Entrepreneurship Theories

For some time there has been interest in the question of whether clusters form because of entrepreneurship, or whether clusters benefit entrepreneurs ( Delgado, Porter, and Stern, 2010 ). Clusters refer to geographic concentrations of similar firms, such the technology firms in Silicon Valley. Researchers are interested to know if clusters breed and boost entrepreneurs to see if pro-cluster policies, such as smart parks, make economic sense. Researchers also want to know if entrepreneurs are better off in clusters or not to inform industrial policy around entrepreneurship education and training ( Cusmano, Morrison and Pandolfo, 2015 ). Spinouts: where employees from firms in a cluster leave to start complementary or competing independent ventures, are seen as important to the diversity and competitiveness of clusters. They are especially important because spinouts tend to stay close to their parent firms and their own networks. Thus, where there are many spinouts, there tends to b

This one is a bit of a stretch to call a theory, but we can perhaps think of it as a process theory or a discovery theory . Pradhan and Nath (2011) discuss the Harvard School Theory of entrepreneurship. They say the theory views entrepreneurship as involving "all such activities that initiates, maintains and results in a profit oriented enterprise for production or distribution of economic goods or services and which is consistent with internal and external forces." According to Mohanty (2005) , the Harvard School Theory is a framework for strategic analysis and decision-making that is widely used in the field of entrepreneurship. It involves a thorough internal analysis of the organization's resources and capabilities, as well as an external analysis of the broader business environment. The internal analysis focuses on identifying the organization's strengths and weaknesses, as well as any opportunities and threats that may arise from the external environment. T

What is the impulsivity theory of entrepreneurship? Impulsiveness  refers to taking action without thinking about it first and considering data before deciding. Wiklund, Patzelt and Dimov (2016)  state that "acting without thinking is characterized by rapid decision making in situations that would seem to require extensive analysis and deliberation." They go on to explain that individuals need to act impulsively in some entrepreneurial conditions because it is impossible to complete a throughout analysis due to uncertainty, ambiguity, and urgency. Rather than succumbing to analysis paralysis, entrepreneurs take leaps of faith that most others are not willing to. As it turns out, there is a way to measure impulsivity. Attention deficit and hyper-active disorder (ADHD) is usually considered a problem that need to be addressed. For instance, many parents medicate their children with drugs like Ritalin in order to combat the negative effects of ADHD.  Interestingly, ADHD

The Birth Order Theory is a psychological theory that suggests that the order in which individuals are born in relation to their siblings has a significant impact on their personality development and experiences throughout their lives. This theory was popularized by psychoanalysts such as Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Alfred Adler in the 1950s and has since become a widely studied and debated topic in the field of psychology. According to the Birth Order Hypothesis, depending on their position in the birth order, each child in a family goes through a different set of conditions and experiences. For instance, it's well knowledge that first-born children are more mature and goal-oriented, whereas younger siblings may be more inventive and rebellious. Only children may be more self-assured and egocentric, but middle children are regarded to be more autonomous and adaptable. The Birth Order Theory suggests that these differences in personality and behaviour can be traced back to the un

The genetic approach to entrepreneurship looks to biological inheritance to explain the tendency for an individual to become an entrepreneur and succeed in entrepreneurial ventures. Research on genetic links is spurred on by considerable anecdotal evidence that the children of entrepreneurs are more likely to become entrepreneurs than the children of non-entrepreneurs. Genetic research tries to tease out family and environmental factors (learning, role modeling, and resources) from genetic factors. Nicolaou et al. (2008) conclude that when one twin becomes an entrepreneur then the other twin is more likely to, even when controlling for family upbringing and other environmental factors. They suggest that testosterone levels are inherited and related to the decision to become an entrepreneur. Later studies have added more depth to the analysis, looking to personality traits as mediators. For instance, Shane et al. (2010) study twins (with 50% and 100% similar genes) and conclud