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Understanding that entrepreneurship can be better modeled from a systemic point of view is a primordial aspect that determines the important role of universities in entrepreneurial ecosystems. What makes the ecosystem approach a valuable tool for understanding social systems is that, from a holistic perspective, their behavior seems to have emerging characteristics. This dissertation presents a dual scientific account of the entrepreneurship phenomenon in universities. The work is divided into two equal parts, each of which is composed of two research papers. The narrative of the first half takes on a macro perspective view, consisting of one theoretical and one empirically-based conceptual case study. This part conceptually depicts a systematic approach to entrepreneurialism in higher education, namely an ecosystems perspective. The second half concentrates on the meso- and micro levels of study from the university's point of view, comprising of a case study as historical account for the emergence of the entrepreneurial university, and of a metasynthesis of empirical case studies in entrepreneurial universities, which serves as the basis for the development of entrepreneurial university archetypes. This doctoral work contributes to an in-depth understanding of Entrepreneurship in universities regarding its systemic qualities and archetypal characteristics of entrepreneurial universities. It argues for an ecosystem's perspective on the phenomenon of entrepreneurial activity, highlighting the fundamental role that universities play as the heart of entrepreneurial ecosystems. Furthermore, this research expands on the novel concept of the entrepreneurial university by using extensive case study literature to empirically identify distinct archetypes that better reflect the diverse reality of how universities engage as entrepreneurial actors by way of differentiated entrepreneurial structures, systems, and strategies.
The process perspective provides a unifying framework that has substantially contributed to our understanding of entrepreneurship. However, much of the research up to now has neglected this process oriented conception of entrepreneurship. There is therefore a need for studies that take the inherent dynamic processes into account and analyze the underlying mechanisms when researching entrepreneurship. This dissertation aims to improve our understanding of the entrepreneurial process. Specifically, this dissertation focuses on new venture creation and the processes of sustainable opportunity identification and opportunity deviation. Chapter 1 provides a general introduction that highlights the theoretical contributions of this dissertation and gives an overview over the conducted studies. Chapter 2 argues for a process model of entrepreneurship that places entrepreneurs and their actions center stage. The model combines different perspectives and levels of analysis and provides an integrative framework for researching new venture creation. In chapter 3 we establish and test a theoretical model of sustainable opportunity identification. The chapter explains how younger generations identify sustainable opportunities. The findings indicate that sustainable opportunity identification is a process with two transitions from problem to solution identification and from solution identification to sustainable opportunity identification. These transitions are contingent on awareness of consequences and entrepreneurial attitude. Chapter 4 offers insights into how deviation from the original opportunity increases the performance of entrepreneurial teams. The findings indicate that entrepreneurial teams with a high level of error orientation set themselves higher goals when deviating from their original opportunity. Higher goals then lead to higher team performance. Chapter 5 summarizes the overall findings and outlines the general theoretical and practical implications. Each chapter thus contributes to the process perspective by focusing on how different phases of the entrepreneurial process unfold and develop over time. Thereby, this dissertation advances our understanding of entrepreneurship as a process.
Vocational Integration of Refugees - Chances and Challenges of Refugee (Social) Entrepreneurship
(2019)
In recent years, especially since 2015, Germany and other European countries have accepted high numbers of refugees. The social and vocational integration of these refugees and of those yet to come represents a challenge. (Social) entrepreneurship is one means to achieve this goal, to fully tap into the potential of refugees and to give them a chance to make a living in host countries. This dissertation examines the potential of vocational integration of refugees through (social) entrepreneurial activities. It includes a detailed literature review and suggests possible direction in the emerging field of refugee (social) entrepreneurship. This dissertation shows that to foster refugee (social) entrepreneurship, the identification and evaluation of specific and potential needs for support is essential. Incubators in particular have a high potential for supporting refugee entrepreneurs, in part it is possible for them to address some of the challenges faced by this target group, which differ from those of locals or migrant entrepreneurs. More specifically, this dissertation aims to answer two research questions: (1) What are relevant (social) entrepreneurial concepts that can contribute to the vocational integration of refugees? (2) What are the distinct contributions of and challenges faced by refugees when it comes to their vocational integration through (social) entrepreneurial activities? Analyzing select practical cases, this dissertation has several important implications for researchers who seek to bridge the gap between academia and society in the context of refugee entrepreneurship and refugee social entrepreneurship research. The findings presented here are also relevant for practitioners, for example those working at business incubators, who aim to facilitate the vocational and social integration of refugees in general and refugees with entrepreneurial aspirations in particular.