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This study analyzes the predictive factors influencing the entrepreneurial intentions of students at higher education institutions (HEIs) in a peripheral European region. The study includes a sample of 594 students and uses structural equation models for data analysis. The results show that the attitude to behavior and perceived behavioral control positively influence entrepreneurial intention. Furthermore, subjective norms positively impact the attitude to behavior and perceived behavioral control. 'Closer' valuation (i.e., of family, friends, etc) influences attitude to behavior and social valuation positively impacts subjective norms. This research contributes to the literature on entrepreneurial intention as it complements the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) with two environmental factors: closer valuation and social valuation. This is important because it provides evidence of whether the environment of the country in question influences entrepreneurial intention and indicates the need for investment in entrepreneurship education. Consequently, the study contributes to the literature by identifying educational factors that may influence students to become entrepreneurs in a peripheral European region. Further, this paper tests the relationship between the attitude towards behavior and subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and subjective norms, something not proposed in the original TPB model.

As key players in innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems, Higher Education Institutions (HEI) assume a position as catalysts in creating and disseminating knowledge with repercussions in the societal, economic, political and innovation environments. In this scenario, HEI are facing the need to balance the performance of their traditional missions--teaching and research--with the pursuit of entrepreneurial performance. This brings awareness of the need to pay particular attention to HEI entrepreneurial performance (HEIEP) and how to measure it. Based on HEInnovate, a self-assessment tool resulting from a joint effort of the European Community and the OECD, this study aims to explore the benefits of university entrepreneurial metrics, analysing HEIEP as a discriminant function of the HEInnovate dimensions complemented with a qualitative approach using Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). The analysis provides valuable details, presenting recipes based on the HEInnovate dimensions or combinations of dimensions to achieve a mission legitimation. This research brings awareness to the use of the HEInnovate scale, where it is possible to highlight the importance of the digital transformation and capability dimension to entrepreneurial performance (EP) and university mission legitimation.

Purpose: This study aims to understand how entrepreneurship education and training programmes (EETPs) influence the development of entrepreneurial competencies and creation of business ventures. Design/methodology/approach: The study included a questionnaire distributed to 103 EETP participants. The data were processed using SmartPLS software to construct a structural equation model. Findings: The results show, first, that the respondents' motivations have a positive impact on participation in entrepreneurship education programmes and company creation. Second, participation in these programmes positively influences individual entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurial skills. The findings also include that the entrepreneurship education programme under study has strengthened its participants' capacities and competencies, making these people more autonomous and facilitating their creation of new businesses. Originality/value: This study sought to contribute to a fuller empirical understanding of how EETPs affect their participants' individual entrepreneurship orientation and capacities (human resource development), thereby fostering company formation and regional development. Theoretical and practical implications are presented, with an emphasis on what needs to be done to improve EETPs.

