Description
Within this paper relating to relating the process of becoming entrepreneurial to the invc dialogic.
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Paper Title: Relating the Process of Becoming Entrepreneurial to the I?NVC Dialogic
Lead Author: Karen Williams-Middleton, Division of Management of Organizational Renewal and
Entrepreneurship, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden;
+46 31 772 1913, [email protected]; www.chalmers.se
Co-Authors: Mats Lundqvist, Pamela Nowell, Division of Management of Organizational Renewal and
Entrepreneurship, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
ABSTRACT
Objectives
Bruyat and J ulien (2001) define entrepreneurship as an individual ? new value creation
(I?NVC) dialogic, where the individual (the entrepreneur) and the new value being created
influence and shape one another. The question we care about involves understanding this co-
construction when the individual is engaging in the process of entrepreneurship for the first time,
i.e. nascent entrepreneurship. We ask: which aspects of becoming entrepreneurial stem from the
individual relating to expectations around an entrepreneurial role, and which aspects of becoming
entrepreneurial stem from the value creation.
Approach
To investigate the dialogic, seven nascent entrepreneurial teams pursuing an entrepreneurship
education, each with three team members and located at a technology incubator, were studied
over a nine-month period. The nascent teams were connected with intellectual property and put in
the position of surrogate entrepreneurs developing the initial early-stage technologies into viable
technology ventures. Almost two years after venture inception, six individuals from four of the
initial seven teams were still running their ventures and therefore characterized as having become
entrepreneurial. Secondary data and interview evidence from these individuals are accounted for
in order to trace dialogic between the individual and new value creation (I?NVC) individual and
entrepreneurial role expectations (I?ERE) as well as NVC?ERE interaction.
Results
The six students more or less relate to entrepreneurial role expectations as well as new value
creation. Over time, the ERE and NVC is increasingly interrelated into an individual
entrepreneurial identity.
Implications
Understanding the processes which contribute to individuals becoming entrepreneurial through
the I? NVC dialogic, and the new I?ERE dialogic, can enlighten educational design and
incubation practice in which entrepreneurial competence and value creation are at focus.
Educational arrangements including real value creation over time arguably offer entrepreneurial
competence development not obtainable by other types of pedagogy.
Value/Originality
This is one of the first studies of nascent entrepreneurs becoming entrepreneurial. Insight into
how the I ? NVC dialogic (and the new I?ERE dialogic) impacts this process of becoming
entrepreneurial can help improve entrepreneurship education and incubation support. The study
also opens up for further study of how entrepreneurial identity developed in dialogic with a
specific NVC can (or cannot) be translated into other settings.
Keywords: becoming entrepreneurial; I?NVC dialogic; nascent; role
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Introduction
The process of becoming entrepreneurial in nascent entrepreneurship lacks understanding and
appreciation. Morris et al. urge us to “…move away from an instrumental view (e.g.,
entrepreneurs create ventures and ventures produce outcomes), and allow for the possibility that
the venture emerges, in the process developing the entrepreneur [such that] The entrepreneur
constructs and reconstructs both an identity and a venture by applying motivation, intention, and
affective reactions to past and present experiences and the anticipated future.” (Morris et al.
2012, pg. 31). The instrumental main understanding of entrepreneurial behavior development in
general, and in the realm of nascent entrepreneurship in particular, is not recognizing any such
dialogic between the individual and the value created. Yet, this individual and new value creation
(I?NVC) dialogic is argued to be definitional for the whole field of entrepreneurship (Bruyat
and J ulien 2001).
Striving beyond an instrumental view on nascent entrepreneurship, this study investigates over
time the co-construction of value and entrepreneurial identity when the individual is engaging in
the process of entrepreneurship for the first time, i.e. as a nascent entrepreneur (Davidsson 2006).
We investigate the nascents’ associations to entrepreneurial role expectations (I?ERE) as well as
to new value creation aspects (I?NVC) and attempt to trace entrepreneurial identity
development over time. We aim to deepen our understanding of the way in which an
entrepreneurial dialogics (I?NVC and I?ERE) impact individuals becoming entrepreneurial, as
this is an area which is still sparsely researched, in part due to difficulty in accessing individual
(and value creation) in an emergent phase. We utilize unique access to a venture creation
environment in which nascent (surrogate) entrepreneurs develop new value during a nine-month
incubation period.
The paper proceeds as follows: first we will explore literature addressing the nascent entrepreneur
(understood as the individual in the process of becoming, and thus constructing an
entrepreneurial identity for the first time), entrepreneurial role, and new value creation. Building
from the literature, we establish a framework with which we investigate a venture creation
environment, analyzing primary and secondary data of nascent (surrogate) entrepreneurs over a
nine-month period. We present and discuss our findings, and finalize with suggestions for future
areas of study.
Theory
There is limited investigation into ‘becoming’ the entrepreneur in existing literature. Rigg and
O’Dwyer (2012) see becoming entrepreneurial as joining a community of practice, facilitated
mainly through social (dialogic) interaction. Similarly, Williams Middleton (2013) explains that
becoming entrepreneurial involves positioning and negotiated acceptance within the community
of practice, notably in the nascent phase, with a sub-set of this community called the role-set
(Carsrud and J ohnson 1989). Central to becoming entrepreneurial is the nascent entrepreneur, as
this is the individual positioned to ‘act as if’ (Gartner et al. 1992; J ohannisson 2011) as s/he
fulfills the entrepreneurial role. Next, we will address entrepreneurial identity and entrepreneurial
role as pertains to the nascent entrepreneur in the process of becoming entrepreneurial.
Entrepreneurial Role and Entrepreneurial Identity
In the field of entrepreneurship, previous literature has not found strong direct correlation
between traits and characteristics and successful completion of creating a new venture (Reynolds
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2007), but instead emphasizes situational factors (Reynolds 1995). Due to this, and with our
focus on the nascent, we take the perspective of the individual as s/he associates to the role of
entrepreneur. In Kilby’s ‘Hunting the Heffalump’ (Kilby 1971), the entrepreneurial role is
reduced to decision-making under uncertainty. Kilby (1971) and Gartner (1988) set the ground
for emphasizing the actions of the individual rather than individual characteristics. Current
mainstream literature on the role of the entrepreneur basically adheres to such a functional and
instrumental understanding of becoming entrepreneurial: you carry out certain activities and thus
you become entrepreneurial. This perspective can be seen in research stemming from the Panel
Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics, and similar studies (see for example, Davidsson and
Reynolds 2009; Liao and Welsch 2008; Reynolds 2007; Robb and Reynolds 2007), which
itemize a set of activities that help to define the nascent phase of entrepreneur (the process of
emergence).
However, the role of the entrepreneur is also portrayed symbolically, through myth and metaphor
(Anderson 2005; Anderson and Warren 2011; Down and Warren 2008; Nicholson and Anderson
2005). It is shaped by current business and popular science literature and culture, and can be
understood as a distinct from other roles and identities (Murnieks and Mosakowski 2007).
Beyond an instrumental view of “you are what you do”, there are more relationally oriented
understandings of what it is to be (an) entrepreneur(-ial). The individual factor of role can be
considered the static equivalent of the negotiated rights and duties determined through
positioning (Davies and Harré 1990). Terms identified as titles are used to communicate a role or
position, such as leader, manager, business developer, and entrepreneur.
Identity scholars point to the importance of differentiating identity from role; identity is specific
to each individual as a set of self-conceptualized meanings that relate to a socially constructed
role (Gecas 1982; Hytti 2003), whereas a role is a concept used to represent expected behaviors
attached to a social status or position (Cast 2004; Murnieks and Mosakowski 2007).
Entrepreneurial identity can be assumed to somehow be created through the on-going
engagement in the process (including the future incorporation of the venture) (Ollila et al. 2012;
Pittaway and Thorpe 2012; Rae 2005). The identity is primarily characterized by the individual
being positioned (by him/herself and others) as a key person embodying, communicating, and/or
representing the value creation, often seen in the form of a venture. This is often observed as a
strong correlation between the individual and the object created, which resonates with Bruyat and
J ulien’s I?NVC dialogic (Bruyat and J ulien 2001). However, nascent entrepreneurs often lack
efficacy associated to the experience as an entrepreneur (Dew et al. 2009). They are challenged
to construct an entrepreneurial identity without experiential knowledge of what that identity
entails.
Nascent Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Role Expectation (ERE)
Entrepreneurial activity requires social legitimacy (Yu 2004), and the entrepreneurial role is
contingent upon societal influence, as it is an emic construct (Farmer et al. 2010; Schaffer and
Riordan 2003). Becoming entrepreneurial and taking on an entrepreneurial identity is thus
related to “the extent to which the individual’s self-description fit his or her perceptions of the
entrepreneurial role.”(Farmer et al. 2010, pg. 2). Establishing a new identity through role-
emulation is grounded in identity literature as establishing ‘provisional-selves’ when engaging in
the process of taking on a new identity in the workplace (Ibarra 1999; Ibarra and Barbulescu
2010): the individual wishing to adopt the new identity of (for example) manager, identifies a
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role-model in the workplace while also constructing a new ‘transitional’ identity that is validated
by the social environment in time. Establishing ‘provisional-selves’ is much more challenging for
entrepreneurs (and nascent entrepreneurs in particular) as there is not an existing organizational
form with individuals already established in the role one is trying to emulate. Instead, the
entrepreneurial role is a hybrid of a set of functional activities (such as those depicted through
PSED and similar studies) and myths and metaphors from society. To address this, we introduce
the term entrepreneurial role expectation (ERE), and propose that, particularly for nascent
entrepreneurs, there exists an I ?ERE dialogic that contributes to the individual defining their
entrepreneurial identity.
