This paper offers a model based on institutional theory to explain differences in the level of new venture formation and development between the Confucian-based societies of East-Asia and Western countries such as the United States. We propose that the Confucian values underlying the institutional and cultural environments of East-Asian countries adversely affect the social legitimacy of entrepreneurial firms thereby inhibiting new venture formation and growth. The theoretical model and propositions developed in this paper extend the theoretical understanding of the interplay between Confucian values, cognitive behavior, and entrepreneurial firm legitimacy. Implications for international entrepreneurship research are discussed.