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Entrepreneurs are action takers. This paper presents an agent-based model illustrating entrepreneurial action choices between rhetoric and action during the very early stages (pre-formal alliance) of an entrepreneur's journey. Environmental factors, inertia, entrepreneurial conation preferences, the context-for-learning, and identified opportunities are all factors that will influence action choices both separately and in configurations. In virtual experiments, we examine the length of time it takes entrepreneurs to reach the stage for opportunity commitment, based on their skills and conation profiles. From the computer simulation, we determined that certain entrepreneurial profiles do make a difference in the overall effectiveness and efficiency of reaching an opportunity commitment. In general, an entrepreneur is more effective in reaching opportunity commitment if the entrepreneur has either a high skills profile, or a high conation profile, while the combination of high-level skills and conation profiles do not provide any real advantage. A high skills profile proves to create the greatest advantage of reaching opportunity commitment in the shortest length of time.

The purpose of this study is to build a proposal for an integrated analysis / evaluation / decision / implementation framework to suit entrepreneurial companies intending to redefine their strategic behaviours and their competitive schemes in the global environment.

A conceptual approach, based on theoretical perspectives relating to globalisation-based management and decision-making of entrepreneurs, is adopted.

The paper presents a conceptual framework useful for supporting entrepreneurial decisions for global strategies, drawing on an integrated analysis of external environment and internal components, with a specific focus on the entrepreneur's characteristics in terms of cognitive and emotional profiles. It is suggested to adopt a logical process aimed at identifying which strategic levers are available for entrepreneurial players to implement their strategies.

Entrepreneurial decision-making may benefit from an integrated framework which helps entrepreneurs, who aim to compete in the global marketplace, to explore and exploit all the key factors useful to defining their strategies.

There is a lack of decision-making frameworks that put the entrepreneur at the centre and, at the same time, present a potential balance between the external factors (globalisation drivers and local opportunities) and the resources and competences required to manage risks and difficulties of the global environment (internal factors). The originality of the proposed framework consists in filling this gap. Moreover, this framework can be useful for “re-born global” or “global-again” firms that are currently a neglected typology of studied firms.

The authors probe the relationships between country institutional support for entrepreneurship and new venture survival. Specifically, the authors unpack the nuanced influences of entrepreneurs' perceived environmental uncertainty and their subsequent entrepreneurial behavioral profiles and how this particularly bolsters venture survival in contexts with underdeveloped institutions for entrepreneurship.

Coleman (1990) ‘bathtub’ framework is applied to develop a model and propositions surrounding how and when emerging market entrepreneur's perceptions of their countries institutional support toward entrepreneurship can ultimately enhance new venture survival.

Entrepreneurs' interpretations of regulatory, cognitive and normative institutional support for private enterprise helps them embrace uncertainties more accurately reflective of “on the ground” realities and stimulates constructive entrepreneurial behaviors. These are critical for increasing survival prospects in characteristically turbulent, emerging market contexts that typically lack reliable formal resources for cultivating nascent ventures.

This paper has implications for international policymakers seeking to stimulate and sustain entrepreneurial ventures in emerging markets. The authors shed light on the practical importance of understanding the social realities and interpretations of entrepreneurs in a given country relating to their actual perceptions of support for venturing—cautioning a tendency for outsiders to over-rely on aggregated econometric indices and various national ‘doing business' rankings.

This study is the first to create a conceptual framework on the mechanisms of how entrepreneurs in emerging economies affect new venture survival. Drawing on Coleman's bathtub (1990), the authors develop propositional arguments for a multilevel sequential framework that considers how developing economies' country institutional profiles (CIP) influence entrepreneurs' perceptions of environmental uncertainty. Subsequently, this cultivates associated entrepreneurial behavior profiles, which ultimately enhance (inhibit) venture survival rates. Further, the authors discuss the boundary conditions of this regarding how the national culture serves to moderate each of these key relationships in both positive and negative ways.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the influence of the profile of cultural entrepreneurs (CE), in terms of their demographic characteristics and resources, on the performance of cultural and creative firms (CCFs).

