’s economic development is
inseparable from entrepreneurship
93%
Starting one’s own business promotes the sustained
progress and growth of the American economy
93%
People who start their own businesses
are drivers of growth for the economy
84%
Individuals who start their own businesses have more of a chance to
be creative than people who work for already existing businesses
78%
Starting one’s own business is the best
way to create new ideas or products
77%
70%
80%
90%
100%
4.4.2. Chinese high school students have a limited understanding of the risks
undertaken by entrepreneurs.
Students were also asked to rate their agreement with 3 statements about entrepreneurs’ lifestyle, salary and
risk on a 10 point Likert scale. Responses ranged from 6.71 to 5.93, much lower than their level of agreement
with the value of entrepreneurship. This result shows that students have some understanding of sacrifices for
entrepreneurs but not much recognition of the risks undertaken by entrepreneurs.
Figure 17 Chinese High School Students’ Level of Agreement with Statements about
Risks and Benefits for Entrepreneurs (Base: How much do you agree or disagree with the following? 10-point
scales from 1 totally disagree to 10 totally agree)
Individuals who start their own business
have little time for themselves because their
business demands almost all of their time
6.71
Individuals who start their own business
have a greater chance of becoming rich than
people who work for already existing companies
Starting one’s own business is risky
and often does not succeed
6.57
5.93
5.0 5.2 5.4 5.6 5.8 6.0 6.2 6.4 6.6 6.8
Related data of American high school students: The JA Report posed the same 3 statements to American high
school students using a 4 point Likert Scale. The percentage of students who “strongly agreed” or “somewhat
agreed” with the statements on entrepreneurs’ lifestyle, salary and risk are pictured in Figure 18. On the whole,
similar to their Chinese counterparts, American students have a lower level of agreement with these statements
than with the statements about value of entrepreneurship.
American High School Students’ Level of Agreement with Statements about
Risks and Benefits for Entrepreneurs (percentage of “somewhat agree” and “completely agree”)
Figure 18
Starting one’s own business is risky
and often does not succeed
73%
Individuals who start their own business
have little time for themselves because their
business demands almost all of their time
Individuals who start their own business
have a greater chance of becoming rich than
people who work for already existing companies
72%
54%
40% 45% 50% 55% 60% 65% 70% 75%
4.4.3. Chinese high school students believe communication, planning, time
management and being able to react quickly to unexpected changes are the most
important qualities for a successful entrepreneur
The JA China survey questionnaire asked students to rate on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the most
important) the importance of 15 qualities to being successful in starting one’s own business (Figure 19). Chinese
high school students believe communication, planning, time management and being able to react quickly to
unexpected changes are the most important qualities for a successful entrepreneur. As student responses to this
question were quite high overall, we analyzed the data three different ways to better examine the differences:
1) averaging all responses to each question, 2) averaging the highest 30% of responses to each question, and
3) averaging the highest 20% of responses to each question. These 4 characteristics were rated most important
in all three analysis methods (though their exact order differed). Likewise, in all three analysis methods the 5
characteristics rated least important were always: having a bachelor’s degree, working for an entrepreneur,
knowing an entrepreneur, being persistent and enjoying trying new things (though their exact order differed).
However, regardless of analysis method, having a bachelor’s degree was always rated the least important
characteristic for being a successful entrepreneur.
Chinese High School Students’ Views on the Importance of Characteristics
Needed to be a Successful Entrepreneur (Base: How much do you agree or disagree with the following? 10Figure 19
point scales from 1 totally disagree to 10 totally agree)
Being able to communicate effectively with others
8.90
Being able to plan for the future
8.82
Being able to manage time effectively
8.82
Being able to react quickly to unexpected changes
8.81
Being able to manage risk effectively
8.75
Being comfortable competing with others
8.74
Being a leader
8.70
Being able to make connections with people
8.66
Being good at managing money
8.57
Having good ideas for new products or services
8.47
Liking to be the first to try new things
8.23
Being persistent even when things go wrong
8.07
Knowing someone else who started their own business
Getting on-the-job training working for
someone who has started a business
Having a college education
7.96
7.54
6.38
5.0
5.5
6.0
6.5
7.0
7.5 8.0
8.5
9.0
Related data of American high school students: The JA Report used the same 15 qualities in their questionnaire,
and the rank of each quality and the percentage of American students who rated each quality as “absolutely
essential” are pictured in Figure 20. Of the top 5 qualities American students selected, 4 of them are the same
as Chinese high school students (disregarding order). The same is true for the bottom 5 qualities (disregarding
order).
