Theory and Practice Business Resource Materials

Entrepreneurship Law Editorial Team

Books

Joe Abraham, Entrepreneurial DNA: The Breakthrough Discovery That Aligns Your Business to Your Unique Strengths (2011).

Abstract (adapted from WorldCat.org): What's your entrepreneurial style? Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg, and Donald Trump may all be entrepreneurs, but that's where the similarities end. From business planning to finance to marketing, experts have taught that one entrepreneurial size fits all. But it's just not true. Entrepreneurial DNA proves the simple but critical fact that not all entrepreneurs have the same style -- and that discovering your personal strengths, interests, and goals is the key to success or failure. With this groundbreaking book, you'll learn how to assess your "entrepreneurial DNA" and put it to work for you. Are you a Builder? Opportunist? Specialist? Innovator? Using the "BOSI" process, discover your unique entrepreneurial profile, enabling you to create a solid business.

Zoltan J. Acs, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, GROWTH AND PUBLIC POLICY: PRELUDE TO A KNOWLEDGE SPILLOVER THEORY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP (2010).

Abstract (from review at Amazon.com):  This book contains a set of papers by leading scholars explaining why entrepreneurship matters. By focusing on the role of entrepreneurship in innovation and economic growth and on how public policy can support this role, this book provides an overview and insights.

Zoltan  J. Acs & David B. Audretsch, HANDBOOK OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP RESEARCH (2005).

Abstract:   The book brings together leading scholars from various disciplines to provide an overview of entrepreneurship when viewed through the lens provided by the academic disciplines and also synthesizes what has been learned and what questions remain for future research.

Scott D. Anthony et al, INNOVATOR'S GUIDE TO GROWTH: PUTTING DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION TO WORK (2008).

Abstract (from publisher):   More than a decade ago, Clayton Christensen's breakthrough book The Innovator's Dilemma illustrated how disruptive innovations drive industry transformation and market creation. Christensen's research demonstrated how growth-seeking incumbents must develop the capability to deflect disruptive attacks and seize disruptive opportunities. In The Innovator's Guide to Growth, Scott Anthony, Mark Johnson, Joseph Sinfield, and Elizabeth Altman take the subject to the next level: implementation. The authors explain how to create this crucial capability for unlocking disruption's transformational power. With a foreword by Christensen, this book provides a set of market-proven tools and approaches to innovation that have been honed through fieldwork with innovative companies like Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Pepsi, Intel, Motorola, SAP, and Cisco Systems. The book shows you how to: Follow a market-proven process -- so your company can reliably create blockbuster businesses Create structures, systems, and metrics -- so the disruptive innovations that will power your firm's future growth receive the funding and personnel needed to succeed Create a common language of disruptive innovation -- so managers can reach consensus around counterintuitive courses of action Incisive and practical, this book helps your company take the steps necessary to benefit from disruption -- instead of being eclipsed by it.

Colin Barrow, GET BACKED, GET BIG, GET BOUGHT: PLAN YOUR START-UP WITH THE END IN MIND (2009).

Abstract (from product description at Barnes & Noble.com):  Explains the defining difference between creating big value and no value business ideas. How equity capital can play a key role in leveraging successful businesses, and how not having enough can strangle the business at birth. How to increase the value of the business using sustainable and continuous growth strategies, and the importance of good profit margins and cash generation. Tricks of the trade to dress the business for sale.

Colin Barrow, Gerard Burke, David Molian & Robert Brown, ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT: THE CHALLENGES OF STARTING, GROWING AND SELLING BUSINESSES (2004).

Abstract (from product description at Amazon.com):  Aimed at students of small business management and enterprise development interested in or planning to start their own business, and at owner/managers of existing businesses, this book offers a detailed insight into key challenges to be faced, explains solutions to those challenges, and maps out a route to success. The three section framework addresses all the key issues involved in creating a professional and successful firm, looking at: the challenges of starting a business; the challenges of growing a business; and, finally, the challenges of deciding whether to sell or re-invest in the business. The book is written in an accessible style, pitched perfectly for its audience, and introduces theory for the purposes of practical implementation. An excellent range of pedagogy supports the text including many case examples to illustrate key points. Companies featured include: Cobra Beer, Moonpig, Hotel Chocolat and Fitness Express.

J.R. Bessant & Joseph Tidd, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2d ed. 2011).

Abstract (adapted from publisher): Developed specifically for undergraduate students, Innovation and Entrepreneurship is an accessible, introductory text written primarily for those studying business and management but also engineering and science degrees with management courses. The book features contemporary applications such as services (public and private), innovation for sustainability, social entrepreneurship, innovation for development, and creating and capturing value from innovation and entrepreneurship. In this second edition the authors develop an explicit process model of entrepreneurship with clearer links between innovation and entrepreneurship.

Gaurab Bhardwaj et al., THE SEARCH PROCESS AND DIMENSIONS OF LONG - TERM GROWTH, in INNOVATING STRATEGY PROCESS  (S. W. Floyd, ed., 2005).

Abstract (from publisher):   This book presents a series of reflective essays by established and emerging scholars on the subject of innovation, considering it both as an outcome of strategy and as a process in itself.  It offers new conceptual frameworks for analyzing and designing strategy process and addresses topics such as play as the means and art as the impetus for strategy-making; the role of emotion in new venture decision-making; and science and entrepreneurship as a source of innovative strategies. It also signals the future direction of the field.

Paul Burns, Entrepreneurship and Small Business: Start-up, Growth and Maturity (3d ed. 2011).

Abstract (adapted from Amazon.com): This book examines how firms develop from start-up, both tracing growth and exploring failure. It studies entrepreneurs - what motivates them, how they manage and lead, and how certain defining characteristics they possess can help shape the businesses they run. The book outlines good management practice for students and encourages and develops entrepreneurial skills. This book’s comprehensive coverage includes accounting control and decision-making, as well as chapters on family businesses, corporate, international and social entrepreneurship. Case insights, long case studies and discussion scenarios are used to practically demonstrate how concepts are implemented in successful small and growing companies. Burns' text is ideal for undergraduates, MBA students, and students taking specialist postgraduate modules on Entrepreneurship, Enterprise, Small Business Management and New Venture Creation within business and management courses.

Clayton M. Christensen et  al., DISRUPTING CLASS: HOW DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION WILL CHANGE THE WAY THE WORLD LEARNS (2008).

Abstract (from publisher):   According to recent studies in neuroscience, the way we learn doesn't always match up with the way we are taught. If we hope to stay competitive-academically, economically, and technologically-we need to rethink our understanding of intelligence, reevaluate our educational system, and reinvigorate our commitment to learning. In other words, we need “disruptive innovation.”

Clayton M. Christensen et al., SEEING WHAT'S NEXT: USING THEORIES OF INNOVATION TO PREDICT INDUSTRY CHANGE (2004).

Abstract (from publisher):   When a disruptive innovation is launched, it changes the entire industry and every firm operating within it.  This book argues that it is possible to predict which companies will win and which will lose in a specific situation—and provides a practical framework for doing so. Most books on innovation—including Christensen’s previous two books—approached innovation from the inside-out, showing firms how they can create innovations inside their own companies. This book is written from an “outside-in” perspective, showing how executives, investors, and analysts can assess the impact of a new innovation on the firms they have a vested interest in.

Clayton M. Christensen & Michael E. Raynor, THE INNOVATOR'S SOLUTION: CREATING AND SUSTAINING SUCCESSFUL GROWTH (2003).

Abstract (from publisher):   In this shows that innovation is not nearly as random and unpredictable as managers have come to believe. While the outcomes of the innovation process have seemed random—such as superior innovations that tank and unlikely products that take off—the process itself, that is, the forces that shape and package innovations within companies, is very predictable. Christensen and Raynor demystify this process and explain how managers can greatly increase the odds of successful growth.

Clayton M. Christensen, THE INNOVATOR'S DILEMMA: WHEN NEW TECHNOLOGIES CAUSE GREAT FIRMS TO FAIL (2003).

Abstract (from publisher):  Revised, updated, and with a new chapter, this book continues to take the radical position that great companies can fail precisely because they do everything right. It demonstrates why outstanding companies lose their market leadership when confronted with disruptive technology--and it explains how to avoid a similar fate. Drawing on insights from a number of industries--such as the computer and disk drive industries, discount retailing, minimills, pharmaceuticals, and the automobile industry--Christensen shows why good management often turns out to be all wrong--and what to do about it.

Robert G. Cooper, WINNING AT NEW PRODUCTS (3d ed. 2001).

Abstract (from publisher): For over a decade, Winning at New Products has served as the bible for product developers everywhere. In this fully updated and expanded edition, Robert Cooper demonstrates with compelling evidence why consistent product development is so vital to corporate growth and how to maximize your chances of success. By any measure, most product concepts never make it to market, and of those that do, most fail. Winning at New Products cites the most recent research and showcases innovative practices at such industry leaders as 3M, Exxon Chemical, and Guinness to present a field-tested game plan for achieving product leadership. Cooper outlines specific strategies for assessing risk, marshalling the appropriate resources, engaging customers in the pre-development discovery phase, evaluating your project portfolio, ensuring true cross-functional collaboration, and, most importantly, applying a rigorous process for making sound business decisions at every step-from idea generation to launch.

Robert G. Cooper & Scott J. Edgett, GENERATING BREAKTHROUGH NEW PRODUCT IDEAS (2007).

Abstract (from publisher): This ideation book explains how to ‘feed’ your innovation funnel with a steady stream of breakthrough new product ideas. Through numerous examples of the methods, approaches and techniques being used by leading companies such as Motorola and Procter and Gamble. The authors confirm the importance of a robust Discovery Stage and illustrate how to implement such a system.  Discover how leading companies feed their Idea-To-Launch Process with a steady stream of blockbuster new product ideas from internal and external sources. Also, learn the pros and cons of the top ideation methods including: voice of customer, peripheral vision, immersion, open innovation, disruptive technologies, brainstorming, fundamental research and more.

Robert G. Cooper & Scott J. Edgett, LEAN, RAPID AND PROFITABLE NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT (2005).

Abstract (from publisher): Many companies have introduced product innovation processes; however they are still struggling to achieve the financial results they expect. This easy-to-read book focuses on innovation productivity and illustrates how to identify waste, streamline the product development process, remove bureaucracy and improve profits. It illustrates the 7 principles of lean, rapid and profitable new product development.

Robert G. Cooper & Scott J. Edgett, PRODUCT LEADERSHIP: PATHWAYS TO PROFITABLE INNOVATION (2d ed. 2004).

Abstract (from publisher):  Most businesses fall short of the new product performance achieved by leading firms by a factor of 2 times or more. It’s no accident that top performers consistently win at new products. The top 20% of companies earn twice as much for their money. Their success rate in product innovation is closer to 80% while the bottom 20% of companies is closer to 38%.

Robert G. Cooper & Scott J. Edgett, BEST PRACTICES IN PRODUCT INNOVATION: WHAT DISTINGUISHES TOP PERFORMERS (2003).

Abstract (from publisher):   Top performing companies derive 43% of their profits from new products; average companies derive only 28%. In this ground-breaking research study, experts Dr. Robert Cooper and Dr. Scott Edgett together with the American Productivity and Quality Center, explore what the top performers are doing differently. The study examines 17 best-practice areas ranging from new product strategy through to climate and culture and identifies the practices which make the greatest impact on product innovation performance.

Simon Down, ENTERPRISE, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SMALL BUSINESS (2010).

Product Description (from Amazon):  This textbook covers core themes and topics in the study of enterprise, as well as looking at subjects that are often ignored, from criminal entrepreneurs and the demise of Enron, to innovation and technology and ethnic and indigenous entrepreneurship. Supported by lively case studies, real-life examples, this interactive exploration moves beyond the narrow, prescriptive focus on the ‘how’ employed by other textbooks, and places equal emphasis on the ‘why’ – all the time considering the role of enterprise, entrepreneurship and small business in the world we live in.

