Scarcity and the sustainable entrepreneurship system: A multi-level perspective

Abstract

In this article, we develop theory to argue that whereas sustainable entrepreneurship (SE) is typically thought to be a singular social phenomenon it is really a multifaceted system that includes economic phenomena, when viewed through a multi-level perspective. To develop our theory we specifically examine three levels in which scarcity exists: individual, organizational, and cultural. The scarcity perspective is utilized because sustainability issues are inherently limitation-based. We examine three representative constructs: entrepreneur knowledge-acquisition worldview, organizational field affiliation influence, and community culture constraints seeking to answer the question - to what extent does scarcity in individual, organizational, and cultural phenomena influence SE as a socioeconomic system? Our intended contributions of this theory development paper include: (1) the introduction of a multidisciplinary view: the use of several theoretical perspectives to analyze the sustainable entrepreneurship system, (2) the development of a model to support the assertion that participation in sustainable entrepreneurship occurs at multiple levels, (3) the inclusion of economic restrictions: to argue that scarcity at each level bounds and constrains the sustainable entrepreneurship system, (4) the application of our theory to address certain previously posed questions within the field, and (5) the elaboration of implications for scholars and practitioners.