There are also some significant differences between Chinese and American students’ views on the qualities of
a successful entrepreneur. American students rated “being good at managing money” as the most important
characteristic needed to be a successful entrepreneur; however, Chinese students ranked this trait as only
somewhat important, and it was not part of the top 5. We at JA China believe this is an important difference.
Compared with America, the Chinese high school curriculum lacks specialized financial literacy curricula and
educational standards. In future research, JA China will also conduct a more in-depth study of Chinese high
school students’ knowledge of financial management techniques.
American High School Students’ Views on the Importance of Characteristics
Needed to be a Successful Entrepreneur (percentage of “absolutely essential”)
Figure 20
Being good at managing money
83%
Being able to communicate effectively with others
80%
Being able to plan for the future
74%
Being able to manage time effectively
74%
Being able to react quickly to unexpected changes
70%
Being a leader
69%
Being able to manage risk effectively
63%
Being comfortable competing with others
63%
Being able to make connections with people
63%
Having good ideas for new products or services
63%
Being persistent even when things go wrong
63%
Having a college education
Getting on-the-job training working for
someone who has started a business
Liking to be the first to try new things
38%
27%
26%
Knowing someone else who started their own business
17%
0%
15%
30%
45%
60%
75%
90%
4.5. Chinese high school students are highly interested in entrepreneurship; however,
very few have held a paid job or participated in any entrepreneurial activities.
4.5.1. Chinese students have a positive view of entrepreneurship and are interested
in it.
Overall, Chinese students say that they admire entrepreneurs. In addition to understanding entrepreneurial
activities from people around them, they are also very attentive to society’s view towards entrepreneurs in the
media. The majority of students say they are interested in starting their own business some day.
■ 88% said they admire people who start their own business “a great deal” or “some” (Figure 21).
■ 76% are “very interested” or “somewhat interested” in starting their own business someday (Figure 22).
■ 77% “strongly agree” or “somewhat agree” with the media’s positive portrayal of entrepreneurs (Figure 23).
Figure 21
How Much Do You Admire People Who Start or Own Their Own Business?
2% Not at all
6% Did not respond
4% Very little
27% Some
61% A great deal
Figure 22
How Interested Are You in Starting or Owning Your Own Business Someday?
5% Not at all interested
24% Very interested
19% Not too interested
52% Somewhat interested
Figure 23
How Much Do You Agree with the Media’s Positive Portrayal of Entrepreneurs?
13% Did not respond
7% Strongly disagree
3% Somewhat disagree
51% Strongly agree
26% Somewhat agree
Related data of American high school students: Similar to Chinese students, 95% of American students say they
admire people who start their own business “a great deal” or “some”. When asked if they believed “people who
create new businesses get too much attention from the media”, 82% of American students answered that they
“strongly disagree” or “somewhat disagree”.
Special Topic
Special Characteristics of Students Who Are Interested in Starting Their Own Business
in The Future
76% of Chinese high school students stated they are “very interested” or “somewhat interested” in starting their
own business someday. The points below compare the characteristics of this group of students to others, and
the table below compares the characteristics of Chinese and American students who are interested in starting
their own business.
■ More likely than others to say they have a good understanding of free enterprise (64% vs. 48%);
■ More likely than others to believe in the importance of being taught in school about free enterprise (84% vs.
62%);
■ More likely than others to correctly define free enterprise (84% vs. 77%);
■ More likely than others to be interested in taking a class on free enterprise at school (74% vs. 45%);
■ More likely than others to have a higher level of agreement with each of the 6 statements about the positive
role of free enterprise;
■ More likely than others to have a higher level of agreement with each of the 9 statements about
government regulation for business operations;
■ More likely than others to believe in the importance of being taught in school about entrepreneurship (87%
vs. 60%);
■ More likely than others to say they have a good understanding of entrepreneurship (77% vs. 48%);
■ More likely than others to be interested in taking a class on entrepreneurship at school (80% vs. 60%);
■ More likely than others to have a higher level of agreement with each of the 6 statements about the value
of entrepreneurship;
■ More likely than others to have someone in their family who is an entrepreneur (67% vs. 61%);
■ More likely than others to be optimistic about their future job prospects (40% vs. 16%).