Entrepreneurship Education
“To successfully launch a new venture and see it grow, entrepreneurs must, among other things,
be confident in their abilities and identify with their venture and role as an entrepreneur”
(Vanevenhoven and Liguori 2013, pg. 316). For the most part, entrepreneurship education is
designed to prepare individuals for an entrepreneurial career, with approaches ranging from
providing knowledge about entrepreneurship to action-based learning, in which students engage
in creating real-world ventures (Blenker et al. 2011; Lackéus and Williams Middleton in press;
Mwasalwiba 2010; Neck and Greene 2011; Vanevenhoven 2013; Winkel 2013).
Entrepreneurship education, and particularly action-based approaches, thus addresses
development of entrepreneurial competency (Chang and Rieple 2013; Mitchelmore and Rowley
2010; Morris et al. 2013; Rasmussen et al. 2011; Sánchez 2013), where competency is the
knowledge, skills, and attitudes that affect the willingness and ability to perform a profession
(Brophy and Kiely 2002; Rankin 2004). Action-based approaches to entrepreneurship education
are argued to allow students to “gain knowledge and understanding of what and who is important
when attempting to act entrepreneurially, but adds to this, how one’s own actions can and
perhaps should be carried out in order to achieve the desired effect.”(Williams Middleton and
Donnellon in press, pg. 7).
While there is growing consensus that learning for the practice of entrepreneurship benefits from
an approach that involves experiential learning (Chang and Rieple 2013; Lackéus and Williams
Middleton in press; Neck and Greene 2011; Vanevenhoven 2013), there is still limited empirical
data on the impact of entrepreneurship education, beyond one-group students, to prove that
entrepreneurship education does in fact produce entrepreneurship (Rideout and Gray 2013).
Recent literature places increasing emphasis on the development of metrics and mechanisms for
assessing the development of entrepreneurial competency (Chang and Rieple 2013; Duval-
Couetil 2013; Lackéus 2013; Morris et al. 2013). Challenges mentioned include the need to
design and effectively assess educations that enable development of entrepreneurial self-efficacy
and attainment of an entrepreneurial identity which supports long-term behavior (Vanevenhoven
2013; Williams Middleton and Donnellon in press). Building on unique access to a venture
creation program, we investigate the way in which students articulate their own understanding of
becoming entrepreneurial through two dialogics: I?NVC and I?ERE, as well as interrelating
between NVC and ERE.
Method
As the questions we care about are explorative in nature, we apply a qualitative, localized and in-
depth approach towards investigating the relationships between the nascent (surrogate)
entrepreneurs and their new ventures and how this associates to the individual becoming
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entrepreneurial. The research design involves a multiple case, longitudinal study, incorporating
insider-action research (Coghlan 2001) and case study (Yin 2008) methodologies. The insider-
action approach is recognized as facilitating access to a wide range of information that due to
secrecy, sensitivity, time constraints, trust, articulation, or other contextual factors, would not be
available to outside researchers (Brannick and Coghlan 2007; Coghlan 2007; Coghlan and
Brannick 2005). The case study methodology includes data collected through participative
observation, formal and informal interviews and access to team documentation. Being an insider-
action researcher (one of the co-authors), or alternatively, as staff in the incubation environment
(two additional co-authors) provided in-depth insight into the emergent process of becoming
entrepreneurial through engagement in creating a new venture.
Data Collection
Data is collected in a venture creation program environment, in which students are formed into
teams consisting of three members, are connected with intellectual property and put in the
position of surrogate entrepreneurs developing the initial early-stage technologies into viable
technology ventures (Lundqvist 2013). In this circumstance, the students are also nascent
entrepreneurs, as they have no previous experience in new venture creation and engage in new
venture creation within a specialized technology incubator.
Table 1: Selected venture status as of J anuary 2014
Name Individuals Venture status Individual status
Venture
Alpha
Terminated one is potentially continuing on his own
in a service oriented start-up
Venture
Beta
currently under incorporation
process
recruiting an external CEO (none of the
original team members involved)
Venture
Gamma
Student 1 &
Student 2
currently under incorporation
process
two of the three original team members
(Student 1 & 2) continuing
Venture
Delta
Student 3 incorporated in December 2013 one original team member (Student 3)
continuing
Venture
Omega
development phase last original team member leaving in
J anuary 2014, mainly due to lack of
financing (the limited budget was
allocated to technical verification
activities)
Venture
Epsilon
Student 4 development phase one original team member (Student 4)
continuing with plans for incorporation,
but very dependent on financing
Venture
Zeta
Student 5 &
Student 6
development phase (mainly due to
current financing structure)
two of the three original team members
(Student 5 & 6) continuing and
incorporation planned during 2014
An initial population of 27 nascent (surrogate) entrepreneurs, operating in nine teams, were
studied over a nine-month period from September 2012 to May 2013. 41% of the nascent
entrepreneurs were women. The population was interviewed at two intervals during the
incubation period (November 2012 and February 2013). In addition to interviews, data about the
nascent entrepreneurs was collected through written documentation, including material for team
formation and idea selection, progress reports and business plans. In J une 2013, teams had to
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make the decision to continue towards intention to incorporate or to shut down. At that point,
seven teams (listed in Table 1) with at least one original team member continued to engage
towards intention to incorporate.
In J anuary 2014, we contacted the business advisors of the ventures to obtain an updated status of
the ventures and venture teams. Three of the ventures were incorporated or in the process of
incorporation, one venture was being terminated, and the final three were still under development
towards incorporation (Table 1). Data included in analysis was contingent on venture
continuation or incorporation with at least one of the original team members, thus data from four
ventures (Gamma, Delta, Epsilon and Zeta – in Table 1 in bold) are included.
Data Analysis
Transcribed interviews of individuals from four selected teams were analyzed from a dialogic
perspective. Each author independently reviewed the interviews, identifying quotes exemplifying
discussion of: ‘individual’ (who I am), ‘role’ (who I want to be/become), and ‘new value
creation’ (what the venture needs). The independently determined quotes were compared for
inter-subjectivity purposes, to reduce individual bias or interpretation of data. In addition, each
author reviewed written documentation (as previously specified) from the individuals/teams to
garner additional description of ‘individual’, ‘role’ and ‘new value creation’. For example, from
the team formation documentation, this was text in which the student describes his/her
background, skill-set and other contributions as s/he sees as valuable for the venture, as well as
his/her personal preference of idea to work with during the incubation period. In the business
plans, such text was role descriptions presented in the organizational section of the business plan.
Results
Evidence accounted for in the Findings section are extracted from a larger dataset found in the
Tables 2, 3 and 4 in the Appendices. Table 2 presents the category individual from the written
documentation. Table 3 presents the category role from the interviews and May business plan.
Table 4 presents the category new value creation from both the interviews and the written
documentation.
Limitations
The small data population (four teams, six individuals) limits the ability to draw generalizations.
However, as the nature of the research is explorative and qualitative, value lies in the in-depth
knowledge that studying a smaller sample provides, and is thus seen as viable for the nature of
the study. Potential bias through interpretation of interview data is reduced through initial
independent analysis conducted by the three authors, then discussed collectively, to test the
concordance of the results.
Findings
In the following section, we address empirical evidence identified as relevant for the following
categories: Examples of I?NVC dialogic and how it changes over time; Examples of I?ERE
dialogic and how it changes over time; Instances where individuals interrelate NVC with ERE.
I?NVC dialogic
Student 3 of Venture Delta related to NVC during team formation. The student has an
educational background (BSc) in industrial engineering.
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“I am convinced that [Venture Delta] has great potential. I am excited about the field of
application which aligns with my passion for healthcare. [Venture Delta] has a
functioning technique and a confirmed market need - it could reach the market within a
short period, an aspect I prioritize as I would probably not stay in a project with a 10+
year to market. Being part of a project that I can follow all the way to product launch
would be awesome. I hope for continuation after the incubation period.” (Student 3, team
formation)
Student 4, with a business administration background related to NVC in the following way during
team formation:
“I have a major interest in environmentally sustainable energy. [Venture Epsilon] has an
exciting development potential in renewable energy. I will do my upmost to be a part of
bringing [Venture Epsilon] to commercial scale along with a team and collaborative
partners. I have a personal interest in continuing with [Venture Epsilon] if the
opportunity presents. I realize this will require hard work and persistence - I expect a
great challenge, but that is why I am here and choose [Venture Epsilon].” (Student 4,
team formation)
One of the students in Venture Zeta related to NVC both during team formation and half a year
later. The student has an educational background in industrial engineering.
