IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/tefoso/v200y2024ics0040162523008867.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Innovation and sales growth intentions among the solopreneurs: The role of experience and entrepreneurial self-efficacy

Author

Listed:
  • Gkypali, Areti
  • Roper, Stephen

Abstract

It is widely accepted that the self-employed enjoy non-pecuniary benefits from their employment status. They have greater freedom and autonomy in running their businesses and can pursue their intrinsic ambitions relying on their experience and abilities. In this paper we focus on the group of solopreneurs – solo self-employed who have decided to remain as single employee businesses. What determines turnover growth and product/service innovation intentions among these firms? Within this interplay, previous experience from innovation and growth episodes, as well as entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) plays crucial roles. We empirically analyse the relationship between, and the determinants of, innovation and growth intentions using data on a large sample of UK solopreneurs. Empirical results suggest that past innovation performance and growth shape future solopreneurial intentions through an adaptive learning process given the level of perceived ESE for each future objective. Nonetheless, empirical results suggest that for female and young solopreneurs, ESE does not contribute positively to shaping sales growth and innovation intentions.

Suggested Citation

  • Gkypali, Areti & Roper, Stephen, 2024. "Innovation and sales growth intentions among the solopreneurs: The role of experience and entrepreneurial self-efficacy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:200:y:2024:i:c:s0040162523008867
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2023.123201
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162523008867
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.techfore.2023.123201?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Johan Wiklund & Dean Shepherd, 2003. "Aspiring for, and Achieving Growth: The Moderating Role of Resources and Opportunities," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(8), pages 1919-1941, December.
    2. Nair, Suja R., 2020. "The link between women entrepreneurship, innovation and stakeholder engagement: A review," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 283-290.
    3. Fayolle, Alain & Liñán, Francisco, 2014. "The future of research on entrepreneurial intentions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(5), pages 663-666.
    4. Erik Stam & Vareska van de Vrande, 2017. "Solopreneurs and the rise of co-working in the Netherlands," Chapters, in: Maarten van Ham & Darja Reuschke & Reinout Kleinhans & Colin Mason & Stephen Syrett (ed.), Entrepreneurial Neighbourhoods, chapter 4, pages 65-79, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Maran, Thomas K. & Liegl, Simon & Davila, Andrés & Moder, Sebastian & Kraus, Sascha & Mahto, Raj V., 2022. "Who fits into the digital workplace? Mapping digital self-efficacy and agility onto psychological traits," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    6. Li, Hongbin & Yang, Zheyu & Yao, Xianguo & Zhang, Haifeng & Zhang, Junsen, 2012. "Entrepreneurship, private economy and growth: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 948-961.
    7. Mendonça, Joana & Reis, Anabela, 2020. "Exploring the mechanisms of gender effects in user innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    8. Norris F. Krueger, 2017. "Entrepreneurial Intentions Are Dead: Long Live Entrepreneurial Intentions," International Studies in Entrepreneurship, in: Malin Brännback & Alan L. Carsrud (ed.), Revisiting the Entrepreneurial Mind, chapter 0, pages 13-34, Springer.
    9. Erik Hurst & Benjamin Wild Pugsley, 2011. "What Do Small Businesses Do?," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 42(2 (Fall)), pages 73-142.
    10. Nicholas Bloom & Stephen J. Davis & Lucia Foster & Brian Lucking & Scott Ohlmacher & Itay Saporta Eksten, 2020. "Business-Level Expectations and Uncertainty," Working Papers 2020-181, Becker Friedman Institute for Research In Economics.
    11. Gavin Cassar, 2007. "Money, money, money? A longitudinal investigation of entrepreneur career reasons, growth preferences and achieved growth," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(1), pages 89-107, January.
    12. Andrew H. Van de Ven & Douglas Polley, 1992. "Learning While Innovating," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 3(1), pages 92-116, February.
    13. Faggio, Giulia & Silva, Olmo, 2014. "Self-employment and entrepreneurship in urban and rural labour markets," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 67-85.
    14. Douglas, Evan J., 2013. "Reconstructing entrepreneurial intentions to identify predisposition for growth," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 633-651.
    15. Jeffrey G. Covin & Kimberly M. Green & Dennis P. Slevin, 2006. "Strategic Process Effects on the Entrepreneurial Orientation–Sales Growth Rate Relationship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 30(1), pages 57-81, January.
    16. Trevelyan, Rose, 2011. "Self-efficacy and effort in new venture development," Journal of Management & Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 17(1), pages 2-16, January.
    17. Joan-Lluis Capelleras & Kevin F Mole & Francis J Greene & David J Storey, 2008. "Do more heavily regulated economies have poorer performing new ventures? Evidence from Britain and Spain," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 39(4), pages 688-704, June.
    18. Erik Stam & Karl Wennberg, 2009. "The roles of R&D in new firm growth," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 77-89, June.
    19. Christopher Schlaegel & Michael Koenig, 2014. "Determinants of Entrepreneurial Intent: A Meta–Analytic Test and Integration of Competing Models," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 38(2), pages 291-332, March.
