Showing papers in "Entrepreneurship and Regional Development in 2016"
TL;DR: A 2012 survey of the varying degrees of informalization of 300 entrepreneurs in Pakistan is reported in this article, finding that 62% of entrepreneurs operate wholly informal enterprises, 31% largely informal and 7% largely formal enterprises.
Abstract: In recent years, scholars adopting institutional theory have explained the tendency of entrepreneurs to operate in the informal sector to be a result of the asymmetry between formal institutions (the codified laws and regulations) and informal institutions (norms, values and codes of conduct). The aim of this article is to further advance this institutional approach by evaluating the varying degrees of informalization of entrepreneurs and then analysing whether lower levels of formalization are associated with higher levels of institutional asymmetry. To do this, a 2012 survey of the varying degrees of informalization of 300 entrepreneurs in Pakistan is reported. The finding is that 62% of entrepreneurs operate wholly informal enterprises, 31% largely informal and 7% largely formal enterprises. None operate wholly formal enterprises. Those displaying lower levels of formalization are shown to be significantly more likely to display higher levels of institutional asymmetry, exhibiting greater concerns abou...
204 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine success factors in the social capital networks of the top 5000 most funded projects in Kickstarter and find that funders and backers who identify themselves with the projects in their own social networks are associated with greater pledge/backer ratio.
Abstract: Online crowdfunding means relying on the Internet to seek financial support from the general public. In this paper, we examine success factors in the social capital networks of the top 5000 most funded projects in Kickstarter.com at the time of this study. We first look at how fundraisers and backers identify themselves with the projects they support in their own social networks. This is modelled using Facebook friends and Facebook shares, respectively, guided by social identity theory. Secondly, we use signalling theory to investigate crowdfunding success based on backers’ and fundraisers’ ability to engage in a forum, modelled using the number of comments between them, or with unilateral signals using the number of updates from the fundraiser. This study suggests that funders and backers who identify themselves with the projects in their own social networks are associated with greater pledge/backer ratio. We also find that projects where the fundraiser and its backers exchange more signals in a ...
138 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the relationship between the social identity of an entrepreneur and subsequent entrepreneurial behaviour using a mixed-method approach based on interviews with entrepreneurs in six start-ups within the tourism sector and on previous literature.
Abstract: This paper examines how the social identity of an entrepreneur influences his or her behaviour when engaged in new venture formation. Building on the typology of entrepreneurial identities developed by Fauchart and Gruber, this study examines the relationship between the social identity of the entrepreneur and subsequent entrepreneurial behaviour using a mixed-method approach. Based on interviews with entrepreneurs in six start-ups within the tourism sector and on previous literature, three hypotheses were developed regarding the relationship between entrepreneurial identity and entrepreneurial behaviour (causation, effectuation). Subsequently, the hypotheses were tested using a survey among a sample of entrepreneurs who registered a new firm in 2013. The study finds that the entrepreneurial identity influences whether the individual predominantly engages in effectual or causal behaviour. Hence, the study contributes by focusing on entrepreneurial identity as an important factor shaping the behavi...
135 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined entrepreneurial passion and components of entrepreneurial identity in two different contexts, high-tech and social entrepreneurship, and found that entrepreneurship is composed of a strong challenge to lead a meaningful activity and to leave a "fingerprint".
Abstract: This study examines entrepreneurial passion and components of entrepreneurial identity – sameness, otherness, and identity centrality and salience – in two different contexts, high-tech and social entrepreneurship. Based on life story interviews of 45 high-tech entrepreneurs (HTE) and social entrepreneurs (SEs), passion and identities are linked for each group but evolve differently. For HTEs, passion is composed of a strong challenge to lead a meaningful activity and to leave a ‘fingerprint’. SE passion is characterized more in terms of enthusiasm and excitement and a desire to make a mark. HTEs’ identities are central to their self-concept while SEs’ identities can be more salient than central. SE identities are more synchronized than those of HTEs. For HTEs, otherness is dominant in their self-concept; however, they also maintain a concept of sameness. The findings of this study expand the literature by showing that passion is a dynamic motivational construct that is associated with entrepreneu...
