Do not go gentle into that good night: exploring the nexus between senior entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial culture

Purpose A surge in the participation of elderly individuals in entrepreneurial undertakings has garnered global attention; nevertheless, the determinants propelling their entry into the sphere of entrepreneurship remain relatively unexplored. This study aims to draw on the theoretical framework of social cognitive career theory to scrutinize how perceptual and cognitive factors influence senior adults’ entrepreneurship in different institutional environments. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 68,099 older adults from 85 countries participating in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor survey from 2013–2016 was tested through binary logistic regression. Findings Results show older persons’ individual perceptions determine their motivation to start an entrepreneurial career. Interestingly, their findings indicate that the relationship between older persons’ cognitive perceptions and entrepreneurial intention is influenced by cultural perceptions in their local regions. Originality/value This study extends senior entrepreneurship literature at the global level since individuals’ perceptions of entrepreneurial intention have mostly been investigated with samples of younger adults. In contrast, the current study considers older adults and discusses influential factors in their entrepreneurship. In this aging era, older adults are a promising group to be explored for their entrepreneurial intentions.