With a wide-ranging set of contributions, this book provides a compilation of cutting-edge original research in the field of entrepreneurial opportunities. The book reopens the subject from diverse perspectives focusing on theories and approaches to entrepreneurial opportunities. It provides a brief history of the idea of opportunity and a framework how opportunities develop in space and place. Further, this Research Handbook looks at process and context-based views on the topic. It also includes the latest research on impact factors, such as individual values on creating entrepreneurial opportunities. The book has been complemented by an outstanding Delphi panel of six leading scholars of the field: Lowell Busenitz, Dimo Dimov, James O. Fiet, Denis Gregoire, Jeff McMullen and Mike Wright. This carefully edited selection of current and topical contributions will be of immense value to students, researchers and scholars interested in the field of entrepreneurial opportunities. Contributors include: C. Albornoz, J.E. Amoros, T. Baker, B. Bjerke, L. Busenitz, M. Chiasson, D. Dimov, J.O. Fiet, J. Gaddefors, W.B. Gartner, D.A. Gregoire, A. Haas, T.P. Kenworthy, S. Korsgaard, A. Kurczewska, C. Leger-Jarniou, F. Linan, M. Marchesnay, J.S. McMullen, S.P. Sassmannshausen, F. Sautet, B.T. Teague, S. Tegtmeier, S.J. Vliamos, R.D. Wadhwani, M. Wright

While knowledge-intensive environments encourage and foster new ideas for products, services, production methods and business models, they also entail high levels of risk derived from the fast and dynamically changing nature of technology. This Handbook explores the new theoretical frameworks that are needed to cope with the growing relevance of techno-entrepreneurship initiatives globally. Demonstrating that techno-entrepreneurship and its ecosystems create opportunities across national borders, this Handbook also shows how they proactively shape their business environment and engage in more complex collaborative networks. Chapters cover emerging areas in the field, such as frugal innovation, the drone industry and gender-specific entrepreneurship. Separated into sections dedicated to entrepreneurial ecosystems - with original research into incubators, accelerators and crowd funding - and techno-entrepreneurship across countries, the contributors examine specific issues that arise in context. With international scope, this Handbook will be an essential read for entrepreneurship and innovation scholars. Any researcher with an interest in entrepreneurial ecosystems will also benefit from the original research presented.

Social entrepreneurship is one of the most controversial actualities of the modern economy. On the one hand, social entrepreneurship makes up for "market failures" and prevents the deficit of socially essential goods and services in the marketplace, acting as their supplier. On the other hand, the survival of social entrepreneurship in an aggressive market environment is a challenging task, the fulfilment of which may distort the original essence of social entrepreneurship. Comprising a collection of research presented at the International Scientific Conference Advanced Issues on Social Entrepreneurship, this contributed volume offers a global economic analysis of social entrepreneurship. Whilst social entrepreneurship is indispensable to the modern economy, the current controversial model of its organization means it cannot fully accomplish its mission. This book offers potential solutions to this problem with the global and national strategies of economic growth and social progress. It includes a focus on emerging markets, in which the role of social entrepreneurship is especially high. This book is aimed at scholars and students who are interested in social entrepreneurship and corporate economics, and practitioners involved in this field. It will also be of interest to policy makers in the development and implementation of a national economic policy for support for social entrepreneurship in emerging markets.

This book embodies the ever-increasing scope and depth of empirical entrepreneurship research in Europe. Contributors from different disciplinary backgrounds within the business field - including finance, management, and entrepreneurship, and from other related disciplines such as economics and economic geography - employ various methodologies to study the phenomenon of entrepreneurship. Drawing on this wealth of theoretically based and empirically sound research, the contributors examine three overarching themes. First, entrepreneurship issues in specific country settings are discussed: these encompass Portugal, the UK and Germany in Western Europe, Eastern European countries such as Russia and Latvia, and then Scandinavia and Finland. Second, special issues concerning technology-based companies are explored, and finally, unique aspects of venture capital markets in Europe are studied. Presenting cutting edge empirical research on myriad entrepreneurship topics in Europe, this multidisciplinary volume will strongly appeal to academics, students and researchers from various backgrounds that have a specific interest in entrepreneurship.It will also be warmly welcomed by entrepreneurs themselves.