Minority groups contribute to the economic growth and development of local, regional, and national economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the context and the antecedents of the entrepreneurship of minorities have attracted the interest of researchers in recent years, even though few studies have focused on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transvestite, Transsexual or Transgender (LGBT) minorities. In keeping with this shortcoming, the objectives of this study involve identifying the context and the antecedents of the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) of LGBT minority entrepreneurs through a qualitative study deploying semi‐structured interviews with six Brazilian entrepreneurs belonging to this minority community. A qualitative methodology was carried out based on the content analysis of interviews and its relationship with the theoretical framework. Based on the framework of theories on marginalization and individual entrepreneurial orientation (IEO), the results demonstrate that in most cases, this type of LGBT entrepreneur experiences discrimination in socio‐normative working environments, which may directly or indirectly shape their interests in entrepreneurship. The results also reflect how entrepreneurship becomes interconnected with a feeling of liberation felt by these individuals in openly declaring their sexuality and fostering the confidence capable of motivating them for entrepreneurship. This study furthermore identifies how the pursuit of success in this minority needs to apply a broader perspective than simply status or financial goals while also contributing with a proposed conceptual model and suggestions for future research studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: International entrepreneurship (IE) has received a considerable amount of attention in the recent decades as a result of globalization enabling access to new international markets and business opportunities. Despite the growing increase in academic publications, IE still faces certain inconsistencies, with doubts remaining as regards its boundaries and the thematic groups making up the field. The purpose of this article is to systematically analyse the IE, mapping the intellectual territory and the evolution of the field. Design/methodology/approach: Indexed to Web of Science(WoS) database until 2021, from 52 journals, 130 articles were selected, applying content analyses techniques to identify the main research lines. Findings: The results reveal that IE presents four conceptual themes/clusters: (1) international business networks and opportunities; (2) institutional environments; (3) the characteristics and motivations of entrepreneurs; and (4) internationalisation drivers and processes. Extant analysis show that IE has progressed immensely, concentrating a good diversity of subtopics and research trends. An integrative framework bringing together 27 years of publications and 67 future research lines, detailed by cluster, were also presented in this study to improve understanding and guide future studies. Originality/value: This review makes a broad contribution to the IE literature, assisting in consolidating the academic field, expanding and complementing the results of previous theoretical–conceptual studies. We reflect and individually discuss the state of the art of the four streams that characterize IE to identify key themes, points of convergence and advance new subfields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy (CE) emerged as an alternative model to the linear system to foster sustainable development. Entrepreneurship represents a key factor in capturing new circular business opportunities. Research on circular entrepreneurship remains at an early phase and is correspondingly somewhat dispersed. Thus, the research objective here is to bring entrepreneurship into the focus of discussions on CE through a systematic literature review. In the absence of any systematic review on this theme, this work aims to map the relevant research and identify the themes discussed in the literature straddling entrepreneurship and the CE currently dispersed across the existing literature. Based on a sample of 102 articles collected from the Scopus and Web of Science databases, this approach identified four thematic groups: growing circular SMEs, born circular firms and start‐ups, social entrepreneurship in CE, and support ecosystem for circular entrepreneurship. A greater emphasis on the study of growing circular SMEs to the detriment of other groups is observed. Also, research in the field is mainly focused on European countries. We then propose a future research agenda and a conceptual model for the entrepreneurial process in CE as a point of departure for further developing and deepening the literature on circular entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a systematic review of the literature, this article seeks to analyse the main questions, interpretations, and typologies for minority entrepreneurship over recent decades. To this end, we made recourse to the Scopus database for our article collection process that returned 220 articles for analysis. The results enable the identification of seven congruent research units (categories), with their own respective approaches and contributions: i) attitudes and motivations; ii) barriers and challenges; iii) interventionist policies and cultures; iv) comparisons between minorities and non-minorities; v) networks and resources; vi) impact on the local economy; vii) autonomous employment or entrepreneurship through need. This study further contributes by enabling future researchers to target their efforts on the still poorly explored shortcomings in the literature and providing a temporal overview of this theme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The regional innovation systems (RIS) concept has become popular among academics, political