Entrepreneurs’ improvisational behavior and new venture performance: firm-level and institutional contingencies

YesDespite the growing research on the influence of entrepreneurs’ improvisational behavior on organizational outcomes, there is limited understanding of the specific firm-level and institutional conditions under which entrepreneurs’ improvisational behavior can effectively drive the success of new ventures. This paper contributes to filling this gap by investigating the moderating effects of financial resource capability and institutional support on the relationship between entrepreneurs’ improvisational behavior and new venture performance. The study’s theoretical model is validated by employing confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical regression on primary data obtained from 395 new ventures in Ghana. The results reveal a significant positive moderating effect of financial resource capability on the relationship between entrepreneurs’ improvisational and new venture performance. In addition, the findings show that the effectiveness of improvisation behavior in driving a firm’s success depends on the level of institutional support. Overall, the findings provide a more nuanced explanation of the link between entrepreneurs’ improvisational and firm performance. Implications for research and practice are discussed

Uncertain but able: Entrepreneurial self-efficacy and novices' use of expert decision-logic under uncertainty

Entrepreneurs׳ initial strategy choices are made in the face of inherently uncertain and fundamentally unpredictable futures. Yet, unlike experts, novice entrepreneurs still tend to rely on predictions and forecasts as they move their ideas through the venture creation process. This study examines the role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) and situational framing in mitigating the seemingly negative consequences of an “experience deficit” and promoting the use of effectuation - a non-predictive logic associated with entrepreneurial expertise. The results of a randomized experiment show that, in contrast to a control group and a low ESE group, novices who experienced an increase in ESE were more likely to use effectuation under uncertainty. This relationship was mediated by the framing of the situation as an opportunity

The role of negative emotions in the social processes of entrepreneurship: Power rituals and shame-related appeasement behaviors

This paper examines the role of negative emotions in the social processes of entrepreneurship. Drawing on a study of Russian entrepreneurs, we develop a model of the emotional effects of social interactions between entrepreneurs and state officials. We found that negative emotions were elicited by these interactions and, in turn, fueled three forms of shame-related corrective appeasement behavior (reactive, anticipatory, and sporadic), which served to corrode entrepreneurial motivation and direct attention and energy away from business growth and development

Exploring the success factors of hybrid micro-enterprises

This research explores hybrid micro-entrepreneurs’ founding motivations and the transformation of those motivations into visions of success, by applying multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA). We find that entrepreneurs of hybrid micro-enterprises are driven mostly by noneconomic goals and that those influence their vision of success. The success framework consists of seven indicators (training, professional development, marketing, management, external factors, infrastructures, and organizational aspects). Human capital is perceived as the most important for success – translating the professional motivations for founding. Reversely, external factors, which are usually considered crucial to attain legitimacy, are perceived the least important factors. Given the findings, are hybrid micro-entrepreneurs ready to succeed?info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Predicting new venture survival and growth: does the fog lift?

This paper investigates whether new venture performance becomes easier to predict as the venture ages: does the fog lift? To address this question we primarily draw upon a theoretical framework, initially formulated in a managerial context by Levinthal (Adm Sci Q 36(3):397–420, 1991) that sees new venture sales as a random walk but survival being determined by the stock of available resources (proxied by size). We derive theoretical predictions that are tested with a 10-year cohort of 6579 UK new ventures in the UK. We observe that our ability to predict firm growth deteriorates in the years after entry—in terms of the selection environment, the ‘fog’ seems to thicken. However, our survival predictions improve with time—implying that the ‘fog’ does lift