Abstract
The scope of this paper is to investigate whether imitation strategies adopted by startups are effective in the pursuit of enhanced entrepreneurial innovation. To this end, a literature review was carried out in order to develop a research framework with factors related to imitation predicting entrepreneurial innovation. Moreover, managerial skills and entrepreneurial skills were incorporated as predictors of entrepreneurial innovation. In this respect, a structured questionnaire was developed to address these research objectives, based on scales tested in previous studies. In 2020, a survey was conducted on 486 startup owners operating in Greece, and a total of 289 responses were received. A hierarchical regression analysis was employed in order to examine the research framework. In congruence with the hypotheses, the findings demonstrated that outcome-based imitation strategies and trait-based imitation strategies positively affect the development of entrepreneurial innovation. Moreover, the positive impact of managerial and entrepreneurial skills on the development of entrepreneurial innovation was also confirmed. In contrast, the findings suggest that frequency-based imitation strategies negatively predict entrepreneurial innovation. However, outcome-based imitation and trait-based imitation strategies have been shown as the determinants with a positive impact on entrepreneurial innovation.
Highlights
A review of prior research reveals the critical role that imitation strategies play in a firm’s competitive position compared to other successful firms (e.g., Schnaars 1994; Lieberman and Asaba 2006).Imitation strategies are defined as deliberate strategies by which firms aim to become similar to other successful firms, by attempting to achieve shared norms that enhance resource integration and coproduction (Haunschild and Miner 1997; Aarstad et al 2010)
In congruence with the hypotheses, the findings demonstrated that outcome-based imitation strategies and trait-based imitation strategies positively affect the development of entrepreneurial innovation
The results from the first step of the hierarchical regression analysis indicate that only owner educational background has a strong statistically significant relationship with entrepreneurial innovation
Summary
A review of prior research reveals the critical role that imitation strategies play in a firm’s competitive position compared to other successful firms (e.g., Schnaars 1994; Lieberman and Asaba 2006).Imitation strategies are defined as deliberate strategies by which firms aim to become similar to other successful firms, by attempting to achieve shared norms that enhance resource integration and coproduction (Haunschild and Miner 1997; Aarstad et al 2010). A review of prior research reveals the critical role that imitation strategies play in a firm’s competitive position compared to other successful firms (e.g., Schnaars 1994; Lieberman and Asaba 2006). An imitation strategy enforces a firm’s expectation, potentially naively, to acquire benefits similar to other innovative firms within the same sector (e.g., Zhou 2006; Aarstad et al 2010). Prior research shows that a firm that adopts targeted and well-designed imitation strategies can benefit indirectly through a learning process (e.g., Dimaggio and Powell 1983; Cohen and Levinthal 1990; Aarstad et al 2010) and can make changes and improvements within the business environment.
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