Entrepreneurship, complexity and the emergent order in the techno-economic scenario of the twenty-first century. Evidence from a field study in Tuscany

This paper analyses entrepreneurship adopting the concept of ‘emergence’, defined in the literature on entrepreneurship and complexity, as the creation of a new order, arising from the interactions between its elements. We hypothesise that the recent evolution of (and interaction between) i) entrepreneurial figures and their functions, (ii) firms’ structures and strategies and (iii) external environment has defined a set of properties, characteristic of a new emergent entrepreneurial order. A case study conducted on 24 entrepreneurs based on a traditional manufacturing region is used to support the theoretical building process and demonstrate the phenomenon beyond the Silicon Valley storytelling. The results categorise the entrepreneurial properties around three spheres (Cognition, Coordination, Cooperation) and explain (in the discussion part) their dynamic generative process, underlining the necessity to embrace a holistic unit of analysis, to fully understand the entrepreneurial emergent order. Finally, some implications for managerial models and policy strategies are proposed.