On the role and importance of core assumptions in the field of entrepreneurship research

Abstract

Purpose– Entrepreneurship researchers have recently engaged in discussions on the boundaries and legitimacy of the field of entrepreneurship research but have overlooked the significance and implications of core assumptions. The purpose of this paper is to invite a more focussed discussion on the role of assumptions in the field of entrepreneurship research and how such assumptions may contribute to the formation of a more distinctive, legitimate, and rapidly advancing field of research.Design/methodology/approach– The paper draws upon the neurophilosophy literature to delineate one possible set of core assumptions about the individual and her engagement with the environment, which the paper suggests could serve as a starting point for continued and more explicit discussions about the nature and role of assumptions than existed in the past.Findings– Implications for theory development, knowledge accumulation, and the distinctiveness of the field of entrepreneurship research are discussed.Originality/value– The paper develops the connection between neurophilosophy and entrepreneurship research and focuses attention on an underemphasized element in the debate on the boundaries and legitimacy of the field of entrepreneurship research.