Peter F. Drucker, INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (1995).

Abstract (from publisher):   This is the first book to present innovation and entrepreneurship as a purposeful and systematic discipline that explains and analyzes the challenges and opportunities of America's new entrepreneurial economy. Superbly practical, Innovation and Entrepreneurship explains what established businesses, public service institutions, and new ventures need to know and do to succeed in today's economy.

The Entrepreneur: Classic Texts by Joseph A. Schumpeter (Thorbjorn Knudsen et al. eds., 2011).

Abstract (adapted from Amazon.com): Joseph Schumpeter is seen as the foremost theoretician of entrepreneurship. In addition, Schumpeter, whose "creative destruction" is as famous as Milton Friedman's "there is no free lunch," is increasingly recognized as a major economist, often given the same stature as John Maynard Keynes.

Schumpeter spent the last twenty years of his life as a Professor of Economics at Harvard University. English-speaking readers may be familiar with some of his works, especially The Theory of Economic Development and the classic Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy. However, very few of Schumpeter's key texts on the entrepreneur and entrepreneurship have been available in English.

This anthology contains several newly translated texts and puts together, for the very first time, all of Schumpeter's writings on the entrepreneur and entrepreneurship. English-speaking readers will now be able to access the entire palette of Schumpeter's work and to follow the evolution of his ideas over time.

The volume begins with an introduction that points readers to the most important aspects of the works presented. The introduction also attempts to go beyond Schumpeter's ideas, drawing on his basic intuitions of entrepreneurship to share a couple of key notions: that entrepreneurship consists of a new combination of already existing elements in the economy and that the entrepreneur has to break through resistance to the new idea, in him or herself as well as in others.

Entrepreneurship, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Macroeconomy  (Zolton J. Acs et al. eds., 2011).

Abstract (from Amazon.com Product Description): Why has the United States economy successfully moved beyond its chief competitors? This collection suggests that at least some of the answers to the pattern of divergent development can be found in the role of the entrepreneur. By examining the process that new firms and entrepreneurs play in the economy, the essays in this volume make a fundamental contribution to our understanding of the macroeconomy. The public policy implications of this process are clear. Countries that encourage entrepreneurship and free entry will have better macroeconomic performance than those that retard it.

Richard N. Foster & Sarah Kaplan, CREATIVE DESTRUCTION: WHY COMPANIES THAT ARE BUILT TO LAST UNDERPERFORM THE MARKET -- AND HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY TRANSFORM THEM (2003).

Abstract (from publisher):  This book offers a radical new proposition: The most exceptional, enduring corporations cannot continue to beat the capital markets indefinitely. In order to continue to maintain excellence and remain competitive, they must adopt the dynamic strategies of discontinuity and creative destruction.

Richard N. Foster, INNOVATION: THE ATTACKER'S ADVANTAGE (1986).

Abstract (from publisher):  This book analyzes why some companies abruptly lose their markets to new competitors and how other companies have avoided this fate. Foster believes that the way companies handle innovation dictates how well they will succeed. He believes that technological discontinuities will increase and that because existing firms are so wedded to technologies which are being pushed to the limit, new firms (the attackers) have an advantage over the established firms. Filled with examples and brief case histories, this work is a good discussion of the importance of innovation for both established and new companies.

Eric Gedajlovic & Shaker A. Zahra, Entrepreneurship, Organizational Learning, and Capability Building, in Innovating Strategy Process (Steve W. Floyd et al eds., 2005).

Abstract (from publisher): Innovating Strategy Process presents a series of reflective essays by established and emerging scholars on the subject of innovation, considering it both as an outcome of strategy and as a process in itself.  Contains new ideas and rich case descriptions that will trigger creative thinking about how to design a more innovative strategy process.  Offers new conceptual frameworks for analyzing and designing strategy process.  Addresses cutting-edge topics, such as play as the means and art as the impetus for strategy-making; the role of emotion in new venture decision-making; and science and entrepreneurship as a source of innovative strategies.  Signals the future direction of the field.

Scott Gerber, Never Get a Real Job: How to Dump Your Boss, Build a Business and Not Go Broke (2010).

Abstract (adapted from Amazon.com): Serial entrepreneur Scott Gerber is not the product of a wealthy family or storied entrepreneurial heritage. Nor is he the outcome of a traditional business school education or a corporate executive turned entrepreneur. Rather, he is a hard-working, self-taught 26-year-old hustler, rainmaker, and bootstrapper who has survived and thrived despite never having held the proverbial "real” job.

In Never Get a "Real" Job: How to Dump Your Boss, Build a Business, and Not Go Broke, Gerber challenges the social conventions behind the "real" job and empowers young people to take control of their lives and dump their nine-to-fives—or their quest to attain them.

Drawing upon case studies, experiences, and observations, Scott dissects failures, shares hard-learned lessons, and presents practical, affordable, and systematic action steps to building, managing, and marketing a successful business on a shoestring budget.

Handbook of Research on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (David B. Audretsch et al. eds. 2011).

Abstract (adapted from Amazon.com): This path-breaking Handbook analyses the foundations, social desirability, institutions and geography of innovation and entrepreneurship. Leading researchers use their outstanding expertise to investigate various aspects in the context of innovation and entrepreneurship such as growth, knowledge production and spillovers, technology transfer, the organization of the firm, industrial policy, financing, small firms and start-ups, and entrepreneurship education as well as the characteristics of the entrepreneur. There is much in this Handbook that will prove to be informative and stimulating, especially for academics and post-graduate students in economics and management. Those starting a PhD in innovation or entrepreneurship will find this book essential reading.

Robert D. Hisrich, Michael P. Peters & Dean A. Shepherd, Entrepreneurship (8th rev. ed. 2010).

Abstract (from Amazon Product Description): The 8th Edition of Entrepreneurship by Robert Hisrich, Michael Peters and Dean Shepherd has been designed to clearly instruct students on the process of formulating, planning, and implementing a new venture. Students are exposed to detailed descriptions of 'how to' embark on a new venture in a logical manner. Comprehensive cases at the end of the text have been hand-picked by the authors to go hand-in-hand with chapter concepts. The superb author team of Hisrich, Peters, and Shepherd draw from their distinct backgrounds to create a book that addresses the dynamics of today's entrepreneurial challenges. From Bob Hisrich's expertise in global entrepreneurship to Mike Peter's background as a both a real-life entrepreneur and academic to Dean Shepherd's current research on cognition and entrepreneurial mindset, this book balances the crucial line between modern theory and practice.

Jerome A. Katz, CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP (ADVANCES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP, FIRM EMERGENCE AND GROWTH (Dean A. Shepherd & Jerome A. Katz eds. 2004).

Abstract: With an established body of literature on innovation and corporate entrepreneurship, this volume of "Advances in Entrepreneurship, Firm Emergence and Growth" turns to some of the leading and most promising scholars in the field to map out where we have been and provide some direction on where scholarship on this topic should proceed in the future. Topics include: a review of theory, research, and practice on corporate entrepreneurship and the behavior of managers; the central problems of managing innovation and corporate entrepreneurship and the central problems of longitudinal research on the topic; the different theoretical lens for investigating corporate entrepreneurship and the resulting research possibilities; a general systems perspective for exploring the relationship among strategy-structure-performance and corporate entrepreneurship; and international corporate entrepreneurship in terms of a knowledge-based source of competitive advantage and implications for a model of human resource management. This volume also continues the discussion of previous volumes with a provocative discussion of how to advance the field of entrepreneurship by Bill Gartner and a commentary and response to work on a signal detection theory approach to entrepreneurship.

Donna J. Kelley, Beyond the Champion-Centric View: A Systems-Level Perspective on Innovation-Based Corporate Entrepreneurship, in Handbook of Corporate Entrepreneurship (Shaker A. Zahra ed., 2006).

Abstract (from publisher): This book is particularly useful for academics and doctoral students who are trying to research corporate entrepreneurship at the frontiers of knowledge. It is also desirable reading for teachers of corporate entrepreneurship who wish to access and incorporate material that goes beyond the basics.

Donna J. Kelley & Edward Marram, Entrepreneurial Growth in William D. Bygrave & Andrew L. Zacharakis, Entrepreneurship (2006).

Abstract (from publisher):  Written by one of the biggest names in the field, this book will arm readers with the knowledge to turn inspiration into results. It explores the trials and tribulations of entrepreneurship so that readers will have the necessary tools to start their own businesses. Critical steps are explained in an engaging style that helps make complex issues easy to understand.  Integrates case studies throughout the chapters to show readers how the information is applied in the real world.  Outlines successes as well as failures to paint a realistic picture of the difficulties involved in starting a business.  Discusses how to recognize opportunities and formulate a winning strategy.  Explains how to create a business plan and build pro forma financial statements  Covers how to acquire equity financing and getting access to funds.

Thomas Kelley & Jonathan Littman, The THE TEN FACES OF INNOVATION: IDEO'S STRATEGIES FOR DEFEATING THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE AND DRIVING CREATIVITY THROUGHOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION (2005).

Abstract (from publisher): Kelley's latest builds on The Art of Innovation, which celebrated the work culture that distinguishes his high-profile, award-winning industrial design firm, IDEO. This book covers much of the same territory, but focuses on the type of worker and team-building rather than the work environment. The authors define 10 personas, including Anthropologists, who contribute insights by observing human behavior; Experimenters, who try new things; Hurdlers, who surmount obstacles; Collaborators, who bring people together and get things done; and Caregivers, who anticipate and meet customer needs. Like its predecessor, the book is breezy and well written, with plenty of self-promotion. Kelley and Littman weave classic and recent stories of business innovation, such as 3M's Scotch tape, Volvo's three-point seatbelts and Netflix's mail-in DVDs, with IDEO's own success stories with clients ranging from the Boston Beer Company, for whom IDEO designed a new Sam Adams tap handle, to Organ Recovery Systems, for whom IDEO helped develop ways to expedite kidney transport.

Thomas Kelley, THE ART OF INNOVATION (2002).

Abstract (from publisher):  Routine is the enemy of innovation," declares Kelley, general manager of IDEO, in this lively and practical guide to nurturing that elusive quality in all organizations. Dubbed "Innovation U." by Fortune and lauded as "the world's most celebrated design firm" by Fast Company, IDEO, through its work on over 3,000 new product programs, has developed a system for staying on the creative cutting edge while keeping clients happy. Kelley handily parses the components of this system--understanding the market, observing real-life users, brainstorming new concepts and developing and refining prototypes on a tight schedule to come up with a commercial product--with examples from the development of such pathbreaking products as the original Apple mouse and the Palm Pilot V. Kelley vividly conveys how "hot teams," assembled for specific projects with concrete goals and deadlines, are the foundation of IDEO's performance-based reputation. While he recognizes that not every organization is a hip design firm, Kelley believes that all organizations can gain an edge by innovating; among the successes he cites are Amazon, Igloo, Shoebox Greetings and Sephora. IDEO has learned and profited from maxims like "Fail often to succeed sooner." Many who previously feared change may answer his unpretentious call to "Start by following your customer journey, breaking it down into component elements, and asking yourself how you can deliver a better experience.

Bruce A. Kirchhoff & Wayne A. Long, Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research (1988).

Abstract (from Babson College website): Founded by Babson College in 1981, BCERC is considered by many to be the premier entrepreneurship research conference in the world.  Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research contains the proceedings of the conference and is the most comprehensive collection of empirical research papers on entrepreneurship.

Norris Krueger, Entrepreneurship, Critical Perspectives on Business and Management (2002).