115 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors highlight the need for more critical studies of entrepreneurial identity that recognize that entrepreneurial identity is a dynamic and fluid rather than a fixed and unchanging feature, and that research attention should shift from the analysis of identity per se (the identity-as-entity position) to the identity work processes through which entrepreneurial identities are shaped and formed.
Abstract: This paper reviews the current status of research into entrepreneurial identity. Identities – individual and organizational – can potentially serve as powerful elements that both drive and are shaped by entrepreneurial actions. Identity is, of course, a complex construct with multidisciplinary roots and consequentially a range of conceptual meanings and theoretical roles associated with it. Building on a framework for identifying schools of thought in the social sciences, we highlight the need for more critical studies of entrepreneurial identity that recognize, first, that entrepreneurial identity is a dynamic and fluid rather than (relatively) fixed and unchanging feature, and second, that research attention should shift from the analysis of identity per se (the identity-as-entity position) to the identity work processes through which entrepreneurial identities are shaped and formed (the identity-as-process position). Following a summary of the key contributions of the five papers included in th...
104 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyse the survival of new ventures during periods of economic crisis and find that new firms have a greater likelihood of surviving during crisis periods than they do during growth periods.
Abstract: The aim of this research was to analyse the survival of new ventures during periods of economic crisis. The article compares survival probability during growth and crisis periods. An empirical study was used to analyse new venture survival probability. Results show that new firms have a greater likelihood of surviving during crisis periods than they do during growth periods. An additional aim of the study was to analyse the survival probability of opportunity and necessity entrepreneurs during crisis periods. Results show that gaps in survival likelihood between opportunity and necessity entrepreneurship are bigger during times of crisis than they are during growth periods.
79 citations
TL;DR: The authors examined entrepreneurship scholars' views on the characteristics of interesting entrepreneurship research by means of a qualitative approach and found that interesting studies must be relevant to practice, and that the institutionalization of entrepreneurship as an academic field has favored rigour at the cost of relevance, leading to scholars' frustration with the rigour-relevance gap.
Abstract: As entrepreneurship researchers compete to have their work published and universities strive to attract the best entrepreneurship scholars, it is appropriate to examine what makes entrepreneurship research interesting. Interesting studies are usually defined as well-crafted and well-written studies that challenge established knowledge, and produce new theories and findings. This paper examines entrepreneurship scholars’ views on the characteristics of interesting entrepreneurship research by means of a qualitative approach. Eight focus group interviews comprising junior and senior entrepreneurship scholars were conducted. A core finding is that interesting studies must be relevant to practice. However, the institutionalization of entrepreneurship as an academic field has favoured rigour at the cost of relevance, leading to scholars’ frustration with the rigour–relevance gap. In this paper, we analyse various dimensions of interestingness and reflect on strategies for overcoming the rigour–relevanc...
77 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors draw on the knowledge spillover theory of entrepreneurship to motivate their regression model, and augment this theory with additional regional features that have been found to be important in the firm location literature, concluding that the local conditions favouring high-growth firms are likely to be different from those favouring new firms in general.
Abstract: County-level location patterns of INC5000 companies provide one map of American entrepreneurship and innovativeness, and understanding the local factors associated with these firms’ emergence is important for stimulating regional economic growth and innovation. We draw on the knowledge spillover theory of entrepreneurship to motivate our regression model, and augment this theory with additional regional features that have been found to be important in the firm location literature. Zero-inflated negative binomial regressions indicate that these firms exist in counties with larger average establishment size, higher educational attainment and more natural amenities. Income growth, a mix of higher paying industries, and more banks per capita are associated with a smaller presence of these types of firms, all else equal. We conclude that the local conditions favouring high-growth firms are likely to be different from those favouring new firms in general, and that these conditions differ significantly i...
