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Images of entrepreneurship: towards a new categorization of entrepreneurship

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Abstract

Based on a systematic literature review of contemporary entrepreneurship process research, the article provides a supplementary way of categorizing research on the entrepreneurial process which takes philosophy of science into account to a higher extent than done in previous categorizations. The motivation for doing so is to minimize problems of communication and comparison of concepts, results and theoretical contributions often experienced in entrepreneurship research. Applying Burrell and Morgan’s (1979) paradigmatic framework to analyse the selected literature, it is suggested that the essence of past and present entrepreneurship process theory can be captured in five images of entrepreneurship: 1) The Image of Machines; 2) The Image of Evolution; 3) The Image of Contingencies; 4) The Image of Mind; and 5) The Image of Social Becoming. The five images are considered to be concise and easily recalled tools, which will be valuable in the continuous development and organization of future ideas in entrepreneurship research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Entrepreneurship and Relationship Management, University of Southern Denmark, Engstien 1, 6000, Kolding, Denmark

    Suna Løwe Nielsen

  2. Centre for Industrial Production, Aalborg University, Fibigerstræde 16, 9220, Aalborg Ø, Denmark

    Astrid Heidemann Lassen

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  1. Suna Løwe Nielsen
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  2. Astrid Heidemann Lassen
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Correspondence to Suna Løwe Nielsen.

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Nielsen, S.L., Lassen, A.H. Images of entrepreneurship: towards a new categorization of entrepreneurship. Int Entrep Manag J 8, 35–53 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-010-0159-7

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