Abstract (from Amazon Product Description): This new collection provides a much needed retrospective view of the key academic work published in this area. The papers here highlight the importance of studying entrepreneurship from a wide range of perspectives, including research that derives from economics, history, sociology, psychology and from different business disciplinary bases such as marketing, finance and strategy. The overall focus in this set is on "entrepreneurial" activity, rather than specifically small or family-owned business and favours research articles over those that deal purely with practice.

Donald F. Kuratko & Richard M. Hodgetts,  ENTREPRENEURSHIP: THEORY, PROCESS, PRACTICE (7th ed. 2006).

Abstract:  This market leader was the first of its kind to cover entrepreneurship in one entire text. Its practical step-by-step approach helps develop entrepreneurial skills.

Alice H. Magos, BUSINESS PLANS THAT WORK: FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS (2008).

Abstract (from product description at Amazon.com): The essential elements of a professional business plan have been updated in accordance with new laws and regulations in this revised guide that translates complicated marketing and financial concepts into down-to-earth, practical advice. Five updated sample business plans are included with instructions that provide a wealth of detailed information about the operation of a successful small business. Plans are presented for simple one-person operations, as well as for corporations with many employees. Aspiring business owners can learn how to create a professional plan, describe the mission and objectives, analyze the competition, target market, create sales and marketing plans, generate financial statements, and use the business plan as a management tool long after it is completed.

Ayala Malakh-Pines & Mustafa Ozbilgin, Handbook of Research on High-Technology Entrepreneurs (2010).

Abstract (adapted from Amazon.com): This handbook presents an extensive overview of empirical and conceptual developments in the study of high-tech entrepreneurs from an interdisciplinary and multinational perspective. The expert contributors explore various conceptual frameworks and definitions of high-tech entrepreneurs and of the entrepreneurial process based on studies in different settings and contexts. They examine issues of equality, diversity and inclusion in terms of gender and class. The handbook investigates strategies for empowering high-tech entrepreneurs, ranging from structural conditions and support mechanisms afforded by state and institutional actors, to individual mechanisms used by serial entrepreneurs to avoid burnout. Including unique perspectives on theory and research, this handbook will make a rigorous and innovative contribution to academics, students and researchers' understanding of high-tech entrepreneurs.

Heidi Mason & Tim Rohner, THE VENTURE IMPERATIVE: A NEW MODEL FOR CORPORATE INNOVATION (2002).

Abstract (from publisher): Venturing must be viewed as a core element of corporate strategy. Heidi Mason and Tim Rohner--leading voices in new venture tactics--argue that a company that fails to venture risks irrelevance, stagnation, and eventual demise. They prove that corporate venturing in the post-bubble economy is an opportunity to bridge corporate and venture innovation intelligently and gain the very best of both. In The Venture Imperative, Mason and Rohner uncover the science behind successful corporate venturing. The first challenge for today's businesses, they point out, is to look beyond current business models and establish a process, organization, and entrepreneurial portfolio--prescribed in this book--that allows investment in and incubation of new ventures to be a seamless piece of the overall corporate palette, adding measurable value to the bottom line. This book also describes how the Bell-Mason Diagnostic--an objective, multidimensional examination and scoring system--can be used as an assessment tool measuring and guiding successful corporate venturing.

Ronald K. Mitchell & Richard N. Dino, In Search of Research Excellence: Exemplars in Entrepreneurship (2011).

Abstract (adapted from Amazon.com): This book gathers 'best practices' advice from the masters about how to achieve excellence in entrepreneurship research, how to create an outstanding research career and how to avoid the pitfalls that can sidetrack emerging scholars. Combining narratives from the 2009 and 2010 Entrepreneurship Exemplars Conferences, the authors frame the dialogue using person-environment fit theory and present keynote addresses and dialogue sessions that bring together editors and authors to reach into the unexplored corners of the top-tier research craft. This book makes explicit the tacit knowledge of top-tier research, giving all readers access to 'how-to' advice from research-craft masters. This guidebook offers a clear portrayal of the realities of progress milestones within a top-tier research career and is a must-read for all emerging scholars - in entrepreneurship and beyond. This entrepreneurship research best-practices book using the words of the masters is ideally suited to graduate students and their advisors, university administrators, potential and up-and-coming academics and policy makers across many social science disciplines and interests.

Dave Pollard, FINDING THE SWEET SPOT: THE NATURAL ENTREPRENEUR'S GUIDE TO RESPONSIBLE, SUSTAINABLE, JOYFUL WORK (2008).

Abstract:  According to the author, too many individuals hesitate in creating a business in line with their goals, skills and values out of fear or a lack of self-confidence or funds. Pollard argues that entrepreneurship need not imply stress or risk, and he coaches readers through the process of identifying their passion, choosing the right collaborators and discovering unmet needs in the marketplace. Helpful charts and exercises guide the reader in finding where their purpose, passions and gifts intersect; and bite-sized case studies of entrepreneur success studies abound and help illustrate his points. Along the way, Pollard warns against settling for work that is anything less than satisfying. The ideal job—what he calls natural enterprise or the sweet spot—is an innovative business that touches people's lives. Pollard gives an insightful overview of the entrepreneurial process, and the book itself stands testament to the success of the author's methods.

Public Policy in an Entrepreneurial Economy: Creating the Conditions for Business Growth (Zoltan J. Acs & Robert R. Stough eds., 2008). 

Abstract (from Amazon Product Description): This unique volume presents policy recommendations designed to promote entrepreneurship. It considers timely issues like impact of securities regulation, educational policy and intellectual property protection on entrepreneurship. In the process, the book addresses policies operating at the individual, national, regional, and international levels, and offers a unique perspective on several institutional structures that enhance entrepreneurship and economic growth.

Paul D. Reynolds, National PSED of U. S. business start-ups: Background and methodology in 4 ADVANCES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP, FIRM EMERGENCE, AND GROWTH 153-227 (Jerome A. Katz, ed., 2000).

Abstract:  Papers reporting on the structure, utilization and analytic concerns arising from the use of the major datasets in small business and entrepreneurship research including: the National Federation of Independent Businesses surveys, US Small Business Administration datasets, the General Social Survey, the US Current Population Surveys, the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, and many others from around the world.

Paul D. Reynolds & Sammis B. White, THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PROCESS (1997).

Abstract (from publisher):  Entrepreneurship is an extremely important, but little understood, component of the U.S. economy. This book aids that understanding by exploring the challenges and outcomes of the start-up phases of new firms. This is the first detailed, large-scale, longitudinally-based analysis of the entrepreneurial process. Three representative samples of new firms and two representative samples of nascent entrepreneurs (those attempting to start new firms) are used to consider a variety of factors that affect successful completion of the major transitions in the life of new businesses: conception, birth, and early development (survival and growth). Surprisingly, a substantial minority of start-ups become operational new firms. Among the many lessons the authors learn are that although new firm growth appears to reflect many factors, initial size is of special consequence. Not only are many general insights for entrepreneurs revealed, but the authors also pay special attention to the involvement of women and minorities in entrepreneurship and suggest effective government policy for different stages in the entrepreneurial process.

Michael Roberts, Howard Stevenson, William Sahlman and Paul Marshall, NEW BUSINESS VENTURES AND THE ENTREPRENEUR (6^th ed., 2006)

Abstract (from publisher): This book stands out as a text designed to guide tomorrow’s entrepreneurs down the difficult road ahead. Specifically, the Roberts team addresses the entrepreneur before, during and after the decision to create a new venture. Entrepreneurs need to realize that they are assuming a managerial role- both in a product and people sense. New Business Ventures,  will leave students with the skills needed to grasp and implement the general managerial responsibilities required to be a successful entrepreneur. The text provides an innovative approach to teaching the core general management skills via the lens of the entrepreneur. The course upon which this book is based is now the new core required course in general management at Harvard Business School.  

Rob Ryan & Phaedra Hise, Entrepreneur America: Lessons From Inside Rob Ryan’s High-Tech Start-Up Boot Camp (2001).

Abstract (from Amazon.com Review): With $2.5 million in venture capital, Rob Ryan founded a tech company that sold for $22 billion 10 years later. He now operates a "boot camp" in rural Montana for wannabes from promising start-ups interested in following in his footsteps. In Entrepreneur America, he shares personal experiences along with lessons learned from his mentoring program of the same name. Chapters titled with Silicon Valley slang (like "Do the Dogs Like the Dog Food?" and "Sucking the Air out of the Room") help readers assess their readiness to meet with venture capitalists, determine whether consumers really need what they're offering, examine core competencies and market position, measure how the product or service matches the intended audience, and compile a winning business plan. Two additional chapters focus on "how to become number one and stay number one" by managing and hiring effectively, dealing with directors, and handling other responsibilities that become critical once an idea gets off the ground. Ryan shows how some of the 50-plus concepts that passed through his program proceeded afterwards, and includes exercises and other tools for those hoping to replicate their victories and avoid their mistakes. The result should prove practical and inspiring for anyone shaping a new business in today's increasingly demanding environment.

Norman M. Scarborough, Essentials of Entrepreneurship & Small Business Management (6th ed. 2010).

Abstract (from Amazon Product Description): This text provides the knowledge and tools readers need to launch a business so that it has the greatest chance for success. For any person interested in owning, operating, and managing a small business. This text is also a useful reference for entrepreneurs and managers of small businesses.

Self-Employment Learning Project, MICROENTERPRISE ASSISTANCE: WHAT ARE WE LEARNING ABOUT RESULTS? (1995).

Abstract: Provides information in bullet format on key findings from research conducted by the Self-Employment Learning Project

Joel M. Shulman, GETTING BIGGER BY GROWING SMALLER (2003).

Abstract:  This book introduces a  business model called the Strategic Entrepreneurial Unit (SEU).  The authors demonstrate how to build new employee/entrepreneur-led startups within the corporation--entities that can take on new market opportunities and deliver startup-level growth. This book provides practical methods for identifying, creating, and implementing smaller units within large organizations to enable growth beyond the barriers of the corporate life cycle.

Peter Skarzynski & Rowan Gibson,  INNOVATION TO THE CORE: A BLUEPRINT FOR TRANSFORMING THE WAY YOUR COMPANY INNOVATES (2008).

Abstract (from publisher):  This book shares the accumulated wisdom from Strategos--the consulting firm Skarzynski co-founded with Gary Hamel that helps clients instill innovation into their very core. Drawing on a wealth of stories and examples, the book shows how companies of every stripe have overcome the barriers to successful, profitable innovation. You'll find parts devoted to crucial topics--such as how to organize the discovery process, generate strategic insights, enlarge your innovation pipeline, and maximize your return on innovation. Frequent hands-on tools--frameworks, checklists, probing questions--help you put the book's ideas into action.

Daniel F. Spulber, THE THEORY OF THE FIRM: MICROECONOMICS WITH ENDOGENOUS ENTREPRENEURS, FIRMS, MARKETS, AND ORGANIZATIONS (2009).

Abstract (from product description at Amazon.com):  The Theory of the Firm presents a path-breaking general framework for understanding the economics of the firm. The book addresses why firms exist, how firms are established, and what contributions firms make to the economy. The book presents a new theoretical analysis of the foundations of microeconomics that makes institutions endogenous. Entrepreneurs play a central economic role by establishing firms. In turn, firms create and operate markets and organizations. The book provides innovative models of economic equilibrium that endogenously determine the structure and function of economic institutions. The book proposes an "intermediation hypothesis" - the establishment of firms depends on the effects of transaction costs and on the extent of the market.

Mark Stefik & Barbara Stefik, BREAKTHROUGH: STORIES AND STRATEGIES OF RADICAL INNOVATION (2004).