“Too technical and too long time to market for my taste. I don’t understand the
technology.” (Student 6 having ranked this venture her last choice in team formation)
“One of the things that is a little bit tougher now, is that […] I can never see
confirmation of that what I spent the last two weeks on that was actually bringing value
to the [Venture Zeta] because nobody has the rights or the wrongs so myself I have to
decide that this was good for [Venture Zeta] or this was less efficient, there’s no right
answers and there’s no reference at all, so you don’t know if you’re on the right track
[…] but now I spent 12 hours working on this, 13, 14 hours working on this presentation
and nobody’s going to tell me if it’s good or not. I can practice, practice, practice
practice, and I can still stumble and say something wrong on the presentation. Did I fail,
did I not, did I do a good job, I don’t know.” (Student 6 from half-year interview)
I?ERE dialogic
Student 1 of Venture Gamma made multiple references to ERE, both in team formation and in the
half-year interview. The student’s bachelor education is biotechnology and in Venture Gamma is
responsible for product development and large party relations, as stated in the business plan.
“I want to learn and work hard to make the project successful and possible to continue
with as a venture (post incubation period).” (Student 1 from team formation)
“I think what I was missing during the autumn was more structured roles and, leadership
is a part of the role, maybe I didn’t think of that in particular because I think that we’re
very driven all of us and we have pretty similar goals and ambitions so it’s not like, at
least I don’t feel that I need a leader to set goals and I didn’t really feel that I was
missing someone leading the way, but I missed some kind of structure so we could work
more efficiently, so I don’t have to keep track of everything, I can just focus on my three
different parts, but not everything, so lack of structure where leadership is one part of it.
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[…] I think it would probably be good to make sure that everyone has an equal say, but it
would probably be so that the person who is CEO has a bit more responsibility and also
the ability, someone has to make quick decisions sometimes, and I think the result would
be that someone does have a bit of additional power, and that’s not strange.” (Student 1
after half a year)
Both students (5 and 6) of Venture Zeta relate to ERE in the midst of the first venture year.
Student 5 with a mechanical engineering background is made responsible for product
development (as stated in the business plan written a year after team formation). Student 6 with
an educational background in industrial engineering is responsible for finance and IP in the same
business plan. Both students stand out in the sample by having initially de-valued the venture, as
evidenced by their low rank of the venture idea (as either last or second to last preferred choice
during team formation), whereas the students from the other ventures communicated high value
for their venture ideas (listed as either first or second preferred choice during team formation):
“I’m the representative of [Venture Zeta], and this is a very important task and
everybody needs to focus, if you don’t have that role, or somebody taking that role, you
need to talk more. […] Usually the task we do, no one knows how to do them, so I think
there is a higher chance of failing, usually, which makes it sometimes like, ok I’m
responsible for this, like translating the patent, OK I’m responsible for this, and if I fail,
the consequence is huge.” (Student 5 after half a year)
“Both [Student 5] and [our other team member] are very strong team members, not
strong in their will but very solid and works hard and works a lot and gets things done.
So there are a lot of situations where you feel sometimes, “did I do enough?” I mean did
I pull my weight now? You don’t want to disappoint them, and you don’t want to [let
them down], but yeah, so sometimes I feel like… What am I actually bringing to the
table? […] I think I am a little bit more, I want to get stuff done so I want to take like
decisions and see that we’re making progress and, whereas [our other team member] is a
little more, “wait, wait, let’s see all the alternatives” and analyze everything, is this
actually the right decision and it could take a little bit longer time but he would analyze
all the possible options, and sometimes we don’t have time with that, and sometimes that
is the way to go, but I’m always pushing for let’s move forward and he would always
push for let’s take it easy, so I think that’s a good complimentary. […] Part of me is
getting better at this skill, that I’m better at taking all these abstract things and making
them more concrete.” (Student 6 after half a year)
NVC?ERE
Interaction between NVC and ERE is identified in four of the half-year interviews. These
interactions are not related to the individual per se, but capture how individuals interrelate NVC
and ERE.
"We all felt during all of autumn that it would be good to have more roles, but at the
same time we didn’t know which roles we should take or who should take what role and
technically if it would be better […] what’s best for the project isn’t always what’s best
for the learning experience. And I think we’re still struggling to get separated enough
roles.” (Student 2 after half a year)
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“I mean I haven’t applied for any jobs yet. It’s either continuing with this project or
doing something quite similar. Finding some kind of innovation project that has maybe
gone a bit further.” (Student 3 after half a year)
“… what I’m doing now here is valuable, I see the value in doing it, and then some
activities are um, ok, we’re doing this but I cannot stand for what I’m doing is the
opinion of some of us and that becomes like “ok, you don’t have um, you find it boring
and you don’t see any value in doing it, but someone has to take the responsibility of
doing it” and that’s kind of the root cause of everything.” (Student 4 after half a year)
“Yeah, I mean, right now, we haven’t been into a critical moment or situation where
everything depends on making fast decisions and taking a lot of responsibility. I definitely
see in the future that we could have responsibility areas and it’s starting to divide a little
bit, but, yeah, I do think that we could benefit from that.” (Student 6 after half a year)
Discussion
In this paper, we explore aspects of becoming entrepreneurial that stem from the individual (I)
relating to expectations around an entrepreneurial role (ERE), and to specific new value creation
(NVC), understood as the I?NVC and the I?ERE dialogic.
In the Findings section, we accounted for evidence identifying I?NVC as well as I?ERE
dialogics from some but not all of the individuals. The I?NVC dialogic is most explicit in the
early team formation stage where the students are forced to express preference towards all
venture ideas offered. Some, but not all, then relate themselves to NVC. This dialogic is weaker
in the half-year interviews. At this point, only one of the six students display the I ?NVC
dialogic. Remarkably, this is from Student 6, whom together with another team member (Student
5) initially ranked the idea behind Venture Zeta very low, in terms of preference and perceived
value (as compared to others students who ranked their initial venture high). In the half-year
interview, Student 6 displays ambivalence and uncertainty around how to understand the value of
Venture Zeta. A team member (Student 5), however, has no such concern at that point in time, as
evidenced in the half-year interview. Given the strong commitment that both students (5 and 6)
display around the venture today (end of J anuary 2014), and the large legitimacy they have
obtained in running the venture, it is remarkable how profound the transformation has been for
both students (and in particular Student 6) from alienation to NVC, to being key venture
representatives.
As regards the I?ERE dialogic, there are several citations offered from the half-year interview.
A common denominator in these is how much the individual, when relating to ERE, does so
while also relating to other team members. The citations display ambivalence between taking on
specific functional roles, while also staying responsible for the holistic venture development.
Although all respondents communicate a more specialized role in the business plan (May
version), they also display ERE that is holistic rather than specialized in the half-year interviews.
This parts-to-whole tension seems worthy of further study.
Four citations are identified as illustrating interrelation between NVC and ERE. The link is
primarily conceptual, rather than having to do with the individual personal identity development.
However, there is, in some circumstances, clear career choice implications drawn from the
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students more profound perceptions regarding which kind of NVC as well as ERE are attractive.
Hence, enabling for such NVC-ERE interrelating seems to, at least indirectly, help the students to
develop more anchored individual entrepreneurial identity.
Conclusions
This paper explores how nascent entrepreneurs (I) relate to new value creation (I ?NVC) and
entrepreneurial role expectations (I?ERE). Most research into becoming entrepreneurial applies
an instrumental – you are what you do – perspective. The current study identifies how individuals
having become entrepreneurial applied I?NVC and I?ERE dialogics in the early phases of their
ventures. The evidence suggests that I?NVC is most intense in the early stages whereas I?ERE
is more at focus as the nascent phase progresses towards incorporation. I?ERE dialogic is also
occurring in interplay with role expectations of other team members and thus not in individual
isolation, thus fitting our proposed description of the ERE for nascent entrepreneurship. Finally,
the evidence indicates interrelation between NVC and ERE, i.e. that expectations on the
entrepreneurial role are impacted by concrete NVC experiences and not only by e.g. popular
descriptions (in media, etc.) or by examples or theories set by others.
This study is the first of its kind. Although it includes six nascent entrepreneurs and four
ventures, there is still a scarcity of qualitative evidence helping to substantiate a dialogic view of
I?NVC as well as I?ERE in the nascent phase. Nevertheless, the evidence does suggest that a
perspective beyond the functional instrumental view is relevant. Hence, there is probably much
more to be found in the individual relating to NVC as well as to ERE (while relating to his/her
role set of entrepreneurial team member) than only to activities carried out, as regards becoming
entrepreneurial.
A main implication from the present study is that NVC introduced to entrepreneurial education
does add new learning and identity construction not possible to obtain otherwise, such as
I?NVC dialogic as well as NVC-ERE interrelating. Further studies need to substantiate these
tentative conclusions. Furthermore, if NVC is crucial for becoming entrepreneurial, then further
studies also need to investigate what and how NVC can make such a difference. Given the
dramatic transformation of some of the students – from initial alienation to becoming lead
entrepreneurs of a recognized promising technology venture (for example, the venture was
awarded in business competitions), there are apparently strong forces at play. A question
remaining to be answered, however, is how these forces occur and what is required to enable
them.