70 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the Arch Grants, a public-private coalition that provides $50,000 to 20 winners through their annual competition, is studied and the authors demonstrate how government sponsorship can create a cohort of entrepreneurs who are able to learn from each other about business strategy, local mentors and other resources.
Abstract: Government sponsorship of entrepreneurship has become a popular policy tool in the last 15 years. Despite this popularity, past academic studies have largely focused on firm-level survival rates and treated the effects of government sponsorship in isolation, which fails to capture the full effect of the sponsorship. That is, the objectives of the public sector include enhancing the macro-level entrepreneurial environment of the region as well as the success of individual firms. We expand research in this area through a case study in St. Louis, Missouri. We focus on the Arch Grants, a public–private coalition that provides $50,000 to 20 winners through their annual competition. Based on interviews of 46 recipient firms and 15 support organizations, we first demonstrate how government sponsorship can create a cohort of entrepreneurs who are able to learn from each other about business strategy, local mentors and other resources. Second, we uncover the process through which sponsorship can facilitate...
68 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a conceptual framework that connects innovators (differentiated by information source and frequency of interaction with interlocutors) and location (distance from a metropolitan area) is proposed.
Abstract: Geographic research on firm-level innovation is generally premised on the idea of open innovation, suggesting that innovation occurs more readily in urban settings or clusters, which generate local buzz and allow access to external actors. However, a growing body of evidence demonstrates that firms also introduce first-to-market innovations in remote locations. In this exploratory paper, building upon work by Philip McCann, we outline a conceptual framework that connects innovators (differentiated by information source and frequency of interaction with interlocutors) and location (distance from a metropolitan area): slow innovators, relying on non-market-sourced information and infrequent contacts, will be overrepresented in isolated locations. Fast innovators, relying on market-sourced information and frequent interactions, will locate closer to cities. Our results confirm this. Our interpretation of these results – slow innovators are more reliant on technological information which loses value m...
67 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors make use of the situated insights that Aristotle addressed as mētis and phronesis to train students for entrepreneurship in the context of academic education, arguing that academic education can only provide these competencies needed to train for entrepreneuring by letting the students travelling across the boundaries of the university.
Abstract: Process philosophy has drawn attention to the world as ambiguous and ever changing, however also enactable. This makes entrepreneurship a processual phenomenon, rightly addressed as ‘entrepreneuring’. Recognizing not only their cognitive, yet also affective and conative capabilities, makes it possible for human actors to mobilize forces that bring the world to a standstill long enough to create a venture for value creation. This, however, calls for the insight that is different to universal scientific knowledge – episteme and techne – namely, the situated insights that Aristotle addressed as mētis and phronesis. Mētis then concerns alertness and shrewdness and phronesis is about prudence in the context of action. Academic education can only provide these competencies needed to train for entrepreneuring by letting the students travelling across the boundaries of the university. In addition, the dominance of management as an ideology must be proactively dealt with. Three cases in academic training f...
TL;DR: This article explored the perceptions of Indian migrant women entrepreneurs (MWEs) and their partners in Melbourne, Australia, about their entrepreneurship experiences from a family embeddedness perspective and found that entrepreneurship among Indian MWEs is a complex phenomenon influenced by their being an Indian, a woman and a new Australian, all of which interact and influence their family dynamics and entrepreneurial experience.