Abstract (from publisher): Since the late 1990s, technology markets have declined dramatically. Responding to the changing business climate, companies use strategies of open innovation: acquiring technologies from outside, marketing their technologies to other companies, and outsourcing manufacturing. But open innovation is not enough; it is mainly a way to run a business to its endgame. By itself, open innovation results in razor-thin profits from products that compete as commodities. Businesses also need a path to renewal. No one ever achieved a breakthrough with open innovation  Our capacity for creating breakthroughs depends on a combination of science, imagination, and business; the next great waves of innovation will come from organizations that get this combination right. During periods of rapid economic growth, companies and investors focus on the short term and forget where breakthroughs come from. Without appropriate engagement and reinvestment, the innovation ecology breaks down. Today, universities, technology companies, government funding agencies, venture capitalists, and corporate research laboratories need to foster the conditions in which breakthroughs arise.

Howard H. Stevenson & William A. Stahlman, ENTREPRENEURSHIP: WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO TEACH IT (1987).

Jeffry A. Timmons et al., BUSINESS PLANS THAT WORK: A GUIDE FOR SMALL BUSINESS (2004).

Abstract (from publisher):  Today's top experts in entrepreneurship deliver a streamlined, step-by-step guide for crafting effective business plans ""Timmons is one of the two most powerful minds in entrepreneurship in the nation."" --Success Business Plans That Work arms entrepreneurs and small business owners with an easy-to-follow template for writing persuasive business plans, along with proven models that can be used to analyze potential business opportunities from initial idea to viable venture. This value-packed book will show both entrepreneurs and current business owners how to: Determine what to include in each plan, why, and for whom Recognize and avoid common pitfalls in the process Use the renowned ""Timmons Model"" to analyze potential business opportunities.

Jeffrey A. Timmons & Stephen Spinelli, NEW VENTURE CREATION: ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR THE 21ST CENTURY (7th ed. 2007).

Abstract: This book elaborates on the "Timmons Model of the Entrepreneurial Process." It covers the process of getting a new venture started, growing the venture, and successfully harvesting it. Through text, case studies, and hands-on exercises, this how-to text guides students in discovering the concepts of entrepreneurship and the competencies, skills, tools, and experience to equip students to successfully launch a new venture and recognize entrepreneurial opportunities.

Shaker A. Zahra, et al., International Corporate Entrepreneurship and the Evolution of Organizational Competence: A Knowledge-Based Perspective, in Corporate Entrepreneurship (7 Advances in Entrepreneurship, Firm Emergence and Growth) (Dean A. Shepherd & Jerome A. Katz eds., 2004).

Abstract (from publisher):  With an established body of literature on innovation and corporate entrepreneurship, this volume of "Advances in Entrepreneurship, Firm Emergence and Growth" turns to some of the leading and most promising scholars in the field to map out where we have been and provide some direction on where scholarship on this topic should proceed in the future. Topics include: a review of theory, research, and practice on corporate entrepreneurship and the behavior of managers; the central problems of managing innovation and corporate entrepreneurship and the central problems of longitudinal research on the topic; the different theoretical lens for investigating corporate entrepreneurship and the resulting research possibilities; a general systems perspective for exploring the relationship among strategy-structure-performance and corporate entrepreneurship; and international corporate entrepreneurship in terms of a knowledge-based source of competitive advantage and implications for a model of human resource management. This volume also continues the discussion of previous volumes with a provocative discussion of how to advance the field of entrepreneurship by Bill Gartner and a commentary and response to work on a signal detection theory approach to entrepreneurship.

Thomas W. Zimmerer, Norman M. Scarborough & Doug Wilson, ESSENTIALS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT (6th ed. 2010).

Abstract (from product description at Amazon.com):  This text provides the knowledge and tools readers need to launch a business so that it has the greatest chance for success. Topics include: the foundations of entrepreneurship; inside the entrepreneurial mind: from ideas to reality; designing a competitive business model and building a solid strategic plan; conducting a feasibility analysis and crafting a winning business plan; forms of business ownership; franchising and the entrepreneur; buying an existing business; building a powerful marketing plan; e-commerce and the entrepreneur; pricing strategies; creating a successful financial plan; managing cash flow; sources of financing: debt and equity; choosing the right location and layout; global aspects of entrepreneurship; building a new venture team and planning for the next.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND HOW TO ESTABLISH YOUR OWN BUSINESS (Cecile Nieuwenhuizen ed., 2009).

Abstract (from product description at Amazon.com):  A new business rarely runs smoothly, and indeed the failure rate of new enterprises is so high that many would-be entrepreneurs prefer not to take the risk. 'Entrepreneurship and How to Establish Your Own Business' is a practical “how to” book designed to help develop business ideas and establish successful enterprises.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND OPENNESS: THEORY AND EVIDENCE (David B. Audretsch, Robert E. Litan & Robert J. Strom eds., 2009).

Abstract (from product description at Amazon.com):  Entrepreneurship is critical to economic growth, but it cannot flourish without open markets. Entrepreneurs can only be expected to take risks in `open settings' where individuals and firms are free to contract with one another. In this book, leading economists explain and document the role of open markets, within and across national boundaries, in facilitating entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic growth.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THEORY AND HISTORY (Youssef Cassis & Ioanna Pepelasis Minoglou eds., 2005).

Abstract (from product description at Amazon.com):  In the study of entrepreneurship, which over the last decade has become an expanding subject of scholarship, there has been little interaction between economists and historians. Most historical studies of entrepreneurship lack a theoretical and comparative approach. For the first time a single volume combines a comparison of eight national experiences, spanning three continents. The chapters, written by leading specialists, combine historical archive-based work and synthetic theoretical surveys, reflecting the current state and new directions in research.

HANDBOOK OF RESEARCH ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP POLICY (David B. Audretsch, Isabel Grilo & A. Roy Thurik eds., 2009).

Abstract (from product description at Amazon.com):  Written by academics and practitioners drawing examples from both North America and Europe, this book provides a foundation for essential study in the nascent field of entrepreneurship policy research.  This foundation is initially developed via the exploration of two significant propositions underpinning the nature of entrepreneurship policy research. The first is that entrepreneurship has emerged as a bona fide focus of public policy, particularly with respect to economic growth and employment creation. The second is that neither scholars nor policy makers are presently equipped to understand the public policy role for entrepreneurship.

INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (David B. Audretsch, Oliver Falck & Stephan Heblich eds., 2009).

Abstract (from product description at Amazon.com):  This comprehensive volume integrates scholarship from two interrelated fields - innovation and entrepreneurship - with the chapters providing a link between the two. The editors seek to introduce and contextualize some of the most important research. Topics covered include: history of thought, innovation and growth, the innovation process, role models of the entrepreneur, knowledge flows and institutions.

THE INVENTION OF ENTERPRISE: ENTREPRENEURSHIP FROM ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA TO MODERN TIMES (THE KAUFFMAN FOUNDATION SERIES ON INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP) (David S. Landes, Joel Mokyr & William J. Baumol eds., 2010).

Abstract (from product description at Amazon.com):  This book chronicles the sweeping history of enterprise in Mesopotamia and Neo-Babylon; carries the reader through the Islamic Middle East; offers insights into the entrepreneurial history of China, Japan, and Colonial India; and describes the crucial role of the entrepreneur in innovative activity in Europe and the United States, from the medieval period to today. In considering the critical contributions of entrepreneurship, the authors discuss why entrepreneurial activities are not always productive and may even sabotage prosperity. They examine the institutions and restrictions that have enabled or impeded innovation, and the incentives for the adoption and dissemination of inventions. They also describe the wide variations in global entrepreneurial activity during different historical periods and the similarities in development, as well as entrepreneurship's role in economic growth. The book is filled with past examples and events that provide lessons for promoting and successfully pursuing contemporary entrepreneurship as a means of contributing to the welfare of society.

NEW FIRM CREATION IN THE UNITED STATES: INITIAL EXPLORATIONS WITH THE PSED II DATA SET (Paul D. Reynolds & Richard T. Curtin eds., 2009).

Abstract (from product description at Amazon.com):  The Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics (PSED) research program is designed to enhance the scientific understanding of how people start businesses, by gathering and providing primary data on the business creation process. The first data collection (PSED I) was initiated in 1998 and three follow-up surveys were completed by 2004. The second (PSED II), supported by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the National Science Foundation, was initiated in 2005. Harmonized projects have been implemented in seven other countries. This volume, including contributions from the organizers and advisory committee members, presents assessments based on the initial and first follow-up PSED II data; two more follow-ups are in process. The book highlights key implications and applications and includes chapters covering entrepreneurial behavior, demographic and gender factors, financing the emerging business, ownership arrangements, and the roles of social capital and technology. Other assessments focus on the nature of those active as nascent entrepreneurs, the activities undertaken during the start-up process, and the characteristics of start-up efforts that become new firms; the appendix provides a detailed discussion of the data collection procedures. The result is an introduction to the theories, conceptualizations, approaches, and measurement of the business creation process.

NEW FRONTIERS IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP: RECOGNIZING, SEIZING, AND EXECUTING OPPORTUNITIES (INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP) (David B. Audretsch, Giovanni Battista Dagnino, Rosario Faraci & Robert E. Hoskisson eds., 2009).

Abstract (from product description at Amazon.com):  The volume presents and discusses a variety of recent developments and achievements in research on entrepreneurship. It aims at taking a systematic analysis of the theory and practice of entrepreneurship, especially in regard to nurturing strategic systems, governance arrangements, and evolutionary paths in organizations. Bringing together the insights of an international array of academics, entrepreneurs, and executives, New Frontiers in Entrepreneurship focuses on two key themes: (1) connecting developments in entrepreneurship to current strategy thinking and practice; and (2) generating new and innovative ways to cultivate and develop entrepreneurial processes in new ventures and established enterprises. Exploring such topics as the integration of entrepreneurial and strategic thinking, corporate governance of new ventures and spin-offs, business-university alliances, IPO performance, the impact of Open Source, the role of science and technology in new firm formation, and the emergence of the entrepreneurial society.

PUBLIC POLICY IN AN ENTREPRENEURIAL ECONOMY: CREATING THE CONDITIONS FOR BUSINESS GROWTH (Zoltan J. Acs & Robert R. Stough eds., 2008). 

THE THEORY AND PRACTIVE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP: FRONTIERS IN EUROPEAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP RESEARCH (David Smallbone et al. eds., 2010).

Abstract (adapted from Amazon.com): This book provides a fresh perspective on contemporary research in the field of entrepreneurship and small business, considering both theory and application. Drawing together leading-edge European research, the expert contributors apply a variety of research methods to a number of specific issues - including the entrepreneurial climate at universities, the role of knowledge and experience in the internationalization of knowledge-intensive firms, the links between entrepreneurial orientation and performance in micro-sized firms, and organizational entrepreneurship. In so doing, the book sheds new light on the key role played by entrepreneurship as an engine for regional development. Researchers and policymakers will find this book invaluable.

Articles

James S. Ang, Small Business Uniqueness and the Theory of Financial Management, 29 J. Small Bus. Fin. 3-13 (1991).

Thomas Astebro & Peter Thompson, Entrepreneurs: Jacks of All Trades or Hobos? 40 Research Pol’y 637 (2011).

Abstract: This article analyzes survey data from hundreds entrepreneurs to determine typical entrepreneur employment history and experience prior to starting a venture.

Ted Baker & Reed E. Nelson, Creating Something from Nothing: Resource Construction through Entrepreneurial Bricolage, 50 Admin. Sci. Q. 329 (2005).

Sue Birley, The Role of Networks in the Entrepreneurial Process, 1 J. Bus. Venturing 107-117 (1985).

Abstract:   The extent to which the entrepreneur interacts with the networks in his local environment during the process of starting a new firm was studied. This study was based on the premise that, during this process, he is seeking not only the resources of equipment, space, and money, but also advice, information, and reassurance. Consequently the help and guidance received from both the formal networks (banks, accountants, lawyers, SBA) and the informal networks (family, friends, business contacts) will influence the nature of the firm substantially.