Chinese Students Interested
in Having Own Business
American Students Interested
in Having Own Business
More likely than others to have a higher level of
agreement with each of the 6 statements about
the positive role of free enterprise
More likely than others to have a higher level of
agreement with each of the 3 statements about
the positive role of free enterprise
More likely than others to have a higher level of
agreement with each of the 6 statements about
the value of entrepreneurship
More likely than others to have a higher level of
agreement with each of the 5 statements about
the value of entrepreneurship
More likely than others to have a higher level of
agreement with each of the 3 statements about
the risks and sacrifices for entrepreneurs
More likely than others to agree with the positive
aspects of being an entrepreneur (acknowledge the
risk less 69% vs. 79%, more likely to believe entrepreneurs
make more money 59% vs. 47%)
More likely than others to admire entrepreneurs
More likely than others to admire entrepreneurs
More likely than others to have someone in their
family who is an entrepreneur (67% vs. 61%)
More likely than others to have someone in their
family who is an entrepreneur (54% vs. 39%)
An equal proportion have been taught free enterprise
(19% vs. 16%) and entrepreneurship (45% vs. 43%)
An equal proportion have been taught
entrepreneurship (45% vs. 44%)
More likely than others to be optimistic about their
future job prospects (40% vs. 16%)
No difference between their views toward their
future job prospects
(91% vs. 45%)
(62% vs. 28%)
4.5.2. Although Chinese students have considered opening their own business in the
future, few have actually participated in entrepreneurial activities, and the majority
have never held a paid job.
Although a high percent of students are interested in opening their own business in the future (76%), the vast
majority of Chinese high school students have never participated in entrepreneurial activities or have ever held
a paid job. Of students who started their own business, most identified enjoying their work / hobby and making
money as their main reasons for doing so. Almost no students identified anxiety about their job prospects as
their reason for starting their own business. Students who have participated in entrepreneurial activities mainly
did so through providing services to others such as tutoring or running a café.
■ 16% have started their own business (Figure 24).
■ 48% started their own business to do what they love; 30% did so to make money; only 2% did so because
they were worried about their job prospects (Figure 25).
■ 77% have never held a paid job (Figure 26).
■ The types of businesses students started included tutoring, cafés, computer-related services and sales with
29% of students reporting they started “other businesses”. Chinese students are participating in a wide
variety of entrepreneurial activities.
Figure 24
Have You Ever Started Your Own Business?
Chinese High School Students
90%
84%
American High School Students
85%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
9%
10%
6%
7% 9%
0%
No
Yes, but I’m not working
at it anymore
Yes, and I am still
working at it
Figure 25
What Motivated You to Start Your Own Business?
Chinese High School Students (Multiple Select)
American High School Students (Single Select)
I enjoyed the work / hobby
48%
I wanted to make money
30%
I saw an opportunity / need
16%
2%
I had difficulty finding a job
30%
Other
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
I wanted to make money
58%
I enjoyed the work / hobby
17%
I saw an opportunity / need
13%
I had difficulty finding a job
8%
Other
4%
0%
Figure 26
10%
Have You Ever Had a Paid Job?
80%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Chinese High School Students
77%
60%
47%
40%
35%
30%
19% 21%
20%
10%
4%
0%
No
Yes, in the past
60%
American High School Students
70%
50%
60%
Yes, now
Among Chinese Students Who Have Started Their Own Business, Types of
Business Started (Multiple Select)
Figure 27
Restaurant / café
23%
Sales
23%
19%
Computer-related services
11%
Tutoring
29%
Other
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
The majority of Chinese high school students have the opportunity to see or learn about entrepreneurship
from those around them (Figure 28). This social environment which is conducive to entrepreneurship has most
likely impacted students’ views towards entrepreneurship. Students who have a family member who is an
entrepreneur are more likely than others to be “very interested” or “somewhat interested” in starting their own
business in the future (81% vs. 66%).
Figure 28
Who Do You Know Who Has Started Their Own Business? (Multiple Select)
Chinese High School Students
American High School Students
22%
24%
My mother or father
13%
A brother or sister
3%
30%
31%
Another family member
24%
24%
A family friend
12%
A friend my own age
6%
14%
Someone else
5%
No one – I don’t know anyone
who has started their own business
28%
34%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Related data of American high school students: American high school students also express a lot of enthusiasm
for entrepreneurship (64%) but this zeal has not yet translated into action; only 15% of American high school
students have participated in entrepreneurial activities. Among students who have started their own business,
their top reason for doing so was to make money. This motivational factor ranked far ahead of other reasons.