Entrepreneurship is undoubtedly a social process and creating a firm requires both the mobilisation of social networks and the use of social capital. This book addresses the gap that exists between the need to take these factors into consideration and the understanding of how network relationships are developed and transformed across the venturing process. Expert contributions from key scholars in the field illustrate how social networks evolve across entrepreneurial stages, using studies from different regions across the world. Offering a comprehensive understanding, they emphasize the role of formal networks created inside professions and firms. Also examined is the impact of context including both family and internationally variable institutions that can help entrepreneurs to access resources and competencies useful for their projects. The book concludes by emphasizing the various research challenges: which theories are useful for our endeavors and which new methods can be used to understand the dynamics of the venturing process? Dynamic and eminently practical, this book will be invaluable to scholars and students studying the entrepreneurial process and the impact of social networks. It will also prove a useful tool in aiding entrepreneurs to optimize the development of their networks and better manage their entrepreneurial processes. Contributors include: L. Aaboen, M.A. Abebe, A.R. Anderson, M. Brettel, D. Chabaud, H. Chebbi, M. de Beer, S. Drakopoulou Dodd, A. Fayolle, R.T. Harrison, F.M. Hill, S.L. Jack, W. Jansen, W. Lamine, H. Lawton-Smith, C. Lechner, C.M. Leitch, C. Leyronas, F. Lind, S. Loup, A.B.R. Lwango, R. Mauer, S. Mian, G. Mollenhorst, J. Ngijol, S. Qureshi, T. Redd, V. Schutjens, M. Virahsawmy, S. Wu

The protection of the environment and economic growth are two important aspects of modern sustainability initiatives. By placing these two together, a competitive advantage is developed by utilizing green factors with investing. Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Investments in the Green Economy is an essential reference publication for the latest research on green entrepreneurship and its impacts on investment activity within sustainable development and competitive markets. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics and perspectives such as contemporary enterprises, global feeding, and waste management, this book is ideally designed for practitioners, students, and academicians seeking current research on green entrepreneurship and investments.

This fascinating and original textbook - an excellent introductory text for both graduate and undergraduate students - attempts to enhance and advance our understanding of entrepreneurship. In this intriguing book, Bjorn Bjerke contends that entrepreneurship cannot, to any great extent, be planned in advance. He goes as far as to suggest that planning could be against the very essence of entrepreneurship. The book explains that entrepreneurship is about courage rather than willpower, is to be venturesome and undertaking whilst experimenting, networking and pushing oneself forward, and concerns exploiting mistakes as essential learning curves. The importance of the entrepreneur as a human being is strongly expressed, as is the idea that entrepreneurship is closer to art and aesthetics than science and mathematics. Language, argues the author, plays a decisive role and philosophy provides a solid basis when we try to come to grips with the nature of entrepreneurship. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Bjorn Bjerke asserts that all these points alert us to one simple fact: it is not possible to define a 'typical' entrepreneur or to present a model method of operating and supporting an entrepreneurial venture. Understanding Entrepreneurship is a truly remarkable textbook that will provide an absorbing and illuminating read for all those - academics, students and practitioners alike - with an interest in entrepreneurship.

Mike Sharman invites you to share in the hustle, in this business book The Best Dick. From the enthusiastic, entrepreneurial beginnings of a bootstrapped startup founder - a relatively inexperienced 26 year old - to a seasoned, professional, storyteller, who has built a boutique social media advertising agency that has made more brands go viral, globally, than any other studio in Africa.

Mike seamlessly and hypnotically entwines business insights and universal premises of first hires, cash flow challenges, brand building, networking and pitches, with his humorous storyselling approach to deliver a page-turner complete with armed robberies, fancy-dress competitions and partnering with some of the planet’s most coveted brands.

The Best Dick is the catalyst you’ve been waiting for, your entire life, to encourage your emancipation from the payroll hamster wheel, in order to just start your own business. And, for the existing entrepreneur to find solace in the fact that founding your own company is the best, damn decision you ever made.

Life is short. Play naked!

In this book, Sigvald Harryson demonstrates how to use know-who based networking to increase knowledge whilst reducing complexity. He reveals new synergies between external and internal knowledge networking that promise to enhance the innovation performance of any transitional, transnational company. The book develops and builds upon knowledge in the interconnected areas of entrepreneurship and networking across different levels and units of analysis. In-depth studies of a wealth of absolute best practice companies are explored, illustrating how concrete management practices can be established to acquire and then transform science into sales in more time- and cost-efficient ways. A unique framework is developed to overcome the dichotomies between knowledge creation and business implementation. Through this, the author provides the necessary foundations from which profitable growth through innovation (GTI) can be developed: * Identification and analysis of the most important barriers to entrepreneurship * Enabling factors and intelligence processes required for forceful innovation * A GTI process for application in practice. Know-Who Based Entrepreneurship shows that the knowledge and innovation process is no longer limited to intracorporate know-how, but has now expanded to encompass global know-how. It will thus be invaluable to business managers, international scholars and researchers of R&D, innovation, entrepreneurship and the knowledge economy.

Divided into three parts, Import Your Ideas first shares the fictional success story of two young importers. This unique narrative illustrates the techniques of importing. In the second section, Pouliot provides a how-to guide for establishing oneself as an importer--delving into every aspect of the business, including financing, negotiating, networking, packing, sourcing, contracting, and communicating. The third part discusses many of Pouliot's personal and unusual experiences working as an importer for almost fifty years, spanning the globe in such countries as Hong Kong, China, Costa Rica, Haiti, Tonga, Turkey, and Taiwan.

