Technopreneurial Characteristics Rising from the Ashes of Creative Destruction

Matti Sommarberg, Saku Mäkinen

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionScientificpeer-review

    Abstract

    This paper uses the grounded theory building method to investigate the differences and similarities in the evolutionary paths of three entrepreneurial ventures. Theory-based reasoning was used to select cases representing different technopreneurial business models, namely product, expert service, and integrated product-service business models. Our cases emerged from a disrupted global technology corporation and they represent the economic activity emerging from classical creative destruction. We investigate the evolutionary paths of these ventures from their start-up by employing the resource-based view (RBV) approach to determine the critical change points and watershed events that guide the path of the cases. With these analyses, we are able to differentiate the performance differentials and evolutionary trajectories of the cases. The cases suggest that while the strength of the original path is strong it is possible to change the course despite path dependencies. We outline the mechanisms that facilitated these transitions (e.g., finding a suitable equity fund as a catalyst to make the change). Hence, we find that entrepreneurial ventures are not as path dependent as previous studies suggest; rather, there is managerial discretion to change the evolutionary trajectories. Our study suggests that the capabilities acquired over a long period of time in a global technology corporation contribute to the ability to change the path. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the critical decision points during the evolutionary trajectories of ventures.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationProceedings in 2018 Portland International Conference in Management and Engineering (PICMET)
    Subtitle of host publication(PICMET) 19-23 August 2018
    PublisherIEEE
    Pages1-10
    Number of pages10
    ISBN (Electronic)978-1-890843-37-3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2018
    Publication typeA4 Article in conference proceedings
    EventPortland International Conference on Management of Engineering and Technology -
    Duration: 1 Jan 1900 → …

    Conference

    ConferencePortland International Conference on Management of Engineering and Technology
    Period1/01/00 → …

    Publication forum classification

    • Publication forum level 0

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Technopreneurial Characteristics Rising from the Ashes of Creative Destruction'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this