decision-makers and regional stakeholders of innovation. Understanding the competitive dynamics of RIS and their impact on regional competitiveness today has thus become a priority. This paper provides researchers, academics, political decision-makers and other interested parties with a map of the different approaches to RIS, aiding in the definition of new territorial innovation policies. With a co-citation resource approach, an extensive search of the Web of Science database was carried out and it encountered four clusters in the literature on RIS: regional knowledge systems; regional institutional systems; regional research and development systems; and regional network systems. This correspondingly sets out new theoretical perspectives based on bibliometric analysis techniques and new paths for scientific reflection and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is currently a renewed surge of interest in informal entrepreneurship around the world. One of the motives stems from how such entrepreneurship shapes and influences a substantial part of the global workforce. However, we may also verify how a major proportion of the research in this field focuses on developing economies and thus justifying the application of such analytical approaches to countries with different levels of economic development as is the case with Europe. Our research objectives, on the one hand, involve analysing the impact of R&D investment on informal entrepreneurship and, on the other hand, the moderating effect of the level of economic development on their innovative capacities and informal entrepreneurship results. To this end, and in accordance with Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, we divide the countries of Europe into two stages of development and may report that the higher the level of economic development, the greater the innovative capacity and, furthermore, the lower informal entrepreneurship becomes. The same holds for R&D investment with its increase being inversely proportionate to informal entrepreneurship. We, therefore, seek to contribute toward a better understanding of the problematic framework of informal entrepreneurship, in particular in the European context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformation of ideas into new technologies depends not only on how knowledge diffuses but also on which context/time this transformation is developed. In the assumption that internal and environmental conditions directly affects the decision of exploiting technological opportunities, this paper explores how some strategic dynamic capabilities (entrepreneurial and export market) and supportive environmental conditions (regulative and normative) influence the configuration of technology entrepreneurship initiatives. A proposed conceptual model is tested with 30,648 ventures in 23 countries participating in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor for the years 2005 (pre-financial crisis), 2008 (financial crisis), and 2011 (recession). The main findings suggest the positive role of entrepreneurial orientation and export market orientation in the development of new technology entrepreneurship initiatives. Also, environmental conditions influence on the development of initiatives of technology entrepreneurship. Particularly, the study evidences how regulative environmental conditions (property rights and government programs) enhance while other regulative conditions (support for science and technology) and normative conditions (opportunity perception and national culture) simultaneously retard the probability that a new/established venture develops new technology entrepreneurship initiatives. These effects are moderated and intensified by the influence of the economic cycles. The paper provides important insights to the field of entrepreneurship, innovation, and strategic management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through a Systematic Literature Review, this study aims to analyse how the research in agricultural entrepreneurship is approached in the period until 2012 and compare it with the period 2013–2017, which was found by Dias et al. (2019). This comparison allows identifying which research topics are underlined in each period as well as examine different perspectives on the same topic in both periods. Based on articles from the Scopus database, this review identifies two main thematic areas in the period until 2012: "Entrepreneurial Skills and Income Sources"; and "Market and Resources". Researchers state that farmers can be considered as entrepreneurs and as decision-makers who aim to maximize profits, developing various typologies of agricultural diversification, although conclude that entrepreneurial skills required for diversified farming are different from the ones required in conventional farming. Attending to the increasingly liberalisation of agricultural markets, the literature also focuses on the ways how farmers had recombined existing farm resources into new uses namely land, human, financial and natural resources. In both periods, we conclude that entrepreneurial skills are underlined but, in the period 2013–2017, new research topics were introduced. • This study is a Systematic Literature Review about agricultural entrepreneurship. • The period until 2012 is analysed and compared with the period 2013–2017. • The bibliometric analysis identifies two thematic areas in the period until 2012. • Entrepreneurial skills of farmers are examined conjointly with income sources. • Farmers use different resources to adapt to the changes in the agricultural markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have become increasingly important in national and international markets because they contribute to the development of local and national economies. SMEs often face serious challenges when competing with multinational companies. The purpose of this paper is to develop a method for assessing