Understanding roles and perceptions of affirmative action in national entrepreneurship policy: Bumiputra entrepreneurship and Malaysian institutions

Institutions are ubiquitous in most macro-level aspects that influence economic regulations. Attempts made by policymakers in Malaysian entrepreneurship are until today, struggling to fill institutional voids. This qualitative study seeks to understand both macro-micro institutional links in the context of emerging economies. With the prevalence of the affirmative action policy, it examines the interrelationship between both formal and informal institutions. Using institutional theory, semi-structured interviews were conducted with entrepreneurs and policymakers of various levels. The main findings suggest that both institutional aspects are significant in ensuring effective policy to complement with societal demands, balance one another thus filling institutional voids.