Entrepreneurial Configurations Research Articles

Entrepreneurial ecosystem patterns and its determinants and outputs: a necessary condition analysis to the Brazilian entrepreneurial cities

Purpose This study aims to identify necessary conditions for innovative entrepreneurship in cities and determine similarities in entrepreneurial configurations among them. Design/methodology/approach The authors assessed the necessary conditions for various levels of entrepreneurial output and categorized cities based on similar patterns by applying necessary condition analysis (NCA) and cluster analysis in a sample comprised of 101 cities from the entrepreneurial cities index, representing a diverse range of urban environments in Brazil. A comprehensive data set, including both traditional indicators from official Bureau of statistics and nontraditional indicators from new platforms of science, technology and innovation intelligence, was compiled for analysis. Findings Bureaucratic complexity, urban conditions, transport infrastructure, economic development, access to financial capital, secondary education, entrepreneurial intention, support organizations and innovation inputs were identified as necessary for innovative entrepreneurship. Varying levels of these conditions were found to be required for different entrepreneurial outputs. Research limitations/implications The static nature of the data limits understanding of dynamic interactions among dimensions and their impact on entrepreneurial city performance. Practical implications Policymakers can use the findings to craft tailored support policies, leveraging the relationship between city-level taxonomy and direct outputs of innovative entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs). Social implications The taxonomy and nontraditional indicators sheds light on the broader societal benefits of vibrant EEs, emphasizing their role in driving socioeconomic development. Originality/value The cluster analysis combined with NCA’s bottleneck analysis is an original endeavor which made it possible to identify performance benchmarks for Brazilian cities, according to common characteristics, as well as the required levels of each condition by each city group to achieve innovative entrepreneurial outputs.

Mapuche entrepreneur women profiles and their trajectories in poverty alleviation programs

Entrepreneurship has become a prominent strategy for overcoming poverty, but few studies have identified the specificities of different entrepreneurial configurations in indigenous contexts. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze positive effects and their relationship with participants’ profiles of entrepreneurial programs, from the experiences and meanings of Mapuche people (mostly women) in poverty and social vulnerability situation in rural and urban contexts. A qualitative study was conducted in rural and urban areas considering a total of 19 respondents. Results focus on woman experiences showing three types of Mapuche entrepreneur women profiles (fighter, submissive and reluctant) and their trajectories in entrepreneurship programs, considering their responses to their background, their relationship with the program and profile-specific positive effects.

Gravitating exogenous shocks to the next normal through entrepreneurial coopetive interactions: A PLS-SEM and fsQCA approach

PurposeEntrepreneurship can be viewed as an individual or group pursuit of market opportunities irrespective of the context. But when an exogenous shock alters and permanently alters the known normal, entrepreneurs can do no more than cope with the immediate impact. Covid-19 changed the normal for every-one, and the current study aims to analyse how the pandemic changed the context and entrepreneurial perspective of business owners geographically located in different cultural environments. Various experiences impacted them as they tried to navigate and mitigate the effects of the crisis on the wider economy and their business. We seek to identify the probable relevant entrepreneurial configurations in which one or more combinations of antecedent conditions are needed to cause entrepreneurs to adapt their behavior in order to increase their coopetitive interactions further, to mitigate the effects of the crisis. OriginalityTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first empirical study to address an entrepreneurial phenomenon using an integrative approach using PLS-SEM and fsQCA as separate prediction-oriented methods in order to validate the proposed conceptual model and to create a preliminary scaffolding for building the Theory of Unplanned Behavior in a crisis context.

The Influence of Entrepreneurial Cognition on Business Model Innovation: A Hybrid Method Based on Multiple Regressions and Machine Learning.

How to achieve business model innovation (BMI) has always been a focus topic in the field of entrepreneurship. Based on cognitive theory, this study takes new ventures as the research object to build a theoretical model to explore the impact of entrepreneurial cognition on BMI choice, its intermediary mechanism, and boundary conditions. We test our framework with a sample of 242 questionnaires; the empirical research results show that entrepreneurial configuration cognition, willing cognition, and ability cognition indirectly affect the BMI of new ventures. Strategic sensitivity (SSE) mediated the relationship between entrepreneurial cognition and BMI; knowledge diversity positively moderates the relationship between SSE and BMI. Machine learning algorithm research has found three prediction models for BMI of new ventures. By constructing a theoretical analysis framework of BMI from the perspective of cognition, the results deepen the relevant research on BMI of new ventures, clarify the source of unique characteristics and capabilities of entrepreneurs, provide a new research perspective for analyzing the impact mechanism of entrepreneurial cognition on BMI, enrich the research results in the field of “situation-cognition behavior,” and further clarify the important role of knowledge in the development of new ventures.

The Canadian experience from the perspective of Brazilian immigrant entrepreneurship in Toronto

Objective: The study aims at analyzing the socio-demographic profile of Brazilian immigrant entrepreneurship in Toronto, its entrepreneurial behavioral traits, in addition to their business profiles. Methodology/approach: This research is multi-method, with qualitative predominance, being exploratory-descriptive. For data-collection it was conducted a survey and further deepening with face-to-face interviews and field observations. Main results: The majority declared themselves to be from the Brazilian Southeast, white, 35 to 49 years old, married, with children, high academic and professional background. The influence of the state of social malaise in Brazil and the official Canadian discourse, seem to act as factors of "expulsion-attraction" to migration. The job condition of unemployment upon immigrants’ arrival can “push” them into necessity-driven entrepreneurship, although there are also ventures that have identified opportunities. Most of the businesses are small and operate in the service sector, concentrated on the West End of Toronto. In many businesses, there was a strong search for identification with the ethnic community itself, which suggests the formation of 'enclave economy', but in some cases, the main market for local consumers was targeted. Theoretical/methodological contributions: The article highlights the importance of conducting a multi-method research to understand possible entrepreneurial configurations by Brazilian immigrants. Relevance / originality: the article has academic relevance given the scarce work on the theme of Brazilian immigrant entrepreneurship overseas. Truly little is known about this phenomenon in Canada. Social and management contributions: The entrepreneurial trajectories described minimize risks for future immigrants; in addition, the discussion about the social capital of the ethnic community allows comparisons with the business of Brazilians in other countries.

