Paul Westhead

Entrepreneurs can exhibit the entrepreneurial burnout syndrome, which retards entrepreneur and firm performance. Building upon insights from the conservation of resources theory of stress response and psychology theory, this study examined the role of entrepreneur emotional demands as well as job autonomy and satisfaction resources with regard to entrepreneurial burnout. Multivariate regression analysis relating to 273 entrepreneurs in France revealed that emotional demands were positively associated with entrepreneurial burnout, while job autonomy and satisfaction were negatively associated with entrepreneurial burnout. Job autonomy buffered the negative effect of emotional demands on entrepreneurial burnout. However, job satisfaction did not buffer the negative effect of emotional demands on entrepreneurial burnout. Implications are discussed.

This exploratory study conducted in the transitional context of Ukraine explores whether students drawn from a supportive entrepreneurship education (EE) reported higher intensity of entrepreneurial intention (IOEI) than students that did not participate in EE. Further, this study explores what specific competencies honed within a supportive EE are associated with students reporting high IOEI. Guided by competency theory, two hypotheses were tested with regard to a representative sample of 125 business EE students, and a further 64 engineering students that had never participated in EE. EE students drawn from a supportive educational entrepreneurial ecosystem were found to be associated with significantly higher IOEI. With regard to 13 competencies honed by EE, it was found that only three competencies (the ability to identify high quality opportunities, computer literacy, and networking) were significantly albeit to a weak degree associated with higher IOEI. Additional studies are warranted in several former Soviet Union contexts to provide a rigorous evidence base to guide resource allocation decisions of the government with regard to supporting EE and entrepreneurial ecosystems. This exploratory study relating to the sample of students in one entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Ukraine does not provide conclusive evidence for the government to more proactively support the educational entrepreneurial ecosystem with regard to its current content and delivery.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the evolution of relationship marketing (RM) in a new technology-based firm (NTBF) and to illustrate how social embeddednesss benefits can be achieved by engaging in RM in a rural resource-constrained bilingual context. Design/methodology/approach: A single in-depth case study of a NTBF operating in a rural bilingual context was explored over a five-year period. As part of the case study, participant observation was carried out and interviews with the novice entrepreneur, the firm’s employees and its customers were conducted. Findings: Developing mutually beneficial relationships with customers and key partners can enable a novice entrepreneur with no prior business ownership and limited marketing experience to accumulate and mobilise resources in order to achieve credibility and business growth. By analysing information from the NTBF’s entrepreneur, customers and other actors, the authors build theory and present propositions relating to the RM process. Practical implications: This case illustrates that RM can enhance the legitimacy of an inexperienced entrepreneur, and can enable a firm to address the liabilities of newness in a rural resource-constrained context. Entrepreneurs need to focus on relevant and specialised partnership and alliance relationships that can provide strategic resources for firm development. The bilingual influence has also been shown to aid the development of new relationships and thus ensuring social embeddedness. Originality/value: The theoretical contribution of this study is to integrate insights from both RM and social embeddedness theories, and illustrate the extent to which a NTBF demonstrates social embeddedness benefits relating to customer retention and accumulation of strategic resources due to RM.

Increasingly, entrepreneurship research recognizes a wide variety in entrepreneurial behaviour. One such difference is marked between experienced or habitual entrepreneurs and novices. This book, authored by established experts in the field, introduces and explores the habitual entrepreneur phenomenon. Building upon an international body of research, the authors analyse business behaviour to demonstrate how experience relates to the performance of new ventures. In employing a range of methodological techniques, the authors provide insight into how prior business ownership experience produces different outcomes when it comes to the key success factors associated with entrepreneurial ventures. With detailed coverage of finance, networking, opportunity discovery, and learning, the book is a uniquely comprehensive resource. This concise book is a complete research guide which provides an introduction for advanced students and researchers of entrepreneurship worldwide.