Brian Blume & Jeffrey G. Covin, Attributions to Intuition in the Venture Founding Process: Do Entrepreneurs Actually Use Intuition or Just Say That They Do? 26 J. Bus. Venturing 137 (2011).

Abstract (from author): Even though entrepreneurs often cite the use of intuition as a basis for their venturing decisions, verifying that entrepreneurs are actually using intuition is very difficult. The authors distinguish between entrepreneurs ' attributions to intuition and their actual use of intuition. The authors propose characteristics of entrepreneurs that increase the likelihood that they will attribute intuition as a basis for decisions during the venture founding process. The paper then delineates characteristics that make the development and effective use of entrepreneurial intuition more likely. Theoretical implications for researchers studying intuition and practical implications for entrepreneurs using intuition are discussed.

Niels Bosma et al., Entrepreneurs and Role Models (Tinbergen Institute Discussion Paper 11-061/3, 2011), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1803091.

Abstract (adapted from author): In the media role models are increasingly being acknowledged as an influential factor in explaining the reasons for the choice of occupation and career. Various conceptual studies have proposed links between role models and entrepreneurial intentions. However, empirical research aimed at establishing the importance of role models for (nascent) entrepreneurs is scarce. Knowledge of the presence of entrepreneurial role models, their specific functions and characteristics is therefore limited. This explorative empirical study is a first step towards filling this gap. This study is based on the outcomes of a questionnaire completed by a representative sample of 292 entrepreneurs in three major Dutch cities - entrepreneurs who have recently started up a business in the retail, hotel and restaurant sectors, business services and other services. The authors provide indications of the presence and importance of entrepreneurial role models, the function of these role models, the similarity between the entrepreneur and the role model, and the strength of their relationship.

Malte Brettel et al., Distribution Channel Choice of New Entrepreneurial Ventures, 35 Entrepren. Theory & Prac. (forthcoming 2011), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1804335.

Abstract (from author): This study provides a comprehensive analysis of distribution channel choices of new entrepreneurial ventures (NEVs). First, factors that influence NEVs’ choice of distribution channels are examined. Second, performance consequences of those choices are investigated. A research model drawing from transaction cost economics as well as customer relationship and strategy literature is developed. Data collected from 330 NEVs are used to test the proposed model. The results show that the identified antecedents explain a large part of the variance in NEVs’ channel choice. Moreover, NEVs that accomplish a fit between their distribution channel system and transaction cost-, product-, strategy-, and competition-related variables tend to perform better. Findings are discussed in light of the specific characteristics of NEVs.

Candida G. Brush, Tatiana S. Manolova & Linda F. Edelman, The Effect of Initial Location Choice on Resource Assembly and First Sale in Nascent Firms, 46 J. Small Bus. Mgmt. 159 (2008).

Abstract (from authors):  The formation of a new venture includes initial choices that affect the process of start-up. Primary among these decisions is the choice of location whether to start from home or from an away location. This paper examines the impact of initial firm location choices and aspirations of the entrepreneur on the resource assembly process and the likelihood of first sale. Results show that home-based businesses assemble different types of resources from their away-based counterparts. Higher aspirations were associated with greater accumulation of organizational resources. The combined influence of location and aspirations showed that home-based firms with high aspirations were less likely to achieve first sale. A post hoc analysis examined these affects within a subgroup of service firms and confirmed the previous results. This study suggests that in the initial stages of the new venture, there are processes and routines that home-based businesses engage in that lead them to achieve first sales in a timelier manner than those businesses that are located away from home. Furthermore, high aspirations are associated with greater scale of organizational resources but not necessarily with achievement of sales. Implications are discussed.

To visit Publisher’s website, click here.

Marco Caliendo et al., Trust, Positive Reciprocity, and Negative Reciprocity: Do These Traits Impact Entrepreneurial Dynamics? (SOEP Paper No. 348, 2010), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1736592.

Abstract (adapted from author): Experimental evidence reveals that there is a strong willingness to trust and to act in both positively and negatively reciprocal ways. So far it is rarely analyzed whether these variables of social cognition influence everyday decision making behavior. This paper focus on entrepreneurs who are permanently facing exchange processes in the interplay with investors, sellers, and buyers, as well as needing to trust others and reciprocate with their network. The authors base their analysis on the German Socio-Economic Panel and recently introduced questions about trust, positive reciprocity, and negative reciprocity to examine the extent that these variables influence the entrepreneurial decision processes. More specifically, they analyze whether i) the willingness to trust other people influences the probability of starting a business; ii) trust, positive reciprocity, and negative reciprocity influence the exit probability of entrepreneurs; and iii) willingness to trust and to act reciprocally influences the probability of being an entrepreneur versus an employee or a manager. Our findings reveal that, in particular, trust impacts entrepreneurial development. Interestingly, entrepreneurs are more trustful than employees, but much less trustful than managers.

Karen A. Campbell, IP Protection Games: Does Technology Type Matter For Entrepreneurial Behavior? (2011), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1784863.

Abstract: This paper builds on an analytical tool for studying entrepreneurship in a new classical general equilibrium framework. The entrepreneurial economy model takes the consumer-producer economy model and makes explicit the role of the entrepreneur. This paper uses it to study entrepreneurial behavior when assumptions regarding contract enforcement and intellectual property rights can be violated. An extended form game involving an entrepreneur and a trading partner is presented. Results show that different subgame perfect equilibria arise depending on whether the venture idea (innovation) is production specific or a general purpose technology. Furthermore, depending on the type of technology, different mechanisms for intellectual property (IP) protection are desirable, in terms of total social utility. This has implications for the way IP laws are crafted and why (one-size-fits-all) patent laws have come under fire. The results give some foundation for the intuition on both sides of the patent law debates. It makes precise when stronger IP protections may be needed to help entrepreneurs and trading partners out of a prisoner’s type dilemma versus when these laws may not be necessary.

Alan Carsrud & Malin Brannback, Entrepreneurial Motivations: What Do We Still Need to Know? 49 J. Small Bus. 9 (2011).

Abstract (from author): This paper attempts to renew interest in a line of research that largely has been ignored for two decades but which is critical to the study of entrepreneurial cognitions, intentions, and their conversion into entrepreneurial behaviors. That area is entrepreneurial motivation. This is not a comprehensive review of all areas of motivation research but rather a challenge a reinvigorate research efforts on an important aspect of the entrepreneurial process that has been examined only at the margins so far. It is an attempt to show how one very important topic, “entrepreneurial motivation,” still needs more study if we are to address the question of “have we learned anything at all about entrepreneurs?

Gavin Cassar, The Roles of Industry and Startup Experience on Entrepreneur Forecast Performance at New Business Entry (2010), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1730318.

Abstract: Most new businesses fail to meet the performance expectations of the entrepreneurs who create them. Using the Kauffman Firm Survey, I investigate the role of industry and startup experience on the expectation bias and accuracy of 2,304 entrepreneurs who have started new businesses. The empirical results show that only industry experience is associated with less bias and greater accuracy in entrepreneur expectations. Further, the benefit of industry experience on entrepreneurial expectations is greater in high-technology industries. These findings are robust to survivorship bias, location, and industry fixed effects. The findings are consistent with knowledge of the setting informing decision making, especially in highly uncertain environments.

Bhaskar Chakravorti, Finding Competitive Advantage in Adversity, 88(11) Harvard Business Review 102 (2010).

Abstract (from author): How do some entrepreneurs, corporate innovators, and investors turn adverse conditions to competitive advantage? Chakravorti, of McKinsey and Harvard Business School, has identified four areas that the most successful of these people consistently explore. 1. Entrepreneurs reroute resources that become redundant to meet new needs, as Jonathan Bush did at Athena Health. The company is now a leader in internet-based revenue-cycle management tools. 2. They round up unusual suspects and break industry orthodoxy, as Iqbal Quadir did with Grameenphone in Bangladesh. 3. They find small solutions to big problems, as Trey Moore and Cameron Powell did with their Air-Strip OB smartphone app for mobile physicians who needed a major advance in wireless health care. 4. They focus on platform, not just product. That's how Fred Khosravi and Amar Sawhney broadened the field of surgical applications for Incept's hydrogel technology. The entrepreneurs who survive in the "new normal" will be those who find counterintuitive solutions to the bottlenecks, constraints, and other difficulties that adversity engenders. Call them the "new abnormals."

James G. Combs et al., Franchising Research: Major Milestones, New Directions, and its Future within Entrepreneurship, 35 Entrepreneurship: Theory & Prac. 413 (2011).

Abstract: For decades, most franchising research leveraged one of three theoretical milestones--resource scarcity, agency theory, and plural form symbiosis--to answer questions about why, where, and how often firms use franchising. Today's franchising researchers are leveraging new theories, investigating under-examined aspects of franchising, and exploring contextual factors that shape its use. The articles in the special issue continue these "New Directions in Franchising Research." This introduction describes the three milestones that form the theoretical foundation for today's new directions, summarizes the special issue articles and their implications, and explains why entrepreneurship researchers are well-positioned to advance knowledge about franchising.

Cornelia Butler Flora & Jan L. Flora, Entrepreneurial Social Infrastructure: A Necessary Ingredient, 529 Annals Am. Acad. Pol & Soc. Sci. 48 (1993).

Stuart Crainer, What It Takes: The Elements of Entrepreneurship, 22 Bus. Strategy Rev. 17 (2011).

Abstract: One of the biggest movies of 2010 was The Social Network, the spectacular tale of how Facebook made the leap from a concept to a globe-spanning, behavior changing, dollar-generating business phenomena. At one point one of the lead characters is in bed with a girlfriend. “What do you do?” she asks. “I’m an entrepreneur,” he replies. “You mean you’re unemployed,” she retorts.

William J. Dennis, Jr., Entrepreneurship, Small Businesses and Public Policy Levers, 49 J. Small Bus. Mgmt. 92 (2010).

Abstract: The author develops a progressively refined framework composed of four typologies to help understand, explain, and analyze how various public policy levers impact new, small, and entrepreneurial businesses. Dimensions for the typologies include institutions and culture, competition and competition's intended immediate beneficiaries, impediments and supports, and policy objectives and direct/indirect action. Implications emerging from the typologies lead to potential hypotheses that can be subject to further investigation and empirical testing. This issue of JSBM carries the first of the article's two parts.

William J. Dennis, Jr., Entrepreneurship, Small Businesses and Public Policy Levers, 49 J. Small Bus. Mgmt. 149 (2011).

Abstract: The author develops a progressively refined framework consisting of four typologies to help understand, explain, and analyze how various public policy levers impact new, small, and entrepreneurial businesses. Dimensions for the typologies include institutions and culture, competition and intended immediate beneficiaries of competition, impediments and supports, and policy objectives and direct/indirect action. Implications emerging from the typologies lead to potential hypotheses that can be subject to further investigation and empirical testing. This issue of JSBM carries the second of the article's two parts.

Dimo Dimov, Grappling with the Unbearable Elusiveness of Entrepreneurial Opportunities, 35 Entrepreneurship: Theory & Prac. 57 (2011).

Abstract: This article looks for new ways to describe opportunity in the context of entrepreneurship to facilitate greater empirical study of opportunities.

Oded Galor & Stelios Michalopoulos, Evolution and the Growth Process: Natural Selection of Entrepreneurial Traits (MIT Department of Economics Working Paper No. 11-07, 2011), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1831783.

Abstract (from author): This research suggests that a Darwinian evolution of entrepreneurial spirit played a significant role in the process of economic development and the dynamics of inequality within and across societies. The study argues that entrepreneurial spirit evolved non-monotonically in the course of human history. In early stages of development, risk-tolerant, growth promoting traits generated an evolutionary advantage and their increased representation accelerated the pace of technological progress and the process of economic development. In mature stages of development, however, risk-averse traits gained an evolutionary advantage, diminishing the growth potential of advanced economies and contributing to convergence in economic growth across countries.

