The purpose and potential of entrepreneurship research

Abstract

In this essay, we argue that it is folly to stake the legitimacy and value of entrepreneurship research on the uniqueness of its theory. A better path is to orient around questions where we are uniquely positioned to create useful and important knowledge. To this end, we anchor on Venkataraman’s seminal definition and argue that entrepreneurship research should focus on understanding the outcomes of venture creation not just for founders, but also for other stakeholders and society as a whole. Moreover, we argue that generating robust insight into these questions requires contributions from multiple perspectives, and this makes our field’s theoretical diversity a great and under-appreciated asset. Drawing on the metaphor of “borderlands,” we argue that embracing and leveraging diversity can help to address important social and environmental problems while also laying a foundation for the unique identity so long sought by the members of our field.