Volume 8, Issue 2 -

Research on entrepreneurial learning highlights the importance of experience and prior knowledge to entrepreneurial success. However, a conundrum remains and we are still seeking answers as to why some novice entrepreneurs learn successfully from their experiences and succeed, while some experienced entrepreneurs fail with their ventures. In order to advance the discussion about the role of experience during entrepreneurial learning, our critical reflection aims to (1) highlight some of the shortcomings of experiential learning theory (ELT) and (2) illustrate how alternative theoretical perspectives have the potential to advance our conceptual understanding of entrepreneurial learning processes. We argue for an explanation of entrepreneurial learning as a dynamic and self-regulated process that relies on planning, monitoring, and self-reflection.

This study explores whether managerial ability (MA) promotes firms’ competitive advantages (CAs). By combining data collected through a questionnaire survey and a secondary database from 181 public firms in Taiwan, the results show that superior MA enhances CAs. Moreover, this research presents the mechanisms of value and rareness and offers evidence that MA promotes CAs through these mechanisms. More importantly, this research further finds that entrepreneurial strategy making (ESM) positively strengthens these mediated effects such that the indirect effects are stronger when ESM is strong rather than weak.

New product diffusion is critical to entrepreneurship. Without successful diffusion, the emergence of a new business is incomplete. Although we have several well-established models of the diffusion phenomenon, these models mainly describe the macro-level diffusion patterns after their ignition, thereby ignoring the ignition mechanism. This study conceptualizes an entrepreneur’s introduction of a new product and its diffusion as a generative emergence from a complexity science perspective and employs agent-based modeling and simulation (ABMS) to explain the full ignition-diffusion process as well as ignition failures. In this study’s model, the ignition process is made of individual consumers’ heterogeneous thresholds and their relative levels of activities. These micro-level characteristics and behaviors influence the speed and scope of the diffusion at the macro-level. Our simulations reveal the minimum number of initial adopters required to ignite the diffusion process and show how an entrepreneur’s advertising campaign may accelerate the ignition and diffusion speed. The simulations also reveal how consumers’ negative word-of-mouth may reduce the diffusion scope.

The pre-incubation phase is critical in the forming of entrepreneur’s intention and however it is almost missing in literature. Using the entrepreneurship models based on the beliefs–attitude–intention relationship, a sample of 167 pre-incubated entrepreneurs within the well-known System of Business Incubators of the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education was surveyed and its statistical analysis developed with Structural Equation Modelling methodology. Our findings confirm that (1) entrepreneur’s perception concerning the incubator’s performance directly and positively affects the desirability, self-efficacy and the facilitating conditions, (2) the perceived desirability and feasibility in entrepreneurship, as well as the first ones, self-efficacy and facilitating conditions, positively influence the entrepreneurial intentions. Furthermore, contrary to the traditional mind-set that supports risk is a barrier, results suggest that (3) the risk perceived by pre-incubated entrepreneurs positively influences entrepreneurial intentions and the desirability that is attributed to that behaviour. Finally, these results also provide insights for organizational leaders and policymakers into managing business incubators and organising their formative programs. The effectiveness of incubators is clear but it is also important to communicate it properly so that incubated individuals can perceive it.