Import Your Ideas provides a working guide that details the tricks of the trade for importers to understand this business that has the potential to provide many exciting worldwide opportunities and experiences.

"Ted Pouliot, an international entrepreneur, businessman, and consultant for a half-century, shares his invaluable experience about what readers need to know and understand about importing from Asia and elsewhere."--Neal St. Anthony, business columnist, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. A Research Agenda for Entrepreneurial Cognition and Intention suggests new directions and approaches to study the internal thought processes of entrepreneurs by examining areas that have been under-researched, ignored or overlooked. Proposing new views on the idea of an entrepreneurial personality, new methodologies and theories of cognition and influence of personality, the contributors go beyond the study of individual intentions to evaluate group intentions. Furthermore, the book proposes that current research methods limit our understanding of entrepreneurial processes by not connecting to the wider entrepreneurial audience. With this in mind, key chapters focus on the role and relevance of language and gender in entrepreneurship. Academic researchers and advanced students looking to explore the latest research methods and statistical approaches will find this Research Agenda extremely useful for creating new research pathways. The case studies will also be exceptionally useful for those with a wider interest in entrepreneurship and those who wish to have a greater understanding of entrepreneurial intention. Contributors include: G.A. Alsos, G. Bertrand, M. Brannback, C.G. Brush, A.L. Carsrud, R. Germon, P.G. Greene, D.M. Hechavarria, A. Ingram, I. Jaen, F. Kropp, N. Krueger, F. Linan, A. Maalaoui, J. Mezei, S. Nikou, T.F. Nogueira, C. Perez, M. Razgallah, L. Schjoedt, K.G. Shaver, R. Yitshaki

WHAT VALUABLE COMPANY IS NOBODY BUILDING?

The next Bill Gates will not build an operating system. The next Larry Page or Sergey Brin won’t make a search engine. If you are copying these guys, you aren’t learning from them. It’s easier to copy a model than to make something new: doing what we already know how to do takes the world from 1 to n, adding more of something familiar. Every new creation goes from 0 to 1. This book is about how to get there.

Global business icon Richard Branson has written many books, but none have been more popular than his first memoir, 1998’s Losing My Virginity. Now he’s finally publishing his second volume of memoirs, covering all of his fascinating ups and downs of the past two decades.

In the two decades since Richard Branson wrote Losing My Virginity, his life and company have changed significantly. Now he brings his life story up to date, including all the successes and failures. He also shares his personal, intimate thoughts on five decades as the world’s ultimate entrepreneur, and his shift to focusing more and more on public service. See how Branson created hundreds of different companies, going from a houseboat to his own private island. Join him as he juggles working life with raising his children, sustaining his marriage, and creating a unique company culture. Discover how he created a new life on Necker Island, while continuing to grow the Virgin brand into all corners of the world. Get the real story behind his encounters with everyone from Bill Gates and Rupert Murdoch to Nelson Mandela and Beyoncé.

Go behind the scenes as Sir Richard Branson creates the world’s first commercial spaceline, Virgin Galactic, and handles the biggest crisis he has ever faced. Get under the skin of world record attempts on land, sea and air, and see how the original business hippy adapted to becoming a doting ‘grand-dude’ to his three grandchildren, Eva-Deia, Etta and Artie. This is the true account of how the Virgin Founder reinvented himself and his brand for the 21st C entury, while continuing to push boundaries, break rules and reach for the stars in more ways than one. This is the story of the man behind the beard, the business, the bravado and the brand. Find out how the ultimate entrepreneur did it for the first time - all over again.

A momentous look at the private companies driving the revolutionary new space race.

In 2008, Elon Musk's SpaceX became the first private company to build a low-cost rocket that could reach orbit. Suddenly Silicon Valley, not NASA, was the epicentre of the new Space Age.

Ashlee Vance follows four pioneering companies - Astra, Firefly, Planet Labs and Rocket Lab - as they race to control access to outer space. While the space tourism ambitions of billionaires such as Bezos and Branson make headlines, these under-the-radar companies are striving to monetise Earth's lower orbit; to connect, analyse and monitor everything on Earth.

With unprecedented access to private company headquarters, labs and top-secret launch locations - from the US to New Zealand, Ukraine to India - Vance presents a gripping account of private jets, communes, gun-toting bodyguards, drugs, espionage investigations and multimillionaires guzzling booze as their fortunes disappear.

This is the most pressing and controversial technology story of our time. Welcome to the new Wild West above the clouds.

Entrepreneurship is a hot topic, yet there is no agreed definition of entrepreneurship. There is even debate about whether entrepreneurship can be taught! This text and case study collection is designed to stimulate critical thinking and reflective learning relating to entrepreneurship. This book enables you to focus on the key issues that need to be considered with regard to new ventures and/or a business plan module, as well as courses on theory and policy relating to entrepreneurship and small businesses.