Abstract: India has emerged as a major source of migrants for developed countries including Australia; yet, there is a dearth of research on Indian migrant entrepreneurs, particularly women. Using qualitative methods of enquiry, we explore the perceptions of Indian migrant women entrepreneurs (MWEs) and their partners in Melbourne, Australia, about their entrepreneurship experiences from a family embeddedness perspective. More specifically, we explore how family embeddedness of Indian MWEs is influenced by certain factors which in turn influence their entrepreneurship experience. Our findings suggest that entrepreneurship among Indian MWEs is a complex phenomenon influenced by their being an Indian, a woman and a new Australian, all of which interact and influence their family dynamics and entrepreneurial experience. Our findings shed light on the duality of Indian culture which exerts both an enabling and a constraining influence on the family dynamics of MWEs, the constraining role of gender and the posit...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss entrepreneurship in a depleted community in transition and develop knowledge about how discourses are used in the positioning of identity in regional development, and show how rural change was conditioned by discourses and how entrepreneurship challenged and reframed dominating structures through interaction between entrepreneurship and community.
Abstract: This article discusses entrepreneurship in a depleted community in transition. The purpose is to develop knowledge about how discourses are used in the positioning of identity in regional development. The concept positioning illustrates how identities are provoked, challenged, negotiated and moved into identity positions that break away from the idea of imitating successful and wealthy regions; instead, locality, place and history emerge as important resources from where local actors obtain agency and recognize new opportunities. Ethnographic data of a single case were collected over a six-year period between 2005 and 2010. The longitudinal nature of the study made it possible to incorporate how local stakeholders took on new identity positions, while handling their inspiration as well as their frustration. Results show how rural change was conditioned by discourses and how entrepreneurship challenged and reframed dominating structures through interaction between entrepreneurship and community. Fo...
TL;DR: In this paper, the evolving roles of a university and its Technology Transfer Office (TTO) are studied to stimulate academic entrepreneurship in a non-mature entrepreneurial ecosystem, where a more mature entrepreneurial ecosystem was built gradually by these actors through their progressive creation of innovation intermediaries and coordination among the local players involved in the creation of start-ups.
Abstract: This paper focuses on how the evolving roles of a university and its Technology Transfer Office (TTO) are stimulating academic entrepreneurship in a non-mature entrepreneurial ecosystem. A more mature entrepreneurial ecosystem was built gradually by these actors through their progressive creation of innovation intermediaries and coordination among the local players involved in the creation of start-ups. We analyse how the university became a hub organisation. We use the case of the University of Strasbourg to show that the university contributed to the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem by acting as a boundary spanner and by building and orchestrating the network of the stakeholders in the local system of innovation. This ‘hub’ university became a leading regional organisation at the political level. The TTO played a central role in supporting academic entrepreneurship at the operational level based on its evolution from a revenue maximising model to a model that takes account of social ...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that the emergence of regional clusters relies on both necessary pre-existing conditions for cluster appearance in general and triggering factors that cause clusters to emerge in particular places.
Abstract: This article argues that the emergence of regional clusters relies on both necessary pre-existing conditions for cluster appearance in general and triggering factors that cause clusters to emerge in particular places This approach is used to analyse two ‘critical cases’; the emergence of the synthetic-knowledge boat building industry in the Arendal area in Norway from the mid-1950s and the analytical-knowledge cancer medicine industry in Oslo around the year 2000 Although the industries and the contexts are otherwise very different, the framework turns out to be useful in interpreting the emergence of the two clusters However, the specific pre-existing conditions and the triggering factors differ between the two cases The Arendal boat building industry emerged through the combination of traditional boat building skills and exogenous knowledge of the use of new plastic material, while the Oslo cancer medicine industry built on indigenously-developed scientific knowledge The framework is useful
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors apply the lens of the cult, in particular three elements Rituals, Deities and the Promise of Salvation, to reflect on the production and reproduction of entrepreneurship in higher education.
Abstract: High hopes are invested in a rapid institutionalization of an enterprise culture in Higher Education (HE). This has heightened the importance of entrepreneurship education (EE) in most Western societies; however, how values and beliefs about entrepreneurship are institutionalized in EE remains relatively unchallenged. This study applies the lens of the cult, in particular three elements Rituals, Deities and the Promise of Salvation, to reflect on the production and reproduction of entrepreneurship in EE. In doing so, the paper addresses uncontested values and beliefs that form a hidden curriculum prevalent in EE. We argue for greater appreciation of reflexive practices to challenge normative promotions of beliefs and values that compare with forms of evangelizing, detrimental to objectives of HE. Consequently, we call for a more critical pedagogy to counteract a ‘cultification’ of entrepreneurship in EE.
