This insightful Handbook focuses on behavior, performance and relationships in small and entrepreneurial firms. It introduces a variety of contemporary topics, research methods and theoretical frameworks that will provide cutting edge analysis, stimulate thought, raise further questions and demonstrate the complexity of the rapidly-advancing field of entrepreneurship.With an extensive introduction, logical sequencing and a collection of interesting and original contributions from across the globe, the Handbook commences with two thought-provoking chapters, which raise issues of theoretical framing and highlight the importance of paradigm choice, methodology and method. After considering different disciplinary approaches to entrepreneurship and small business, various issues are raised about entrepreneurship education and learning and the application of entrepreneurship to various sectors and sectional interests. For example, what conceptual framework is available for entrepreneurs and small businesses? How does innovation relate to entrepreneurship and small business behavior? And what evidence is there of the links between better performing firms and effective learning? These issues are debated before the authors consider the future application of entrepreneurship research to different sectors. Both scholars new to the area, as well as established academics looking to extend their research scope to encompass the field of entrepreneurship and small business will find this work to be an invaluable and timely resource. Contributors: A. Anderson, R. Barrett, B. Bird, J. Broad, J. Byrne, M. Casson, D. Chalmers, E. Chell, A. de Bruin, M. Della Guista, A. Discua Cruz, A. Fayolle, C. Forson, E. Garnsey, W.B. Gartner, S. Gherardi, X. Gu, R. Hanke, R. Holt, J. Howells, C. Howorth, S. Jack, J. Jackson, O. Jones, M. Karatas-Ozkan, M. Kerrin, M. Levesque, S. Lubik, A. Macpherson, S. Mayson, E. McKeever, M. Minniti, M. Ozbilgin, M. Ozturk, F. Patterson, M. Perrotta, L. Pittaway, A. Rauch, L. Schjoedt, E. Shaw, L. Spence, A. Tatli, O. Toutain, C. Yavuz

This insightful Handbook focuses on behavior, performance and relationships in small and entrepreneurial firms. It introduces a variety of contemporary topics, research methods and theoretical frameworks that will provide cutting edge analysis, stimulate thought, raise further questions and demonstrate the complexity of the rapidly-advancing field of entrepreneurship.With an extensive introduction, logical sequencing and a collection of interesting and original contributions from across the globe, the Handbook commences with two thought-provoking chapters, which raise issues of theoretical framing and highlight the importance of paradigm choice, methodology and method. After considering different disciplinary approaches to entrepreneurship and small business, various issues are raised about entrepreneurship education and learning and the application of entrepreneurship to various sectors and sectional interests. For example, what conceptual framework is available for entrepreneurs and small businesses? How does innovation relate to entrepreneurship and small business behavior? And what evidence is there of the links between better performing firms and effective learning? These issues are debated before the authors consider the future application of entrepreneurship research to different sectors. Both scholars new to the area, as well as established academics looking to extend their research scope to encompass the field of entrepreneurship and small business will find this work to be an invaluable and timely resource. Contributors: A. Anderson, R. Barrett, B. Bird, J. Broad, J. Byrne, M. Casson, D. Chalmers, E. Chell, A. de Bruin, M. Della Guista, A. Discua Cruz, A. Fayolle, C. Forson, E. Garnsey, W.B. Gartner, S. Gherardi, X. Gu, R. Hanke, R. Holt, J. Howells, C. Howorth, S. Jack, J. Jackson, O. Jones, M. Karatas-Ozkan, M. Kerrin, M. Levesque, S. Lubik, A. Macpherson, S. Mayson, E. McKeever, M. Minniti, M. Ozbilgin, M. Ozturk, F. Patterson, M. Perrotta, L. Pittaway, A. Rauch, L. Schjoedt, E. Shaw, L. Spence, A. Tatli, O. Toutain, C. Yavuz

