1,721,064 research outputs found
Origin and development of entrepreneurial cognition: a university embeddedness perspective
No full textTo explain what drives entrepreneurial action, a fundamental question of the entrepreneurship research field, the study of individual’s cognition has emerged as a promising perspective, as it describes the mental processes through which individuals identify and take decisions about entrepreneurial opportunities. Most of this research has emphasized the consequences of cognition on entrepreneurial action, highlighting that individuals need the proper knowledge and motivation to identify and act upon entrepreneurial opportunities. However, less is known about the mechanisms through which these cognitive dimensions can be developed through individuals’ exposure to their social context. This is surprising as entrepreneurship is a socially embedded phenomenon and entrepreneurs are social embedded: literature has acknowledged that elements of the social context in which individuals grow up (e.g., family and early life experiences) and to which individuals are attracted later in life (e.g., workplace, friends, education) play a central role in cultivating and developing their predispositions towards entrepreneurship.
The aim of the present thesis is to address this gap by concentrating on university as social context and its role in nurturing entrepreneurial cognition. University is chosen because it represents a context, which provides opportunities of learning and socialization, as well normative frames that shapes the cognition, aptitudes and beliefs of its members, students and scientists. Specifically, the three missions of university – education, research and commercialization – together concur to the development of its members’ entrepreneurial thinking and acting.
The first paper focuses on the university education mission and its effects on students’ entrepreneurial
knowledge adopting a learning perspective. It illustrates the extent and the circumstances under which
students’ exposure to different entrepreneurial education offerings produces entrepreneurial learning
outcomes.
The second paper focuses on the university research mission and its effects on scientists’ success in
commercializing innovations adopting an imprinting perspective. It illustrates the mechanisms through which the career imprints – which scientists internalize in the research lab – translate into open innovation behavior by their innovative startups. In turn, open innovation is shown to represent the mediating mechanism that explain why ventures founded by scientists have an advantage over other innovative startups in the commercialization of new products or services.
The third paper focuses on the university commercialization mission and on how this element of
university culture affects the well-being experience of student entrepreneurs. Adopting an identity perspective, it illustrates that the effect of different dimensions of firm performance (e.g., financial, social) on student entrepreneurs’ psychological well-being is contingent to the entrepreneurial culture of their university. On the basis of these studies, the thesis moves towards a process-based framework that illustrates the mechanisms and circumstances under which individuals who select themselves in the university social context develop the cognitive dimensions which, in turn, influence their entrepreneurial actions and outcomes. This framework provides the opportunity to discuss a research agenda and formulate practical implications for entrepreneurs, educators and policy-makers
How the value created by student entrepreneurs affects their psychological well-being: a social identity perspective
No full textResearch on psychological well-being (PWB), a fundamental indicator of individuals’ mental health, has gained importance in the entrepreneurship field because it represents a fundamental outcome for the individual entrepreneur. In this paper, we extend this research stream by studying how the social context in which entrepreneurs are embedded influences the PWB they obtain by creating value by means of their business. To do so, we propose that student entrepreneurs have to align the value created as entrepreneurs with their sense of belonging to the university in which they are embedded. Drawing on social identity theory, we hypothesize that three different dimensions of value creation – for oneself, for customers, for society – contribute to their PWB, but that the extent of such contribution is influenced by university involvement into academic entrepreneurship, a visible component of university’s culture. Our analysis on a sample of 138 Italian student entrepreneurs nested in 11 universities shows that university’s involvement into academic entrepreneurship negatively moderates the impact on PWB of the value created by the firm for oneself and for customers. Conversely, it positively moderates the effect on PWB of the value created by the firm for society
The psychological well-being of student entrepreneurs: a social identity perspective
No full textWithin the vibrant and growing research stream focused on university-based entrepreneurship, the literature has investigated how university encourages students to undertake entrepreneurial activities, but less is known about the influence of university on students’ career outcomes once they stepped into entrepreneurship. To address this gap, we focus on student entrepreneurs’ psychological well-being (PWB), a central career outcome for the individual entrepreneur. We build on social identity theory to hypothesize that three different dimensions of venture’s value creation – for oneself, for customers, for society – contribute to student entrepreneurs’ PWB, but that the extent of such contribution depends on university involvement into academic entrepreneurship, a visible component of its organizational culture. Our analysis on a sample of 138 student entrepreneurs shows that university’s involvement into academic entrepreneurship diminishes the negative downsides of poor value creation for oneself and for customers on PWB. Conversely, it leads to larger benefits of the value created by the firm for society on PWB
Employer attractiveness of female founders: the role of gender stereotypes
No full textIn this paper we explore the role played by gender of the entrepreneur in attracting employees for their new ventures. In particular, we study whether, why and under which circumstances female founders suffer from disadvantage in attracting employees. To do so we run two randomized-control trial experiments. In the former, we explore the causal relationship between gender and employer attractiveness. In the second one, we aim to obtain additional insights about the mechanisms underlying such relationship. To do so, we focus on the impact of the gender stereotype displayed by the female entrepreneur on employer attractiveness. Additionally, since social- rather than profit-oriented goals are generally perceived as more fitting with female stereotypes, we test how the social identity of the female founder moderates the relationship between gender stereotypes and employer attractiveness. With our study, we aim to contribute to research on gender gap in entrepreneurship and on employer attractiveness of new ventures
The Role of Gender Stereotypes and Social Identity in the Process of Employees’ Recruitment by Female Founders
No full textIn this paper we explore the role played by gender of the entrepreneur in attracting employees for their new ventures. In particular, we study whether, why and under which circumstances female founders suffer from disadvantage in attracting employees. To do so we run two randomized-control trial experiments. In the former, we explore the causal relationship between gender and employer attractiveness. In the second one, we aim to obtain additional insights about the mechanisms underlying such relationship. To do so, we focus on the impact of the gender stereotype displayed by the female entrepreneur on employer attractiveness. Additionally, since social- rather than profit-oriented goals are generally perceived as more fitting with female stereotypes, we test how the social identity of the female founder moderates the relationship between gender stereotypes and employer attractiveness. With our study, we aim to contribute to research on gender gap in entrepreneurship and on employer attractiveness of new ventures
How Agile Practices Drive Employees' Entrepreneurial Orientation: The Role of Digital Skills and Ambidexterity
No full textImplications of agile practices beyond the management of innovation: the empowerment of employees’ digital skills and entrepreneurial orientation.
No full textAre female entrepreneurs disadvantaged in employees’ recruitment? The role of founder's gender stereotypes and social identity
No full textIn this paper we explore the role played by gender of the entrepreneur in attracting employees for their new ventures. In particular, we study whether, why and under which circumstances female founders suffer from disadvantage in attracting employees. To do so we run two randomized-control trial experiments. In the former, we explore the causal relationship between gender and employer attractiveness. In the second one, we aim to obtain additional insights about the mechanisms underlying such relationship. To do so, we focus on the impact of the gender stereotype displayed by the female entrepreneur on employer attractiveness. Additionally, since social- rather than profit-oriented goals are generally perceived as more fitting with female stereotypes, we test how the social identity of the female founder moderates the relationship between gender stereotypes and employer attractiveness. With our study, we aim to contribute to research on gender gap in entrepreneurship and on employer attractiveness of new ventures
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