TL;DR: Research on organizational slack, which has focused mainly on its effect in large publicly traded firms and on transitional economies, has found that slack functions as a buffer in periods of cris... as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Research on organizational slack, which has focused mainly on its effect in large, publicly traded firms and on transitional economies, has found that slack functions as a buffer in periods of cris...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore how local entrepreneurial activity and culture may influence how policies are understood and translated into practice at the local level and find that collaboration between schools and business life may strengthen, rather than change, existing local development paths.
Abstract: Entrepreneurship education is high on political agendas for its contributions to cultural change and economic growth. Scholars have suggested that the local context may influence the results of entrepreneurship education, and have recommended that educators strengthen their relationships with local businesses and help students learn from actual business settings. By combining policy analysis with empirical data, the present qualitative study explores two issues. First, we look at how the role of local business is expressed in entrepreneurship education policy documents. Second, we explore how local entrepreneurial activity and culture may influence how policies are understood and translated into practice at the local level. The findings indicate that collaboration between schools and business life may strengthen, rather than change, existing local development paths. The present paper contributes to the literature and understanding of the interplay between entrepreneurship education policy and the ...
TL;DR: The focus of as mentioned in this paper is on firm-level entrepreneurial behaviours and the processes that lead to them, known as Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO), and five distinct conceptualizations of EO are presented in order to frame further research in the positivist mode.
Abstract: The focus of this paper is on firm-level entrepreneurial behaviours and the processes that lead to them, known as Entrepreneurial Orientation. Despite the popularity of this construct, we argue that extant EO research suffers from major limitations linked to definitional inconsistencies and measurement issues. We present five distinct conceptualizations of EO in order to frame further research in the positivist mode. Moreover, we show that to gain a holistic and robust understanding of firm-level entrepreneurship, works from other research traditions and philosophies of science are needed. In this respect, the European research tradition and its wide variety of fields of research and research methods can offer a contextualized view of firm-level entrepreneurial behaviours and processes. Works embedded in the social constructionist philosophy of science might also offer an understanding of how, when, and why actors of different levels act do so and the likely outcomes of these actions as well as th...
TL;DR: In this paper, identity formation in co-operatives, a population of organizations allied globally through values and practices such as democratic participation, voluntary and open membership, and limited return to capital investment, is considered.
Abstract: How are identities of alternative forms of organization constructed and how does this process differ relative to normative forms socially expected? In this research, we consider identity formation in co-operatives, a population of organizations allied globally through values and practices such as democratic participation, voluntary and open membership, and limited return to capital investment. As an extension of current thinking on identity formation in entrepreneurship and organizational theory, we use co-operatives to explore social expectations and institutional arrangements around form at the societal, population and organizational levels using a population ecology framework. We develop a research agenda based on propositions that address specific features of identity formation in less typical forms of organization, including tensions with normative business expectations, engagement with identity audiences, embeddedness in networks and alliances, structural factors influencing identity, and id...
TL;DR: In this article, the influence of internal and external (environmental) factors on intrapreneurship in the Spanish context, considering differences among regions, is examined, and the role of fear of failure is reinforced as it has the indirect (moderating) effect; this effect is particularly relevant in lower income regions.
