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1 – 10 of over 2000Sumedha Weerasekara and Ramudu Bhanugopan
Sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem research is an emerging trend within the entrepreneurship domain. Drawing from resource dependency theory, this study examines the…
Abstract
Purpose
Sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem research is an emerging trend within the entrepreneurship domain. Drawing from resource dependency theory, this study examines the interdependent nature of sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem factors and the mediating role of local culture as it relates to entrepreneurial action. The authors collected data from 12 entrepreneurial ecosystems in Australia and developed a model of the interdependencies of sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem factors.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected through an e-survey of Small and Medium Entreprise (SME) owners in New South Wales, Australia. The authors applied partial least squares structural equation methodology to assess the structural models, validate the outer models and examine the inner model.
Findings
The findings reinforce empirical support for sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems. The environment where sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems are evolved influences their functionality. Further, entrepreneurial culture mediates the relationship with other ecosystem factors. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Originality/value
This study focuses on understanding the interdependent nature of sustainable ecosystem factors. The authors identified entrepreneurial culture as a mediator to business support services, educational institutional support and financial capital availability with business and social networks.
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Abhijeet Tewary and Vaishali Jadon
This research aims to analyze the literature on Quality 4.0 and pinpoint the essential factors contributing to its success. Additionally, the research aims to develop a framework…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to analyze the literature on Quality 4.0 and pinpoint the essential factors contributing to its success. Additionally, the research aims to develop a framework that can be used to create a capable workforce necessary for the successful implementation of Quality 4.0.
Design/methodology/approach
By following a systematic approach, the authors could ensure that their literature review was comprehensive and unbiased. Using a set of pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria, the authors screened 90 research articles to obtain the most relevant and reliable information for their study.
Findings
The authors' review identified essential findings, including the evolution of literature in the field of Quality 4.0 and the systematization of previous literature reviews focusing on training and development. The authors also identified several training barriers to implementing Quality 4.0 and proposed a model for building a competent workforce using Kolb's experiential learning model.
Practical implications
The authors' research offers insights into the training barriers that must be considered when building a competent workforce. Using the framework proposed in the authors' research, consultants and managers can better integrate Quality 4.0 into their organizations.
Social implications
The adoption of Quality 4.0 has significant social implications and is essential for advancing sustainability. It can improve efficiency, reduce waste, minimize environmental impacts and better meet the needs and expectations of stakeholders.
Originality/value
The authors' study stands out as one of the earliest reviews of the literature on Quality 4.0 to incorporate the theory-context-method (TCM) framework, allowing to provide unique insights into future research directions that had not been previously explored.
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Ali Mohamad Mouazen and Ana Beatriz Hernández-Lara
The negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current economic situation, especially in certain countries, have compelled organizations to shrink their hierarchies…
Abstract
Purpose
The negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current economic situation, especially in certain countries, have compelled organizations to shrink their hierarchies, reduce working hours, freeze hiring, and rely on gig workers to perform tasks. While these circumstances may be seen as a threat, certain vulnerable labor groups, such as women, seized the opportunity to develop entrepreneurial skills and launch their own firms. Others addressed smart platforms to engage in gig economy activities. This research investigates the aspects that drive women to be entrepreneurs, exploring the relationships between the entrepreneurial ecosystem, the gig economy, and women's entrepreneurship in a developing country.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 300 female entrepreneurs in Lebanon through questionnaires that measured the indicators and variables of the proposed model, which was tested applying partial least square.
Findings
The results show a positive influence of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and gig economy on women's entrepreneurship, stronger in the case of entrepreneurial ecosystem elements and almost similar for opportunity and necessity entrepreneurship.
Originality/value
This research achieves empirical evidence on the relationship between the entrepreneurial ecosystem, the gig economy, and women's entrepreneurship in the case of a developing country. The originality of this paper lies in its empirical and gendered approach, considering together the effects of entrepreneurial ecosystem factors and gig economy practices on women's entrepreneurship, especially relevant in a regional context like Lebanon, where digital economy may constitute an opportunity for economically vulnerable groups.
