Introduction
Southeast Asia is a group of 11 countries including Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Within this geographic area, there are a diversity of ethnic groups that constitute a rich business environment (Bruton, Ahlstrom, and Si, 2015). Moreover, each country within this area has its own distinct history which has influenced the development of business activities (Mok, 2012). Most of Southeast Asia was colonised at some point in time in each country’s history. France colonised Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam; the United Kingdom colonised Malaysia and Myanmar (Burma); the Netherlands colonised Indonesia; and the United States colonised the Philippines. After World War II, from 1945 to 1957, all of the countries within Southeast Asia gained their independence. With this independence came a change in the governing system, with some countries being democratic and others having constitutional monarchies or one controlling party (Swierczek and Quang, 2004).
Southeast Asia has a deep trading bond with China and India. These countries, whilst geographically close, do not form part of Southeast Asia. Within Asia the major geographic regions are Central Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia (Warner, 2014). Southeast Asia is unique due to its distinctive culture and heritage (Retamal, 2017). There are different types of governments in Southeast Asia, including democratic, military dictatorship, and communism. Democratic countries include Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore. Brunei is ruled by a monarch and thus has a different style of government.
The name “Southeast Asia” normally refers to countries that share a geographic region rather than having similar cultures. However, many of the countries in the region have a similar past in terms of being colonised and then gaining independence (Steier, 2009). Therefore, diversity is a unifying theme of research in Southeast Asia. Within Southeast Asia there is a sense of belonging to a specific geographic area. In addressing the question of how entrepreneurship is distinctive in Southeast Asia, it helps to consider economic, cultural, and geographic elements . This approach assumes the existence of different factors compared to other geographic locations. This introductory chapter advocates a regional approach to entrepreneurship by understanding the divergent and overlapping characteristics of entrepreneurship in the Southeast Asia geographic area.
In exploring the concept of entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia, this chapter suggests that the region is both geographically and socially constrained. Therefore, when discussing entrepreneurship, it helps to understand the shared cultural attributes and geography influencing the regional identity of Southeast Asia. This means insights from international relations, sociology, and history can help explain entrepreneurial practices (Ratten and Jones, 2021). This chapter provides a comprehensive narrative about the evolution of entrepreneurship in the region. Thus, the continuous theme of the chapter is entrepreneurship and innovation in Southeast Asia.
This chapter is structured as follows. First, the role of entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia is stated. The role of history in creating an entrepreneurial society in Southeast Asia is then discussed. This leads to an analysis of Southeast Asia in terms of language, ethnic groups, and religion. In conclusion, this chapter will specifically highlight the contributions and shortcomings of the existing entrepreneurship literature in relation to Southeast Asia.
Entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia
All forms of entrepreneurship involve some kind of risk in terms of unknown effects and outcomes (Ratten, 2017). This means risk should be assessed at a time when the business activity takes place. The innovative process of entrepreneurship is a central force for the development of society (Marques, Marques, Braga, and Ratten, 2021). Despite efforts to clarify what entrepreneurship is in Southeast Asia, there is a lack of research that addresses this topic. This is unusual as there is much practical evidence of entrepreneurial endeavours taking place in Southeast Asia (Phan, Styles, and Patterson, 2005). I think this will change in the future as more entrepreneurship research becomes contextually dependent and focuses on new areas of inquiry.
Some of the world’s fastest-growing countries, both in terms of economic growth but also population size, are located in Southeast Asia. Table 1.1 states each country in Southeast Asia in terms of its motto, anthem, and capital city. The mottos and anthems are written in the language of each country then translated into English. This table also provides a useful overview of the countries in Southeast Asia.
Table 1.1 The Motto, Anthem, and Capital City of Countries in Southeast Asia | Country | Motto | Anthem | Capital city |
| Brunei | Sentiasa membuat kebajikan dengan petunjuk Allah (Always in Service with God’s Guidance) | Allah Peliharakan Sultan (God Bless the Sultan) | Bandar Seri Begawan |
| Cambodia | Cheate, Sasna, Preah Mohaksatra (Nation, Religion, King) | Nokor Reach (Majestic Kingdom) | Phnom Penh |
| East Timor | Unidade, Accao, Progresso (Portuguese); Unidade, Asaun, Progresu (Tetum) (Unity, Action, Progress) | Patria (Fatherland) | Dili |
| Indonesia | Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) | Indonesia Raya (Great Indonesia) | Jakarta |
| Laos | Santiphap Ekalat Paxathipatai Eka... |
