ENTREPRENEURIAL FIT: THE ROLE OF COGNITIVE MISFIT

Abstract

The concept of fit is central to theories in both the fields of strategic management and organizational behavior. It is our contention that many key questions in the field of entrepreneurship might also be successfully addressed through a fit approach. For instance, why do entrepreneurs often make poor managers? And why must founders often be replaced by professional managers as their firms grow? The idea of misfit is implicit in both of these questions. A fit perspective may also be beneficial in better understanding specific entrepreneurial behaviors. For example, why does one entrepreneur start and grow multiple businesses over his or her career (serial) while another might be content with starting only one business (novice)? or Why does one entrepreneur continually strive to grow his or her firm while another is content to arrest development (lifestyle) at a certain level? All of these questions, and obviously many more, can be viewed and examined as questions of fit.

Citation

Brigham, K.H. and De Castro, J.O. (2003), "ENTREPRENEURIAL FIT: THE ROLE OF COGNITIVE MISFIT", Katz, J.A. and Shepherd, D.A. (Ed.) Cognitive Approaches to Entrepreneurship Research (Advances in Entrepreneurship, Firm Emergence and Growth, Vol. 6), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 37-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1074-7540(03)06003-3