Entrepreneurial Paradox (eBook)

Lianne Taylor is a Senior Lecturer in International Business and Entrepreneurship at Lord Ashcroft International Business School, Anglia Ruskin University, UK. An Organizational Psychologist with extensive international commercial experience, she also designs and delivers innovative academic programmes. Lianne is currently undertaking commercially funded research into entrepreneurial leadership, innovation, cognition, growth and succession. 

Acknowledgements 5
Contents 6
Glossary 8
List of Figures 10
List of Tables 11
1: Introduction and Context 12
1.1 The Practical Significance 20
1.2 The Theoretical Contribution 22
1.3 The Relevance of Senior Manager Perception in Organizations 23
1.4 Summary of Chapters 24
Glossary of Terms 26
References 28
2: Theoretical Perspectives 34
2.1 Introduction 34
2.2 Entrepreneurial Decision Making 35
2.3 Rational Versus Effectuation 37
2.4 Frameworks for Entrepreneurial Decision Making 39
2.5 Temporal Theories in Decision making 40
2.6 Opportunity Recognition, Alertness and Cognitive Learning 41
2.7 Cognitive Biases and Heuristics 42
2.8 General Systems Theory (GST) 43
2.9 Configuration Theory 47
2.10 Lifecycle Stage Models to Dynamic State Models 48
2.11 Shared and Collective Cognition 51
2.12 Communication Through Sensemaking and Sensegiving 52
2.13 Person-Organization Fit (P-O) 54
References 55
3: Methodology and Firms as Cases 64
3.1 Introduction 64
3.2 Rationale for the Research Approach and Firm-Study Methodology 65
3.3 Method: Established Entrepreneurial Firms as Cases 67
3.4 Firm Selection Criteria 68
3.5 Phase I Firm Selection and Phase II Data Coding 76
3.6 Rationale for a Longitudinal Approach 92
3.7 Semi-Structured Interviews 93
3.8 Email Data as Triangulation 95
3.9 Cognitive Maps 96
3.10 Data Coding 97
First and Second Stage Coding 98
3.11 Data Coding in Phase II 98
3.12 Summary 99
References 99
4: Entrepreneurial Paradox: A Theoretical Framework 102
4.1 Introduction 102
4.2 Underpinning of the Conceptual Framework 103
4.3 Components of the Conceptual Framework 110
References 115
5: Experience, Knowledge Transfer and Entrepreneurial Learning 120
5.1 Introduction 120
5.2 Incongruent and Communication Themes 128
5.3 Fear and Success Themes 131
5.4 Learning and Expectations Themes 133
References 142
6: The Cognition-Success-Attribution Cycle 146
6.1 Introduction 146
6.2 Set I: January–April 152
Firm A 152
Firm B 161
Firm C 168
6.3 Set II: June–August 174
Firm A 174
Firm B 179
Firm C 179
6.4 Set III: September–December Interviews 181
Firm B 182
Firm C 185
References 187
7: Cognitive Dissonance Between Entrepreneurs and Management 189
7.1 Introduction 189
7.2 Set I: January–April 193
Firm A 193
Firm B 195
Firm C 197
7.3 Set II: June–August 198
Firm A 198
Firm C 199
7.4 Set III: September–December 202
Firm A 203
Firm C 203
References 206
8: Organizationally Defined Growth and the Interplay with Cognition and Biases 209
8.1 Introduction 209
8.2 Set I: January–April 211
8.3 Set II: June–August interviews 216
8.4 Set III: September–December 220
8.5 Organizational Failure 225
8.6 Linking Interplay to Growth and Performance 226
8.7 Summary 229
References 229
9: Temporality and the Significance of Entrepreneurial Age 4200 231
9.1 Introduction 231
9.2 The Interdependence of Temporality and Entrepreneurial Cognition 232
9.3 Linking Interplay to Organizational Factors 233
9.4 Set I: January–April 234
Firm A 234
Firm B 235
Firm C 237
9.5 Set II: June–August 239
Firm A 239
Firm B 239
Firm C 240
9.6 Set III: September–December 241
Firm A 241
Firm B 241
Firm C 242
References 244
10: Linking Open Systems Thinking to the Entrepreneurial Paradox 245
10.1 Introduction 245
10.2 Modification of the Conceptual Framework Based on Open Systems Thinking 246
References 251
11: The Complex and Elusive Nature of Entrepreneurial Leadership 253
11.1 Introduction 253
11.2 Interplay Between Entrepreneurial Cognition with Senior Manager Perception and Expectation 254
References 264
12: Conclusion 267
12.1 Introduction 267
12.2 Answers to the Research Questions 268
How and Why Does Entrepreneurial Cognition Affect the Interaction with Senior Manager’s Perception in the Organization? 268
What Are the Temporal Factors Regarding the Interaction Between Entrepreneurial Cognition and Senior Managers? 274
How do Biases Affect the Interaction Between the Entrepreneur and Senior Managers? 276
How Does Entrepreneur-Senior Manager Interaction Occur Within the Context of Organizational Growth and Performance? 277
12.3 Conceptual Conclusions 278
12.4 Significance for Established Entrepreneurial Organizations 280
12.5 Research Propositions 281
12.6 Implications for Future Research 282
References 285
Index 288