Enhancing Entrepreneurial Capabilities Among Return Migrants: A Configuration Analysis Based on fsQCA

The cultivation of entrepreneurial capabilities among return migrants plays a pivotal role in advancing rural revitalization strategies. This study employs a configurational perspective to explore the antecedent conditions that are associated with entrepreneurial capabilities of return migrants. Leveraging data from China’s Fourth National Outstanding Rural Entrepreneurship Leaders Case Collection, this study reveals four distinct configuration pathways that enhance entrepreneurial capabilities. These include the Educational Capital-Driven Pathway, the Network Embeddedness Pathway, the Education-Network Synergy Pathway, and the Resource-Network Integration Pathway. The findings demonstrate that entrepreneurial capability development manifests through multiple equifinal combinations of human, social, and organizational capital. These results are associated with the resource-based view and dynamic capabilities theory by elucidating the complex interdependencies between individual attributes and organizational resources. Practically, the findings offer evidence-based recommendations to optimize pre-entrepreneurship training programs and policy interventions that strengthen human capital development, cultivate social networks, and enhance resource integration. These insights inform policymakers and development practitioners seeking to improve the quality and sustainability of returning migrant entrepreneurship initiatives.