SMEs' competitiveness.Design/methodology/approach Based on a constructivist epistemology, this study makes an integrated use of cognitive mapping and the measuring attractiveness by a categorical-based evaluation technique (MACBETH). To this end, face-to-face sessions were conducted with a panel of entrepreneurs and senior managers who deal with the challenges of maintaining SME competitiveness every day. The proposed assessment system was tested and validated by the panel members.Findings The methodological processes adopted in this study provide promising results for decision makers seeking to identify the most competitive SMEs. Specifically, the results emphasize, among other points, the importance of innovation and the human dimension to gaining competitive advantages.Research limitations/implications The evaluation system developed in this study is extremely versatile and confirms the usefulness of integrating cognitive mapping and MACBETH to facilitate evaluations of SME competitiveness. However, due to its idiosyncratic and process-oriented nature, generalizations need to be done with caution.Practical implications The proposed method can be valuable to researchers seeking to develop mechanisms for evaluating SMEs' entrepreneurial performance and include specialized know-how and sensemaking in organizational decision-making processes.Originality/value The integrated use of cognitive maps and MACBETH contributes to a better understanding of how to assess SMEs' competitiveness. No prior work reporting the use of this dual methodology in this study context has been found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Despite the mainstream entrepreneurship research had neglected the agricultural sector, this scenario seems to have changed in the last years with the study of new and diverse phenomena in several countries around the world. This study aims to analyse the state-of-the-art on agricultural entrepreneurship through a systematic literature review and applying the co-words bibliometric technique. The articles reviewed were obtained from the Scopus database, covering journals from all subject areas. The results allowed to identify three main approaches: i) Entrepreneurial Skills and Behaviour, ii) Entrepreneurial Strategies, and iii) Community and Entrepreneurial Activity. Based on this classification, the study shows that the Entrepreneurial Skills and Behaviour are examined essentially in developing countries, focusing on the assessment of entrepreneurship programmes, oriented not only to agricultural students in higher education institutes but also to women and young farmers. Entrepreneurial Strategies of farmers are analysed mainly in developed countries, although it can be based in the diversification of agricultural and non-agricultural businesses, innovation or market channels, depending considerably on factors such as country, type of product and size. Finally, the Community and Entrepreneurial Activity focuses essentially on the impacts of food production in communities of developed countries, highlighting the social entrepreneurship initiatives at urban agriculture. Highlights • This study aims to analyse the state-of-the-art on agricultural entrepreneurship. • The co-words bibliometric technique allowed to examine three main themes. • Entrepreneurship projects are crucial to improve Entrepreneurial Skills of farmers. • Different Entrepreneurial Strategies are pursued. • Entrepreneurial Activity of farmers has important impacts on Communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the linkage of innovation and entrepreneurship to economic growth in countries with different levels of development.Design/methodology/approach Following quantitative analysis, the authors carry out three empirical approaches to examine the effects of innovation and entrepreneurship on competitiveness. In accordance with their initial study framework, they test the conceptual model of competitiveness through applying descriptive statistics, structural equation modelling (SEM) and hierarchical cluster analysis. Descriptive statistics and SEM data sources from the Global Competitiveness Report of the World Economic Forum were analysed for 148 countries. The hierarchical cluster analysis furthermore analysed Global Entrepreneurship Monitor data on 67 different countries.Findings The study confirmed that innovation and sophistication factors are crucial to the competitiveness of economies. The study also revealed the definition of five clusters relative to the competitive performance of advanced economies following the introduction of new entrepreneurship variables.Originality/value This research aims to open up avenues for the development of regional competitiveness studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study involves the analysis of the scientific outputs on informal entrepreneurship (IE hereafter) over the period from 1990 to 2016. We deploy a combination of bibliometric techniques such as citations, bibliographic coupling as well as approaching the social networks established. We sourced the contents thus analyzed from the online Thomson/Reuters-ISI database and the online Scopus database run by the Elsevier Publishing Company, which returned a total of 44 and 95 publications for analysis, respectively. From among the 139 articles analyzed, the journals Entrepreneurship and Regional Development and Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship stand out as the publishers of the largest number of articles. We encounter studies on IE in developing countries as a low-income activity that contributes to the economic development of the region. The motivations and the determinants of informality are common to the majority of the scientific outputs and effectively serving as the analytical basis either for arguing in favor of the formalization of the business. Another aspect present in the literature interrelates IE with the quality of governance and economic