The Support to an Entrepreneur

Marie-Noëlle Albert,Marie-Michèle Couture

doi:10.1177/2158244013492779

Abstract

Entrepreneurs are often associated with autonomy, but one of the coauthors, the sole owner of a microbusiness, had a different experience. Based on this, we used an autobiographical narrative method in a constructivist paradigm to explore this phenomenon that is autonomy. The coauthor’s different experience developed the idea that difficulties lived by an entrepreneur can transform autonomy into dependence. This negative complex process is grounded on a request for help by the entrepreneur and the dissymmetric relation between the person who needs help and the support. This kind of relationship promotes a loss of the entrepreneur’s capacities. A non-co-construction of solution (by the entrepreneur and the support) is not only less productive, but could also develop a very negative process. This finding is important to better understand support to entrepreneurs.

Highlights

We are researchers in managing people in the workplace
While the internal locus of control refers to an individual who believes that events in his or her life are caused by factors that can be controlled, the external locus of control refers to an individual who attributes the cause of events to others, the environment, destiny, or chance
Lumpkin and Dess (1996) clarified what they mean by autonomy: “Autonomy refers to the independent action of an individual or a team in bringing forth an idea or a vision and carrying it through to completion” (p. 140)

Summary

Introduction

We are researchers in managing people in the workplace. With this article, we wish to study a concept that is dear to the field of entrepreneurship—autonomy—and present it from a management perspective with a personalist approach.Most entrepreneurs share a wish to be autonomous and to control their environment. Alstete (2008) has shown that business people value independence and freedom. This confirms the need for autonomy and independence described by Kets de Vries (1977). Several years later, this same author explored the need for control experienced by entrepreneurs. This same author explored the need for control experienced by entrepreneurs This need can be linked to the fears of being at the mercy of others (Kets de Vries, 1985). Even if empirical data have not been able to strongly authenticate the links between the internal locus of control and the entrepreneur, these links exist regardless (Janssen & Surlemont, 2009). Autonomy is one of the factors that may be present when a firm engages in new entry (Covin & Wales, 2012)

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