Structuring Flexibility in Entrepreneurial Teams

Abstract

In an inductive multiple case study of six early stage entrepreneurial teams, we explore why some entrepreneurial teams persevere with their venture ideas, while other teams engage in a pivot. Comparisons of the cases reveal that the variation is due to how entrepreneurial teams organize their teamwork in spaces as well as the ability to modularize the venture ideas. Teams that enact idea inflexibility are not able to modularize their venture ideas, as they solely meet within purposeful spaces, in which they have conversations about pre-defined topics. In contrast, entrepreneurial teams that enact idea flexibility and are thus able to adapt their ideas enable discussions in open spaces in addition to meeting in purposeful spaces. Within these open spaces, the teams achieve idea modularization. Overall, the notion of idea (in)flexibility has consequences for how entrepreneurial teams cope with setbacks. We propose an emergent model explaining how entrepreneurial teams work together to develop their venture ideas and how this has an impact on the team.