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Appendices
Table 2. Individual – Who I am
ID Team Formation May 2012 Business Plan October 2012
Interviews
Feb. 2013 Business Plan May 2013
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
1
Biotechnology, good at calculations and
modeling.
BSc. Biotechnology; expertise from
process industries; technology
interest; social; open minded
MSc. Entrepreneurship & Business Design (J une
2013); BSc. Biotechnology. Experienced in
business idea evaluations and large-scale
processing, which supports product development
activities and large party relations in the venture.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
2
Analytical mindset. Performwell in complex
situations; utilize network of friends in order to
solve problems faster. Possess good social skills;
able to quickly jump into different scenarios and
performwell. Often take a leadership role,
getting each individual to performat their best.
Goal driven, structured, effective multi-tasker.
BSc. Industrial engineering and
management; management consulting
experience; experience of marketing
and sales; curious; analytical
MSc. Entrepreneurship & Business Design (J une
2013); BSc. Industrial Engineering &
Management. Work experience includes
management consultancy as well as experience
frommarketing and sales which allows for
efficient approach towards sales and customer
relationship in the venture.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
3
Visionary; enthusiastic about ideas that I want to
realize. Lose motivation if not moving forward.
Like to look upon things froman overall
perspective. Not into the nitty-gritty details.
BSc. Industrial Engineering and
Management
Part of the business development team. MSc.
Entrepreneurship & Business Design (J une
2013). BSc. Industrial Engineering and
Management. The teamis highly motivated to
make this innovation reach the market.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
4
Very strong analytical person. Ability to
structure, organize and lead. Can-do attitude;
strong drive to pursue goals; optimistic
(sometimes over optimistic); detail-oriented;
committed. Knowledgeable in technology and
science within biotech & chemistry.
BSc. Industrial Engineering &
Management, minor in Chemical
Engineering. Experience in
organizational development, strategy
and finance. Intl. working experience
fromNorway, J apan and Singapore.
Quote 18 BSc. Industrial Engineering and Management;
MSc. Entrepreneurship & Business Design (J une
2013). Intl working experience in business
development in IT-firms and within the maritime
sector (J apan, Singapore & South East Asia).
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
5
Dedicated, contributing with a positive attitude
under pressure. Organized; push productivity.
Experience frommilitary career. Background in
mechanical engineering. I do not mind digging
into fields where I have no knowledge. Enjoy
contacting different kinds of people. Work is
often structured and focused towards a deadline.
BSc. Mechanical Engineer; MSc.
Entrepreneurship & Business Design (J une
2013). Winner of the world’s largest competition
for engineering students 2013.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
6
Energetic, take initiative; positive and
accommodating. Like things stated in black and
white; like to focus on quantifying abstract
ideas. Work experience in economics,
accounting and financing (Sweden and US).
Quote 7,
Quote 8,
Quote 13,
Quote 14
BSc. Industrial Engineering & Mathematics;
MSc. Entrepreneurship & Business Design (J une
2013). Former European gold medalist in
professional gymnastics
12
Table 3. Role – Who I want to become
ID Team Formation May 2012 Business Plan October 2012 Interviews February 2013 Business Plan May 2013
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
1
Quote 1a: Student 1: Want to learn and
work hard to make the project successful
and possible to continue with as a venture
(post incubation period).
Quote 39; Quote 40 Excerpt 1b: Product
development & large party
relations
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
2
Quote 34; Quote 35; Quote 37 Excerpt 2b:Sale and customer
relationship
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
3
Quote 22; Quote 24; Quote
25; Quote 28
Excerpt 3b: Sales and
Finance
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
4
Quote 18; Quote 19 Excerpt 4b: Communication,
financing and fundraising
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
5
Quote 5a: Balance personal strict military
approach to ensure that teammates do not
feel stressed by deliverables or deadlines. I
have been told I often have valuable input
and should speak my mind more often. I
aimto be honest towards people and give
feedback on their actions for various
reasons.
The management teamconsists of three
individuals which hold the operational
responsibility to drive the project forward
on a daily basis. All three individuals are
current students at Chalmers School of
Entrepreneurship and they have previously
worked together successfully.
Quote 3; Quote 4; Quote 9 Excerpt 5b: Product
development
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
6
The management teamconsists of three
individuals which hold the operational
responsibility to drive the project forward
on a daily basis. All three individuals are
current students at Chalmers School of
Entrepreneurship and they have previously
worked together successfully.
Quote 10; Quote 15 Excerpt 6b: Finance and IP
13
Table 4. New Value Creation – What the venture needs
ID Team Formation May 2012 Business Plan October 2012
Interviews
Feb. 2013 Business Plan May 2013
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
1
Quote A: Ranked high (2
nd
choice): I believe that
[an idea] like this will be a part of the future
medical system. I see many benefits [as it will]
be a very good tool. Most focus would be to
connect all pieces, communicating the value and
creating a user---friendly interface. A
competitive field.
Venture Gamma will provide patients
with an empowering product and
service to increase medical
knowledge, compliance and improve
health outcomes. The vision is to
lead the transformation of the health
care systemby putting the patient in
the center and deliver the best
personalized care.
Quote 41 Venture Gamma will be developing the product
together with a key partner to improve the
solution as technology changes within the
adherence area are happening at an increasing
rate. The electronic GSM module will be
developed. Multiple POC studies will be
conducted to establish product benefits and gain
adoption. Focus on creating strong and good
relations with pharmaceutical producers in order
to realize the business plan.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
2
Quote B: Ranked high (1
st
choice): An extremely
interesting case with great potential. I would like
to work with [Venture Gamma] due to the fact
that one is able to work in a start-up format
closely tied to a big firm. Furthermore I believe
that my experience fromworking with big firms
and challenging cases would come in useful
when understanding the approach to the idea.
Venture Gamma will provide patients
with an empowering product and
service to increase medical
knowledge, compliance and improve
health outcomes. The vision is to
lead the transformation of the health
care systemby putting the patient in
the center and deliver the best
personalized care.
Quote 36 Venture Gamma will be developing the product
together with a key partner to improve the
solution as technology changes within the
adherence area are happening at an increasing
rate. The electronic GSM module will be
developed. Multiple POC studies will be
conducted to establish product benefits and gain
adoption. Focus on creating strong and good
relations with pharmaceutical producers in order
to realize the business plan.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
3
Quote C: Ranked high (1
st
choice): I am
convinced that [Venture Delta] has great
potential. I amexcited about the field of
application which aligns with my passion for
healthcare. [Venture Delta] has a functioning
technique and a confirmed market need - it could
reach the market within a short period, an aspect
I prioritize as I would probably not stay in a
project with a 10+year to market. Being part of a
project that I can follow all the way to product
launch would be awesome. I hope for
continuation after the incubation period.
Venture Delta aims to increase the
awareness of the harmcaused by this
ventilation process by developing a
monitoring device and provide
healthcare personnel with direct
feedback and data for documentation
and analysis. Venture Delta will
provide the market with a web-based
platformto access the data and give
researchers the opportunity for data
analysis and knowledge sharing.
Venture Delta needs to find strategic alliances
for production and distribution and to use
international medical networks, key opinion
leaders and clinical training centers for market
penetration. Critical actions prior to making any
alliances: continued product development,
clinical trials for regulatory approval, prototype
feedback and market verification.
14
ID Team Formation May 2012 Business Plan October 2012
Interviews
Feb. 2013 Business Plan May 2013
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
4
Quote D: Student 4: Ranked high (1st choice): I
have a major interest in environmentally
sustainable energy. [Venture Epsilon] has an
exciting development potential in renewable
energy. I will do my upmost to be a part of
bringing [Venture Epsilon] to commercial scale
along with a teamand collaborative partners. I
have a personal interest in continuing with
[Venture Epsilon] if the opportunity presents. I
realize this will require hard work and
persistence - I expect a great challenge, but that
is why I amhere and choose [Venture Epsilon].
Quote 20 A complete installation of several [Venture
Epsilon] units will require a significantly large
degree of infrastructure development, including
site installation and energy transfer.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
5
Quote E: Student 5: Ranked low (2nd to last
choice): It might because it is high tech, but I am
not sure about the possibility to find an area of
use where this product is applicable and valuable
enough for someone to finance the development.
Quote 5;
Quote 11
Prototype testing has been initiated together with
financiers and industry partners. [Venture Zeta's]
key activities are product and customer
development, market verification, and prototype
testing. Goal is have a product on the market in
2015.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
6
Quote F: Student 6: Ranked low (last choice):
Too technical and too long time to market for my
taste. I don’t understand the technology.
Prototype testing has been initiated together with
financiers and industry partners. [Venture Zeta's]
key activities are product and customer
development, market verification, and prototype
testing. Goal is have a product on the market in
2015.
