Entrepreneurial Processes and Industry Growth: The Case of the Early Canning Industry

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is at the heart of new developments that often lead to the creation of new industries. This study examines the origins of the canning industry via the experiences of three of its earliest entrepreneurs: Edward Wright, William Numsen, and Thomas Kensett II. The narrative examines key aspects of the industry’s context including the growth in demand for preserved foods, the resources of the Chesapeake, and the development of food preservation technology. The importance of entrepreneurs in the development of economic growth are then discussed as well as five characteristics of entrepreneurial processes that are used to examine Baltimore’s early canning entrepreneurs. Each one exhibited the entrepreneurial characteristics in different ways. One failed in his efforts; the other two succeeded in developing businesses that endured into the next century. The study reveals that using entrepreneurial processes does not guarantee success, and that there are various paths to success. An entrepreneurial multiplier effect was also evident in the growth of firms producing supplies and equipment for canners. An entrepreneurial lens offers a closer insight into the development of firms and their industries. Some remaining unanswered questions as well as avenues for future studies are discussed.