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3 Fostering Sustainability and Entrepreneurship Through Action Research: The Role of Value Reciprocity and Impact Temporality

  • Angela Greco , Rikke Kristine Nielsen and Manon Eikelenboom
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De Gruyter Handbook of Sustainable Entrepreneurship Research
This chapter is in the book De Gruyter Handbook of Sustainable Entrepreneurship Research

Abstract

The fields of sustainability and entrepreneurship share their dynamic processes, their high degree of uncertainty and complexity and their endeavour on systemic impact. These inherent characteristics call researchers to engage in action research (AR). Action research equips researchers with unique tools to navigate the volatility and complexity of sustainable entrepreneurship while simultaneously fostering its purpose and uncovering new theoretical insights. Yet, action research efforts fostering sustainable entrepreneurship are still emergent. The mutual affinity between sustainable entrepreneurship and action research is still seldom addressed in the literature and often confused with other forms of collaborative knowledge production and problem-solving such as co-creation and consulting. In this chapter, we discuss the central principles of this form of academic knowledge production, their practices and implications for sustainable entrepreneurship. We begin by defining action research and its unique methodological features. We then highlight research practices to address two fundamental, but overlooked, aspects of action research: value reciprocity and impact temporality. We illustrate these aspects by providing two cases of action research in a sustainable entrepreneurship context. This chapter offers directions for the researcher embarking on action research journeys aimed at fostering sustainable entrepreneurship.

Abstract

The fields of sustainability and entrepreneurship share their dynamic processes, their high degree of uncertainty and complexity and their endeavour on systemic impact. These inherent characteristics call researchers to engage in action research (AR). Action research equips researchers with unique tools to navigate the volatility and complexity of sustainable entrepreneurship while simultaneously fostering its purpose and uncovering new theoretical insights. Yet, action research efforts fostering sustainable entrepreneurship are still emergent. The mutual affinity between sustainable entrepreneurship and action research is still seldom addressed in the literature and often confused with other forms of collaborative knowledge production and problem-solving such as co-creation and consulting. In this chapter, we discuss the central principles of this form of academic knowledge production, their practices and implications for sustainable entrepreneurship. We begin by defining action research and its unique methodological features. We then highlight research practices to address two fundamental, but overlooked, aspects of action research: value reciprocity and impact temporality. We illustrate these aspects by providing two cases of action research in a sustainable entrepreneurship context. This chapter offers directions for the researcher embarking on action research journeys aimed at fostering sustainable entrepreneurship.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents VII
  3. List of Contributors XI
  4. 1 Introduction 1
  5. Part I: Foundations
  6. Introduction 25
  7. 2 Sustainable Entrepreneurship Research: Narratives, Tensions and Future Agendas 29
  8. 3 Fostering Sustainability and Entrepreneurship Through Action Research: The Role of Value Reciprocity and Impact Temporality 45
  9. 4 Sustainable Entrepreneurship Education 63
  10. 5 Consultation: Building Social Relations with Productive Benefits 83
  11. Part II: Leadership
  12. Introduction 103
  13. 6 Value-Driven Leadership in Sustainable Entrepreneurship 107
  14. 7 Back to the Sustainable Future: The Influence of the Big Five Personality Traits on Consideration of Future Consequences 123
  15. 8 Unpacking Opportunity Recognition for Sustainable Entrepreneurship 143
  16. 9 Leadership in Transitions: The Case of Hydrogen 159
  17. Part III: Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Context
  18. Introduction 185
  19. 10 Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Context: Mapping Research on the Nexus and Demarcating Future Research Directions 189
  20. 11 The Untold Story of Women’s Online Business in Bangladesh 213
  21. 12 Climate-Smart Agriculture Diffusion within Smallholder Agriculture Context: The Role of Business Models of Sustainable Entrepreneurs 233
  22. 13 Sustainable Entrepreneurial Storytelling in the Caribbean: Digital Storytelling to Empower Trinidad and Tobago’s Cocoa Sector 255
  23. Part IV: Business Models
  24. Introduction 283
  25. 14 From Economic to Sustainable Value Creation 287
  26. 15 Transformative Organizational Learning for Circular Economy 307
  27. 16 Accelerating Transitions Through Business Model Thinking 323
  28. 17 A Long-Term Perspective on Sustainable Business Modelling Changing Value Creation, Actors and Scope in a Quest to Foster Transformation and Transition 343
  29. Part V: Performance and Impact
  30. Introduction 361
  31. 18 Impact Investment in Southeast Asia: An Overview and Framework 365
  32. 19 Enabling the Agency of Others: The Ultimate Impact of Social Entrepreneurs 389
  33. 20 Breaking Boundaries: The Case of Women Tech-Entrepreneurs in Lebanon 407
  34. 21 Mapping Change in Local Energy: Community Energy Groups and Their Theory of Change 423
  35. List of Figures 441
  36. List of Tables 443
  37. Index 445
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110756159-004

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents VII
  3. List of Contributors XI
  4. 1 Introduction 1
  5. Part I: Foundations
  6. Introduction 25
  7. 2 Sustainable Entrepreneurship Research: Narratives, Tensions and Future Agendas 29
  8. 3 Fostering Sustainability and Entrepreneurship Through Action Research: The Role of Value Reciprocity and Impact Temporality 45
  9. 4 Sustainable Entrepreneurship Education 63
  10. 5 Consultation: Building Social Relations with Productive Benefits 83
  11. Part II: Leadership
  12. Introduction 103
  13. 6 Value-Driven Leadership in Sustainable Entrepreneurship 107
  14. 7 Back to the Sustainable Future: The Influence of the Big Five Personality Traits on Consideration of Future Consequences 123
  15. 8 Unpacking Opportunity Recognition for Sustainable Entrepreneurship 143
  16. 9 Leadership in Transitions: The Case of Hydrogen 159
  17. Part III: Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Context
  18. Introduction 185
  19. 10 Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Context: Mapping Research on the Nexus and Demarcating Future Research Directions 189
  20. 11 The Untold Story of Women’s Online Business in Bangladesh 213
  21. 12 Climate-Smart Agriculture Diffusion within Smallholder Agriculture Context: The Role of Business Models of Sustainable Entrepreneurs 233
  22. 13 Sustainable Entrepreneurial Storytelling in the Caribbean: Digital Storytelling to Empower Trinidad and Tobago’s Cocoa Sector 255
  23. Part IV: Business Models
  24. Introduction 283
  25. 14 From Economic to Sustainable Value Creation 287
  26. 15 Transformative Organizational Learning for Circular Economy 307
  27. 16 Accelerating Transitions Through Business Model Thinking 323
  28. 17 A Long-Term Perspective on Sustainable Business Modelling Changing Value Creation, Actors and Scope in a Quest to Foster Transformation and Transition 343
  29. Part V: Performance and Impact
  30. Introduction 361
  31. 18 Impact Investment in Southeast Asia: An Overview and Framework 365
  32. 19 Enabling the Agency of Others: The Ultimate Impact of Social Entrepreneurs 389
  33. 20 Breaking Boundaries: The Case of Women Tech-Entrepreneurs in Lebanon 407
  34. 21 Mapping Change in Local Energy: Community Energy Groups and Their Theory of Change 423
  35. List of Figures 441
  36. List of Tables 443
  37. Index 445
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