William B. Gartner, A Conceptual Framework for Describing the Phenomenon of New Venture Creation, 10 Acad. Mgmt. Rev. 696-706 (1985).

Abstract (from author): A review of the entrepreneurship literature suggests that differences among entrepreneurs and among their ventures are as great as the variation between entrepreneurs and nonentrepreneurs and between new firms and established firms. A framework for describing new venture creation integrates four major perspectives in entrepreneurship: characteristics of the individual(s) who start the venture, the organization which they create, the environment surrounding the new venture, and the process by which the new venture is started.

To visit Publisher’s website, click here.

David A. Garvin, A Note on Corporate Venturing and New Business Creation, Harv. Bus. Rev. (December 17, 2002).

Abstract (from author):  Presents an introduction and overview of corporate venturing. Describes the need for companies to create new businesses, the stages in the process, predictable problems and challenges, the strengths and weaknesses of alternative approaches such as internal venture divisions and corporate venture capital funds, and guidelines for successful practice.

To visit Publisher’s website, click here.

Gerald George & Adam J. Block, The Business Model in Practice and its Implications for Entrepreneurship Research, 35 Entrepreneurship: Theory & Prac. 83 (2011).

Abstract: While the term "business model" has gained widespread use in the practice community, the academic literature on this topic is fragmented and confounded by inconsistent definitions and construct boundaries. In this study, the authors review prior research and reframe the business model with an entrepreneurial lens. They report on a discourse analysis of 151 surveys of practicing managers to better understand their conceptualization of a business model. They find that the underlying dimensions of the business model are resource structure, transactive structure, and value structure, and discuss the nature and implications of dimensional dominance for firm characteristics and behavior. These findings provide new directions for theory development and empirical studies in entrepreneurship by linking the business model to entrepreneurial cognition, opportunity co-creation, and organizational outcomes.

 Joop Hartog et al., If You are So Smart, Why Aren’t You an Entrepreneur? Returns to Cognative and Social Ability: Entrepreneurs Versus Employees, 19 J. Econ. & Mgmt. Strategy 947 (2010).

Abstract (adapted from author): How valuable are cognitive and social abilities for entrepreneurs relative to employee’s earnings? The authors answer three questions: (1) To what extent does a composite measure of ability affect an entrepreneur's earnings relative to wages earned by employees? (2) Do different cognitive abilities (e.g., math ability, language, or verbal ability) and social ability affect earnings of entrepreneurs and employees differently?, and (3) Does the balance in these measured ability levels affect an individual's earnings? The authors’ (difference-of-difference) estimates of the returns to ability for spells in entrepreneurship versus wage employment account for selectivity into entrepreneurial positions insofar as they are determined by fixed individual characteristics. The robust results provide the following answers to the three questions: General ability has a stronger impact on entrepreneurial incomes than on wages. Moreover, entrepreneurs and employees benefit from different sets of specific abilities: verbal and clerical abilities have a stronger impact on wages, whereas mathematical, social, and technical ability are more valuable for entrepreneurs. The balance in the various kinds of ability also generates a higher income, but only for entrepreneurs: This finding supports Lazear's Jack-of-all-Trades theory.

Michael Haynie, A Measure of Adaptive Cognition for Entrepreneurship Research, 33(3) Entrepreneurship: Theory & Prac. 695 (May 1, 2009).

Abstract (from publisher):  To sense and adapt to uncertainty may characterize a critical entrepreneurial resource. In this research, the researchers employ a metacognitive lens toward the development of a 36-item inventory designed to assess cognitive adaptability, defined as the ability to be dynamic, flexible, and self-regulating in one's cognitions given dynamic and uncertain task environments. Construction of the inventory, and subsequent factor analysis, is confirmatory in nature based on five theoretically justified dimensions of metacognition. The author describes the development of the instrument, discusses its implications for entrepreneurship, and finally offers suggestions for further development and testing.

James Hayton et al., Entrepreneurial Opportunity Identification and New Firm Development Processes: A Comparison of Family and Non-Family New Ventures, 13 Int’l J. Entrepren. & Innovation Mgmt. 12 (2011).

Abstract (from author): This research examines differences between family and non-family firms with respect to new venture creation processes. We invoke a social embeddedness explanation of differences between family and non-family firms with respect to opportunity identification processes and outcomes and new venture development processes. In a sample of 183 family and non-family firms, we find that family firms are less likely to report an opportunity identification process that is sudden, spontaneous and creative. The new opportunities thus identified are less innovative than those identified by non-family firms. Finally, family firms are somewhat more likely to follow effectuation processes and significantly less likely to follow causation processes during new venture creation. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

James C. Hayton & Donna J. Kelley, A Competency-Based Framework for Promoting Corporate Entrepreneurship, 45 Human Res. Mgmt. 407-427 (2006).

Abstract provided by authors: Corporate entrepreneurship, the discovery and pursuit of new opportunities through innovation and venturing, is an important source of competitive advantage. Corporate entrepreneurship involves a diverse set of activities such as innovation in products and processes; the development of internal and external corporate ventures; and the development of new business models, which require an array of roles, behaviors, and individual competencies. In this article, we define individual competencies and distinguish them from other individual difference constructs. We argue that given the unique requirements of corporate entrepreneurship a competency based approach to assessing organizational human capital needs is superior to more traditional job-analytic methods. Drawing on existing literature, we outline a competency framework for supporting corporate entrepreneurship and infer the underlying, measurable knowledge, skills, and abilities that contribute to these competencies. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of this framework for the staffing, training and development, and performance-appraisal practices of firms seeking to promote corporate entrepreneurship.

To visit Publisher’s website, click here.

Eugen Iordanescu, Cornelia Iordanescu & Gabriela Marcu, Economic and Psychological Factors in Entrepreneurial Tendency (2011), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1753626.

Abstract: In the actual context of global economical crisis, the research question we raised was: Which of the personality traits, formerly associated with entrepreneurship, remain sufficiently stable/strong to overcome the negative economic conditions? That was the starting point to propose experimental evaluation of the possible effect of certain factors such as the exposure to negative mass media messages about the economy status and the personal perception regarding the money source/value as regards to the tendency of investing in a small business of the youngsters with a high Internal Locus of Control level.

Two hundred seventy-three students from University Lucian Blaga of Sibiu participated in the experiment. The experimental design was of 2x2 factorial type. The results showed that the main effect of Fl Source of money was not significant, while the main effect of F2 Media messages was significant, proving evidence that the amount of Invested money differ in relationship with the type of media message exposure.

Donna J. Kelley & Hyunsuk Lee, Toward a Framework for Understanding the Management of Entrepreneurs in Established Organizations, 21 J. of Bus. Res. (Korea) 1-26 (2006).

Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries, The Dark Side of Entrepreneurship, Harv. Bus. Rev. (Nov. 1, 1985).

Abstract (from publisher):  Most entrepreneurs, like many other people, have the normal amount of difficulty dealing with others, with the ups and downs of a career, and with the successes or failures of a company. Most entrepreneurs have their internal visions in tune with reality so that they act in the real world in a way that other people can understand. For some entrepreneurs, however, things are not so easy. For these people, the high degree of energy necessary to achieve a dream has desires and needs behind it that if let loose can wreak havoc in an organization. For instance, an entrepreneur's attention to detail that is a virtue in the startup phase can be truly crippling if he or she continues to exert such control when the organization grows. The person who can't let go the reins even when faced with the company's demise must have a need that is greater than the desire to see the company succeed.

Norris F. Krueger, Jr., What Lies Beneath?: The Experiential Essence of Entrepreneurial Thinking, 31(1) Entrepreneurship: Theory & Prac. 123 (2007).

Abstract (from author): Cognitive developmental psychology and constructivism offer possibilities for the future of entrepreneurial cognition research to explore: (1) deeply seated beliefs and belief structures that ultimately anchor entrepreneurial thinking and (2) how they change as entrepreneurs move toward a more professional, expert mind-set. Such insights aid the field in identifying those developmental experiences that are the sources of those critical deep beliefs intrinsic to our mental models regarding entrepreneurship. As a field, entrepreneurship is lauded for the effectiveness of its teaching, and this essay offers strong theory to explain that our pedagogical best practices reflect important, well-known cognitive phenomena.

Donald F. Kuratko, Strategic Entrepreneurship: Exploring Different Perspectives of an Emerging Concept, 33(1) Entrepreneurship: Theory & Prac. 1 (January 1, 2009).

Abstract (from publisher): Within the entrepreneurship and strategic management domains there has been a movement by scholars to combine certain aspects of both areas to create a new concept of strategic entrepreneurship. To date, however, there remains much to know about what constitutes this concept. This special issue is the result of a unique research conference in Germany where some of the world's most renowned scholars gathered to explore this concept in depth. The set of articles in this special issue examine different perspectives that relate to strategic entrepreneurship and we believe contribute to the growing body of knowledge on this concept by examining diverse scholarly topics.

Moren Levesque, Entrepreneurs’ Decisions on Timing of Entry: Learning from Participation and from the Experiences of Others, 33(2) Entrepreneurship: Theory & Prac. 547 (March 1, 2009).

Abstract (from publisher):  Depending on the type of industry, an entrepreneur's decision of when to enter an industry may be a crucial one. The longer entrepreneurs wait, the more they learn from others. However, by waiting, they reduce their ability to learn directly and the possibility of locking in competitive advantages. We suggest that the optimal time of entry depends on the hostility of the learning environment since the latter has an impact on dimensions of performance, such as profit potential and mortality risk. The environment for entrepreneurial learning is less hostile when the information to be learned is abundant and when learning from others is relatively more effective at increasing performance than learning from participation.

Frank Martin & Ronnie Smith, What Is It That Entrepreneurs Learn from Experience? 24 Ind. & Higher Ed. 505 (2010).

 Abstract: Researchers interviewed many experienced entrepreneurs, and then created a conceptual model of experience, learning, knowledge and business performance to analyze what the entrepreneurs’ experience has taught them in each area.

Johann Peter Murmann & Deepak Sardana, Successful Entrepreneurs are Not Risk Takers: Toward a Theory of Entrepreneurial Decision Making (UNSW Australian School of Business Research Paper No. 2010 STRE 05, 2010), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1732878.

Abstract: Many scholars see entrepreneurs as action-oriented individuals who use rules of thumb and other mental heuristics to make decisions, but who do little systematic planning and analysis. This paper argues that what distinguishes successful from unsuccessful entrepreneurs is precisely that they vary their decision-making styles, sometimes relying on heuristics and sometimes relying on systematic analysis. In this proposed framework, successful entrepreneurs assess their level of expertise and the level of ambiguity in a particular decision context and then tailor their decision-making process to reduce risk.

Patrick J. Murphy, A 2x2 Conceptual Foundation for Entrepreneurial Discovery Theory, 35 Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice 359 (2011), available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1788699.

 Abstract: Theories about entrepreneurial discovery are important to entrepreneurship. However, the dominant conceptual foundation underlying such theories hinders their development. It assumes that opportunities form based on either deliberate search or serendipitous discovery. This article examines this unidimensional logic and identify a gap in its informative content. Then, it reframes it into orthogonal dimensions. The multidimensional model not only describes the same cases as the unidimensional model but also describes what the unidimensional model cannot, including cases that are high or low on both dimensions. This extension yields a 22 conceptual foundation for entrepreneurial discovery theory that promotes the development and coordination of distinct theoretic streams.

Anand Nandkumar & Ashish Arora, Cash-Out or Flame-Out! Opportunity Cost and Entrepreneurial Strategy: Theory, and Evidence from the Information Security Industry (Indian School of Business WP, 2011), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1824284.

