A Model of Entrepreneurial Socialization and Organization Formation

Abstract

This model applies theories of organizational socialization to characterize the aspiring entrepreneur's journey from neophyte to firm founder and to Identify factors that may Influence the transition from a pre-organization to the formation of a new organization. The model distinguishes two identifiable stages which shape organization formation—Anticipatory Socialization and New Entrepreneur Socialization. Anticipatory Socialization characterizes the predisposing characteristics and experiences that precede the cognitive choice to become an entrepreneur. New Entrepreneur Socialization specifies the critical variables that Influence the new recruit once the decision Is made to start a firm. Three factors determine the transition into the entrepreneurial role: Motivational Bases for Adaptation, Socializing Agents and the Structural Context of the Entrepreneurial Setting. The eventual outcome of entrepreneurial socialization, Organization Formation, Is the survival or discontinuance of the venture. A model of entrepreneurial socialization focuses attention on the adaptive Intra-personal and Inter-personal processes that shape the new venture creation process.

Exploiting opportunities at all cost? Entrepreneurial intent and externalities

“…In our introductory, theoretical discussion we have highlighted that both a negative and a positive association of entrepreneurship with benevolence can be established; based on person-organization fit theory (e.g., Schneider, 1987;Zhao et al 2010), on the entrepreneurs' socialization and roles literature (Starr & Fondas, 1992), and on fairness perceptions with respect to compensation schemes (Fehr & Schmidt, 2000;Lazear & Shaw, 2007). It requires empirical studies to inform research for the further development of such models.…”

“…Such arguments can be used to motivate a positive but also a negative association between benevolence and entrepreneurship. If entrepreneurship is associated with, and if entrepreneurs' role images corroborate, private profit maximization, then it is very likely that such people also allocate into entrepreneurship (see Starr & Fondas, 1992, on entrepreneurs' roles and socialization). The opposite can, however, be argued, too.…”

Career motives and entrepreneurial decision-making: examining preferences for causal and effectual logics in the early stage of new ventures

“…This broad conception of an individual's career stands in contrast to most past studies in the entrepreneurship domain which have more narrowly focused on the decision to start a venture and become an entrepreneur (see e.g. Bird 1989; Lee and Wong 2004;Starr and Fondas 1992). Although we recognize the merit of previous studies in advancing our understanding of entrepreneurial career entry, we believe our broader conception of careers to be relevant in this case as we aim to understand how enterprising individuals prefer to progress in their entrepreneurial careers.…”

Self-Efficacy: Conditioning the Entrepreneurial Mindset

“…At the same time, both scholars and practitioners appear to assume that much of these differences must arise from various processes of socialization that might explain, even predict, the base rate characteristics of aspiring entrepreneurs (Starr and Fondas 1992). Indeed, Mitchell et al (2002) demonstrated that cultural differences explain some of the variance in venture-creation decisions among countries.…”