The second most popular reason for starting their own business was because they enjoy the type of work /
hobby. These rankings were very different from those of the Chinese students. With regards to the types of
businesses they started, American students started more traditional businesses (Figure 29) such as, baby-sitting
and landscaping. The types of businesses they start also reflect the difference in Chinese and American social
environments. With regards to opportunities to see or learn about entrepreneurship from those around them,
American and Chinese students’ situations are rather similar (Figure 28). Compared with Chinese students,
American students have more opportunities to hold a paid job. 56% of American students reported having held
a paid job; only 23% of Chinese students had the same experience (Figure 26).
Among American Students Who Have Started Their Own Business, Types of
Business Started (Multiple Select)
Figure 29
Lawn mowing, landscaping, etc.
30%
Sales
20%
Baby-sitting or pet-sitting
16%
Tutoring
13%
Computer-related services
7%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
4.6. Chinese high school students have a positive outlook for the Chinese economy,
but are somewhat concerned about their job prospects after they finish school.
Students who are interested in entrepreneurship have a more positive outlook on their
job prospects.
4.6.1. Chinese high school students hold differing levels of optimism towards the
future of the Chinese economy and their future job prospects.
Chinese high school students are optimistic towards the future of the Chinese economy, but they were more
cautious in their assessment of their future job prospects. Students who expressed interest in starting their own
business in the future had a more positive assessment of their future job prospects.
■ 91% believe the economy will “develop stably” or “continue to improve” (Figure 30).
■ 34% believe the job market will be “very good” or “somewhat good” when they graduate; 32% believe it will
“similar to the current situation” (Figure 31).
■ Of the students who expressed interest in starting their own business in the future, 40% believe the job
market will be “very good” or “somewhat good” when they graduate. Only 16% of other students shared
this view. This difference is statistically significant.*note
＊note
Average of the two groups M = 3.14~2.71~t(695)=5.15,p<0.01
Figure 30
In the Coming Year, Do You Expect the Economy to…?
44%
Improve
47%
Stay the same
9%
Get worse
0%
5%
10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
Figure 31
Expectations of What the Job Market Will Be Like After They Finish School?
4% Very good
5% Very bad
30% Somewhat good
29% Somewhat bad
32% Neither good nor bad
Related data of American high school students: The JA Report collected data in 2011. At that time, only 29% of
American high school students were optimistic about the future of the economy; 25% were pessimistic. With
regards to their future job prospects, 47% believed the job market would be “very bad” or “somewhat bad”
when they finish school. In 2011, American students did not have a positive outlook towards either the economy
or the job market, but they were most pessimistic towards their future job prospects. This trend also manifested
in JA China’s 2013 study of Chinese high school students. The JA 2011 Report found no difference on the job
market outlook between American students who were interested in starting a business and those who were not.
4.6.2. Chinese high school students’ current views on their future studies and career
options
The vast majority of students surveyed plan to continue with their studies after high school. As for their career
options, Chinese high school students are inclined towards foreign enterprises, entrepreneurship and stateowned enterprises.
■ 96% plan to earn at least a bachelor’s degree (Figure 32).
■ In the future, Chinese students are most inclined to work at foreign enterprises (53%), their own business
(40%) and state-owned enterprises (31%) (Figure 33, students were permitted to select more than one answer).
Figure 32
What is the Highest Level of Education that You Plan to Get?
1% Certificate from a technical or trade school
1% High school diploma
2% Associate’s degree
20% Ph D
34% Bachelor’s degree
42% Master’s degree
Figure 33
In the Future, Where Would Chinese Students Most Like to Work? (Multiple Select)
Foreign enterprise
53%
Their own business
40%
State-owned enterprise
31%
A school or university
24%
The government
18%
A small business
13%
A hospital
12%
A not-for-profit organization
9%
A family-owned business
9%
Somewhere else
7%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Related data of American high school students: 80% of American high school students plan to earn at least
a bachelor’s degree, and their top 3 career choices were working at a large company, a hospital or medical
facility or their own business (Figure 34, students were only permitted to select one answer). Both Chinese and
American students selected big companies (i.e. state-owned and foreign enterprises) and their own business as
their top career options.
