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What Do Entrepreneurs Actually Do? An Observational Study of Entrepreneurs’ Everyday Behavior in the Start–Up and Growth Stages

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  • Susan Mueller
  • Thierry Volery
  • Björn von Siemens

Abstract

In this study, we used the sociological method of structured observation to investigate the everyday behavior of six entrepreneurs in the start–up stage and six entrepreneurs in the growth stage. Our results suggest the existence of both commonalities and differences between these two stages with regard to activities, functions, exploration vs. exploitation, and communication. Building on these detailed observations, we develop a taxonomy specifying the constitutive elements of entrepreneurs’ behavior on a continuum that spans from single, discrete actions of entrepreneurs to actions concerning the broader organization.

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  • Susan Mueller & Thierry Volery & Björn von Siemens, 2012. "What Do Entrepreneurs Actually Do? An Observational Study of Entrepreneurs’ Everyday Behavior in the Start–Up and Growth Stages," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(5), pages 995-1017, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:36:y:2012:i:5:p:995-1017
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6520.2012.00538.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Evila Piva, 2018. "Time allocation behaviours of entrepreneurs: the impact of individual entrepreneurial orientation," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 45(4), pages 493-518, December.
    2. Wach, Dominika & Stephan, Ute & Weinberger, Eva & Wegge, Jürgen, 2021. "Entrepreneurs' stressors and well-being: A recovery perspective and diary study," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(5).
    3. Conrad Wiedeler & Nadine Kammerlander, 2021. "Learning the ropes of entrepreneurship: understanding internal corporate venturing for family firms from an entrepreneurial learning perspective," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 669-703, April.
    4. Pia Arenius & Anna-Katharina Lenz, 2024. "Beyond the paradigm of literacy - Developing a research agenda in entrepreneurship," Post-Print hal-04355048, HAL.
    5. Shamir, Noam & Zvilichovsky, David, 2022. "Dynamic reputation, project selection and market efficiency: The importance of small projects," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    6. Brecht, Stacy & Le Loarne-Lemaire, Séverine & Kraus, Sascha & Maalaoui, Adnane, 2023. "The role of time management of female tech entrepreneurs in practice: Diary and interview results from an innovative cluster," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    7. Nick Clifton & Robert Huggins & Brian Morgan & Piers Thompson, 2015. "An appropriate tool for entrepreneurial learning in SMEs? The case of the 20Twenty Leadership Programme," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 30(5), pages 534-556, August.
    8. Kostadin Kolarov & Maria Vasilska, 2019. "The Bulgarian Entrepreneur as a Manager – background, managerial approaches and some reflections on SMEs performance," Conference Proceedings Chapters, in: Kiril Todorov & Jan Degadt (ed.), Youth and Women Entrepreneurship in Challenging International (Global) Business Environment. Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference, 11 – 1, edition 1, chapter 127, pages 170-187, Bulgarian Association for Management Development and Entrepreneurship.
    9. Onesun Steve Yoo & Guillaume Roels & Charles J. Corbett, 2016. "The Time–Money Trade-Off for Entrepreneurs: When to Hire the First Employee?," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 18(4), pages 559-569, October.
    10. Christian Bjørnskov & Nicolai J Foss, 2020. "Well-being and entrepreneurship: Using establishment size to identify treatment effects and transmission mechanisms," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(1), pages 1-22, January.
    11. Karin Heinrichs & Benjamin Jacklin, 2017. "Critical Incidents Typically Emerging during the Post-Formation Phase of a New Venture: Perspectives for Entrepreneurship Education and Start-Up Counselling," International Journal of Higher Education, Sciedu Press, vol. 6(2), pages 133-133, April.
    12. Reynolds, Paul D., 2016. "Start-up Actions and Outcomes: What Entrepreneurs Do to Reach Profitability," Foundations and Trends(R) in Entrepreneurship, now publishers, vol. 12(6), pages 443-559, December.
    13. Mujtaba Ahsan, 2020. "Entrepreneurship and Ethics in the Sharing Economy: A Critical Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 161(1), pages 19-33, January.
    14. Ge, Jianhua & Li, Joanna Mingxuan & Zhao, Eric Yanfei & Yang, Fan, 2022. "Rags to riches? Entrepreneurs' social classes, resourceful time allocation, and venture performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 37(5).
    15. Szalavetz Andrea, 2015. "A Dynamic Capabilities Perspective of High-Growth Firms: Organizational Aspects," International Journal of Management and Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of World Economy, vol. 48(1), pages 45-62, December.
    16. M. Nesij Huvaj, 2020. "A Co-opetition View of the Entrepreneur–Investor Relationship: Modelling Entrepreneurial Exit Pathways," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 29(2), pages 365-394, September.
    17. Michael Pietersen & Melodi Botha, 2021. "Achieving coherence: towards a model of the nascent-stage behavioral dynamics of new venture teams," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 1261-1290, September.
    18. Alexander Chepurenko, 2019. "‘Non-Routine Entrepreneurs’: Another Path of Realizing Entrepreneurial Intentions," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-15, May.
    19. Moren Lévesque & Ute Stephan, 2020. "It’s Time We Talk About Time in Entrepreneurship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 44(2), pages 163-184, March.
    20. Kim, Phillip H. & Longest, Kyle C. & Lippmann, Stephen, 2015. "The tortoise versus the hare: Progress and business viability differences between conventional and leisure-based founders," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 185-204.
    21. , Aisdl, 2019. "Creativity and Entrepreneurship: An Exploratory Multiple Case Study of What Entrepreneurs Think," OSF Preprints w2nfz, Center for Open Science.
    22. Yu, Wei & Li, Zhuyi Angelina & Foo, Maw-Der & Sun, Shuhua, 2022. "Perceived social undermining keeps entrepreneurs up at night and disengaged the next day: The mediating role of sleep quality and the buffering role of trait resilience," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 37(2).
    23. Faleye, Olubunmi & Kung, Wilson & Parwada, Jerry T. & Tian, Gloria Y., 2020. "Are entrepreneurs special? Evidence from board appointments," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(3).
    24. Onesun Steve Yoo & Charles J. Corbett & Guillaume Roels, 2016. "Optimal Time Allocation for Process Improvement for Growth-Focused Entrepreneurs," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 18(3), pages 361-375, July.

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