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Exploring the impact of different types of prior entrepreneurial experience on employer firm performance

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  • Burke, Andrew
  • Millán, José María
  • Román, Concepción
  • van Stel, André

Abstract

We investigate the impact of prior entrepreneurial experience on current performance of firms with employees (employer firms). We distinguish between external entrepreneurial experience obtained outside of the current firm and internal entrepreneurial experience obtained within the boundaries of the employer firm currently run. Regarding the latter we focus on a special type of prior internal experience, i.e. as an own-account worker before scaling up to employer firm. Theoretically, both types of prior entrepreneurial experience are associated with different processes of learning-by-doing. Empirically, we find that both external entrepreneurial experience and internal experience as an own-account worker enhance employer firm performance. Our results therefore imply that, for individuals without any prior entrepreneurial experience wishing to start a new firm, a lean start-up strategy (as an own-account worker) is to be preferred over a more resourceful strategy hiring employees from the start.

Suggested Citation

  • Burke, Andrew & Millán, José María & Román, Concepción & van Stel, André, 2018. "Exploring the impact of different types of prior entrepreneurial experience on employer firm performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 107-122.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:90:y:2018:i:c:p:107-122
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.05.004
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    Cited by:

    1. van Stel, André & Kaciak, Eugene & Cieślik, Jerzy, 2020. "Hiring plans by solo entrepreneurs at the time of start-up: The role of education and the desire for self-expression," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 58-66.
    2. Kouame Dangui Dorcas & Bekolo Ngoa Celestin & Shao Yunfei, 2021. "Entrepreneurs Traits/Characteristics and Innovation Performance of Waste Recycling Start-Ups in Ghana: An Application of the Upper Echelons Theory among SEED Award Winners," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-18, May.
    3. Alice Civera & Davide Donina & Michele Meoli & Silvio Vismara, 2020. "Fostering the creation of academic spinoffs: does the international mobility of the academic leader matter?," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 439-465, June.
    4. Millán, José María & Lyalkov, Serhiy & Burke, Andrew & Millán, Ana & van Stel, André, 2021. "‘Digital divide’ among European entrepreneurs: Which types benefit most from ICT implementation?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 533-547.
    5. Loureiro, Gilberto & Makhija, Anil K. & Zhang, Dan, 2020. "One dollar CEOs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 425-439.
    6. Huatao Peng & Chen Zhou & Yang Liu, 2020. "Entrepreneurial Experience and Performance: From the Aspect of Sustainable Growth of Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-24, September.
    7. Niculaescu, Corina-Elena & Sangiorgi, Ivan & Bell, Adrian R., 2023. "Venture capital financing in the eSports industry," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    8. Andrew Burke & Serhiy Lyalkov & Ana Millán & José María Millán & André Stel, 2021. "How do country R&D change the allocation of self-employment across different types?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 695-721, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Internal and external entrepreneurial experience; Learning-by-doing; Start-up size strategy; Lean start-up; New venture job creation; Novice entrepreneurs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe

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