Contextualizing Entrepreneurship—Conceptual Challenges and Ways Forward

TLDR

Entrepreneurship research increasingly recognizes that economic behavior is shaped by historical, temporal, institutional, spatial, and social contexts, which both enable and constrain actions while also being influenced by entrepreneurial activity. The study aims to examine how contextual factors shape entrepreneurship, arguing that context is crucial for understanding when, how, and why entrepreneurship occurs and who participates. The authors explore the multiplicity of contexts and their impact on entrepreneurship. They identify challenges in contextualizing entrepreneurship theory and propose possible ways forward.

Abstract

This paper sets out to explore contexts for entrepreneurship, illustrating how a contextualized view of entrepreneurship contributes to our understanding of the phenomenon. There is growing recognition in entrepreneurship research that economic behavior can be better understood within its historical, temporal, institutional, spatial, and social contexts, as these contexts provide individuals with opportunities and set boundaries for their actions. Context can be an asset and a liability for the nature and extent of entrepreneurship, but entrepreneurship can also impact contexts. The paper argues that context is important for understanding when, how, and why entrepreneurship happens and who becomes involved. Exploring the multiplicity of contexts and their impact on entrepreneurship, it identifies challenges researchers face in contextualizing entrepreneurship theory and offers possible ways forward.