Entrepreneurship:
Down to a science.
A summary of peer-reviewed publications and the key takeaways from our discoveries.
Crowdfunding
For entrepreneurs looking to raise startup money on crowdfunding websites, my research suggests that founders should practice a high degree of intentionality for not only what they say during their pitch, but also how they say things.
For example, entrepreneurs are quick to tell potential investors about both the economic and social benefits of their product or service, but our research shows that keeping it simpler is better, and emphasizing the social good of your crowdfunding project can lead to higher rates of investment. We have also discovered that the desired fundraising is achieved when social entrepreneurs deliver their message in a way that is concrete, precise, and interactive.
Dive Deeper:
→ Making a contribution to entrepreneurship research by studying crowd-funded entrepreneurial opportunities. Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice. 2019. Read here
→ Crowdfunding by non-profit and social ventures. Handbook of Research on Crowdfunding. 2019. Read here
→ Funding the story of hybrid ventures: Crowdfunder lending preferences and linguistic hybridity. Journal of Business Venturing. 2018. Read here
→ Linguistic style and crowdfunding success among social and commercial entrepreneurs. Journal of Business Venturing. 2017. Read here
→ Gender and Institutions in Prosocial Crowdfunding. Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research. 2016.
→ Language of business versus language of kindness: A comparison of crowdfunding campaigns of for-profit and social entrepreneurs. Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research. 2015. Read here
→ Social enterprise crowdfunding in an acute crisis. Journal of Business Venturing Insights. 2021. Read here
Disabilities
Entrepreneurship by people with disabilities is an area of study that is historically underserved. My research, in partnership with Sarah Parker Harris and Kate Caldwell, was initially focused on the barriers that individuals with disabilities face when starting a business (such as financial and social network barriers), but has grown to include how the experience of a disability can actually be the genesis for recognizing a great business opportunity in the market.
It is also important to consider how entrepreneurship can provide a robust employment strategy for people with disabilities, and our research contains important policy implications for leveling the playing field.
Dive Deeper:
→ Motivation among social entrepreneurs with intellectual disabilities: “Why they act.” Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. 2019. Read here
→ Inclusive outcomes in social entrepreneurship: "What happens when they act”. Inclusion. 2019. Read here
→ Inclusive management for social entrepreneurs with intellectual disabilities: “How They Act.” Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. 2019. Read here
→ Social entrepreneurs with disabilities: exploring motivational and attitudinal factors. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies. 2016. Read here
→ Entrepreneurial entry by people with disabilities. International Small Business Journal. 2016. Read here
→ Entrepreneurship by any other name: self-sufficiency versus innovation. Journal of Social Work in Disability & Rehabilitation. 2014. Read here
→ Accessing social entrepreneurship: perspectives of people with disabilities and key stakeholders. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation. 2013. Read here
→ The potential of social entrepreneurship: Conceptual tools for applying citizenship theory to policy and practice. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. 2012. Read here
→ Supports and barriers that entrepreneurs with disabilities encounter when starting their businesses. APA PsycNet. 2023. Read here
Women in Business
The research I’ve conducted on women’s entrepreneurship examines different contexts in which women start and operate their businesses. Looking at the effect of collectivism on the likelihood of women becoming entrepreneurs, we found that the most beneficial environment for women to do so is in a society that allows for the pursuit of individual goals, combined with support from their in-group (friends, families, and close colleagues), especially in cultures at the extreme ends of the collectivism spectrum—highly collectivistic or highly individualistic.
Dive Deeper:
→ Women’s business ownership: operating within the context of institutional and in-group collectivism. Journal of Management. 2017. Read here
→ Women, disability & entrepreneurship. The Routledge Companion to Global Female Entrepreneurship. 2017. Read here
→ A different frame of reference: Entrepreneurship and gender differences in the Perception of Danger. Academy of Management Discoveries. 2017. Read here
→ Taking care of business: the impact of culture and gender on entrepreneurs’ blended value creation goals. Small Business Economics. 2017. Read here
Social Good
It is particularly hard for social entrepreneurs to start companies that are doing or addressing something completely novel. The structures that are in place to support the start of social enterprises are not well equipped for bringing highly innovative products or services to the markets.
However, mission-driven companies with sustainable business models and a propensity towards service-design have the potential to drive social impact at scale.
Dive Deeper:
→ Transformative service research, service design, and social entrepreneurship: An interdisciplinary framework advancing wellbeing and social impact. Journal of Service Management. 2019. Read here
→ Early challenges of nascent social entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice. 2013. Read here
Startup Strategy
The early years of a firm’s existence are the most turbulent ones, and in order to understand how and why some startups survive and grow, I have focused my research on three key processes: a firm’s approach to its markets, its entrepreneurial leadership, and entrepreneurial resilience and resourcefulness.
Notably, we have learned that when startup companies hire executive leadership, they can continue to innovate beyond their founding product or idea. This means that finding the right leadership team is crucial, which is why we have developed a survey instrument for assessing entrepreneurial leadership. This tool is now being used widely to understand the level and nature of entrepreneurial leadership in companies.
My research also emphasizes that companies who collect and utilize data on their customers and competitors from an early stage often have more success being acquired. I also dive into why young businesses can benefit from sustaining on limited resources, building resilience, and continuously embracing one’s passion for their venture.
Dive Deeper:
→ How do resilience and self-efficacy relate to entrepreneurial intention in countries with varying degrees of fragility? A six-country study. International Small Business Journal. Read here
→ Sold, not bought: Market orientation and technology as drivers of acquisitions of private biotechnology ventures. Journal of Business Venturing. 2020. Read here
→ How motivation matters: Conceptual alignment of individual and opportunity as a predictor of starting up. Journal of Business Venturing Insights. 2017. Read here
→ Entrepreneurial leadership. The Nature of Leadership. 2017. Read here
→ Liabilities, advantages, and buffers of newness: How young age makes internationalization possible. Group & Organization Management. 2016. Read here
→ Understanding and measuring entrepreneurial leadership style. Journal of Small Business Management. 2015. Read here
→ Passionate bricoleurs and new venture survival. Journal of Business Venturing. 2016. Read here
→ How do internationalizing firms emerge? Journal of Business Venturing Insights. 2021. Read here