Explanation Of Entrepreneurship Research Articles

Implications of the understanding of Entrepreneurship in Local Economic Development in Malawi

The study analyses knowledge about entrepreneurship which guides entrepreneurial behaviour in enterprises in Malawi in order to reflect on its implications in local economic development. Top-of the-mind definition which collects unaided responses from the top of respondents’ mind was used. Definitions or explanations of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial activities undertaken were recorded from 337 enterprises. Innovations carried out by the enterprises were measured in new products, new production methods, new markets and new enterprises together with the values realised. Content analyses, descriptive statistics and comparison of means were used to classify the definitions of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial activities undertaken and compare values of innovations carried out. The study finds that entrepreneurship is predominantly defined as starting and managing one’s own business, being self-employed and creating jobs in the economy. Petty income generating activities and subsistence oriented micro and small enterprises dominate. The prevailing understanding of entrepreneurship guides policy, education and training, SME finance, infrastructure development and support towards unproductive entrepreneurial activities which would not ignite economic development. Therefore, much as institutions are established to support SME sector growth and improve the environment for business, improving knowledge about productive entrepreneurship that guides SME policy, finance, entrepreneurship education and training is pertinent in Malawi.

Navigating ethnic entrepreneurship in religion and culture meld

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine ethnic entrepreneurship within the contexts of religion, cultural hybridity, segregation, diasporic network and enterprise.Design/methodology/approachThe study collected two sets of data from 15 black African respondents/entrepreneurs through face-to-face interviews in London, UK.FindingsFindings point to immigrants’ entrepreneurial adaptation through traditional and dogmatic interpretations of religious beliefs in the informal sector.Originality/valueThe paper offers fresh insights into the religion/faith and socio-cultural meld in the sagacity of black African entrepreneurship. Such insights afford great opportunities to construct new sites of meaning or frame new explanations of entrepreneurship among the ethnic group – using religion and culture as important environmental munificence.

Faith and entrepreneurship among the British African‐Caribbean

PurposeThis paper aims to explore how African‐Caribbean Pentecostals use the platform of their faith to reconstruct their entrepreneurial values and identities, improve entrepreneurial learning and exploit the cultural resources of faith‐based networks to promote and sustain their entrepreneurialism.Design/methodology/approachMethodological appropriateness rather than orthodoxy guided the design of this study. Rooted in the context of discovery rather than verification, focus groups were assembled and used for data collection. Ideas generated by the groups were further explored in narrative face‐to‐face interviews.FindingsFindings indicate clear connections between motivation for entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial orientation, entrepreneurial learning and religious orientation among African‐Caribbean entrepreneurs. Religious orientation was evident as a context moderator within which relations of trust and ethnico‐religious compatibility generate social capital which, in turn, helps members to cope with the challenges of entrepreneurship.Originality/valueThis paper offers refreshing insights into the transcendental logic of black entrepreneurship, illuminating the interconnections between religion and enterprise. Such insights afford tremendous opportunities to construct new sites of meaning or frame new explanations of entrepreneurship among the population group – using religion as an important environmental munificence.

A SELF-ORGANIZATION THEORY OF RADICAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

Developing a theoretical explanation of entrepreneurship requires an integrative framework that explains changes across two or more levels of analysis; self-organization theory provides such a fram...

African Indigenous Entrepreneurship Determinants of Resurgence and Growth of Igbo Entrepreneurship During the Post-Biafra Period

ABSTRACT The study has two principal objectives: (1) to examine the evolution and transformation of Igbo entrepreneurship since the Biafran war (Nigerian civil war of 1967-1970); (2) to determine what factors explain the phenomenal resurgence and growth of Igbo entrepreneurship. The essay uses a deterministic approach and the theories of entrepreneurship to explain the resurgence of Igbo entrepreneurship since Biafra. The study goes beyond the neoclassical explanation of entrepreneurship and adopts a more eclectic approach that considers economic, historical, political, sociocultural, and external factors. The essay concludes that Igbo entrepreneurship surged in the post-Biafra period because of factors inherent in the Igbo society and culture and because of the political and economic realities that the Igbos face in Nigeria. Because of the spontaneous nature of its emergence, Igbo entrepreneurship is less sensitive to shocks such as wars, economic downturns, and political instability. Despite its phenomenal resurgence since Biafra, Igbo entrepreneurship faces many problems and constraints.

Professor Choi's Response

I Introduction to the Response I find the following characterization of the book as indicative of the Prof. Pressman's attitude toward it: "Worshipping the entrepreneur, and believing that any restrictions placed on the entrepreneurial spirit . . . have undesirable consequences, Choi remains blind to alternative explanations of entrepreneurship, and stretches his arguments to satisfy this preconceived conclusion." Before I respond to specific criticisms many of which concern, among other things, my treatment of entrepreneurship and envy, I will try to provide an overview of the book, to aid the reader of this exchange who may not have read the book. Along the way, I will try to address the criticisms. II What is the Book About? It is an attempt to develop a theory to deal with a range of frequently observed economic phenomena, X-inefficiency, invidious comparisons, and entrepreneurship, that are important yet are ignored, or not adequately treated, in the dominant tradition in economics. As they are much neglected in economics, however, one risks losing other economists' respect even for mentioning them. But each of these are perceived to be significant by some prominent economists. X-inefficiency is estimated by Harvey Leibenstein to be more than 25% of GNP, compared to no more than 0.1% of GNP for allocative inefficiency. Invidious comparisons have important impact on savings and consumption behavior (Veblen and Duesenberry), on the flexibility of wages (Keynes), and on competition in the market place (Veblen and Knight). And, of course, entrepreneurship is conceived as the engine of economic development (Schumpeter). I am not in shabby company. I am glad that Prof. Pressman at least agrees with me that the object of exercise is worthy: "a rational reconstruction of the function of the entrepreneur is long overdue and much needed." III Why Do I Aim to Develop a New Theory? The reason why the phenomena are neglected in economics is because the core theory of the dominant tradition in economics - Maximization and Equilibrium - leaves no room for many phenomena of great interest. The concept of production function does not admit the possibility of X-inefficiency. The concept of competitive equilibrium leaves no room for entrepreneurship, and invidious comparisons threaten the optimality of competitive equilibrium. The core of economic theory, maximization, idealizes the market tendency. With all the necessary conditions, competition among wealth maximizing agents will leave no opportunity for gain unexploited, with the Pareto optimal result. Recent attempts to discuss invidious comparisons using traditional economic theory (S. Jones and R. Frank) are not satisfactory because they are ad hoc, only restating what we already know in language officially sanctioned by the economics profession, by introducing arguments for status into the utility function, for example. The critics of orthodox economics have tried in a number of different ways, but have not succeeded in developing a theory that can account for a broad range of phenomena. IV How Do I Aim to Develop It? What we really need is an understanding of the process through which various socio-economic phenomena emerge. For this, I take individual decision making as the starting point. I start with the observation that individual decision making involves two distinct elements: an understanding of a given situation and the logic of choice. According to a common (but mistaken) interpretation in Neoclassical economics, maximization is the mechanism of rational individual decision making: the agent chooses a course of action from which he expects the greatest gain given his objectives and resources. If it sounds somehow reasonable, and many find it reasonable, it is because we routinely take so many things for granted in our daily lives that it appears that the central task of decision-making is how to pick the best course of action given all that we take for granted. …