Objectives In an ideal continuum between agency and structure, entrepreneurship research has largely focused on the first, while treating contexts as backdrops for venture creation. The paper aims at assessing the state of the art of the field in theorizing the co-evolution of agency and contexts in entrepreneurship processes. We do so by illustrating the results of a bibliographic analysis of the development of the literature on the interplay between entrepreneurship and contexts, and by isolating both the intellectual base of the scholarly debate and the research front –that is the recent developments of the investigation– in order to identify promising areas for empirical and theoretical analyses. In the first part of the paper we aim at uncovering the structure of the scholarly debate tackling processes and phenomena at the intersection between entrepreneurship in general and contexts. In the second part of the paper we narrow down the scope of our analysis by focusing on literature that sits at the intersection between the creation of new ventures –thus we concentrate on the emergence of new firms–, social networks and social embeddedness. The paper presents the exploratory results of a bibliometric analysis considering literature in the period 1985-2014. Prior work Recent articles by Zahra (2007) and Zahra and Wright (2011) exhort the field to factor in contexts in theory development. Zahra and Wright point to the need to develop a coherent framework on what is meant by context, the lack of which determined both the marginality of contexts in extant analyses and the heterogeneity in methods and in the operationalization of the core concepts in the current debate. Welter (2011) departs from a preoccupation with the status of contexts in recent entrepreneurship literature and provides with a systematic analysis of how contexts have been treated and analysed in major journals in the field. Welter’s exhaustive review of contexts in entrepreneurial literature shows that contexts have been often introduced as variables in empirical studies on entrepreneurship (single, discrete variables whose impact on venturing processes can be measured somehow) vis-à-vis a treatment of contexts as a lens (a broader perspective drawing attention to who, what, how and why of entrepreneurial processes). Approach The paper provides an exploratory analysis of the bibliometric structure of the debate on new venture emergence and contexts and will identify the emerging bibliometric structure of the scholarly debate. Results The article provides evidence the “empirical” nature of the current debate, wherein a majority of studies leveraged upon theories matured in other fields –sociology in particular. Moreover, it allows to appreciate how 1 the debate crossed field boundaries and became a lively conversation among diverse communities of scholars, involving researchers in organization studies, innovation, regional studies and many more. Finally, the analysis provides a preliminary overview on the structure of the debate and on the most prominent scholars animating it in the last decade. Implications The paper aims at supporting the development of overarching theoretical frameworks to increase our understanding of the interaction between contexts and new ventures in theories of entrepreneurship. It hopefully will trigger further analyses and theoretical developments. Value The value of the paper lies in the systematization of an on-going debate that is currently characterized by the multiplicity of research lines, epistemological and ontological stances, and theoretical frameworks being mobilized.

Theorizing entrepreneurship: whither the context? A bibliometric analysis

FINOTTO, Vladi;MIZZAU, LORENZO;BONESSO, Sara;COMACCHIO, Anna
2014-01-01

Abstract

Objectives In an ideal continuum between agency and structure, entrepreneurship research has largely focused on the first, while treating contexts as backdrops for venture creation. The paper aims at assessing the state of the art of the field in theorizing the co-evolution of agency and contexts in entrepreneurship processes. We do so by illustrating the results of a bibliographic analysis of the development of the literature on the interplay between entrepreneurship and contexts, and by isolating both the intellectual base of the scholarly debate and the research front –that is the recent developments of the investigation– in order to identify promising areas for empirical and theoretical analyses. In the first part of the paper we aim at uncovering the structure of the scholarly debate tackling processes and phenomena at the intersection between entrepreneurship in general and contexts. In the second part of the paper we narrow down the scope of our analysis by focusing on literature that sits at the intersection between the creation of new ventures –thus we concentrate on the emergence of new firms–, social networks and social embeddedness. The paper presents the exploratory results of a bibliometric analysis considering literature in the period 1985-2014. Prior work Recent articles by Zahra (2007) and Zahra and Wright (2011) exhort the field to factor in contexts in theory development. Zahra and Wright point to the need to develop a coherent framework on what is meant by context, the lack of which determined both the marginality of contexts in extant analyses and the heterogeneity in methods and in the operationalization of the core concepts in the current debate. Welter (2011) departs from a preoccupation with the status of contexts in recent entrepreneurship literature and provides with a systematic analysis of how contexts have been treated and analysed in major journals in the field. Welter’s exhaustive review of contexts in entrepreneurial literature shows that contexts have been often introduced as variables in empirical studies on entrepreneurship (single, discrete variables whose impact on venturing processes can be measured somehow) vis-à-vis a treatment of contexts as a lens (a broader perspective drawing attention to who, what, how and why of entrepreneurial processes). Approach The paper provides an exploratory analysis of the bibliometric structure of the debate on new venture emergence and contexts and will identify the emerging bibliometric structure of the scholarly debate. Results The article provides evidence the “empirical” nature of the current debate, wherein a majority of studies leveraged upon theories matured in other fields –sociology in particular. Moreover, it allows to appreciate how 1 the debate crossed field boundaries and became a lively conversation among diverse communities of scholars, involving researchers in organization studies, innovation, regional studies and many more. Finally, the analysis provides a preliminary overview on the structure of the debate and on the most prominent scholars animating it in the last decade. Implications The paper aims at supporting the development of overarching theoretical frameworks to increase our understanding of the interaction between contexts and new ventures in theories of entrepreneurship. It hopefully will trigger further analyses and theoretical developments. Value The value of the paper lies in the systematization of an on-going debate that is currently characterized by the multiplicity of research lines, epistemological and ontological stances, and theoretical frameworks being mobilized.
2014
Proceedings of the 37th ISBE Conference - Manchester
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10278/3637294
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