15
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doc_470905270.pdf
Within this paper relating to relating the process of becoming entrepreneurial to the invc dialogic.
1
Paper Title: Relating the Process of Becoming Entrepreneurial to the I?NVC Dialogic
Lead Author: Karen Williams-Middleton, Division of Management of Organizational Renewal and
Entrepreneurship, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden;
+46 31 772 1913, [email protected]; www.chalmers.se
Co-Authors: Mats Lundqvist, Pamela Nowell, Division of Management of Organizational Renewal and
Entrepreneurship, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
ABSTRACT
Objectives
Bruyat and J ulien (2001) define entrepreneurship as an individual ? new value creation
(I?NVC) dialogic, where the individual (the entrepreneur) and the new value being created
influence and shape one another. The question we care about involves understanding this co-
construction when the individual is engaging in the process of entrepreneurship for the first time,
i.e. nascent entrepreneurship. We ask: which aspects of becoming entrepreneurial stem from the
individual relating to expectations around an entrepreneurial role, and which aspects of becoming
entrepreneurial stem from the value creation.
Approach
To investigate the dialogic, seven nascent entrepreneurial teams pursuing an entrepreneurship
education, each with three team members and located at a technology incubator, were studied
over a nine-month period. The nascent teams were connected with intellectual property and put in
the position of surrogate entrepreneurs developing the initial early-stage technologies into viable
technology ventures. Almost two years after venture inception, six individuals from four of the
initial seven teams were still running their ventures and therefore characterized as having become
entrepreneurial. Secondary data and interview evidence from these individuals are accounted for
in order to trace dialogic between the individual and new value creation (I?NVC) individual and
entrepreneurial role expectations (I?ERE) as well as NVC?ERE interaction.
Results
The six students more or less relate to entrepreneurial role expectations as well as new value
creation. Over time, the ERE and NVC is increasingly interrelated into an individual
entrepreneurial identity.
Implications
Understanding the processes which contribute to individuals becoming entrepreneurial through
the I? NVC dialogic, and the new I?ERE dialogic, can enlighten educational design and
incubation practice in which entrepreneurial competence and value creation are at focus.
Educational arrangements including real value creation over time arguably offer entrepreneurial
competence development not obtainable by other types of pedagogy.
Value/Originality
This is one of the first studies of nascent entrepreneurs becoming entrepreneurial. Insight into
how the I ? NVC dialogic (and the new I?ERE dialogic) impacts this process of becoming
entrepreneurial can help improve entrepreneurship education and incubation support. The study
also opens up for further study of how entrepreneurial identity developed in dialogic with a
specific NVC can (or cannot) be translated into other settings.
Keywords: becoming entrepreneurial; I?NVC dialogic; nascent; role
2
Introduction
The process of becoming entrepreneurial in nascent entrepreneurship lacks understanding and
appreciation. Morris et al. urge us to “…move away from an instrumental view (e.g.,
entrepreneurs create ventures and ventures produce outcomes), and allow for the possibility that
the venture emerges, in the process developing the entrepreneur [such that] The entrepreneur
constructs and reconstructs both an identity and a venture by applying motivation, intention, and
affective reactions to past and present experiences and the anticipated future.” (Morris et al.
2012, pg. 31). The instrumental main understanding of entrepreneurial behavior development in
general, and in the realm of nascent entrepreneurship in particular, is not recognizing any such
dialogic between the individual and the value created. Yet, this individual and new value creation
(I?NVC) dialogic is argued to be definitional for the whole field of entrepreneurship (Bruyat
and J ulien 2001).
Striving beyond an instrumental view on nascent entrepreneurship, this study investigates over
time the co-construction of value and entrepreneurial identity when the individual is engaging in
the process of entrepreneurship for the first time, i.e. as a nascent entrepreneur (Davidsson 2006).
We investigate the nascents’ associations to entrepreneurial role expectations (I?ERE) as well as
to new value creation aspects (I?NVC) and attempt to trace entrepreneurial identity
development over time. We aim to deepen our understanding of the way in which an
entrepreneurial dialogics (I?NVC and I?ERE) impact individuals becoming entrepreneurial, as
this is an area which is still sparsely researched, in part due to difficulty in accessing individual
(and value creation) in an emergent phase. We utilize unique access to a venture creation
environment in which nascent (surrogate) entrepreneurs develop new value during a nine-month
incubation period.
The paper proceeds as follows: first we will explore literature addressing the nascent entrepreneur
(understood as the individual in the process of becoming, and thus constructing an
entrepreneurial identity for the first time), entrepreneurial role, and new value creation. Building
from the literature, we establish a framework with which we investigate a venture creation
environment, analyzing primary and secondary data of nascent (surrogate) entrepreneurs over a
nine-month period. We present and discuss our findings, and finalize with suggestions for future
areas of study.
Theory
There is limited investigation into ‘becoming’ the entrepreneur in existing literature. Rigg and
O’Dwyer (2012) see becoming entrepreneurial as joining a community of practice, facilitated
mainly through social (dialogic) interaction. Similarly, Williams Middleton (2013) explains that
becoming entrepreneurial involves positioning and negotiated acceptance within the community
of practice, notably in the nascent phase, with a sub-set of this community called the role-set
(Carsrud and J ohnson 1989). Central to becoming entrepreneurial is the nascent entrepreneur, as
this is the individual positioned to ‘act as if’ (Gartner et al. 1992; J ohannisson 2011) as s/he
fulfills the entrepreneurial role. Next, we will address entrepreneurial identity and entrepreneurial
role as pertains to the nascent entrepreneur in the process of becoming entrepreneurial.
Entrepreneurial Role and Entrepreneurial Identity
In the field of entrepreneurship, previous literature has not found strong direct correlation
between traits and characteristics and successful completion of creating a new venture (Reynolds
3
2007), but instead emphasizes situational factors (Reynolds 1995). Due to this, and with our
focus on the nascent, we take the perspective of the individual as s/he associates to the role of
entrepreneur. In Kilby’s ‘Hunting the Heffalump’ (Kilby 1971), the entrepreneurial role is
reduced to decision-making under uncertainty. Kilby (1971) and Gartner (1988) set the ground
for emphasizing the actions of the individual rather than individual characteristics. Current
mainstream literature on the role of the entrepreneur basically adheres to such a functional and
instrumental understanding of becoming entrepreneurial: you carry out certain activities and thus
you become entrepreneurial. This perspective can be seen in research stemming from the Panel
Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics, and similar studies (see for example, Davidsson and
Reynolds 2009; Liao and Welsch 2008; Reynolds 2007; Robb and Reynolds 2007), which
itemize a set of activities that help to define the nascent phase of entrepreneur (the process of
emergence).
However, the role of the entrepreneur is also portrayed symbolically, through myth and metaphor
(Anderson 2005; Anderson and Warren 2011; Down and Warren 2008; Nicholson and Anderson
2005). It is shaped by current business and popular science literature and culture, and can be
understood as a distinct from other roles and identities (Murnieks and Mosakowski 2007).
Beyond an instrumental view of “you are what you do”, there are more relationally oriented
understandings of what it is to be (an) entrepreneur(-ial). The individual factor of role can be
considered the static equivalent of the negotiated rights and duties determined through
positioning (Davies and Harré 1990). Terms identified as titles are used to communicate a role or
position, such as leader, manager, business developer, and entrepreneur.
Identity scholars point to the importance of differentiating identity from role; identity is specific
to each individual as a set of self-conceptualized meanings that relate to a socially constructed
role (Gecas 1982; Hytti 2003), whereas a role is a concept used to represent expected behaviors
attached to a social status or position (Cast 2004; Murnieks and Mosakowski 2007).
Entrepreneurial identity can be assumed to somehow be created through the on-going
engagement in the process (including the future incorporation of the venture) (Ollila et al. 2012;
Pittaway and Thorpe 2012; Rae 2005). The identity is primarily characterized by the individual
being positioned (by him/herself and others) as a key person embodying, communicating, and/or
representing the value creation, often seen in the form of a venture. This is often observed as a
strong correlation between the individual and the object created, which resonates with Bruyat and
J ulien’s I?NVC dialogic (Bruyat and J ulien 2001). However, nascent entrepreneurs often lack
efficacy associated to the experience as an entrepreneur (Dew et al. 2009). They are challenged
to construct an entrepreneurial identity without experiential knowledge of what that identity
entails.
Nascent Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Role Expectation (ERE)
Entrepreneurial activity requires social legitimacy (Yu 2004), and the entrepreneurial role is
contingent upon societal influence, as it is an emic construct (Farmer et al. 2010; Schaffer and
Riordan 2003). Becoming entrepreneurial and taking on an entrepreneurial identity is thus
related to “the extent to which the individual’s self-description fit his or her perceptions of the
entrepreneurial role.”(Farmer et al. 2010, pg. 2). Establishing a new identity through role-
emulation is grounded in identity literature as establishing ‘provisional-selves’ when engaging in
the process of taking on a new identity in the workplace (Ibarra 1999; Ibarra and Barbulescu
2010): the individual wishing to adopt the new identity of (for example) manager, identifies a
4
role-model in the workplace while also constructing a new ‘transitional’ identity that is validated
by the social environment in time. Establishing ‘provisional-selves’ is much more challenging for
entrepreneurs (and nascent entrepreneurs in particular) as there is not an existing organizational
form with individuals already established in the role one is trying to emulate. Instead, the
entrepreneurial role is a hybrid of a set of functional activities (such as those depicted through
PSED and similar studies) and myths and metaphors from society. To address this, we introduce
the term entrepreneurial role expectation (ERE), and propose that, particularly for nascent
entrepreneurs, there exists an I ?ERE dialogic that contributes to the individual defining their
entrepreneurial identity.
