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Ideas and methods of lean and agile startup in the VUCA Era

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Listed:
  • Chengbin Wang

    (Taizhou University)

  • Min Dai

    (Taizhou University)

  • Yongyan Fang

    (Taizhou University)

  • Chuanfeng Liu

    (China University S&T Achievements Transformation Center)

Abstract

In today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) era, entrepreneurs face highly uncertain startup environments. Thus, traditional methods for launching startup businesses must address the challenges associated with uncertain environments. Based on the definition of startup as “the practical activity of starting a business in an uncertain environment”, the greatest challenge in startup is reducing uncertainty. Thus, this paper defines the lean and agile startup (LAS) method by using the business model canvas (BMC) as an iterative tool and combining the customer development (CD) method and agile method (AM). LAS is an upgraded version of lean startup (LS) that provides entrepreneurs with a “0-to-1” startup exploration method. It allows entrepreneurs to promote startup exploration activities through the “hypothesis-exploration-test-cognition” iterative model, thereby evolving their ideas into sustainable business models. Moreover, this paper articulates a developmental approach for building iterative startup software based on LAS. It therefore offers entrepreneurs a convenient and visual iterative tool for startup to improve the effectiveness of startup exploration.

Suggested Citation

  • Chengbin Wang & Min Dai & Yongyan Fang & Chuanfeng Liu, 2022. "Ideas and methods of lean and agile startup in the VUCA Era," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 18(4), pages 1527-1544, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:intemj:v:18:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s11365-022-00797-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11365-022-00797-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robin de Cock & Johan Bruneel & Annelies Bobelyn, 2019. "Making the Lean Start-Up Method Work: The Role of Prior Market Knowledge," Post-Print hal-02111482, HAL.
    2. Rainer Harms & Mario Schwery, 2020. "Lean Startup: Operationalizing Lean Startup Capability and testing its performance implications," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(1), pages 200-223, January.
    3. Dennis Lyth Frederiksen & Alexander Brem, 2017. "How do entrepreneurs think they create value? A scientific reflection of Eric Ries’ Lean Startup approach," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 169-189, March.
    4. Guindalini, Camila & Verreynne, Martie-Louise & Kastelle, Tim, 2021. "Taking scientific inventions to market: Mapping the academic entrepreneurship ecosystem," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
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    Cited by:

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    2. Mihaela Minciu & Razvan Catalin Dobrea & Irina Olimpia Susanu, 2025. "The influence of coaching on employees: a quantitative analysis in the context of the VUCA world," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-24, December.

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