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Although research of entrepreneurial ecosystems has mainly focused on urban centers in developed nations, there is an emergent need to study the complexities of rural, regional…
Abstract
Purpose
Although research of entrepreneurial ecosystems has mainly focused on urban centers in developed nations, there is an emergent need to study the complexities of rural, regional and development contexts. Ecosystems in such settings are often characterized by the heightened importance assumed by environmental and social factors. This paper aims to document learning from participatory development and economic planning in the Galapagos, a setting in which the interplay between social, economic and ecological factors is critical.
Design/methodology/approach
This case study seeks to elaborate theory with qualitative data from an empirical context.
Findings
Reconstructed theory shows that in participatory development contexts, the entrepreneurial ecosystem constitutes a space in which competing interests contrast and conflict. Results from the Galapagos islands highlight the ability of local actors to successfully affect policy during local collaborative planning. The tensions between the economy, environment and society apparent in participatory dialogue indicate that a more nuanced approach to the interaction within entrepreneurial ecosystems is required.
Originality/value
This case study demonstrates the value of analyzing the processes and mechanisms for collaboration in the entrepreneurial ecosystem in sustainable development contexts. Results suggest implications for scholars researching entrepreneurial ecosystem networks.
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Jeffrey Muldoon, Joshua S. Bendickson, Eric W. Liguori and Shelby Solomon
Using social relations theory, we argue that entrepreneurship ecosystems must also include relationships such as market pricing, equality matching, authority ranking and communal…
Abstract
Purpose
Using social relations theory, we argue that entrepreneurship ecosystems must also include relationships such as market pricing, equality matching, authority ranking and communal sharing to be successful and thrive.
Design/methodology/approach
We theorize using Fiske’s typology that a successful entrepreneurial system must have certain characteristics to be successful.
Findings
In doing so, we suggest an alternative perspective of the role of exchange relationships in ecosystems which considers both the geographic context and social relationships as equally important ecosystem components. Our contributions include (1) exposing social processes as the explanatory mechanism for exchanges instead of solely market forces, (2) illustrating the role of regional cultural differences in exchanges and (3) emphasizing how entrepreneurs can better realize ecosystem benefits through understanding the methods of exchange in these ecosystems.
Originality/value
Social relationships include a wide variety of different types of resources and exchange mechanisms, so by their inclusion into the entrepreneurship ecosystem literature, a more complete view of ecosystems is possible.
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Lane Graves Perry and Nathan Woolard
Leveraging the boom of a craft beer renaissance, this paper explores social capital theory through the impact of the craft brewing industry. The exploration addresses…
Abstract
Purpose
Leveraging the boom of a craft beer renaissance, this paper explores social capital theory through the impact of the craft brewing industry. The exploration addresses entrepreneurial micro-ecosystems that share one commonality – the need for community development and revitalization. North Carolina's deregulation of craft brewing (Pop-the-Cap Initiative, 2005) led to a boom of brewery startups, from 54 in 2010 to more than 380 in 2022.
Design/methodology/approach
This qualitative study focuses on 15 brewery founders who have launched ventures within a few years of the Pop-the-Cap Initiative. This included 15% of those breweries launched between 2012 and 2017. Naturalistic Inquiry methodology was utilized, and semi-structured interviews, observations, and artifact analyses were applied to each participant via content analysis and NVivo.
Findings
Framed by two contributing entrepreneurial mindset factors (anti-establishment mindset and business-person's burden mindset) and three external entrepreneurial micro-ecosystems conditions (community conditions, doom and boom conditions, and economic conditions), these emergent themes represent the ecosystem contributors (mindsets/conditions) associated with startup success and social value creation in rural and downtrodden urban areas.
Research limitations/implications
This study facilitated a deep dive into two evolving entrepreneurial micro-ecosystems (rural/urban) through the perspective of brewery startups. It illuminated the actors, conditions, and domains in play. Conceptualizations of “nestedness” (Spigel, 2022) with “microfoundations” (Wurth et al., 2022) integrated to see a specific sector (craft brewing) developing within a sub-ecosystem's capacity to help frame and “understand the co-evolution of agents with entrepreneurial ecosystems” (Cho et al., 2022). Additionally, antecedents to the birth of local economies suggest the value of agents involved in evolution of nascent local economies (Cho et al., 2022). These findings reinforce developing literature while presenting opportunities for future studies.