Departing from demographic theory and resource-based view, two hypotheses have been formulated and empirically tested, using a multiple regression model, with a sample of 80 Spanish CCFs. The CCF performance has been measured through two objective (employment growth and profitability) and one subjective/perceptual measurements (satisfaction of the CE with the attainment of objectives).

With respect to the demographic variables, a negative relationship between the CE’s age and employment growth, and a partial positive influence of the CE’s prior experience on employment growth and the subjective measurement of performance have been found. Regarding to the CE’s resources, the empirical evidence shows that there is no direct relationship between the CE’s possession of any resources studied − financial, knowledge and social connections − and CCF performance.

This work makes three important contributions as it analyses the CE and focuses on CCF management, a topic little discussed in the entrepreneurship literature. Second, there is an analysis of some of the variables pertaining to the entrepreneur’s demographic profile that have been applied to top management teams and in a more or less isolated way in the entrepreneurship area. And, finally, a multidimensional measurement is used to explain the CCF performance.

El propósito de este artículo es analizar la influencia del perfil de los emprendedores culturales (EC), en relación a sus características demográficas y los recursos que posee, sobre el rendimiento de las empresas culturales y creativas (ECCs) creadas y dirigidas por ellos.

A partir de la Teoría Demográfica y la Teoría Basada en los Recursos, se han formulado dos hipótesis que han sido testadas empíricamente, usando un modelo de regresión múltiple, sobre una muestra de 80 ECCs españolas. Para medir el rendimiento de la ECC, se han utilizado dos medidas objetivas (crecimiento del empleo y rentabilidad) y una subjetiva (grado de satisfacción del EC con la consecución de los objetivos).

El estudio realizado pone de manifiesto, respecto a las variables demográficas, una relación negativa entre la edad del EC y el crecimiento del empleo, y una influencia positiva parcial de la experiencia previa del EC sobre el crecimiento del empleo y la medida subjetiva del rendimiento. En cuanto a los recursos del EC, nuestros resultados muestran que no existe relación directa entre la posesión de los recursos analizados —financieros, de conocimiento y sociales— y el rendimiento de la ECC.

Este trabajo realiza tres contribuciones importantes, ya que analiza la figura del CE, centrándose en la dirección de las ECCs, un tema poco estudiado en la literatura de emprendimiento. Se estudian algunas variables del perfil demográfico del emprendedor que han sido aplicadas a equipos de alta dirección y de manera más o menos aislada en el campo del emprendimiento. Y, finalmente, se utiliza una medida multidimensional para explicar el rendimiento de las ECCs.

This paper aims to identify the profile of the potential entrepreneur student in what concerns the personal attributes and motivations for start‐ups' creation.

A review of literature related to the entrepreneur profile is made in order to justify the importance of the theme. Through some studies it was possible to identify a diversity of works and authors that present some aspects which contribute to the characterisation of entrepreneur individuals. The present research uses primary data obtained by means of a questionnaire, involving a sample of students, which were currently engaged in a graduation course at the University of Beira Interior. The questionnaire was administrated by interviews conducted in the classrooms of the University's faculties. The collected data were submitted to a multivariate statistical analysis.

Research findings include the existence of a typology of two distinct groups of students, respectively designated by “The accommodated independents” and “The confidents”, according to the most outstanding characteristics related with several attributes and motivations presented by each of them.

The identification of the entrepreneurs' characteristics and the knowledge of the potential business creator students' profile may be important for the development of an adequate educational programme directed to the entrepreneurship education and start‐up processes.

The paper identifies some important characteristics that are common in entrepreneurs. The findings could be used both to promote entrepreneurship in our education systems and to identify the best practices.

The objective of this paper is to examine the impact that certain human capital variables have over employment growth of small firms in Romania.

The human capital components considered in this paper are education, previous work experience, employment motivations, the presence of entrepreneurial teams, and the presence of family members in the firm. To attain the objective of the paper we carry out a regression analysis using a rich data set of 635 Romanian firms for the year 2006.

Consistent with different employment growth measures, the empirical findings indicate that human capital matters for explaining small firms' employment growth. Previous work experience, the presence of entrepreneurial teams and the proportion of family members working in the business appear as determinant components. In addition, the results indicate that an active involvement of the entrepreneur in managerial tasks increases the intensity with which the entrepreneur makes use of his/her human capital, and this leads to higher employment growth rates.