    20. Nicholls-Nixon, Charlene L. & Cooper, Arnold C. & Woo, Carolyn Y., 2000. "Strategic experimentation: Understanding change and performance in new ventures," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 15(5-6), pages 493-521.
    21. Jovanovic, Boyan, 1982. "Selection and the Evolution of Industry," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(3), pages 649-670, May.
    22. Saul Estrin & Julia Korosteleva & Tomasz Mickiewicz, 2022. "Schumpeterian Entry: Innovation, Exporting, and Growth Aspirations of Entrepreneurs," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 46(2), pages 269-296, March.
    23. Jeff Vanevenhoven & Doan Winkel & Debra Malewicki & William L. Dougan & James Bronson, 2011. "Varieties of bricolage and the process of entrepreneurship," New England Journal of Entrepreneurship, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 14(2), pages 53-66, March.
    24. Philipp Koellinger, 2008. "Why are some entrepreneurs more innovative than others?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 21-37, June.
    25. Gundry, Lisa K. & Welsch, Harold P., 2001. "The ambitious entrepreneur: High growth strategies of women-owned enterprises," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 16(5), pages 453-470, September.
    26. Christian Le Bas & Giuseppe Scellato, 2014. "Firm innovation persistence: a fresh look at the frameworks of analysis," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(5-6), pages 423-446, September.
    27. Areti Gkypali & Apostolos Rafailidis & Kostas Tsekouras, 2015. "Innovation and export performance: do young and mature innovative firms differ?," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 5(2), pages 397-415, December.
    28. Ana M. Moreno & José C. Casillas, 2008. "Entrepreneurial Orientation and Growth of SMEs: A Causal Model," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 32(3), pages 507-528, May.
    29. Jeffrey G. Covin & William J. Wales, 2019. "Crafting High-Impact Entrepreneurial Orientation Research: Some Suggested Guidelines," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(1), pages 3-18, January.
    30. Cucculelli, Marco & Ermini, Barbara, 2012. "New product introduction and product tenure: What effects on firm growth?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(5), pages 808-821.
    31. Daniela P. Blettner & Zi-Lin He & Songcui Hu & Richard A. Bettis, 2015. "Adaptive aspirations and performance heterogeneity: Attention allocation among multiple reference points," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(7), pages 987-1005, July.
    32. Romero, Isidoro & Martínez-Román, Juan A., 2012. "Self-employment and innovation. Exploring the determinants of innovative behavior in small businesses," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 178-189.
    33. Andrea Mina & Henry Lahr & Alan Hughes, 2013. "The demand and supply of external finance for innovative firms," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 22(4), pages 869-901, August.
    34. Coad, Alex & Rao, Rekha, 2008. "Innovation and firm growth in high-tech sectors: A quantile regression approach," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 633-648, May.
    35. Coad, Alex & Segarra, Agustí & Teruel, Mercedes, 2013. "Like milk or wine: Does firm performance improve with age?," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 173-189.
    36. Donald F. Kuratko & David B. Audretsch, 2009. "Strategic Entrepreneurship: Exploring Different Perspectives of an Emerging Concept," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 33(1), pages 1-17, January.
    37. Kang, Taewon & Baek, Chulwoo & Lee, Jeong-Dong, 2019. "Effects of knowledge accumulation strategies through experience and experimentation on firm growth," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 169-181.
    38. Nardo Vries & Werner Liebregts & André Stel, 2020. "Explaining entrepreneurial performance of solo self-employed from a motivational perspective," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 447-460, August.
    39. Roper, Stephen & Love, James H., 2002. "Innovation and export performance: evidence from the UK and German manufacturing plants," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(7), pages 1087-1102, September.
    40. Elena Huergo & Jordi Jaumandreu, 2004. "How Does Probability of Innovation Change with Firm Age?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 22(3_4), pages 193-207, April.
    41. Gkypali, Areti & Filiou, Despoina & Tsekouras, Kostas, 2017. "R&D collaborations: Is diversity enhancing innovation performance?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 143-152.
    42. Pekka Stenholm, 2011. "Innovative Behavior as a Moderator of Growth Intentions," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(2), pages 233-251, April.
    43. Roper, Stephen & Hewitt-Dundas, Nola, 2008. "Innovation persistence: Survey and case-study evidence," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 149-162, February.
    44. Alan Carsrud & Malin Brännback, 2011. "Entrepreneurial Motivations: What Do We Still Need to Know?," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(1), pages 9-26, January.
    45. Dan K. Hsu & Johan Wiklund & Richard D. Cotton, 2017. "Success, Failure, and Entrepreneurial Reentry: An Experimental Assessment of the Veracity of Self–Efficacy and Prospect Theory," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(1), pages 19-47, January.
    46. Rosenbusch, Nina & Brinckmann, Jan & Bausch, Andreas, 2011. "Is innovation always beneficial? A meta-analysis of the relationship between innovation and performance in SMEs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 441-457, July.
    47. Jeffrey G. Covin & Dennis P. Slevin, 1991. "A Conceptual Model of Entrepreneurship as Firm Behavior," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 16(1), pages 7-26, October.