Entrepreneurship Education
“To successfully launch a new venture and see it grow, entrepreneurs must, among other things,
be confident in their abilities and identify with their venture and role as an entrepreneur”
(Vanevenhoven and Liguori 2013, pg. 316). For the most part, entrepreneurship education is
designed to prepare individuals for an entrepreneurial career, with approaches ranging from
providing knowledge about entrepreneurship to action-based learning, in which students engage
in creating real-world ventures (Blenker et al. 2011; Lackéus and Williams Middleton in press;
Mwasalwiba 2010; Neck and Greene 2011; Vanevenhoven 2013; Winkel 2013).
Entrepreneurship education, and particularly action-based approaches, thus addresses
development of entrepreneurial competency (Chang and Rieple 2013; Mitchelmore and Rowley
2010; Morris et al. 2013; Rasmussen et al. 2011; Sánchez 2013), where competency is the
knowledge, skills, and attitudes that affect the willingness and ability to perform a profession
(Brophy and Kiely 2002; Rankin 2004). Action-based approaches to entrepreneurship education
are argued to allow students to “gain knowledge and understanding of what and who is important
when attempting to act entrepreneurially, but adds to this, how one’s own actions can and
perhaps should be carried out in order to achieve the desired effect.”(Williams Middleton and
Donnellon in press, pg. 7).
While there is growing consensus that learning for the practice of entrepreneurship benefits from
an approach that involves experiential learning (Chang and Rieple 2013; Lackéus and Williams
Middleton in press; Neck and Greene 2011; Vanevenhoven 2013), there is still limited empirical
data on the impact of entrepreneurship education, beyond one-group students, to prove that
entrepreneurship education does in fact produce entrepreneurship (Rideout and Gray 2013).
Recent literature places increasing emphasis on the development of metrics and mechanisms for
assessing the development of entrepreneurial competency (Chang and Rieple 2013; Duval-
Couetil 2013; Lackéus 2013; Morris et al. 2013). Challenges mentioned include the need to
design and effectively assess educations that enable development of entrepreneurial self-efficacy
and attainment of an entrepreneurial identity which supports long-term behavior (Vanevenhoven
2013; Williams Middleton and Donnellon in press). Building on unique access to a venture
creation program, we investigate the way in which students articulate their own understanding of
becoming entrepreneurial through two dialogics: I?NVC and I?ERE, as well as interrelating
between NVC and ERE.
Method
As the questions we care about are explorative in nature, we apply a qualitative, localized and in-
depth approach towards investigating the relationships between the nascent (surrogate)
entrepreneurs and their new ventures and how this associates to the individual becoming
5
entrepreneurial. The research design involves a multiple case, longitudinal study, incorporating
insider-action research (Coghlan 2001) and case study (Yin 2008) methodologies. The insider-
action approach is recognized as facilitating access to a wide range of information that due to
secrecy, sensitivity, time constraints, trust, articulation, or other contextual factors, would not be
available to outside researchers (Brannick and Coghlan 2007; Coghlan 2007; Coghlan and
Brannick 2005). The case study methodology includes data collected through participative
observation, formal and informal interviews and access to team documentation. Being an insider-
action researcher (one of the co-authors), or alternatively, as staff in the incubation environment
(two additional co-authors) provided in-depth insight into the emergent process of becoming
entrepreneurial through engagement in creating a new venture.
Data Collection
Data is collected in a venture creation program environment, in which students are formed into
teams consisting of three members, are connected with intellectual property and put in the
position of surrogate entrepreneurs developing the initial early-stage technologies into viable
technology ventures (Lundqvist 2013). In this circumstance, the students are also nascent
entrepreneurs, as they have no previous experience in new venture creation and engage in new
venture creation within a specialized technology incubator.
Table 1: Selected venture status as of J anuary 2014
Name Individuals Venture status Individual status
Venture
Alpha
Terminated one is potentially continuing on his own
in a service oriented start-up
Venture
Beta
currently under incorporation
process
recruiting an external CEO (none of the
original team members involved)
Venture
Gamma
Student 1 &
Student 2
currently under incorporation
process
two of the three original team members
(Student 1 & 2) continuing
Venture
Delta
Student 3 incorporated in December 2013 one original team member (Student 3)
continuing
Venture
Omega
development phase last original team member leaving in
J anuary 2014, mainly due to lack of
financing (the limited budget was
allocated to technical verification
activities)
Venture
Epsilon
Student 4 development phase one original team member (Student 4)
continuing with plans for incorporation,
but very dependent on financing
Venture
Zeta
Student 5 &
Student 6
development phase (mainly due to
current financing structure)
two of the three original team members
(Student 5 & 6) continuing and
incorporation planned during 2014
An initial population of 27 nascent (surrogate) entrepreneurs, operating in nine teams, were
studied over a nine-month period from September 2012 to May 2013. 41% of the nascent
entrepreneurs were women. The population was interviewed at two intervals during the
incubation period (November 2012 and February 2013). In addition to interviews, data about the
nascent entrepreneurs was collected through written documentation, including material for team
formation and idea selection, progress reports and business plans. In J une 2013, teams had to
6
make the decision to continue towards intention to incorporate or to shut down. At that point,
seven teams (listed in Table 1) with at least one original team member continued to engage
towards intention to incorporate.
In J anuary 2014, we contacted the business advisors of the ventures to obtain an updated status of
the ventures and venture teams. Three of the ventures were incorporated or in the process of
incorporation, one venture was being terminated, and the final three were still under development
towards incorporation (Table 1). Data included in analysis was contingent on venture
continuation or incorporation with at least one of the original team members, thus data from four
ventures (Gamma, Delta, Epsilon and Zeta – in Table 1 in bold) are included.
Data Analysis
Transcribed interviews of individuals from four selected teams were analyzed from a dialogic
perspective. Each author independently reviewed the interviews, identifying quotes exemplifying
discussion of: ‘individual’ (who I am), ‘role’ (who I want to be/become), and ‘new value
creation’ (what the venture needs). The independently determined quotes were compared for
inter-subjectivity purposes, to reduce individual bias or interpretation of data. In addition, each
author reviewed written documentation (as previously specified) from the individuals/teams to
garner additional description of ‘individual’, ‘role’ and ‘new value creation’. For example, from
the team formation documentation, this was text in which the student describes his/her
background, skill-set and other contributions as s/he sees as valuable for the venture, as well as
his/her personal preference of idea to work with during the incubation period. In the business
plans, such text was role descriptions presented in the organizational section of the business plan.
Results
Evidence accounted for in the Findings section are extracted from a larger dataset found in the
Tables 2, 3 and 4 in the Appendices. Table 2 presents the category individual from the written
documentation. Table 3 presents the category role from the interviews and May business plan.
Table 4 presents the category new value creation from both the interviews and the written
documentation.
Limitations
The small data population (four teams, six individuals) limits the ability to draw generalizations.
However, as the nature of the research is explorative and qualitative, value lies in the in-depth
knowledge that studying a smaller sample provides, and is thus seen as viable for the nature of
the study. Potential bias through interpretation of interview data is reduced through initial
independent analysis conducted by the three authors, then discussed collectively, to test the
concordance of the results.
Findings
In the following section, we address empirical evidence identified as relevant for the following
categories: Examples of I?NVC dialogic and how it changes over time; Examples of I?ERE
dialogic and how it changes over time; Instances where individuals interrelate NVC with ERE.
I?NVC dialogic
Student 3 of Venture Delta related to NVC during team formation. The student has an
educational background (BSc) in industrial engineering.
7
“I am convinced that [Venture Delta] has great potential. I am excited about the field of
application which aligns with my passion for healthcare. [Venture Delta] has a
functioning technique and a confirmed market need - it could reach the market within a
short period, an aspect I prioritize as I would probably not stay in a project with a 10+
year to market. Being part of a project that I can follow all the way to product launch
would be awesome. I hope for continuation after the incubation period.” (Student 3, team
formation)
Student 4, with a business administration background related to NVC in the following way during
team formation:
“I have a major interest in environmentally sustainable energy. [Venture Epsilon] has an
exciting development potential in renewable energy. I will do my upmost to be a part of
bringing [Venture Epsilon] to commercial scale along with a team and collaborative
partners. I have a personal interest in continuing with [Venture Epsilon] if the
opportunity presents. I realize this will require hard work and persistence - I expect a
great challenge, but that is why I am here and choose [Venture Epsilon].” (Student 4,
team formation)
One of the students in Venture Zeta related to NVC both during team formation and half a year
later. The student has an educational background in industrial engineering.
