A review of research methods in entrepreneurship 1985-2013

McDonald, Seonaidh; Gan, Bee Ching; Fraser, Simon; Oke, Adekunle; Anderson, Alistair R.

doi:10.1108/ijebr-02-2014-0021

Cited by 112 publications

(90 citation statements)

References 80 publications

(203 reference statements)

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“…; see also McDonald et al. (forthcoming), we had identified the methods used by papers published in five top ranked general entrepreneurship journals from the United States and Europe over a 20‐year period (1985–2004). These journals, which were selected for the previous study in order to represent global scholarship in the field were: Entrepreneurship and Regional Development , Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice , the International Small Business Journal , the Journal of Business Venturing , and the Journal of Small Business Management .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Bourdieuan Analysis of Qualitative Authorship in Entrepreneurship Scholarship

Dodd

McDonald

McElwee

et al. 2014

Journal of Small Business Management

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Empirically, this study builds on responses from leading qualitative entrepreneurship scholars. We carry out a Bourdieuan analysis of the field of entrepreneurship scholarship—particularly heterodox qualitative writing—and the way that scholars learn to play this game (habitus). It discusses unchallenged assumptions (doxa), commitment to shared stakes (illusio), the practice to achieve these stakes (practice), and the struggle for glories and riches (capital). By deploying Bourdieu's frame, we have been able to expose key processes, structures, and relationships within qualitative entrepreneurship authorship. These offer four types of practical outcomes: guidance for good practice; insights into emotional aspects of authorship; warnings of potentially dysfunctional practices; and a celebration of our successes.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Bourdieuan Analysis of Qualitative Authorship in Entrepreneurship Scholarship

Dodd

McDonald

McElwee

et al. 2014

Journal of Small Business Management

Self Cite

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“…This analysis would help us reflect on the progress of the field and act as a potential source of published research reviews on women entrepreneurship. McDonald et al (2015) reviewed the research methods used in entrepreneurship from the year 1985 to 2013 and identified six top entrepreneurship journals. These include three top US journals (Journal of Business Venturing, Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, and Journal of Small Business Management) and two top European journals (International Small Business Journal, and Entrepreneurship and Regional Development) having impact factors ranging from 1.33 to 2.97.…”

Section: Review Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Women entrepreneurship: research review and future directions

2016

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Studies on women entrepreneurship have witnessed a rapid growth over the past 30 years. The field is in an adolescence stage with a considerable number of journal articles, literature reviews and books being published on women entrepreneurs. The objective of this study is twofold. First is to examine the number of papers published on women entrepreneurship in 12 established entrepreneurship journals from 1900 to 2016. Second is to assess the growth of the field by specifically reviewing literature reviews published from 1980s till 2016 and put forward future research directions. Our review findings suggest that there is still a long way to go in terms of building a strong theoretical base for research on women entrepreneurship. The lens of feminist theories can be applied in conjunction with the existing entrepreneurship theories to advance the field. Methodologically, past research is dominated by the positivist paradigm and there is a need to embrace innovative methods to build explanations using a constructionist approach. Further, studies are mostly restricted within national boundaries primarily being conducted in developed economies. There is a need to build transnational networks and foster professional communities to enable the growth of the field.

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“…Such approaches run the risk of privileging and reinforcing existing conceptions regarding which growth factors are causally significant. One outcome of this is that growth is frequently explained through reference to a relatively small range of variables, often related to business characteristics, the owner and the external environment (Parry, 2010;Crook et al, 2010;McDonald et al, 2015).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of personal attitudes on the growth ambitions of small business owners

Braidford

Drummond²,

Stone

2017

JSBED

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an empirical evidence in support of widespread calls for new approaches to understanding small business growth, by exploring the use of non-positivist methods (e.g. critical realism) to analyse how owners’ innate dispositions shape growth in practice. Design/methodology/approach In 2014, a telephone survey was used to inform two focus groups and 29 in-depth interviews with small business owners throughout England, covering attitudes towards growth, the use of particular strategies and perceived barriers. Discourse analysis was used to develop a multi-layered explanatory model incorporating key ideas from critical realism and the work of Bourdieu. Findings Bourdieusian analysis reveals the existence of orientations among small business owners towards or against business growth. Such attitudes tend to impact upon their response to perceived barriers. Growth-inclined owners were willing to strategise for long-term benefit, in return for lower returns in the short term. Growth-resistant owners were more likely to view obstacles as absolute, stating that they cannot grow their firms as a result. Practical implications Removing or reducing obstacles may not encourage growth if motivations and attitudes of owners do not change to embrace more growth-oriented positions. Banks’ lending practices, for example, were seen by many as problematic, but growth-oriented owners were more willing to seek and use alternatives to raise funds for growth. Originality/value The authors suggest that entrepreneurship researchers should look beyond positivist research to epistemologies that provide more multi-layered modes of explanation.

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A review of research methods in entrepreneurship 1985-2013

Cited by 112 publications

References 80 publications

A Bourdieuan Analysis of Qualitative Authorship in Entrepreneurship Scholarship

A Bourdieuan Analysis of Qualitative Authorship in Entrepreneurship Scholarship

Women entrepreneurship: research review and future directions

The impact of personal attitudes on the growth ambitions of small business owners

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