The main limitation of the paper lies in the absence of a longitudinal analysis that could have given a greater perspective to the study. In order to enrich the analysis, future research should attempt to further explore the impact of human capital components on small firms' growth in other transition economies.

The paper increases the literature dealing with the determinants of small firms' growth in transition economies. The results of the paper also have important implications for academics and support institutions in Romania, as they suggest that, in the Romanian context, small firms may obtain significant benefits from support policies more oriented towards the formation of human capital.

This study seeks to examine the business and social profiles of 67 women entrepreneurs in three regions of Nigeria in order to identify patterns of entrepreneurship and social and economic challenges facing women business owners in Nigeria. The study aims to support and encourage sustainable small‐scale economic development activities by Nigerian women and determine ways to integrate these small businesses into existing urban economic development projects and strategies for poverty alleviation, expand understanding of the business and social profiles of women entrepreneurs in Nigeria, examine the contextual influences on their work, raise the level of awareness of women entrepreneurs amongst all economically active agents and researchers, influence social and economic policy addressing issues of women entrepreneurs.

A survey was developed and administered to a sample of 62 practicing Nigerian female entrepreneurs. The survey was divided into sections that recorded personal demographics, the entrepreneur's perceptions of the business environment and their venture and the motivations and drives that led to the birth of their business. Data were collected and processed to produce frequency distributions on every question/variable in the survey followed by cross‐tabulations between all variables and χ² tests in order to reveal strong associations.

With no or few significant differences shown to exist between male and female business owners or managers once they have already started an enterprise, there is a strong indication that Africa has sizeable hidden growth potential in its women. From the results presented, it is evident that female entrepreneurship in Nigeria is driven by micro‐financing as well as family dynamics that work to shape and influence the birth of a business.

Future research initiatives need to explore the gender dimension and the influence of education levels on the role models that influence and drive female entrepreneurship. In addition, the evolution of the complete life cycle of the entrepreneur's business should be examined and dependencies on the variables presented should be investigated. Finally, research should focus studies whose aim is to influence social and educational policy that encourages women's entrepreneurship in the fight for poverty alleviation in Africa.

Unique contribution with information being provided regarding an area that has not been studied before with a quantitative and qualitative method both within the same study.

The purpose of this paper is to explore and articulate the profile of handicraft entrepreneurs operating in the Maboneng precinct of Johannesburg, South Africa.

This study is qualitative in nature – implementing a phenomenology through which cases of four handicraft entrepreneurs are developed.

Handicraft entrepreneurs in Maboneng possess a spiritually motivated profile that does not allow them to be neatly characterised in the profiles of the literature.

This study contributes to addressing the dearth of knowledge in the literature on the profile of entrepreneurs in Africa. It provides insights on the spiritual motivation of artisanal entrepreneurs in particular who represent a part of the largest proportion of African small-scale entrepreneurial activity.

By analyzing variables from the fields of business and neuropsychology, this document examines alternative combinations of behavioral economics and neuropsychological characteristics that would explain a successful entrepreneurial profile.

The research is based on information gathered through a survey of 1,080 entrepreneurs. The findings offer interesting perspectives for academics, professionals and government institutions, which illustrate various neuropsychological characteristics that a person must have to be a successful entrepreneur. The method consists of a novel perspective that integrates qualitative comparative analysis (QCAs), a method based on Boolean algebra that offers a study from a configurational perspective.

From the mixture of configurations, the paper explores following possible traits of an entrepreneurial mindset: cognitive flexibility, risk-taking, decision-making and teamwork.

This paper contributes to the literature on emerging attempts and approaches to understand the entrepreneurial mindset and the possible skillset that underpins successful entrepreneurship.

Mediante el análisis de variables de los campos de los negocios y la neuropsicología, este documento examina combinaciones alternativas de la economía del comportamiento y las características neuropsicológicas que llevan a los emprendedores en perfiles exitosos.

La investigación se basa en información recopilada a través de una encuesta a 1.080 emprendedores. Los hallazgos ofrecen perspectivas interesantes para académicos, profesionales e instituciones gubernamentales, que ilustran diversas características neuropsicológicas que una persona debe tener para ser un emprendedor exitoso. El método consiste en una perspectiva novedosa que integra el análisis comparativo cualitativo (QCA), un método basado en el álgebra de Booleana que ofrece un estudio desde una perspectiva configuracional.

