Resilience and effectuation for a successful business takeover

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how resilience can support entrepreneurs in uncertain environments. The study’s objective is to show how different dimensions of resilience (emotional/cognitive) are dynamically connected to different logics of actions (causation/effectuation) allowing the development of a successful entrepreneurial project.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a qualitative analysis of a blog written by an entrepreneur during the first 17 months of a search, negotiation, and financing process for a company takeover.

Findings

The results highlight that in high uncertainty, strong entrepreneurial resilience and shift of logics of action can contribute to the success of a business takeover. This study identifies forms of resilience during the business takeover process that helped the entrepreneur overcome adversity and succeed. Moreover, these forms of resilience seem to be related to effectual and causal logics.

Practical implications

This study could help future entrepreneurs succeed in the creation or takeover of an organization by improving knowledge of the relationship between resilience and logics of actions.

Originality/value

This study proposes a different approach to the study of entrepreneurial resilience by analyzing it in relation with the logics of action (causation/effectuation). Moreover, the study offers a modern methodological approach by using an internet blog as a data source.

Citation

d’Andria, A., Gabarret, I. and Vedel, B. (2018), "Resilience and effectuation for a successful business takeover", International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, Vol. 24 No. 7, pp. 1200-1221. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-11-2016-0367