Abstract: The objective of this article is to examine the influence of internal and external (environmental) factors on intrapreneurship in the Spanish context, considering differences among regions. Methodologically, the study applies logistic regression and uses data from the Spanish Global Entrepreneurship Monitor for the year 2011. The main findings of the research show through a double conceptual framework (resource-based theory and institutional economics) the direct effect of both internal factors – opportunity recognition and social capital – and environmental factors – fear of failure and education – on intrapreneurship. In addition, the role of fear of failure is reinforced as it has the indirect (moderating) effect; this effect is particularly relevant in lower income regions. The study contributes both theoretically (developing literature and provoking discussion in the field of intrapreneurship) and empirically (providing useful insights for the design of governmental policies for fostering ent...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyzed the role of various types of agglomeration externalities on the survival rate of entrepreneurial firms and found that only Jacobian externalities (diversity) is positively associated with the survival of entrepreneurial companies.
Abstract: This paper analyzes the role of various types of agglomeration externalities on the survival rate of entrepreneurial firms In particular, we trace the population cohort of newly-established and self-employed Swedish firms in the Knowledge-Intensive Business Service sector in 1997 up to 2012 and investigate the role of Marshallian and Jacobian externalities on the survival of these firms We find that only Jacobian externalities (diversity) is positively associated with the survival of entrepreneurial firms Not all Jacobian externalities matter though Only the higher the ‘related variety’ of the region in which an entrepreneurial firm is founded, the higher will be the survival chance of the firm, while ‘unrelated variety’ barely has any significant correlation The result is robust after controlling for extensive firm characteristics and individual characteristics of the founders The main message here is: for a newly-established entrepreneurial firm, not only it matters who you are, but also w
TL;DR: In this paper, Cote's model of identity capital is applied to a single case study of a young New Zealand social entrepreneur using multiple sources of both primary and secondary data (with a longitudinal orientation).
Abstract: Cote’s model of ‘identity capital’ is said to comprise a set of strengths and psycho-social skills that are deployed by individuals to both define themselves and represent how others define them. Identity capital is multi-dimensional by nature, both tangible and intangible in character and acquired through the application of resources in identity exchanges. The identity capital framework is built around the youth experience and is, therefore, germane to an exploration of the meaning, motivation and value of youth engagement with socially entrepreneurial endeavours. The young are described as an increasingly important cohort in terms of the creation of socially innovative solutions to the world’s ‘wicked problems’ – and as leaders, not merely followers. In this paper, the model is applied to a single case study of a young New Zealand social entrepreneur using multiple sources of both primary and secondary data (with a longitudinal orientation). Particular emphasis is given to probing how identity c...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors extend theory on the effects of public policies stimulating technology demand and of industry network ties on firm-level entrepreneurial behavior and show that public policies can constrain firm innovativeness and risk-taking behavior because they steer firms towards a more conservative approach.
Abstract: This study extends theory on the effects of public policies stimulating technology demand and of industry network ties on firm-level entrepreneurial behaviour. We take an institutional perspective to develop a theoretical model examining the mechanisms through which public policies, regulatory uncertainty, and industry network ties affect firm-level entrepreneurial decision-making processes and the ability to introduce highly innovative products and to sustain superior performance. We focus on firm-level effects, which enables the study of the tension between institutional pressures of homogeneity and competitive pressures of heterogeneity for entrepreneurial decision-making processes in environments characterized by policy-induced market demands. To test our hypotheses, we draw on data from a large-scale survey among German renewable energy firms. Our results show that public policies can constrain firm innovativeness and risk-taking behaviour because they steer firms towards a more conservative ...
TL;DR: In this article, the influence of networking capability and the usefulness of international knowledge for the overall performance of so-called international returnee ventures (IRVs) is investigated by integrating network theory with a capability view of firm performance.
Abstract: This paper sheds light on the international new ventures led by returnee entrepreneurs and investigates the influence of networking capability and the usefulness of international knowledge for the overall performance of so-called international returnee ventures (IRVs). By integrating network theory with a capability view of firm performance, it advances six hypotheses that form a structural model, which is tested with LISREL on a sample of 194 IRVs from China. The findings show that international networking capability has a positive influence on the provision of international business knowledge, which in turn is positively related to the innovation performance, but they have a negative impact on the financial performance. Hence, this study presents a discussion of the usefulness of knowledge gained from the international network relationships of emerging market returnee entrepreneurs.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors aim at furthering the entrepreneurship as practice perspective by grounding the broader and contemporary "practice turn" in social science (Schatzki, Knorr-Cetina, and Vo...