A partir de la mezcla de configuraciones, el artículo explora los siguientes rasgos posibles de una mentalidad emprendedora: flexibilidad cognitiva, toma de riesgos, toma de decisiones y trabajo en equipo.

este documento contribuye a la literatura sobre intentos y enfoques emergentes para comprender la mentalidad emprendedora y el posible conjunto de habilidades que sustenta el emprendimiento exitoso.

Drawing on institutional logics theory, this paper aims to examine the determinants of entrepreneurs’ planning behavior in the first years of 212 Spanish new firms. Additionally, this study identifies four different planning profiles: systematic planner, early planner, late planner and non-planner.

This study’s data structure is a (yearly) pooled cross-sectional time series. This paper investigates the determinants of planning behaviors among entrepreneurs, as well as the impact of that activity on new firm performance (i.e. employment growth).

The results confirm the relevance of institutional forces in explaining the involvement of founders of new firms upon planning activities. Institutional factors, in the form of public external support seem to explain early- and systematic-planner behavior while the influence of entrepreneurial family background does so with late-planner behavior.

The authors focus their attention on two key moments of a new venture’ life: the first year of operation and once the firm has overcome the four-year hurdle that is often used to distinguish new from established businesses. Four different patterns emerge: systematic planner (those who consistently plan over time), early planner (those who engage in planning activities in the early moments of the firm’s life but not later), late planner (those who do not plan at the beginning but end up conducting planning activities a few years later) and non-planner (those who never get involved in planning activities). This new division is an interesting additional feature of this study.

Utilizando la teoría de lógica institucional, el presente artículo analiza los factores determinantes del comportamiento planificador de los emprendedores durante los primeros años de operaciones, por lo que se refiere a sus negocios. A tal efecto, identificamos cuatro perfiles planificadores: sistemático, temprano, demorado y no-planificador.

A partir de una muestra de 201 emprendedores españoles se examinan los determinantes del comportamiento planificador y el efecto subsecuente en el desempeño de las empresas.

Los resultados de este artículo ponen de relieve la importancia de las fuerzas institucionales, a la hora de explicar la involucración de éstos en cuanto a la planificación de actividades se refiere. Por un lado, factores institucionales en forma de apoyo público, tienden a explicar el comportamiento del planificador temprano y sistemático, mientras que la influencia del contexto familiar definiría el modo de actuar del planificador-demorado. Asimismo, en este artículo se analiza el impacto de los diferentes perfiles planificadores en el desempeño del crecimiento de empleo de las empresas.

El presente artículo intenta examinar de manera inédita el comportamiento planificador de los emprendedores usando la teoría de lógica institucional. Además, los resultados sugieren que planificar aporta un efecto positivo en el desempeño de las iniciativas emprendedoras.

Tendo por base teórica as lógicas institucionais, este estudo analisa as estratégias de planeamento de empreendedores e seus determinantes nos primeiros anos de atividade. Adicionalmente, identificamos quatro perfis diferentes dependo do tipo de planeamento feito pelo empreendedor: planeador sistemático, planeador antecipado, planeador demorado, e não-planeador.

Com base numa amostra de 201 empreendedores Espanhóis, examinamos os determinantes de comportamentos de planeamento dos empreendedores e os seus impactos no desempenho das empresas.

Os resultados confirmam a relevância de forças institucionais na explicação do envolvimento de fundadores de novas empresas em atividades de planeamento. Fatores institucionais, sob a forma de apoio externo público, parecem explicar comportamentos de planeamento antecipado e sistemático, enquanto que a influência do contexto familiar do empreendedor tende a explicar planeamentos mais demorados. O estudo também analisa o impacto destes perfis de planeamento no desempenho das novas empresas (i.e., crescimento do emprego).

O presente artigo tenciona examinar de uma forma inédita o comportamento de planeamento dos empreendedores com base na teoria da lógica institucional. Adicionalmente, os resultados sugerem que planear tem um efeito positivo no desempenho das iniciativas empreendedoras.