THE ROLE OF CREATIVITY IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

TLDR

Entrepreneurship theory acknowledges randomness, uncertainty, and ambiguity, which must be situated within broader business and social contexts. The paper evaluates how creativity contributes to entrepreneurship theory and practice, aiming to build a holistic, transdisciplinary understanding and offers recommendations for future theory and practice. The analysis synthesizes themes on creativity’s definition, its links to personality, cognitive style, motivation, innovation, and entrepreneurial artists, and examines models for measuring and testing entrepreneurial creativity.

Abstract

This paper evaluates the contribution of creativity to entrepreneurship theory and practice in terms of building an holistic and transdisciplinary understanding of its impact. Acknowledgement is made of the subjectivist theory of entrepreneurship which embraces randomness, uncertainty and ambiguity but these factors should then be embedded in wider business and social contexts. The analysis is synthesised into a number of themes, from consideration of its definition, its link with personality and cognitive style, creativity as a process and the use of biography in uncovering data on creative entrepreneurial behaviour. Other relevant areas of discussion include creativity's link with motivation, actualisation and innovation, as well as the interrogation of entrepreneurial artists as owner/managers. These factors are embedded in a critical evaluation of how creativity contributes to successful entrepreneurship practice. Modelling, measuring and testing entrepreneurial creativity are also considered and the paper includes detailed consideration of several models of creativity in entrepreneurship. Recommendations for future theory and practice are also made.