“Too technical and too long time to market for my taste. I don’t understand the
technology.” (Student 6 having ranked this venture her last choice in team formation)
“One of the things that is a little bit tougher now, is that […] I can never see
confirmation of that what I spent the last two weeks on that was actually bringing value
to the [Venture Zeta] because nobody has the rights or the wrongs so myself I have to
decide that this was good for [Venture Zeta] or this was less efficient, there’s no right
answers and there’s no reference at all, so you don’t know if you’re on the right track
[…] but now I spent 12 hours working on this, 13, 14 hours working on this presentation
and nobody’s going to tell me if it’s good or not. I can practice, practice, practice
practice, and I can still stumble and say something wrong on the presentation. Did I fail,
did I not, did I do a good job, I don’t know.” (Student 6 from half-year interview)
I?ERE dialogic
Student 1 of Venture Gamma made multiple references to ERE, both in team formation and in the
half-year interview. The student’s bachelor education is biotechnology and in Venture Gamma is
responsible for product development and large party relations, as stated in the business plan.
“I want to learn and work hard to make the project successful and possible to continue
with as a venture (post incubation period).” (Student 1 from team formation)
“I think what I was missing during the autumn was more structured roles and, leadership
is a part of the role, maybe I didn’t think of that in particular because I think that we’re
very driven all of us and we have pretty similar goals and ambitions so it’s not like, at
least I don’t feel that I need a leader to set goals and I didn’t really feel that I was
missing someone leading the way, but I missed some kind of structure so we could work
more efficiently, so I don’t have to keep track of everything, I can just focus on my three
different parts, but not everything, so lack of structure where leadership is one part of it.
8
[…] I think it would probably be good to make sure that everyone has an equal say, but it
would probably be so that the person who is CEO has a bit more responsibility and also
the ability, someone has to make quick decisions sometimes, and I think the result would
be that someone does have a bit of additional power, and that’s not strange.” (Student 1
after half a year)
Both students (5 and 6) of Venture Zeta relate to ERE in the midst of the first venture year.
Student 5 with a mechanical engineering background is made responsible for product
development (as stated in the business plan written a year after team formation). Student 6 with
an educational background in industrial engineering is responsible for finance and IP in the same
business plan. Both students stand out in the sample by having initially de-valued the venture, as
evidenced by their low rank of the venture idea (as either last or second to last preferred choice
during team formation), whereas the students from the other ventures communicated high value
for their venture ideas (listed as either first or second preferred choice during team formation):
“I’m the representative of [Venture Zeta], and this is a very important task and
everybody needs to focus, if you don’t have that role, or somebody taking that role, you
need to talk more. […] Usually the task we do, no one knows how to do them, so I think
there is a higher chance of failing, usually, which makes it sometimes like, ok I’m
responsible for this, like translating the patent, OK I’m responsible for this, and if I fail,
the consequence is huge.” (Student 5 after half a year)
“Both [Student 5] and [our other team member] are very strong team members, not
strong in their will but very solid and works hard and works a lot and gets things done.
So there are a lot of situations where you feel sometimes, “did I do enough?” I mean did
I pull my weight now? You don’t want to disappoint them, and you don’t want to [let
them down], but yeah, so sometimes I feel like… What am I actually bringing to the
table? […] I think I am a little bit more, I want to get stuff done so I want to take like
decisions and see that we’re making progress and, whereas [our other team member] is a
little more, “wait, wait, let’s see all the alternatives” and analyze everything, is this
actually the right decision and it could take a little bit longer time but he would analyze
all the possible options, and sometimes we don’t have time with that, and sometimes that
is the way to go, but I’m always pushing for let’s move forward and he would always
push for let’s take it easy, so I think that’s a good complimentary. […] Part of me is
getting better at this skill, that I’m better at taking all these abstract things and making
them more concrete.” (Student 6 after half a year)
NVC?ERE
Interaction between NVC and ERE is identified in four of the half-year interviews. These
interactions are not related to the individual per se, but capture how individuals interrelate NVC
and ERE.
"We all felt during all of autumn that it would be good to have more roles, but at the
same time we didn’t know which roles we should take or who should take what role and
technically if it would be better […] what’s best for the project isn’t always what’s best
for the learning experience. And I think we’re still struggling to get separated enough
roles.” (Student 2 after half a year)
9
“I mean I haven’t applied for any jobs yet. It’s either continuing with this project or
doing something quite similar. Finding some kind of innovation project that has maybe
gone a bit further.” (Student 3 after half a year)
“… what I’m doing now here is valuable, I see the value in doing it, and then some
activities are um, ok, we’re doing this but I cannot stand for what I’m doing is the
opinion of some of us and that becomes like “ok, you don’t have um, you find it boring
and you don’t see any value in doing it, but someone has to take the responsibility of
doing it” and that’s kind of the root cause of everything.” (Student 4 after half a year)
“Yeah, I mean, right now, we haven’t been into a critical moment or situation where
everything depends on making fast decisions and taking a lot of responsibility. I definitely
see in the future that we could have responsibility areas and it’s starting to divide a little
bit, but, yeah, I do think that we could benefit from that.” (Student 6 after half a year)
Discussion
In this paper, we explore aspects of becoming entrepreneurial that stem from the individual (I)
relating to expectations around an entrepreneurial role (ERE), and to specific new value creation
(NVC), understood as the I?NVC and the I?ERE dialogic.
In the Findings section, we accounted for evidence identifying I?NVC as well as I?ERE
dialogics from some but not all of the individuals. The I?NVC dialogic is most explicit in the
early team formation stage where the students are forced to express preference towards all
venture ideas offered. Some, but not all, then relate themselves to NVC. This dialogic is weaker
in the half-year interviews. At this point, only one of the six students display the I ?NVC
dialogic. Remarkably, this is from Student 6, whom together with another team member (Student
5) initially ranked the idea behind Venture Zeta very low, in terms of preference and perceived
value (as compared to others students who ranked their initial venture high). In the half-year
interview, Student 6 displays ambivalence and uncertainty around how to understand the value of
Venture Zeta. A team member (Student 5), however, has no such concern at that point in time, as
evidenced in the half-year interview. Given the strong commitment that both students (5 and 6)
display around the venture today (end of J anuary 2014), and the large legitimacy they have
obtained in running the venture, it is remarkable how profound the transformation has been for
both students (and in particular Student 6) from alienation to NVC, to being key venture
representatives.
As regards the I?ERE dialogic, there are several citations offered from the half-year interview.
A common denominator in these is how much the individual, when relating to ERE, does so
while also relating to other team members. The citations display ambivalence between taking on
specific functional roles, while also staying responsible for the holistic venture development.
Although all respondents communicate a more specialized role in the business plan (May
version), they also display ERE that is holistic rather than specialized in the half-year interviews.
This parts-to-whole tension seems worthy of further study.
Four citations are identified as illustrating interrelation between NVC and ERE. The link is
primarily conceptual, rather than having to do with the individual personal identity development.
However, there is, in some circumstances, clear career choice implications drawn from the
10
students more profound perceptions regarding which kind of NVC as well as ERE are attractive.
Hence, enabling for such NVC-ERE interrelating seems to, at least indirectly, help the students to
develop more anchored individual entrepreneurial identity.
Conclusions
This paper explores how nascent entrepreneurs (I) relate to new value creation (I ?NVC) and
entrepreneurial role expectations (I?ERE). Most research into becoming entrepreneurial applies
an instrumental – you are what you do – perspective. The current study identifies how individuals
having become entrepreneurial applied I?NVC and I?ERE dialogics in the early phases of their
ventures. The evidence suggests that I?NVC is most intense in the early stages whereas I?ERE
is more at focus as the nascent phase progresses towards incorporation. I?ERE dialogic is also
occurring in interplay with role expectations of other team members and thus not in individual
isolation, thus fitting our proposed description of the ERE for nascent entrepreneurship. Finally,
the evidence indicates interrelation between NVC and ERE, i.e. that expectations on the
entrepreneurial role are impacted by concrete NVC experiences and not only by e.g. popular
descriptions (in media, etc.) or by examples or theories set by others.
This study is the first of its kind. Although it includes six nascent entrepreneurs and four
ventures, there is still a scarcity of qualitative evidence helping to substantiate a dialogic view of
I?NVC as well as I?ERE in the nascent phase. Nevertheless, the evidence does suggest that a
perspective beyond the functional instrumental view is relevant. Hence, there is probably much
more to be found in the individual relating to NVC as well as to ERE (while relating to his/her
role set of entrepreneurial team member) than only to activities carried out, as regards becoming
entrepreneurial.
A main implication from the present study is that NVC introduced to entrepreneurial education
does add new learning and identity construction not possible to obtain otherwise, such as
I?NVC dialogic as well as NVC-ERE interrelating. Further studies need to substantiate these
tentative conclusions. Furthermore, if NVC is crucial for becoming entrepreneurial, then further
studies also need to investigate what and how NVC can make such a difference. Given the
dramatic transformation of some of the students – from initial alienation to becoming lead
entrepreneurs of a recognized promising technology venture (for example, the venture was
awarded in business competitions), there are apparently strong forces at play. A question
remaining to be answered, however, is how these forces occur and what is required to enable
them.
