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Entrepreneurship as an Evolutionary Process: Research Progress and Challenges

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  • Martinez Martha A.

    (DePaul University)

  • Yang Tiantian

    (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

  • Aldrich Howard E.

    (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Abstract

Recent advances in theory have emphasized a definition of entrepreneurship as an evolutionary process of selection and adaptation. By analyzing 307 empirical articles published in top entrepreneurship journals in the last five years, this paper identifies advances and challenges in three key areas: framing of research questions, data collection and structure, and the measurement of time and space related contexts. In terms of framing research questions, researchers tend to emphasize transitions and performance outcomes, particularly at the firm level. However, transitions from the general population to nascent entrepreneurs, as well as transitions from nascent entrepreneurs to new firms, are under explored. In terms of data, researchers rely too heavily on survey methods and cross-sectional data. Finally, researchers appear to be more comfortable measuring variations in environmental forces across space than across time. Because of major data collection efforts like the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor and the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics, a potential exists for more sophisticated projects that follow an evolutionary approach to entrepreneurship.

Suggested Citation

  • Martinez Martha A. & Yang Tiantian & Aldrich Howard E., 2011. "Entrepreneurship as an Evolutionary Process: Research Progress and Challenges," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 1(1), pages 1-28, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:erjour:v:1:y:2011:i:1:n:4
    DOI: 10.2202/2157-5665.1009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Ambreen Khursheed & Faisal Mustafa & Maham Fatima & Faiza Siddique, 2018. "Entrepreneurial Intentions: Gem Based Emipirical Analysis On The Northern Europe And Asian Countries," International Journal of Entrepreneurial Knowledge, Center for International Scientific Research of VSO and VSPP, vol. 6(2), pages 59-70, December.
    3. Antonio Dottore & Suleiman Kassicieh, 2014. "University Patent Holders as Entrepreneurs: Factors that Influence Spinout Activity," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 5(4), pages 863-891, December.
    4. Rogoff Edward, 2012. "Entrepreneurship Databases: Illuminating Processes, Describing Phenomena and Steering Research," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 2(4), pages 1-32, October.
    5. Goel, Sanjay & Mazzola, Pietro & Phan, Phillip H. & Pieper, Torsten M. & Zachary, Ramona K., 2012. "Strategy, ownership, governance, and socio-psychological perspectives on family businesses from around the world," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 3(2), pages 54-65.
    6. Strom Robert, 2011. "Seeing Opportunities in Entrepreneurship Research: Recent Data Improvements and Continuing Limitations," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 1(2), pages 1-8, March.
    7. Lyons Thomas S. & Alter Theodore R. & Audretsch David & Augustine Darline, 2012. "Entrepreneurship and Community: The Next Frontier of Entrepreneurship Inquiry," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 2(1), pages 1-26, January.
    8. Seguí-Mas Elies & Jiménez-Arribas Irene & Tormo-Carbó Guillermina, 2019. "Does the Environment Matter? Mapping Academic Knowledge on Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in GEM," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 9(2), pages 1-19, April.
    9. Winkler Christoph & Schulman Stuart A., 2012. "Social Business: An Emerging Entrepreneurship Research Focus," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 2(4), pages 1-9, October.
    10. Susan Müller & Alyssa Lara Kirst & Heiko Bergmann & Barbara Bird, 2023. "Entrepreneurs’ actions and venture success: a structured literature review and suggestions for future research," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 60(1), pages 199-226, January.
    11. Marcus Box & Tommy Larsson Segerlind, 2018. "Entrepreneurial Teams, Gender, and New Venture Survival: Contexts and Institutions," SAGE Open, , vol. 8(2), pages 21582440187, May.
    12. Robert P. Garrett & Chao Miao & Shanshan Qian & Tae Jun Bae, 2017. "Entrepreneurial spawning and knowledge-based perspective: a meta-analysis," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 49(2), pages 355-378, August.
    13. Yang, Tiantian & Aldrich, Howard E., 2012. "Out of sight but not out of mind: Why failure to account for left truncation biases research on failure rates," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 477-492.
    14. Zachary Ramona K. & Mishra Chandra S, 2011. "The Future of Entrepreneurship Research: Calling All Researchers," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 1(1), pages 1-15, January.
    15. Mahto, Raj V. & Llanos-Contreras, Orlando & Hebles, Melany, 2022. "Post-disaster recovery for family firms: The role of owner motivations, firm resources, and dynamic capabilities," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 117-129.
    16. Brahim Gaies & Massimiliano Vesci & Chiara Crudele & Andrea Calabrò & Adnane Maalaoui, 2025. "Panta Rhei! Disentangling the temporal dynamics of nascent and future entrepreneurship," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-46, December.
    17. Mansoori, Yashar & Karlsson, Tomas & Lundqvist, Mats, 2019. "The influence of the lean startup methodology on entrepreneur-coach relationships in the context of a startup accelerator," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 84, pages 37-47.
    18. Sufia Mohand-Amar & María del Mar Fuentes-Fuentes & Matilde Ruiz-Arroyo, 2024. "The relationship between high growth expectations and new venture creation in nascent entrepreneurs: The key role of competitive innovation," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 2323-2345, September.
    19. Aldrich Howard E. & Yang Tiantian, 2012. "What Did Stinchcombe Really Mean? Designing Research to Test the Liability of Newness among New Ventures," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 2(3), pages 1-14, July.

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