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Entrepreneurial action and the Euro-American social science tradition: pragmatism, realism and looking beyond ‘the entrepreneur’

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  • Tony J. Watson

Abstract

Entrepreneurship studies are dominated by the disciplines of economics and psychology and work within a limiting methodological frame of reference; a ‘scientistic’ and individualistic framework that dominates the US-led mainstream of research. To achieve a more balanced scholarship, it is helpful to look at an alternative style of research and analysis which has deep and intertwined European and American roots. This looks to other social sciences such as sociology, as well as to history and the philosophy of science. Its adoption would encourage to shift the focus away from ‘entrepreneurs’ and onto the much broader phenomenon of entrepreneurial action or ‘entrepreneuring’ in its societal and institutional contexts. Such a shift would open up a greatly expanded range of research questions and enable a better balance to be achieved between attention to individual entrepreneurial actors and their organizational, societal and institutional contexts. A pragmatist and realist frame of reference, which recognizes both the importance of processes of social construction and the existence of a ‘real world’, has considerable potential to enrich and expand the scope of entrepreneurship scholarship.

Suggested Citation

  • Tony J. Watson, 2013. "Entrepreneurial action and the Euro-American social science tradition: pragmatism, realism and looking beyond ‘the entrepreneur’," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(1-2), pages 16-33, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:entreg:v:25:y:2013:i:1-2:p:16-33
    DOI: 10.1080/08985626.2012.754267
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Peter Armstrong, 2005. "Critique of Entrepreneurship," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-55495-5, March.
    2. Colin C. Williams, 2006. "The Hidden Enterprise Culture," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 3948.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Tarja Niemelä & Sofia Kauko-Valli, 2014. "Imbalance of Power: Social Service Entrepreneurs’ Experiences of Entrepreneur-Municipality Relationship," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 10(2), pages 119-140.
    3. Miriam López & Adolfo Cazorla & Milagros del Pilar Panta, 2019. "Rural Entrepreneurship Strategies: Empirical Experience in the Northern Sub-Plateau of Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-15, February.
    4. Smith, Claudia G. & Smith, J. Brock, 2021. "Founders' uses of digital networks for resource acquisition: Extending network theory online," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 466-482.
    5. McKeever, Edward & Jack, Sarah & Anderson, Alistair, 2015. "Embedded entrepreneurship in the creative re-construction of place," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 50-65.
    6. Chu, Irene & Vu, Mai & Adomako, Samuel & Lanivich, Stephen E., 2024. "Human flourishing from eudaimonic balance of values in entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).

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