Abstract (adapted from author): The authors analyze how entrepreneurial opportunity cost conditions performance. Departing from the common practice of using survival as a measure of entrepreneurial performance, they model both failure and cash-out (liquidity event) as conditioned by the same underlying process. High-opportunity-cost entrepreneurs prefer a shorter time to success, even if this also implies failing more quickly, whereas entrepreneurs with fewer outside alternatives will choose less aggressive strategies, and, consequently, linger on longer. The authors formalize this intuition with a simple model. Using a novel dataset of information security startups, they find that entrepreneurs with high opportunity costs are not only more likely to cash out more quickly but are also more likely to fail faster. Not only is survival a poor indicator of performance, but its use as one obscures the relationship between entrepreneurial characteristics, entrepreneurial strategies, and outcomes.

Heidi M. Neck, et al., An Entrepreneurial System View of New Venture Creation, 42 J. Small Bus. Mgmt.190-208 (2004).

Abstract provided by authors:  This paper reports the results of a two-phase study that explores new venture creation within the context of an entrepreneurial system. First, a genealogy of high-technology companies is presented depicting a high spin-off rate resulting from the presence of seven incubator organizations. Second, semantic structure analysis ( ) based on semi-structured interviews with founders is used to develop a taxonomy. This taxonomy depicts the relationship among components in one entrepreneurial system, Boulder County, Colorado, that encourages, supports, and enhances regional entrepreneurial activity. Findings indicate that incubator organizations, spin-offs, informal and formal networks, the physical infrastructure, and the culture of the region are related uniquely and interact to form a system conducive for dense high-technology entrepreneurial activity. Additionally, greater rates of new venture formation were found following critical moments in the life of incubator organizations.

To visit Publisher’s website, click here.

Gina J. Colarelli O'Connor, Mark P. Rice, Lois J. Peters & Robert W. Veryzer, Managing Interdisciplinary, Longitudinal Research on Radical Innovation: Methods for Study of Complex Phenomena, Org. Sci. (2003).

Abstract (from author):  The purpose of this study is to extend the literature on grounded theory development to incorporate considerations for team-based, interdisciplinary longitudinal research projects in the domain of organizational studies. Every element of the research process is affected if the research questions call for team-based data collection and interpretation over a lengthy period of time. It is unusual for a team of scholars from different disciplines to work together, not because the need doesn't exist, but because the mechanisms for doing so are not well established. We draw from the writings of scholars in the fields of research methodology, team and work-group design, and project management to inform our thinking on the subject. The work presented here is based on the authors' experiences during 1995-1999 as members of the Radical Innovation Research Program (RIRP). The RIRP is an ongoing multidisciplinary study of the development and management of radical innovations in established firms. Here, we do not describe the findings or insights associated with the content of the study, radical innovation, which is surely a complex managerial phenomenon. Rather, we focus on the processes used to conduct the research that were affected by the need for a multidisciplinary research team. A framework is presented for thinking about managing such a project. Challenges that we encountered within this framework are identified. Mechanisms we used (or, in some cases, wish we had used in retrospect) for confronting those challenges are also described. Throughout, we compare our study objectives and resultant methodological design choices with those of other multidisciplinary research teams that are by now well known in the organizational management literature. Our objective is to help researchers who are considering launching interdisciplinary, longitudinal studies of organizational processes as they plan and manage those pursuits.

Amina Omrane & Alain Fayolle, Entrepreneurial Competencies and Entrepreneurial Process: A Dynamic Approach, 6 Int’l J. Bus. & Globalisation 136 (2011).

Abstract (adapted from author): The purpose of this study is to shed light on some shade zones concerning the conceptualization of entrepreneurial competencies, within the framework of a processual approach. Specifically, the authors focus on the identification of the needed competencies by the entrepreneur throughout the process of venture creation. For this, they subscribe to the thesis of Bruyat and Julien (2001), and to the processual approach of Fayolle (2007b), according to which the venture creation process is declined into three stages: release, entrepreneur's commitment and survival - development of the new project. The authors propose a cognitive approach allowing the enumeration of specific competencies required in each step of the entrepreneurial process.

Simon C. Parker, Intrapreneurship or Entrepreneurship? 26 J. Bus.Venturing 19 (2011).

Abstract (from author): The author explores the factors that determine whether new business opportunities are exploited by starting a new venture for an employer (‘nascent intrapreneurship’) or independently (‘nascent entrepreneurship’). Analysis of a nationally representative sample of American adults gathered in 2005–06 uncovers systematic differences between the drivers of nascent entrepreneurship and nascent intrapreneurship. Nascent entrepreneurs tend to leverage their general human capital and social ties to organize ventures which sell directly to customers, whereas intrapreneurs disproportionately commercialize unique new opportunities which sell to other businesses. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Holger Patzelt, Strategic Entrepreneurship at Universities: Academic Entrepreneurs' Assessment of Policy Programs, 33(1) Entrepreneurship: Theory & Prac. 319 (January 1, 2009).

Abstract (from publisher): This article draws on goal-setting theory to analyze how and why entrepreneurs perceive the usefulness of policy programs aimed at facilitating the development of academic ventures. Using a conjoint study and data on 3,136 assessments nested within 98 academic entrepreneurs, the rerseachers find that access to finance offered by a policy program is central and enhances the entrepreneurs' perceived benefits of other policy measures such as providing access to nonfinancial resources (networks, business knowledge) and reducing administrative burdens, but diminishes the perceived benefits of offering tax incentives for new ventures. The results extend the literature on academic entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs' assessments of government policy measures.

Martin Ruef, Howard E. Aldrich & Nancy M. Carter,The Structure of Founding Teams: Homophily, Strong Ties, and Isolation among U.S. Entrepreneurs,68(2) Am. Soc. Rev.195-222 (2003).

William A. Sahlman, How to Write A Great Business Plan, Harv. Bus. Rev. (July-Aug. 1997).

Abstract (from publisher):  Every seasoned investor knows that detailed financial projections for a new company are an act of imagination. Nevertheless, most business plans pour far too much ink on the numbers--and far too little on the information that really matters. Why? William Sahlman suggests that a great business plan is one that focuses on a series of questions. These questions relate to the four factors critical to the success of every new venture: the people, the opportunity, the context, and the possibilities for both risk and reward. The questions about people revolve around three issues: What do they know? Whom do they know? and How well are they known? As for opportunity, the plan should focus on two questions: Is the market for the venture's product or service large or rapidly growing (or preferably both)? and Is the industry structurally attractive? Then, in addition to demonstrating an understanding of the context in which their venture will operate, entrepreneurs should make clear how they will respond when that context inevitably changes. Finally, the plan should look unflinchingly at the risks the new venture faces, giving would-be backers a realistic idea of what magnitude of reward they can expect and when they can expect it. A great business plan is not easy to compose, Sahlman acknowledges, largely because most entrepreneurs are wild-eyed optimists. But one that asks the right questions is a powerful tool. A better deal, not to mention a better shot at success, awaits entrepreneurs who use it.

Saras D. Satasvathy & Sankaran Venkataraman, Entrepreneurship as Method: Open Questions for an Entrepreneurial Future, 35 Entrepreneurship: Theory & Prac. 113 (2011).

Abstract (from author): In this essay, the authors outline the provocative argument that in the realm of human affairs there exists an “entrepreneurial method” analogous to the scientific method spelled out by Francis Bacon and others with regard to the natural realm. They then suggest a series of open questions that we believe will help future scholars spell out the contents of such a method and ways in which it can be put to work in the design and achievement of socio-economic ends. At least one normative implication of accepting the argument would be to teach entrepreneurship not only to entrepreneurs but to everyone, as a necessary and useful skill and an important way of reasoning about the world.

Dean A. Shepherd, Multilivel Entrepreneurship Research: Opportunities for Studying Entrepreneurial Decision Making, 37 J. Management 412 (2011).

Abstract: Entrepreneurship is a domain of research that can be investigated from different disciplines, functions, and contexts. As a result, there are ample opportunities for multilevel research. In this article, the author acknowledges a foundation of multilevel research on decision making in the entrepreneurial context and explores future research opportunities to build on it. This exploration is organized conceptually as a hierarchy of levels below and above that of the individual, and the author uses conjoint analysis as a methodological framework to keep these ideas anchored in what is empirically possible. Specifically, this article explores (a) multilevel research on decisions to explain how a sample of individuals makes a decision on an entrepreneurial task, (b) additional possibilities for cross-level research that explains variance in decision policies based on individual differences, and (c) research opportunities that bridge the levels of the decision, the individuals, and the contexts in which they are embedded. The hope is that this article stimulates multilevel research on entrepreneurial decision making and other multilevel and cross-level issues in the entrepreneurship domain.

Dean Shepherd, Are We Comparing Apples with Apples or Apples with Oranges? Appropriateness of Knowledge Accumulation Across Growth Studies, 33(1) Entrepreneurship: Theory & Prac. 105 (January 1, 2009).

Abstract (from publisher):  Although knowledge accumulation is dependent upon relationships among constructs being robust across different measurement and sampling decisions, scholars have not sufficiently established such robustness for the construct of firm growth. Focusing on this construct, the researchers conduct analyses on all Swedish firms incorporated during the 1994 to 1998 period (68,830 firms) and track their growth (or demise) over their first 6 years of existence. Although the researchers typically find low shared variance between different growth measures, there is variability such that some measures demonstrate high and/or moderate concurrent validity. These findings have implications for how we delineate the boundaries of firm growth research and accumulate knowledge.

Virgil Henry Storr & Arielle John, The Determinants of Entrepreneurial Alertness and the Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs (Annual Proceedings of the Wealth and Well-Being of Nations, Vol. 2, Emily Chamlee-Wright, ed., 2011), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1738825.

Abstract (from author): Israel Kirzner has made important contributions to our understanding of the critical role that entrepreneurship plays in markets and has considerable influence in economics, public policy and entrepreneurship studies. For Kirzner, understanding the role of the entrepreneur is essential to understanding how errors get corrected in the market and understanding the role of alertness is essential to understanding how it is that entrepreneurs come to identify these errors. As he explains, alert individuals discover profit opportunities and, thus, driving the market process toward equilibrium. Although Kirzner’s work on entrepreneurship has been widely celebrated, it has been criticized on several fronts. Specifically, he has been criticized for abstracting from the psychological characteristics of real world entrepreneurs and the determinants of alertness. These criticisms, we contend, are unfair and misunderstand Kirzner’s project. Moreover, we argue, rather than closing off inquiry, his theory of entrepreneurship makes a fruitful analysis of the psychological characteristics of entrepreneurs and the determinants of alertness possible.

Tyszka Tadeusz et al., Motivation, Self-Efficacy, and Risk Attitudes among Entrepreneurs during Transition to a Market Economy, 40 J. Socio-Economics 124 (2011).

Abstract: This article studies which qualities of entrepreneurs (motivation, self-efficacy and attitude toward risk), where more important to groups of opportunity-driven and necessity-driven entrepreneurs.

Toca Torres & Claudia Eugenia, Considerations to the Entrepreneurship Formation: Exploring New Domains and Possibilities (Estudios Gerenciales Universidad ICESI, Vol 26, No. 117, 2010), available at  http://ssrn.com/abstract=1782904.

Abstract: Entrepreneurship has long been exclusively associated with the business sphere, but despite efforts on the part of educational institutions, development centers, and government agencies, it has had a remarkably poor development on other dimensions such as on the public and social spheres. This article proposes a reflection regarding the importance of entrepreneurship for an efficient and competitive corporate development based on different concepts adopted during past decades for the purpose of stressing its transdisciplinary nature. Then it goes on with a review of experiences to explore new possibilities for its application. Lastly, it raises awareness for people to have an open mindset to new dimensions of life in a society.

Paul Tracy & Nelson Phillips, Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets, 51 Mgmt. Int’l Rev. 23 (2011). 

Abstract: This article examines the uncertainty inherent in emerging markets for both the costs and the benefits it provides to entrepreneurs.