    48. Škare, Marinko & Blanco-Gonzalez-Tejero, Cristina & Crecente, Fernando & del Val, Maria Teresa, 2022. "Scientometric analysis on entrepreneurial skills - creativity, communication, leadership: How strong is the association?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    49. Parker, Simon C., 2006. "Learning about the unknown: How fast do entrepreneurs adjust their beliefs?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 1-26, January.
    50. Hielke Buddelmeyer & Paul H. Jensen & Elizabeth Webster, 2010. "Innovation and the determinants of company survival," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 62(2), pages 261-285, April.
    51. Nicholas Bloom & John Van Reenen, 2002. "Patents, Real Options and Firm Performance," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 112(478), pages 97-116, March.
    52. Marcus T. Wolfe & Pankaj C. Patel, 2016. "Grit and self-employment: a multi-country study," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 853-874, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Aleksandr Ključnikov & Mehmet Civelek & Václav Kupec & Natálie Bruder Badie, 2025. "Breaking down entrepreneurial barriers: exploring the nexus of entrepreneurial behavior, innovation, and bank credit access through the lens of the theory of planned behavior," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-35, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Giovanni Dosi & Emanuele Pugliese & Pietro Santoleri, 2017. "Growth and survival of the `fitter'? Evidence from US new-born firms," LEM Papers Series 2017/06, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    2. Pietro Santoleri, 2020. "Innovation and job creation in (high-growth) new firms," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 29(3), pages 731-756.
    3. Caterina Santi & Pietro Santoleri, 2017. "Exploring the link between innovation and growth in Chilean firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 49(2), pages 445-467, August.
    4. Marco Caliendo & Alexander S. Kritikos & Claudia Stier, 2023. "The influence of start-up motivation on entrepreneurial performance," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(3), pages 869-889, October.
    5. Marco Cucculelli, 2018. "Firm age and the probability of product innovation. Do CEO tenure and product tenure matter?," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 153-179, January.
    6. Johanna Vanderstraeten & Ellen Loots & Anais Hamelin & Arjen van Witteloostuijn, 2020. "Micro-foundations of small business internationalization: introduction to the Special Section," Post-Print hal-03015594, HAL.
    7. Lu, Jinfeng & Dimov, Dimo, 2023. "A system dynamics modelling of entrepreneurship and growth within firms," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 38(3).
    8. Saul Estrin & Julia Korosteleva & Tomasz Mickiewicz, 2022. "Schumpeterian Entry: Innovation, Exporting, and Growth Aspirations of Entrepreneurs," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 46(2), pages 269-296, March.
    9. Coad, Alex & Segarra, Agustí & Teruel, Mercedes, 2016. "Innovation and firm growth: Does firm age play a role?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 387-400.
    10. Edoardo Ferrucci & Roberto Guida & Valentina Meliciani, 2021. "Financial constraints and the growth and survival of innovative start‐ups: An analysis of Italian firms," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 27(2), pages 364-386, March.
    11. Farasat A. S. Bokhari & Franco Mariuzzo & Anna Rita Bennato, 2021. "Innovation and growth in the UK pharmaceuticals: the case of product and marketing introductions," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 603-634, June.
    12. Juan A. Martínez-Román & Isidoro Romero, 2017. "Determinants of innovativeness in SMEs: disentangling core innovation and technology adoption capabilities," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 11(3), pages 543-569, July.
    13. Siepel, Josh & Cowling, Marc & Coad, Alex, 2017. "Non-founder human capital and the long-run growth and survival of high-tech ventures," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 34-43.
    14. Daniele Moschella & Federico Tamagni & Xiaodan Yu, 2019. "Persistent high-growth firms in China’s manufacturing," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 52(3), pages 573-594, March.
    15. Masatoshi Kato & Koichiro Onishi & Yuji Honjo, 2017. "Does patenting always help new-firm survival?," Discussion Paper Series 159, School of Economics, Kwansei Gakuin University, revised May 2017.
    16. Mthanti, Thanti & Ojah, Kalu, 2017. "Institutions, Human Capital and Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO): Implications for Growth Strategy," MPRA Paper 89551, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Nuscheler, Daniela & Engelen, Andreas & Zahra, Shaker A., 2019. "The role of top management teams in transforming technology-based new ventures' product introductions into growth," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 122-140.
    18. HERMANS, Julie & VANDERSTRAETEN, Johanna & DEJARDIN, Marcus & RAMDANI, Dendi & STAM, Erik & VAN WITTELOOSTUIJN, Arjen, 2012. "Ambitious entrepreneurship: Antecedents and consequences," Working Papers 2012023, University of Antwerp, Faculty of Business and Economics.
    19. Mthanti, Thanti & Ojah, Kalu, 2017. "Entrepreneurial orientation (EO): Measurement and policy implications of entrepreneurship at the macroeconomic level," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(4), pages 724-739.
    20. Dessì, Cinzia & Dettori, Angela & Floris, Michela, 2023. "Exploring different configurations of entrepreneurial orientation in small artisan family firms: A multi-case study," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 14(3).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:200:y:2024:i:c:s0040162523008867. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00401625 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.