Figure 34
Answer)
In the Future, Where Would American Students Most Like to Work? (Single
A large company
25%
A hospital or medical facility
21%
Their own business
19%
The government
9%
A school or university
6%
A small business
6%
A family-owned business
2%
A not-for-profit organization
2%
Somewhere else
10%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
5 AFTERWORD
This survey of 696 high school students from 5 major Chinese cities successfully collected data on high school
students’ views towards free enterprise and entrepreneurship. In addition, this report made comparisons to
American students using data from the 2011 JA Report. Our 6 major findings can be split into two parts, with
the first part being made up of the first 2 major findings and the second part made up of the remaining 4 major
findings.
The first section summarizes high school students’ understanding of and views towards free enterprise, and
also demonstrates the positive results achieved from the implementation of the new free enterprise education
curriculum (as part of the political science curriculum). We found that students learn about free enterprise
through a variety of channels in which school remains the main channel. At the same time, society and the
media, especially the internet, play an undeniable role in students’ informal free enterprise education. These
findings indicate that Chinese society’s extensive attention to and the interest in free enterprise contributes
to Chinese high school students: developing a good understanding of free enterprise, valuing the study of free
enterprise and showing interest in learning about it at school. Overall, Chinese students have a positive view of
free enterprise.
Upon comparison with data from the JA Report, we find that both Chinese and American students value the
study of free enterprise and its role in the economy. However, they have different views towards government
regulation of business operations. Chinese high school students displayed strong support for government
regulation. American students, on the other hand, have a range of views on government regulation. Both Chinese
and American students who have studied free enterprise courses have a more precise understanding about free
enterprise and entrepreneurial concepts, and are more supportive of free enterprise. American students who
studied free enterprise courses are less supportive of government regulation than other students; however, this
difference is not presented among the Chinese students. We believe further investigation of the origins of these
differences between Chinese and American students’ opinions are worthy of further investigation.
The second section summarizes students’ understanding of and views towards entrepreneurship along with their
entrepreneurial activities. These findings also reflect the current state of entrepreneurship education in China.
Compared with free enterprise education, opportunities for entrepreneurship education in Chinese high schools
are few and far between. Overall, Chinese high school students are interested in learning about entrepreneurship
at school and have some understanding of the topic. They also believe that entrepreneurship plays an important
role in job creation and economic growth. Moreover, they are willing to engage in entrepreneurial activities but
lack this type of experience.
Upon comparison with data from the JA Report regarding the risks and sacrifices for entrepreneurs, we find that
American high school students possess a more realistic and mature view. Unlike their Chinese counterparts, most
of the American students recognize the risk of starting a business. When asked to rate the qualities required
to be a successful entrepreneur, the biggest difference between Chinese and American students’ responses
was that American students rated managing money as the most important trait for a successful entrepreneur;
however, this trait did not even make the top 5 for Chinese students. Currently there is lack of financial literacy
education standards in China’s education system and there are few financial literacy courses offered to the
students. We at JA China plan to continue researching this important difference in future works.
One goal of surveying high school students’ views on entrepreneurship was to discover the characteristics of
future entrepreneurs. Both Chinese and American high school students who are interested in starting their own
business in the future have more positive views of free enterprise and entrepreneurship, admire entrepreneurs
more, and are more likely to have a family member who is an entrepreneur. One difference we found was
that this group of Chinese students was more likely to be optimistic about their future job prospects whereas
American students who are interested in starting their own business are more optimistic about the benefits of
becoming an entrepreneur.
Of students who started their own businesses, American students’ main motivation was making money, whereas
enjoyment of the type of work / hobby was the main motivation for Chinese students. Overall, American
students have more opportunities to hold paying jobs than Chinese students. Furthermore, although they were
surveyed in different years, Chinese and American students both reported being more optimistic about the
future economic situation than about their own future job prospects.
As the literature lacks empirical data on high school students’ understanding of and views towards free
enterprise and entrepreneurship, this report aims to provide fundamental information to education bureaus,
schools, teachers, businesses and employment policy departments in order to help these parties better
understand the characteristics of the future workforce and potential entrepreneurs. This survey can also
be viewed as feedback on the current implementation of the new political science curriculum from a more
international perspective. In summation, this cross-cultural comparison of Chinese and American students has
produced enlightening results and brought up many questions worthy of further study.