Abstract: With this special issue we aim at furthering the entrepreneurship as practice perspective by grounding the broader and contemporary ‘practice turn’ in social science (Schatzki, Knorr-Cetina, and vo...
TL;DR: This article identified three main challenges/issues that should be taken into consideration in the institutionalization of entrepreneurship research: recognizing the complexity of the phenomenon under study; producing interesting, relevant and useful research results for all stakeholders; and developing a critical posture in research.
Abstract: In this article, we briefly identify three main challenges/issues that should be taken into consideration in the institutionalization of entrepreneurship research: (1) recognizing the complexity of the phenomenon under study; (2) producing interesting, relevant and useful research results for all stakeholders; and (3) developing a critical posture in research. Following the discussion of these challenges/issues we introduce the five contributions to the Special Issue that, in different ways, problematize and challenge mainstream research and approaches. These articles use ‘dissensus discourses’, apply critical, ideological and paradigmatic stances and in some cases underline the importance of contextual factors.
TL;DR: In this article, a study of four new ventures involved in business model innovation is presented, where four identity-building actions are identified and discussed: storytelling, use of analogies, procuring social evaluations and establishing alliances.
Abstract: There is increasing interest in the actions entrepreneurs undertake to shape the organizational identity of new ventures. While studies emphasize the need to focus on the distinctiveness of organizational identity to acquire resources for new ventures, less is known about specific identity-shaping actions or their consequences in the context of new ventures engaged in innovation. Based on a study of four new ventures involved in business model innovation, we theorize about the types of action innovating new ventures undertake to build their organizational identities and the consequences of these actions in terms of identity evaluation by external audiences. Four identity-building actions are identified and discussed: storytelling, use of analogies, procuring social evaluations and establishing alliances. This paper’s main contribution is to show how innovating ventures attempt to reach optimal distinctiveness by developing unique organizational identities embedded in existing market categories, wi...
TL;DR: A conceptual framework is developed that identifies potential influencing factors, validate the factors statistically, and estimate the factors’ impact on cluster effectiveness, and helps firms and policy-makers in conceptualizing successful new clusters.
Abstract: This study examines how contextual, structural and functioning characteristics of industrial clusters influence their effectiveness. We develop a conceptual framework that identifies potential influencing factors, validate the factors statistically, and estimate the factors’ impact on cluster effectiveness. Our results show that among the important determinants of cluster effectiveness are long-term planning security and procedural trust among the cooperating firms (contextual conditions), formalized rules and sustainable structures (structural elements), and clear goals and tasks (functioning characteristics). However, the results also reveal that some determinants assessed as important in the literature do not seem to have a positive impact on effectiveness. Our results not only modify general assumptions in cluster research concerning the drivers of cluster effectiveness, but also assist firms and policy-makers in conceptualizing successful new clusters.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors review 20 years of research and discover that the pioneer measure of entrepreneurial attitudes as a predictor of self-employment intentions, has yet to be empirically validated.
Abstract: Questioning the validity of scholarly work is not a typical path to publication in the management field. However, although considerable scholarship assesses entrepreneurial attitudes and intentions models of behaviour, methodological weaknesses in scale development have hampered scholars’ ability to rigorously interpret and build upon their research findings. We review 20 years of research and discover that the pioneer measure of entrepreneurial attitudes as a predictor of self-employment intentions, has yet to be empirically validated. We show that construct and measurement differences, one-off modifications to existing scales and a lack of adequate justification may partially explain why studies in the entrepreneurship education domain have produced inconsistent results. We address this limitation by performing factor analytic techniques on data from two sets of English-speaking university students from two North American countries. The result is a more parsimonious and streamlined ‘mini-Kolvere...