Advancing Qualitative Entrepreneurship Research: Leveraging Methodological Plurality for Achieving Scholarly Impact

Elco Van Burg,Sarah Jack,Wouter Stam,Joep Cornelissen

doi:10.1177/1042258720943051

Abstract

This editorial aims to advance the use of qualitative research methods when studying entrepreneurship. First, it outlines four characteristics of the domain of entrepreneurship that qualitative research is uniquely placed to address. In studying these characteristics, we urge researchers to leverage the plurality of different qualitative approaches, including less conventional methods. Second, to help researchers develop high-level theoretical contributions, we point to multiple possible contributions, and highlight how such contributions can be developed through qualitative methods. Thus, we aim to broaden the types of contributions and forms that qualitative entrepreneurship research takes, in ways that move beyond prototypical inductive theory-building.

Highlights

This editorial aims to advance the use of qualitative research methods when studying entrepreneurship
We feel that methodological plurality should be embraced and that researchers should be open to consider a variety of qualitative methods that enable different forms of analysis and offer the potential for novel theorizing of entrepreneurship processes
Qualitative research has been of tremendous value for developing some of the most foundational theories in entrepreneurship research

Summary

Introduction

This editorial aims to advance the use of qualitative research methods when studying entrepreneurship. To advance the study of entrepreneurship using qualitative methods, and to provide guidance for authors who aim to publish such work in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice and similar quality journals, this editorial first outlines four characteristics of the domain of entrepreneurship that qualitative research is uniquely placed to address. These characteristics point to specific questions for research that can only be understood, we argue, using the plurality provided by different qualitative approaches, including less conventional approaches. We stress a variety of aims and contributions for qualitative research over and beyond inductive theory-b uilding which is often seen as the prototype of a qualitative research contribution (Reinhardt et al, 2018)

Objectives

Conclusion