liberalization. This analysis facet ensures IE gains in scientific profile within the ongoing context of discussions over neoliberalism and its effects on the world economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relevant literature recognises Schumpeterian and Kirznerian entrepreneurship as mechanisms that can impact economic growth. This article seeks to explore the effects of these two types of entrepreneurship on economic growth across the three GEM (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor) economic ecosystems (factor-driven economy, efficiency-driven economy, innovation-driven economy). Using different databases, we applied unbalanced panel data for 43 countries (2009–2013). By estimating the econometric models, we were able to calculate the effects of these two types of entrepreneurship on economic growth in the three different types of economy. In terms of the overall model for GEM economies, neither Schumpeterian nor Kirznerian entrepreneurship return any statistically significant effects on the Global Competitiveness Index or on GDP growth. However, the Total Early-Stage Entrepreneurial Activity variable generates a positive effect on the Global Competitiveness Index. The results presented in this paper provide insights into entrepreneurship and the GEM entrepreneurial economic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose – Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), the purpose of this paper is to approach entrepreneurial intention (EI) and the factors preceding the founding of EI among secondary students, both studying general academic and specific professional programs, and thereby establish causal relationships between psychological, demographic and behavioural factors. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of secondary students, both studying general academic and specific professional programs, was chosen. Data were collected through questionnaires and analysed with resource to structural equation models (SEM) to measure the causal relationships among different constructs. Findings – The results show that the EI of secondary school students is influenced by such demographic, psychological and behavioural factors. However, the hypothesis of becoming entrepreneurs in the future remains independent of the fact of whether or not students had already experienced engagement with entrepreneurship-related themes having no impact on EI. These results raise a series of pertinent questions and deserve being subject to a more profound reflection and not only among the scientific and academic community but also among political and government entities. Originality/value – The paper provides important evidence to expand entrepreneurship education specifically in the field of secondary school education. These students are already about to face choices over their professional careers. This remains valid whether or not students intend to proceed with higher education studies or to join the workforce. Therefore this research contributes towards meeting a better understanding of EI and the factors preceding the formation of this intention among secondary school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This research provides a useful framework for identifying a small firms' propensity to engage in entrepreneurial orientation. We examine the impact of the Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) as a main resource and capability on small firm' growth. - Prior Work: The growth seems to come out as an important demonstration of the entrepreneurial orientation of small firms (Davidsson, 1989; Green and Brown, 1997; Janney and Gregory, 2006). Thus, this research builds on prior conceptual research that suggests a positive integration between entrepreneurial orientation and resource-based view. Approach: In the first instance, the research will focus on reviewing literature in the emerging area of entrepreneurial orientation as it applies to growth oriented small firms and resource-based view of the firm. Secondly, an empirical study was developed based on a stratified sample of small firms of manufacturing industry. Data were submitted to a multivariate statistical analysis and a linear regression model was performed in order to predict the influence of the resources and capabilities on small firms' growth, In this sense, we consider the construct growth as a dependent variable and the ones relates with resources and capabilities (entrepreneur resources, firm resources, networks and EO) as independent variables. Results: The research results suggest a set of resources and capabilities that promote the growth of the small firms. Also, the EQ seems to have a predictive value on growth. Explaining variables related with resources and capabilities and EQ were identified as essential in growth oriented small firms. It was still possible to conclude that the entrepreneurial firms which grew seem to have resources and develop more capabilities and take advantage in the search for those competences. This attitude reflects on the EQ of the firm. Implications: This study has important implication for both researchers and practitioners. It highlights the necessity of firms to develop superior EQ of all their members and also to invest on better resources and consequently superior capabilities as a way of reaching higher levels of growth. Value: While previous authors have attempted to analyse certain aspects of this process (linkage between entrepreneurial orientation and growth), this research developed a framework that combines these and others factors (resource-based view) pertinent to growth oriented small firms. The results support the necessity to identify explicative variables of multiple levels to explain the growth of small firms. The adoption of an entrepreneurial orientation as an indispensable variable to the growth oriented small firms seems pertinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]