Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 599-626 |
| Number of pages | 28 |
| Journal | Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - 2 Feb 2022 |
Abstract
Originating from business plan competitions at universities, start-up competitions (SUCs) are nowadays a widely used policy tool to foster entrepreneurial learning among a larger group of potential and nascent entrepreneurs. While the literature on entrepreneurial learning highlights the importance of participants’ prior experiences, studies on learning in SUCs often ignore these experiences, but detect different perceptions of the learning outcomes from SUCs. To address this research gap, we explore configurations of prior experience and the participation routines of entrepreneurs at SUCs. To do so, we apply fuzzy-sets qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to in-depth interview data from 26 participants at two German SUCs. Based on theories on entrepreneurial learning, insights from the interviews, and our empirical results from fsQCA, we identify one necessary condition and two specific configurations of conditions that lead to the outcome. The absence of entrepreneurial knowledge was found to be a necessary condition for entrepreneurial learning in SUCs. Prior industry experience is part of both solutions, but whether the presence or absence of it is important depends on whether it is combined with active participation in the competition. We present implications for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and researchers.
Keywords
- entrepreneurial learning, fuzzy-sets qualitative comparative analysis, policy instruments, qualitative comparative analysis, start-up competitions
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Business, Management and Accounting(all)
- Business and International Management
- Social Sciences(all)
- Education
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In: Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy, Vol. 5, No. 4, 02.02.2022, p. 599-626.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Do the Winners Really Take It all?
T2 - Exploring Entrepreneurial Learning in Start-Up Competitions
AU - Stolz, Lennard
AU - Sternberg, Rolf
N1 - Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research is supported by Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur (76202-17-3/17).
PY - 2022/2/2
Y1 - 2022/2/2
N2 - Originating from business plan competitions at universities, start-up competitions (SUCs) are nowadays a widely used policy tool to foster entrepreneurial learning among a larger group of potential and nascent entrepreneurs. While the literature on entrepreneurial learning highlights the importance of participants’ prior experiences, studies on learning in SUCs often ignore these experiences, but detect different perceptions of the learning outcomes from SUCs. To address this research gap, we explore configurations of prior experience and the participation routines of entrepreneurs at SUCs. To do so, we apply fuzzy-sets qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to in-depth interview data from 26 participants at two German SUCs. Based on theories on entrepreneurial learning, insights from the interviews, and our empirical results from fsQCA, we identify one necessary condition and two specific configurations of conditions that lead to the outcome. The absence of entrepreneurial knowledge was found to be a necessary condition for entrepreneurial learning in SUCs. Prior industry experience is part of both solutions, but whether the presence or absence of it is important depends on whether it is combined with active participation in the competition. We present implications for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and researchers.
AB - Originating from business plan competitions at universities, start-up competitions (SUCs) are nowadays a widely used policy tool to foster entrepreneurial learning among a larger group of potential and nascent entrepreneurs. While the literature on entrepreneurial learning highlights the importance of participants’ prior experiences, studies on learning in SUCs often ignore these experiences, but detect different perceptions of the learning outcomes from SUCs. To address this research gap, we explore configurations of prior experience and the participation routines of entrepreneurs at SUCs. To do so, we apply fuzzy-sets qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to in-depth interview data from 26 participants at two German SUCs. Based on theories on entrepreneurial learning, insights from the interviews, and our empirical results from fsQCA, we identify one necessary condition and two specific configurations of conditions that lead to the outcome. The absence of entrepreneurial knowledge was found to be a necessary condition for entrepreneurial learning in SUCs. Prior industry experience is part of both solutions, but whether the presence or absence of it is important depends on whether it is combined with active participation in the competition. We present implications for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and researchers.
KW - entrepreneurial learning
KW - fuzzy-sets qualitative comparative analysis
KW - policy instruments
KW - qualitative comparative analysis
KW - start-up competitions
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85127148310&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/25151274211068191
DO - 10.1177/25151274211068191
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85127148310
VL - 5
SP - 599
EP - 626
JO - Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy
JF - Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy
SN - 2515-1274
IS - 4
ER -