The process of business start-ups in the internet: a multiple case study

Abstract

The growing popularity of the internet, accompanied by falling access costs, is provoking an increase in the number of users and buyers in the net and in the appearance of new organisations that commercialise their products and services exclusively on the internet. At present, this type of firms, known as dotcoms or cybertraders, is playing a crucial role in the internet and in the renewal of the economic system and has begun to account for a substantial share of new jobs created in developed countries. However, cyberentrepreneurs and venture creation in internet is still in its emergent phase and further research is needed on this subject. The purpose of this research is twofold. First, we describe and compare the background of the dotcom entrepreneur with the one obtained from the former research. Second, we analyse the entrepreneurial process of the new firm's creation in the cyberspace in Catalonia, Spain.