This article explores links between entrepreneurship education (EE) participation, alertness and risk-taking skills and the intensity of entrepreneurial intention relating to becoming an entrepreneur. Guided by insights from human capital and socially learned stereotypes theories, we conceptualize and test novel hypotheses that consider the potential moderating effect of gender and participation in EE. Business students participating in EE modules were compared with engineering students excluded from such programmes. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that EE students reported high intensity of intention; however, EE did not generate equal benefits for all students. Women were significantly less likely to report high intensity of intention; however, those citing the alertness skill were more likely to report high intensity of intention than non-EE women students. Both male EE and non-EE students citing the risk perception skill reported higher intention, whereas women EE students citing the risk perception skill reported lower intention.

This article examines the theory and evidence relating to entrepreneurs who start, purchase, and own more than one venture. The article begins by defining the various types of habitual entrepreneur and distiniguishing them from first time or novice entrepreneurs. We examine concepts relating to the human capital and learning that results from habitual entrepreneurship. The article also examines the evidence relating to the performance and innovative behavior resulting from habitual entrepreneurship activities. Finally, the implications for entrepreneurship policy are discussed.

Universities provide entrepreneurship-specific education (ESE) to equip students with the alertness and risk-taking skills required to pursue entrepreneurial careers. This study explores links between ESE participation, alertness and risk-taking general human capital skills, and the intensity of entrepreneurial intention relating to becoming an entrepreneur. We integrate insights from human capital theory with views from social feminist theory and socially learned stereotypes theory. This study challenges the view that ESE generates equal benefits for both female and male students. Business students taking part in ESE were compared with engineering students not taking part in ESE. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that ESE students reported high intensity of intention. However, female ESE students were significantly less likely to report high intensity of intention. Female ESE students citing alertness skills were more likely to report high intensity of intention than female non-ESE students. Both male ESE and non-ESE students citing risk perception skills reported higher intention. Female ESE students citing risk perception skills reported lower intention.

Purpose: – Universities provide entrepreneurship-specific education (ESE) to equip students with the skills required to pursue entrepreneurial careers in new firms and innovative private and public sector organizations. Building upon insights from entrepreneurial event theory, cultural values theory and human capital theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore the linkage between perceived local cultural environment, ESE investment and the intensity of entrepreneurial intention with regard to becoming an entrepreneur.Design/methodology/approach: – Survey information from 321 students from three universities in the Ukraine was hand collected. Hierarchical multiple ordinary least squares regression analysis and slope analysis were used to test presented hypotheses.Findings: – Analysis revealed that students who cited a perceived desirability and perceived feasibility for entrepreneurship, initiative taking culture and participation in ESE reported significantly higher intensity of entrepreneurial intention. Conversely, students who cited the capability beliefs culture factor reported significantly lower intensity of intention. ESE interactions with perceived cultural factors as well as perceived desirability and perceived feasibility for entrepreneurship were not significantly associated with higher intensity of entrepreneurial intention.Research limitations/implications: – This study was limited to three universities in the Ukraine and university students who followed business or engineering courses. The generalizability of the findings might be limited to this context. Additional quantitative and qualitative research is warranted to explore the external validity of presented findings with regard to other countries, universities and courses.Practical implications: – Practitioners in transition economies are seeking to increase the rate of new firms formation in order to encourage economic development and to reduce social and regional inequality, but they also want existing organizations to grow utilizing the skills and capabilities of talented graduates with transferable skills. This study has confirmed that it is unrealistic to assume that ESE alone can alleviate cultural barriers to an entrepreneurial intention. The authors detected that participation in ESE was associated with higher entrepreneurial intention, but failed to highlight the specific entrepreneurial skills and capabilities associated with a higher entrepreneurial intention.Originality/value: – The authors extend the conceptual base by exploring novel hypotheses relating to the assumed direct role ESE plays in promoting a higher intensity of entrepreneurial intention in a transition context. Notably, the authors propose that ESE will moderate the relationships between the cultural factors perceived by students and their reported intensity of entrepreneurial intention. The authors suggest that ESE can raise awareness of positive cultural values that stimulate an entrepreneurial intention. In addition, the authors suggest that ESE can foster the accumulation and mobilization of skills, capabilities and knowledge required to circumvent attitudinal and resource barriers to enterprise.