Deniz Ucbasaran et al., The Nature of Entrepreneurial Experience, Business Failure and Comparative Optimism, 25 J. Bus. Venturing 541 (2010). 

Abstract: This paper studies the optimism levels of entrepreneurs who have failed at a venture versus those who have not. Optimism levels can affect an entrepreneur’s willingness to start another business.

Andrew H. Van de Ven, The Development of an Infrastructure for Entrepreneurship, 8 J. Bus. Venturing 211-230 (1993).

Balagopal Vissa, A Matching Theory of Entrepreneurs' Tie Formation Intentions and Initiation of Economic Exchange, 54 Acad. Mgmt. J. 137 (2011).

Abstract (from author): A study was conducted to investigate entrepreneurs' intentions to add new ties to their personal networks. It is argued that task complementarity and social similarity affect entrepreneurs' intentions of interpersonal tie formation. Findings show that valuable connections which are often pursued by entrepreneurs may be only partially accurate.

Karl Wennberg, Entrepreneurial Exit (2011), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1825113.

Abstract: Much research has been devoted to look for characteristics that drive individuals towards engaging in entrepreneurship. Less attention has been given to the question of what makes people persist in or exit from entrepreneurship. Recent years have seen an increasing focus on entrepreneurial exit in a number specialized workshops and conferences tracks, new research projects, and special issues in international journals. This chapter provides stocktaking on past research on exit, outlining the progress that research has done, together with the key problems in defining and investigating entrepreneurial exit. Conceptually, the chapter focuses on level of analysis and different definitions of exit. Empirically, the chapter describes the streams of research suggesting that exit is either determined by the environment or the entrepreneur, together with the stream of research highlighting the connection between entry and exit as path-dependent processes. The chapter concludes with highlighting a number of unsolved issues and interesting pathways for future research on exit.

Johan Wiklund, The Effectiveness of Alliances and Acquisitions: The Role of Resource Combination Activities, 33(1) Entrepreneurship: Theory & Prac. 193 (January 1, 2009).

Abstract (from publisher):  Resource complementarity increases the potential value of alliances and acquisitions, but the extent to which the value potential of an alliance or an acquisition becomes realized depends on the ability of the firm to discover and conduct productive resource combinations. Using a sample of 319 small firms, the researchers separate domestic from international alliances and acquisitions and show that alliances and acquisitions bring limited benefits to firms unless deliberate effort is devoted to resource combination. These findings help resolve conflicts in the resource-based literature concerning the benefits of alliances and acquisitions.

Johan Wiklund, Portfolio Entrepreneurship: Habitual and Novice Founders, New Entry, and Mode of Organizing, 32(4) Entrepreneurship: Theory & Prac. 701 (July 1, 2008).

Abstract (from publisher):  With the purpose of advancing the understanding of portfolio entrepreneurship, the researchers separate the act of entrepreneurship (new entry) from its mode or organizing (internal vs. independent organization). Analyzing a cohort of 2,253 novice and habitual business founders, the researchers find that portfolio entrepreneurship is a common phenomenon and that the majority of portfolio entrepreneurs use the internal mode of organizing. Whether or not business founders subsequently pursue portfolio entrepreneurship is explained by their human capital (education and start-up experience) and social capital (business networks and links with government support agencies). Further, novice entrepreneurs are more likely to organize portfolio entrepreneurship within their existing firms while habitual entrepreneurs more often organize subsequent acts of portfolio entrepreneurship by creating another new independent entity

Andrew L. Zacharakis, G. Page West III, Dean A. Shepherd, Teresa Nelson & Gaylen N. Chandler, Entrepreneurship Research in Emergence: Past Trends and Future Directions, 29 J. Mgmt. 285-308 (2003).

Abstract (from publisher):  This article evaluates the emergent academic field of entrepreneurship to better understand its progress and potential. We apply boundary and exchange concepts to examine 97 entrepreneurship articles published in leading management journals from 1985 to 1999. Some evidence was found of an upward trend in the number of published entrepreneurship articles, although the percentage of entrepreneurship articles remains low. The highly permeable boundaries of entrepreneurship facilitate intellectual exchange with other management areas but sometimes discourage the development of entrepreneurship theory and hinder legitimacy. We argue that focusing entrepreneurship research at the intersection of the constructs of individuals, opportunities, modes of organizing, and the environment will define the field and enhance legitimacy. Decision theory, start-up factors of production, information processing and network theory, and temporal dynamics are put forward for entrepreneurship scholars to explore important research questions in these intersections.

Andrew L. Zacharakis & Dean A. Shepherd, A New Venture’s Cognitive Legitimacy: An Assessment by Customers, J. Small Bus. Mgmt. (2003).

Abstract (from authors):  Many legitimacy problems associated with new ventures appear to stem from a lack of customers’ knowledge and understanding of the new venture. Of particular concern to entrepreneurs is cognitive legitimacy. The findings of this article suggest that customers appear to have a preference for greater rather than lesser information about a new venture’s product, organization, and management (holding the content of that information constant). Furthermore, customers appear to use a contingent decision policy. For an independent startup business that is perceived as new on all three dimensions, priority should be given to building customer knowledge in the product, followed by building customer knowledge in the organization. Less attention should be given to building the customer’s knowledge in the management team, although such actions still will build cognitive legitimacy.

To visit Publisher’s website, click here.

Shaker A. Zahra, et al., Emerging Issues in Corporate Entrepreneurship, J. of Mgmt. (2003).

Abstract (from publisher):  Research on corporate entrepreneurship (CE) has grown rapidly over the past decade. In this article, we identify four major issues scholars can pursue to further our understanding about CE. The issues we explore include various forms of CE (e.g., sustained regeneration, domain redefinition) and their implications for organizational learning; the role of leadership and social exchange in the CE process; and, key research opportunities relevant to CE in an international context. To address the latter issue, we propose a typology that separates content from process-related studies and new ventures vs. established companies. We close with a reassessment of the outcomes in CE research, which becomes particularly salient with the increasing importance of social, human, and intellectual capital in creating competitive advantages and wealth in today’s knowledge economy. Throughout the article, we use the organizational learning theory as a means of integrating our discussion and highlighting the potential contributions of CE to knowledge creation and effective exploitation.

Shaker A. Zahra, et al., Leveraging Technological Resources for Competitive Advantage: The Case of Software New Ventures, 1 J. Int’l Entrepreneurship 163-186 (2003).

Shaker A. Zahra, Donald O. Neubaum & Galal M. El-Hagrassey, Competitive Analysis and New Venture Performance: The Moderating Effect of Strategic Uncertainty and Venture Origin, 27(1) Entrepreneurship: Theory & Prac. 1 (2002).

Abstract (from publisher): Effective competitive analysis (CA) is important for success in today's marketplace. CA may be particularly important to new ventures that may lack experience in their industries and knowledge of their rivals. Using survey data from 228 new ventures, this study concludes that the formality, comprehensiveness, and user orientation of CA activities are positively associated with new venture performance. Strategic uncertainty and venture origin also significantly moderate the relationship between CA and new venture performance.

Online Resources

Ted Baker & Timothy G. Pollock, Making the Marriage Work: The Benefits of Strategy's Takeover of Entrepreneurship for Strategic Organization, 5 Strategic Org. 297-312 (2007). 
www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/t/x/txp14/pdfs/so07%20-%20Making%20the%20Marriage%20Work.pdf

Joseph J. Cordes, Henry R. Hertzfeld & Nicholas S. Vonortas, A Survey of High Technology Firms, U.S. Small Bus. Admin. (1999). 
www.sbaonline.sba.gov/advo/research/rs189tot.pdf

Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practic,  http://www.baylor.edu/business/etp/

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Entrepreneur Resource Center 
http://www.entrepreneurship.org/ResourcesCenter/

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, The Entrepreneur Next Door, Characteristics of Individuals Starting Companies in America, An Executive Summary of the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics, Kauffman Found. (2002). 
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1262320

Gaebler.com, Resources for Entrepreneurs.
www.gaebler.com 

Garage Technology Ventures, Resources
http://www.garage.com/resources/index.shtml

William B. Gartner & Candida G. Brush, Entrepreneurship as Organizing: Emergence, Newness and Transformation, in (Timothy G. Habbershon; Stephen Spinelli & Andrew L. Zacharakis, ed.) Praeger Perspectives on Entrepreneurship, Vol. 2.  (2006). 
www.sgie.ulg.ac.be/Textes/2007-2008/doctoral%20seminar%20readings/2007_Gartner_entrepreneurship%20as%20organizing.pdf

William M. Gentry & R. Glenn Hubbard, Entrepreneurship and Household Saving, 4 Advances in Econ. Analysis & Pol'y 1, Art. 8 (2004).
http://www0.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/ghubbard/Articles%20for%20Web%20Site/Entrepreneurship%20and%20Household%20Saving.pdf

Abstract:  Using data from the 1983 and 1989 Federal Reserve Board Surveys of Consumer Finances, we quantify three findings about entrepreneurial saving decisions and their role in household wealth accumulation. First, entrepreneurial households own a substantial share of household wealth and income, and this share increases throughout the wealth distribution and the income distribution. Second, the portfolios of entrepreneurial households, even wealthy ones, are very undiversified, with the bulk of assets held within active businesses. Third, wealth-income ratios and saving rates are higher for entrepreneurial households even after controlling for age and other demographic variables. Taken together, these findings suggest that studies of household saving decisions in general and of the savings decisions of wealthy or high-income households in particular have paid insufficient attention to the role of entrepreneurial decisions and their role in wealth accumulation.

Peter Gwynne, Open Innovation's Promise and Perils, 50 Res. Tech. Mgmt. (2007). 
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6714/is_6_50/ai_n29387192/?tag=content;col1

Leader to Leader Institute, Knowledge Center.
http://www.pfdf.org/knowledgecenter/index.html

Andrea Lipparini & Maurizio Sobrero, The Glue and the Pieces: Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Small-Firm Networks, 9 J. Bus. Venturing 125-140 (1994). 
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6VDH-45P0CS1-2R/2/af4a47df23ef02446ee9fc4ec23d8642

Stacy Mitchell, Ensuring A Future For Independent Business, Inst. for Loc. Self Reliance (2006).
www.newrules.org/retail/beatalk.pdf

National Commission on Entrepreneurship, Embracing Innovation: Entrepreneurship and American Economic Growth, Nat’l Comm’n on Entrepreneurship (2003).
www.energizingentrepreneurs.org/content/chapter_2/supporting_materials/1_000178.pdf

National Commission on Entrepreneurship, American Formula For Growth: Federal Policy and the Entrepreneurial Economy, 1958-1998, Nat’l Comm’n on Entrepreneurship (2002). 
www.publicforuminstitute.org/nde/sources/reports/americanformula.pdf

National Commission on Entrepreneurship, High-Growth Companies Mapping America’s Entrepreneurial Landscape, Nat’l Comm’n on Entrepreneurship (2001). 
http://www.wabio.com/econ_dev_reports/national_commission2001.pdf

Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics (PSED), Documentation 
http://www.psed.isr.umich.edu/psed/documentation

Joseph Szarka, Networking and Small Firms, 8 Int’l J. of Small Bus. 10-22 (1990).
http://isb.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/8/2/10

Ingrid Verheul, Sander Wennekers, David B. Audretsch & Roy Thurik, An Eclectic Theory of Entrepreneurship, Tinbergen Inst. (2001). 
www.tinbergen.nl/discussionpapers/01030.pdf

Other Materials

Brian M. Abraham, Entrepreneurial Strategies for Innovation and Growth, Babson Executive Educ., Babson Coll. (2006).

Brian M. Abraham, Innovation, Ohio Bus. Week  Found., Youngstown St. U. (2006).

Office of Advocacy, Small Business Administration (1998).

Add a Comment

Name:   Email:   Comment:   Submit  

0 Comments