This work by Karatap-Ozkan and Chell provides fresh insights on entrepreneurial learning and the entrepreneurship process. Employing a well-informed social constructivist perspective, it combines theory with a richly grounded empirical analysis at three distinct but inter-related levels; the micro, the mesa, all set in the macro context of the enterprise culture. A strength of the work is the multiple levels of analysis which sheds new light on entrepreneurial learning as part of the entrepreneurial process. The result is a processual view that captures, conceptualises and explains the transitive process of becoming an entrepreneur.'uAlistair R. Anderson, The Robert Gordon University, UK'In this book Karatap-Ozkan and Chell show great clarity in dealing with a range of complex issues. They articulate these in a manner which makes them interesting and comprehensible and in a fashion which impressively interweaves theory, practice and method.'uSarah L. Jack, Lancaster University, UK This informative book examines the process of nascent entrepreneurship from a learning perspective. It offers a multi-layered framework of nascent entrepreneurship through an inter-disciplinary approach and sound application of Bourdieu's conceptual tools and also by generating practical insights for nascent entrepreneurs, enterprise educators and mentors. Supported by an empirical investigation of two case studies, the authors argue that it is not sufficient to study nascent entrepreneurship and the concurrent process of entrepreneurial learning at just the individual (entrepreneur) or collective (team or organisational) level and examine the socio-behavioural aspects of learning; but that entrepreneurial learning should be understood by inter-relating personal (micro), relational (meso) and macro-contextual aspects of nascent entrepreneurship. The comprehensive coverage of entrepreneurship theory and research will be of significant value for scholars, researchers and students in the field.

Is there such a thing as an 'entrepreneurial personality'? What makes someone an entrepreneur is a question that has intrigued the lay person and the scholar for many years, but can such a personality be identified or is it simply a socially constructed phenomenon? Elizabeth Chell pursues an alternative line of argument: to show that the entrepreneurial personality is, on the one hand, socially constructed, but on the other hand, presents consistency in behaviours, skills and competencies. This second edition of the highly acclaimed The Entrepreneurial Personality revisits the topic and updates the evidence from a multi-disciplinary perspective. The book carefully weaves together the arguments and views from economists, sociologists and psychologists in order to develop a strong conceptual foundation. It discusses the inferences that these experts have made about the nature of entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial process, and explores whether such evidence has enabled psychometricians to develop robust instruments for assessing the characteristics of entrepreneurs. The evidence for a range of purported traits is reviewed and the models and research designs of interested social scientists are explained and evaluated. Throughout, Chell laces her argument richly with a set of cases derived from primary and secondary sources. This book presents a timely set of views on the entrepreneurial personality, and will be of great interest to academics in the fields of entrepreneurship, economics, management, applied psychology and sociology. This accessible text will also appeal to the interested general reader, as well as practitioners and consultants dealing with entrepreneurs in the field.

Small Enterprise Development bridges the gap between research and public policy in the fast changing field of small business development. The thirteen chapters have been written by some of the UK's leading and emerging small business researchers. They present findings from current and on-going research studies in a number of current areas of small business development. They identify the application of their findings for policymakers, who are involved in both the design and delivery of small business policy at national and local levels.

Is there such a thing as an "entrepreneurial personality"? What makes someone an entrepreneur is a question that has intrigued the lay person and the scholar for many years, but can such a personality be identified or is it simply a socially constructed phenomenon? Elizabeth Chell pursues an alternative line of argument: to show that the entrepreneurial personality is, on the one hand, socially constructed, but on the other hand, presents consistency in behaviours, skills and competencies. This second edition of the highly acclaimed The Entrepreneurial Personality revisits the topic and updates the evidence from a multi-disciplinary perspective. The book carefully weaves together the arguments and views from economists, sociologists and psychologists in order to develop a strong conceptual foundation. It discusses the inferences that these experts have made about the nature of entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial process, and explores whether such evidence has enabled psychometricians to develop robust instruments for assessing the characteristics of entrepreneurs. The evidence for a range of purported traits is reviewed and the models and research designs of interested social scientists are explained and evaluated. Throughout, Chell laces her argument richly with a set of cases derived from primary and secondary sources that span the twentieth century. This book presents a timely set of views on the entrepreneurial personality, and will be of great interest to academics in the fields of entrepreneurship, economics, management, applied psychology and sociology. This accessible text will also appeal to the interested general reader, as well as practitioners and consultants dealing withentrepreneurs in the field.