A Critical Analysis of Entrepreneurial Career Choice of the Youths in Mumbai City

The economic development of any country depends on the quality and quantity of entrepreneurial talent available in that country. The entrepreneur triggers the spark to economic activities by virtue of his entrepreneurial activities. To achieve this, development of entrepreneurial mindsets among the youths of the country in general and students (above 18 years of age) in particular represents an emerging priority for the higher education systems. However, this dimension is still in infancy, especially in India. This research paper aims at exploring the mindset of the students of business management discipline for ascertaining their inclination towards entrepreneurial career. Based on a cross-case analysis of 5 post graduate programs, the study explores the reasons for development of entrepreneurial mindset of the students. Implications for theory and practice include the most pressing challenges for universities and institutions involved in the transitions of students towards an entrepreneurial configuration.

Challenges for Instilling Entrepreneurial Mindset in Scientists and Engineers: What Works in European Universities?

The development of entrepreneurial mindsets in graduated students with science and engineering backgrounds represents an emerging priority for the higher education systems. However, this dimension is still in infancy, especially in Europe. Aimed to contribute at this debate, the study provides evidences on how European universities are approaching this goal. Based on a cross-case analysis of 22 post-graduated programs, the study explores the emerging trends and the “invariance” traits adopted to develop high qualified human capital with an entrepreneurial mindset. Implications for theory and practice include the most pressing challenges for universities involved in their transitions towards an entrepreneurial configuration.

Entrepreneurial configurations of small firms

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to develop contemporary entrepreneurial configurations of small firms and relates them to performance. Adding a process dimension, the authors extend the more commonly used resource and growth taxonomies in this field of research.Design/methodology/approach– A review of current literature on small firm configurations is followed by a discussion of its dimensions, namely, context (external and internal environment), content (entrepreneurial orientation (EO)) and process (strategy making). These are related to perceived performance, using cluster analysis and ANOVA for a sample of 320 small New Zealand firms.Findings– The results isolate young corporates, young simple and mature consolidator clusters. Young corporates outperform their counterparts in dynamic environments in how they use formal structures, and their high EO and generative strategy-making (GSM).Research limitations/implications– This study uses self-reporting measures and a cross-sectional design.Practical implications– The findings show how young, small firms can enhance their performance practically by aligning the key dimensions of an entrepreneurial configuration. These firms could benefit from early formalization of systems and structures, a high EO, and by using a GSM approach.Originality/value– The contribution is threefold. First, the authors empirically verify the existence of three clusters of small firms and then link these to perceived performance. Second, by basing the small-firm configurations on a content, context, process framework, the authors highlight the importance of aligning these dimensions to performance. Third, the authors find evidence of the role of early formalization to accompany GSM and EO if small firms want to improve performance outcomes.

Governance of professional service firms: a configurational approach

AbstractProfessional service firms (PSFs) such as accounting firms, management consultancies, or advertising agencies use very different forms of governance ranging from traditional professional partnerships to public corporations. In spite of the extensive literature, little academic work has been done to synthesize the wealth of theoretical and empirical work on PSF governance into a more comprehensive theory of PSF governance. Taking configuration theory as our theoretical approach, we identify three classes of design parameter (legal form, organizational governance structure, and the systems for managing professionals) and six contingency factors (service commoditization, service diversification, firm size, capital intensity, firm culture, and risk of litigation) that are synthesized into four configurations of PSF governance. These are described, respectively, as the founder-dominated, the collegial, the managerial, and the entrepreneurial configuration.

The influence of firm age and intangible resources on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and firm growth among Japanese SMEs

With the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and firm performance having broad scholarly acceptance, researchers are now delving with increased focus into the contextual factors that change the nature of the relationship between EO and various manifestations of organizational performance. In this vein, this study adopts the resource based view and investigates the moderating influence of firm age and intangible resources on the EO-firm growth relationship among small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Japan. Further, we propose a three-way interactive model between EO, firm age, and intangible resources to better identify entrepreneurial configurations that promote superior SME growth.

Outsourcing and Performance in Entrepreneurial Firms: Contingent Relationships with Entrepreneurial Configurations*

ABSTRACTThis article develops and examines an empirical typology of entrepreneurial firms, based on organizational and life cycle characteristics. Results indicate five entrepreneurial configurations representing the essential contingent features of age, size, innovation, and governance structure (Elders, Giants, Innovators, and Owners) and one configuration representing a mix of all features (Balanced). We found that (i) outsourcing affected financial performance in entrepreneurial firms and (ii) configurations moderated this relationship. Results support the use of salient contingent features of age, size, innovation, and governance structure to predict outsourcing effectiveness in the entrepreneurial configurations. That is, entrepreneurial firms that aligned their configurational characteristics with outsourcing tended to have greater gains in financial performance. From a resource dependency perspective, managing these alignments has important implications for entrepreneurial firm performance.