Social implications
Craft breweries in rural and urban environments represent third places within communities. Third places can be recognized as conduits for developing social capital among individuals, groups, and firms. High levels of social capital positively impact communities. These conditions helped anchor tenants thrive and did not occur accidently. They are intentional value propositions of entrepreneurs and ecosystem conditions.
Originality/value
Brewery entrepreneurs were aware of their contribution to social capital value, economic impact (e.g., tax revenue, jobs, space, attraction/destination, etc.), and how these facets interplay as revitalizing anchor tenants (i.e., craft breweries). Insight into how entrepreneurs come to understand and recognize their impact on community through social capital development and the economy can aid in further support ecosystems at the community level.
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Vickie Cox Edmondson, Mostaque A. Zebal, Faye Hall Jackson, Mohammad A. Bhuiyan and Jack Crumbly
The purpose of this paper is to set forth a conceptual model describing the actors and roles in ecosystems created to enable productive black entrepreneurship in the USA.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to set forth a conceptual model describing the actors and roles in ecosystems created to enable productive black entrepreneurship in the USA.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper provides a systematic literature review of entrepreneurship ecosystems. It further leverages such literature review by using an autoethnographic approach recommended by Guyotte and Kochacka (2016), drawing on the authors’ practical experience in studying, owning, educating or consulting employer businesses owned by persons of color in the USA and abroad.
Findings
Each actor in the ecosystem has practical wisdom and assets that can be shared and leveraged through interacting with the other actors either as role model institutions or capacity development institutions, thus mitigating social inequalities and boosting economic progress by extending entrepreneurial opportunities beyond those that are greatly resourced.
Research limitations/implications
Our literature review is based on selected samples of relevant articles on entrepreneurship ecosystem research and ethnic minority entrepreneurship, and thus, is not exhaustive. The selection was partly influenced by the authors’ opinion of whether a given study was relevant or not to a black entrepreneurship ecosystem. There is the possibility that some relevant studies were excluded. Thus, other actors are encouraged to revise or adapt this model to inform their distinct roles and goals.
Practical implications
The proposed model can help actors involved in the operation or support of a black-owned business make optimal business decisions, enabling each actor to be instrumental in another’s understanding of how to facilitate the success of black American entrepreneurs and business owners and thus, deploy marketing campaigns to boost the visibility and role of each actor. These campaigns play a role in their entrepreneurial marketing efforts.
Originality/value
Responding to Gines and Sampson’s (2020) call, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to explicitly provide a comprehensive black entrepreneurship ecosystem model that identifies the actors, roles and activities that can help black Americans address social inequalities that limit their ability to become a successful employer business. The proposed model may aid in deepening the theoretical discussion on entrepreneurial ecosystems and be of inspiration for the future works of scholars and practitioners interested in the entrepreneurship and marketing interface.
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Ioannis Sitaridis and Fotis Kitsios
Continuous advances in digital technology and business models digitalization have decisively altered the entrepreneurial landscape redefining the aims and the requirements of…
Abstract
Purpose
Continuous advances in digital technology and business models digitalization have decisively altered the entrepreneurial landscape redefining the aims and the requirements of entrepreneurial education to suit the new digital reality in entrepreneurship. The purpose of this study is to shed light in a neglected niche in the intersection between digital entrepreneurship (DE) and entrepreneurship education and outline DE education as field of research. Given that the interdisciplinary growth of DE research outpaces instructional designs in terms of required knowledge and skills, it is important to document how entrepreneurship education responds to the ongoing integration of emerging digital technologies with the entrepreneurial process. Moreover, the introduction of a DE education conceptual framework would facilitate the discussion on theoretical and practical implications and promote new conceptualizations in future research, new educational approaches and new curriculum designs.
Design/methodology/approach
A concept-driven, semi-structured developmental literature review methodology, based on grounded theory and reinforced with increased systemization, was used for the identification and analysis of peer-reviewed articles. Previous literature reviews were used to define the search keywords. The articles from three databases were carefully selected, based on protocol and strict eligibility criteria. The papers in the final set were classified in four primary dimensions, synthesized from several sub-streams of research. Each sub-stream highlighting a different view of DE education emerged through open, axial and selective coding of articles. The combined perspectives of these dimensions resulted in a new DE conceptual framework.
