Sustaining spontaneous venturing in response to the global refugee crisis

Abstract

Spontaneous venturing plays a prominent role in alleviating suffering in limited-term crises. Yet, when crises endure over time, it may become necessary to transition spontaneous ventures into sustained ventures to effectively address persistent needs. In this rapid response paper, we collaborated with a problem owner to investigate five sub-problems associated with the core problem of transitioning from spontaneous to sustained venturing in the context of the global refugee crisis. Using a translational research approach in entrepreneurship, we suggest answers to the five identified sub-problems grounded in existing evidence from perspectives in the entrepreneurship literature (contextualization, volunteering, community-based organizing, and venture legitimacy). We further synthesize the solutions that can help motivate and structure sustained collective efforts to address endured crises and highlight key implications for the broader community that aspires to address persistent crises.