A mechanisms-driven theory of business incubation. Issue 4 (27th May 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Junaid Ahmad, Ali
• Is Part Of: International journal of entrepreneurial behaviour & research. Volume 20:Issue 4(2014)
• Page Start: 375
• Page End: 405
• Publication Date: 2014-05-27
• Subjects: Entrepreneurship -- Periodicals; Small business -- Periodicals; 338.04
• DOI: 10.1108/IJEBR-11-2012-0133
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1355-2554

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x content-type="archive" xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Purpose</title> <p> – Following recommendations by scholars for further research on the business incubation process, the purpose of this paper is to build new theory on incubation using the social mechanisms approach – a well-developed body of theory on social processes. </p> </sec> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Design/methodology/approach</title> <p> – A critical review of dominant theoretical approaches in the area highlighted that researchers in the past have not studied incubation as a social "process." In order to study a social process such as incubation, a case is made for the value of social mechanisms theory. In order to study incubation as a social mechanism, an inductive-qualitative research design based on ethnography was used. Data were collected over six months each at two Dublin-Ireland-based business incubators. </p> </sec> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Findings</title> <p> – Results highlight the significant role of a positive relational bond between the incubator manager and client entrepreneurs. Incubation is triggered in a sophisticated normative environment under the prevalence of ground rules, subtle signals and the interplay of personal histories. These contribute to the incubation mechanism's non-linearity, thereby, making the prediction of outcomes difficult. </p> </sec> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Originality/value</title> <p> – A contribution of this research comes in the form of a new conceptualization of incubation based in mechanisms reasoning. The mechanisms approach was found to be versatile and helped in extending the work of previous researchers who proposed advancements in the area based on dyadic theory, social capital theory and social network theory. Further, a new, and it is argued, more fruitful direction for incubation process-related research is also highlighted; one which takes on board the often glossed over idiosyncrasies of incubation as a social mechanism for promoting early stage entrepreneurship.</p> </sec> </abstract>