Findings
Thematic interrelation between the studies examined, revealed an ample view of the various schools of thought in the research field, offering also a better understanding on how entrepreneurial education addresses the practical requirements of digital entrepreneurship. A four dimensional conceptual framework produced highlights pedagogy and learning, success factors and barriers, behavioral approach and ecosystems as the current trends of research. Also, directions for future research are proposed.
Practical implications
The classification framework proposed can serve as a roadmap for entrepreneurship educators seeking efficient pedagogical practices focused on the transfer of knowledge and training on the new skills required by DE and motivate future researchers aiming to propose novel educational interventions.
Originality/value
Although digital entrepreneurship research has gained significant momentum in recent years, little attention is paid to its increased educational requirements. The body of knowledge develops in an uncontrolled and fragmented manner, and the systematic study of the field from an educational perspective was missing. This study offers a representative picture of the topic, highlights current trends of research, synthesizes literature from different disciplinary origins, provides linkages between unconnected streams of research and points out research gaps. Finally, it proposes a conceptual framework to circumscribe DE education as a field of study and serve as a basis to help future research move forward.
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To understand how narratives used by entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs) in Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem shape transitional entrepreneurs' social reality…
Abstract
Purpose
To understand how narratives used by entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs) in Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem shape transitional entrepreneurs' social reality. We offer theoretical and practical insights to elicit critical support, formulate policies and programs and guide ongoing empirical examination of transitional entrepreneurship.
Design/methodology/approach
We adopt a multi-case study approach, looking at two ESOs in Detroit: one focused on promoting high-growth entrepreneurship and securing financial capital for technology entrepreneurs, the other focused on promoting everyday entrepreneurship (especially among underserved communities) and amassing a more diverse array of resources. We conduct a thematic analysis of organizational texts and interview data with ESO leaders.
Findings
ESO narratives shape Detroit's transitional entrepreneurs by constructing entrepreneurs' social identity, orienting them to the ecosystem and envisioning a collective future in which transitional entrepreneurs are key.
Originality/value
This study offers insight into the definition of transitional entrepreneurs by extending existing conceptions by highlighting the role of institutional actors, like ESOs, and the narratives they adopt in shaping opportunities and challenges for transitional entrepreneurs. Moreover, we push the boundaries of transitional entrepreneurship, including technology start-up entrepreneurs in the definition and call attention to the role of transitional entrepreneurs in post-industrial cities by showcasing their role in community and urban development.
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Sumedha Weerasekara and Ramudu Bhanugopan
This study aims to investigate the impact of entrepreneurs’ decision-making styles on enterprise performance and suggests several entrepreneurial ecosystems – factors are…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the impact of entrepreneurs’ decision-making styles on enterprise performance and suggests several entrepreneurial ecosystems – factors are impacting this relationship. The authors extend this line of work by examining how regional entrepreneurial culture, educational institutional support and business and social networks mediating the relationship between entrepreneurs’ decision-making style and small medium enterprises (SME)s’ financial performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected through an e-survey of SME owners in New South Wales, Australia. This study developed a model combining a set of entrepreneurial ecosystem factors, entrepreneurs’ decision-making styles and SMEs’ financial performance. Data were analysed using partial least square structural equation modelling.
Findings
The results suggest regional entrepreneurial culture, educational institutional support and business and social networks mediate the relationship between entrepreneurs’ decision-making style and SMEs’ financial performance. Hence, this study developed a more complete methodical understanding of entrepreneurs’ decision-making styles and their impact on SMEs’ financial performance. This study provides deeper insights into the conditions and processes by which an entrepreneurs’ decision-making style impacts SMEs’ financial performance.
Originality/value
The focus of this study was to understand the relationship of entrepreneurs’ decision-making styles on SMEs’ financial performance. The authors identified that the entrepreneurs’ decision-making style positively impacts SMEs’ financial performance. This study augments the body of knowledge by proposing ways in how the entrepreneurs’ decision-making style can be more strengthened.
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