6 LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES
P5
P6
P7
P7
P7
P9
P10
P11
P12
P13
P14
P15
P15
P16
P17
P18
P18
P19
P20
P21
P22
P22
P23
P25
P26
P26
P27
P27
P28
P29
P30
P31
P31
P32
Figure 1 I Learned about Free Enterprise…
Figure 2 Importance for Students to Learn about Free Enterprise in School
Figure 3 Level of Knowledge about Free Enterprise
Figure 4 Which of the Following Best Describes Free Enterprise?
Figure 5 Interest in Taking Class on Free Enterprise in School
Figure 6 Level of Agreement with Statements about Free Enterprise
Figure 7 Chinese High School Students’ Level of Agreement with Statements about Government Regulation for Businesses Operation
Figure 8 American High School Students’ Level of Agreement with Statements about Government
Regulation for Businesses Operations
Figure 9 Chinese and American High School Students’ Differing Views towards Government Regulation for
Business Operations
Figure 10 I Learned about Entrepreneurship…
Figure 11 Importance for Students to Learn about Entrepreneurship in School
Figure 12 Level of Knowledge about Entrepreneurship
Figure 13 Interest in Taking Class on Entrepreneurship in School
Figure 14 Which of the Following Best Describes an Entrepreneur?
Figure 15 Chinese High School Students’ Level of Agreement with Statements about Entrepreneurship
and Its Influence on Job Creation and the Economy
Figure 16 American High School Students’ Level of Agreement with Statements about Entrepreneurship
and Its Influence on Job Creation and the Economy
Figure 17 Chinese High School Students’ Level of Agreement with Statements about Risks and Benefits for
Entrepreneurs
Figure 18 American High School Students’ Level of Agreement with Statements about Risks and Benefits
for Entrepreneurs
Figure 19 Chinese High School Students’ Views on the Importance of Characteristics Needed to be a
Successful Entrepreneur
Figure 20 American High School Students’ Views on the Importance of Characteristics Needed to be a
Successful Entrepreneur
Figure 21 How Much Do You Admire People Who Start or Own Their Own Business?
Figure 22 How Much Do You Agree with the Media’s Positive Portrayal of Entrepreneurs?
Figure 23 How Interested Are You in Starting or Owning Your Own Business Someday?
Figure 24 Have You Ever Started Your Own Business?
Figure 25 What Motivated You to Start Your Own Business?
Figure 26 Have You Ever Had a Paid Job?
Figure 27 Among Chinese Students Who Have Started Their Own Business, Types of Business Started
Figure 28 Who Do You Know Who Has Started Their Own Business?
Figure 29 Among American Students Who Have Started Their Own Business, Types of Business Started
Figure 30 In the Coming Year, Do You Expect the Economy to…?
Figure 31 Expectations of What the Job Market Will Be Like After They Finish School?
Figure 32 What is the Highest Level of Education that You Plan to Get?
Figure 33 In the Future, Where Would Chinese Students Most Like to Work?
Figure 34 In the Future, Where Would American Students Most Like to Work?
P8
Table 1 Students Who Have Been Taught about Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Scored Higher than
Others
7 STATEMENTS
Copyright and Reference
This report represents the views and findings of the JA China Center for Research and Publications and is not
representative of other organizations.
This Survey and all its contents are copyright of Junior Achievement International, China Inc.[2014] All rights
reserved.
We welcome the use of this Survey and its contents as a reference for other literature. If so, please reference as:
JA China. “High School Students’ Views on Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship: A comparison of Chinese and
American students 2014”[R]. Beijing: JA China, 2014
Electronic Version
An electronic version of the Survey can be downloaded at:
http://www.jachina.org/downloads/survey2014_en.pdf/
Contact Information
Zhong Sun: [email protected]
Hao Li: [email protected]
8 JA CHINA INTRODUCTION
Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to educating students about workforce
readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs. Each year, JA
reaches over 10 million students in more than 100 countries around the world, inspiring and preparing young
people for their future career development and to succeed in the global economy.
As the economy becomes increasingly globalized, China needs strong global business talent. To meet this
critical need, JA China partners with the business and education sectors to deliver our innovative business and
economics programs in schools ranging from primary schools through universities. Taught by business volunteers
possessing first-hand business experience, our programs are preparing China’s youth for their future career
development and entrepreneurship, while cultivating character, creativity and leadership among China’s future
business leaders.
In the 2012/13 school year, 1,550 teachers and 6,832 volunteers served 131,188 students over 192,666 voluntary
hours. Over the past 20 years, JA China has impacted 4,058,688 students and 58,097 volunteers.
For more information, please visit: http://www.jachina.org/.