11
Appendices
Table 2. Individual – Who I am
ID Team Formation May 2012 Business Plan October 2012
Interviews
Feb. 2013 Business Plan May 2013
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
1
Biotechnology, good at calculations and
modeling.
BSc. Biotechnology; expertise from
process industries; technology
interest; social; open minded
MSc. Entrepreneurship & Business Design (J une
2013); BSc. Biotechnology. Experienced in
business idea evaluations and large-scale
processing, which supports product development
activities and large party relations in the venture.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
2
Analytical mindset. Performwell in complex
situations; utilize network of friends in order to
solve problems faster. Possess good social skills;
able to quickly jump into different scenarios and
performwell. Often take a leadership role,
getting each individual to performat their best.
Goal driven, structured, effective multi-tasker.
BSc. Industrial engineering and
management; management consulting
experience; experience of marketing
and sales; curious; analytical
MSc. Entrepreneurship & Business Design (J une
2013); BSc. Industrial Engineering &
Management. Work experience includes
management consultancy as well as experience
frommarketing and sales which allows for
efficient approach towards sales and customer
relationship in the venture.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
3
Visionary; enthusiastic about ideas that I want to
realize. Lose motivation if not moving forward.
Like to look upon things froman overall
perspective. Not into the nitty-gritty details.
BSc. Industrial Engineering and
Management
Part of the business development team. MSc.
Entrepreneurship & Business Design (J une
2013). BSc. Industrial Engineering and
Management. The teamis highly motivated to
make this innovation reach the market.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
4
Very strong analytical person. Ability to
structure, organize and lead. Can-do attitude;
strong drive to pursue goals; optimistic
(sometimes over optimistic); detail-oriented;
committed. Knowledgeable in technology and
science within biotech & chemistry.
BSc. Industrial Engineering &
Management, minor in Chemical
Engineering. Experience in
organizational development, strategy
and finance. Intl. working experience
fromNorway, J apan and Singapore.
Quote 18 BSc. Industrial Engineering and Management;
MSc. Entrepreneurship & Business Design (J une
2013). Intl working experience in business
development in IT-firms and within the maritime
sector (J apan, Singapore & South East Asia).
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
5
Dedicated, contributing with a positive attitude
under pressure. Organized; push productivity.
Experience frommilitary career. Background in
mechanical engineering. I do not mind digging
into fields where I have no knowledge. Enjoy
contacting different kinds of people. Work is
often structured and focused towards a deadline.
BSc. Mechanical Engineer; MSc.
Entrepreneurship & Business Design (J une
2013). Winner of the world’s largest competition
for engineering students 2013.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
6
Energetic, take initiative; positive and
accommodating. Like things stated in black and
white; like to focus on quantifying abstract
ideas. Work experience in economics,
accounting and financing (Sweden and US).
Quote 7,
Quote 8,
Quote 13,
Quote 14
BSc. Industrial Engineering & Mathematics;
MSc. Entrepreneurship & Business Design (J une
2013). Former European gold medalist in
professional gymnastics
12
Table 3. Role – Who I want to become
ID Team Formation May 2012 Business Plan October 2012 Interviews February 2013 Business Plan May 2013
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
1
Quote 1a: Student 1: Want to learn and
work hard to make the project successful
and possible to continue with as a venture
(post incubation period).
Quote 39; Quote 40 Excerpt 1b: Product
development & large party
relations
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
2
Quote 34; Quote 35; Quote 37 Excerpt 2b:Sale and customer
relationship
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
3
Quote 22; Quote 24; Quote
25; Quote 28
Excerpt 3b: Sales and
Finance
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
4
Quote 18; Quote 19 Excerpt 4b: Communication,
financing and fundraising
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
5
Quote 5a: Balance personal strict military
approach to ensure that teammates do not
feel stressed by deliverables or deadlines. I
have been told I often have valuable input
and should speak my mind more often. I
aimto be honest towards people and give
feedback on their actions for various
reasons.
The management teamconsists of three
individuals which hold the operational
responsibility to drive the project forward
on a daily basis. All three individuals are
current students at Chalmers School of
Entrepreneurship and they have previously
worked together successfully.
Quote 3; Quote 4; Quote 9 Excerpt 5b: Product
development
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
6
The management teamconsists of three
individuals which hold the operational
responsibility to drive the project forward
on a daily basis. All three individuals are
current students at Chalmers School of
Entrepreneurship and they have previously
worked together successfully.
Quote 10; Quote 15 Excerpt 6b: Finance and IP
13
Table 4. New Value Creation – What the venture needs
ID Team Formation May 2012 Business Plan October 2012
Interviews
Feb. 2013 Business Plan May 2013
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
1
Quote A: Ranked high (2
nd
choice): I believe that
[an idea] like this will be a part of the future
medical system. I see many benefits [as it will]
be a very good tool. Most focus would be to
connect all pieces, communicating the value and
creating a user---friendly interface. A
competitive field.
Venture Gamma will provide patients
with an empowering product and
service to increase medical
knowledge, compliance and improve
health outcomes. The vision is to
lead the transformation of the health
care systemby putting the patient in
the center and deliver the best
personalized care.
Quote 41 Venture Gamma will be developing the product
together with a key partner to improve the
solution as technology changes within the
adherence area are happening at an increasing
rate. The electronic GSM module will be
developed. Multiple POC studies will be
conducted to establish product benefits and gain
adoption. Focus on creating strong and good
relations with pharmaceutical producers in order
to realize the business plan.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
2
Quote B: Ranked high (1
st
choice): An extremely
interesting case with great potential. I would like
to work with [Venture Gamma] due to the fact
that one is able to work in a start-up format
closely tied to a big firm. Furthermore I believe
that my experience fromworking with big firms
and challenging cases would come in useful
when understanding the approach to the idea.
Venture Gamma will provide patients
with an empowering product and
service to increase medical
knowledge, compliance and improve
health outcomes. The vision is to
lead the transformation of the health
care systemby putting the patient in
the center and deliver the best
personalized care.
Quote 36 Venture Gamma will be developing the product
together with a key partner to improve the
solution as technology changes within the
adherence area are happening at an increasing
rate. The electronic GSM module will be
developed. Multiple POC studies will be
conducted to establish product benefits and gain
adoption. Focus on creating strong and good
relations with pharmaceutical producers in order
to realize the business plan.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
3
Quote C: Ranked high (1
st
choice): I am
convinced that [Venture Delta] has great
potential. I amexcited about the field of
application which aligns with my passion for
healthcare. [Venture Delta] has a functioning
technique and a confirmed market need - it could
reach the market within a short period, an aspect
I prioritize as I would probably not stay in a
project with a 10+year to market. Being part of a
project that I can follow all the way to product
launch would be awesome. I hope for
continuation after the incubation period.
Venture Delta aims to increase the
awareness of the harmcaused by this
ventilation process by developing a
monitoring device and provide
healthcare personnel with direct
feedback and data for documentation
and analysis. Venture Delta will
provide the market with a web-based
platformto access the data and give
researchers the opportunity for data
analysis and knowledge sharing.
Venture Delta needs to find strategic alliances
for production and distribution and to use
international medical networks, key opinion
leaders and clinical training centers for market
penetration. Critical actions prior to making any
alliances: continued product development,
clinical trials for regulatory approval, prototype
feedback and market verification.
14
ID Team Formation May 2012 Business Plan October 2012
Interviews
Feb. 2013 Business Plan May 2013
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
4
Quote D: Student 4: Ranked high (1st choice): I
have a major interest in environmentally
sustainable energy. [Venture Epsilon] has an
exciting development potential in renewable
energy. I will do my upmost to be a part of
bringing [Venture Epsilon] to commercial scale
along with a teamand collaborative partners. I
have a personal interest in continuing with
[Venture Epsilon] if the opportunity presents. I
realize this will require hard work and
persistence - I expect a great challenge, but that
is why I amhere and choose [Venture Epsilon].
Quote 20 A complete installation of several [Venture
Epsilon] units will require a significantly large
degree of infrastructure development, including
site installation and energy transfer.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
5
Quote E: Student 5: Ranked low (2nd to last
choice): It might because it is high tech, but I am
not sure about the possibility to find an area of
use where this product is applicable and valuable
enough for someone to finance the development.
Quote 5;
Quote 11
Prototype testing has been initiated together with
financiers and industry partners. [Venture Zeta's]
key activities are product and customer
development, market verification, and prototype
testing. Goal is have a product on the market in
2015.
S
t
u
d
e
n
t
6
Quote F: Student 6: Ranked low (last choice):
Too technical and too long time to market for my
taste. I don’t understand the technology.
Prototype testing has been initiated together with
financiers and industry partners. [Venture Zeta's]
key activities are product and customer
development, market verification, and prototype
testing. Goal is have a product on the market in
2015.
15
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