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Does prior start-up experience matter for entrepreneurs’ learning? : A comparison between novice and habitual entrepreneurs

Politis, Diamanto LU (2008) In Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development 15(3). p.472-489
Abstract
Purpose
– This paper aims to present a study of the role of prior start‐up experience as a source of learning in the entrepreneurial process. Three learning outcomes are examined with respect to a comparison between habitual and novice entrepreneurs: skills for coping with liabilities of newness, preference for effectual reasoning, and attitudes towards failure.

Design/methodology/approach
– This is an empirical study based on statistical analysis conducted on a sample of 231 Swedish entrepreneurs that have started a new independent firm in 2004.

Findings
– The findings suggest that habitual and novice entrepreneurs differ significantly with regard to several interesting aspects of the hypothesized... (More)
Purpose
– This paper aims to present a study of the role of prior start‐up experience as a source of learning in the entrepreneurial process. Three learning outcomes are examined with respect to a comparison between habitual and novice entrepreneurs: skills for coping with liabilities of newness, preference for effectual reasoning, and attitudes towards failure.

Design/methodology/approach
– This is an empirical study based on statistical analysis conducted on a sample of 231 Swedish entrepreneurs that have started a new independent firm in 2004.

Findings
– The findings suggest that habitual and novice entrepreneurs differ significantly with regard to several interesting aspects of the hypothesized dimensions.

Research limitations/implications
– The findings provide a better understanding of start‐up experience as a source of learning and its effects on the skills, preferences and attitudes of habitual entrepreneurs.

Originality/value
– Previous research has suggested that prior start‐up experience is an important source of entrepreneurial learning, but has not put much effort into explaining how this particular type of experience influences various learning outcomes on an individual level. The present study advances these suggestions by showing how prior start‐up experience influences entrepreneurs' skills for coping with liabilities of newness, effectual reasoning and attitudes towards failures. Moreover, the study contributes to existing literature and research on entrepreneurial learning by developing explorative measures of individual learning outcomes that have been highlighted as influenced by prior experience in recent entrepreneurship research. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Business formation, Learning, Organizational effectiveness, Entrepreneurs, business formation, learning, organizational effectiveness, entrepreneurs
in
Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development
volume
15
issue
3
pages
18 pages
external identifiers
  • scopus:51249113595
DOI
10.1108/14626000810892292
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
61b4f295-339e-49bd-bb41-c312a505dd42
date added to LUP
2017-01-31 21:53:02
date last changed
2022-03-24 07:50:38
@article{61b4f295-339e-49bd-bb41-c312a505dd42,
  abstract     = {{Purpose<br/>– This paper aims to present a study of the role of prior start‐up experience as a source of learning in the entrepreneurial process. Three learning outcomes are examined with respect to a comparison between habitual and novice entrepreneurs: skills for coping with liabilities of newness, preference for effectual reasoning, and attitudes towards failure.<br/><br/>Design/methodology/approach<br/>– This is an empirical study based on statistical analysis conducted on a sample of 231 Swedish entrepreneurs that have started a new independent firm in 2004.<br/><br/>Findings<br/>– The findings suggest that habitual and novice entrepreneurs differ significantly with regard to several interesting aspects of the hypothesized dimensions.<br/><br/>Research limitations/implications<br/>– The findings provide a better understanding of start‐up experience as a source of learning and its effects on the skills, preferences and attitudes of habitual entrepreneurs.<br/><br/>Originality/value<br/>– Previous research has suggested that prior start‐up experience is an important source of entrepreneurial learning, but has not put much effort into explaining how this particular type of experience influences various learning outcomes on an individual level. The present study advances these suggestions by showing how prior start‐up experience influences entrepreneurs' skills for coping with liabilities of newness, effectual reasoning and attitudes towards failures. Moreover, the study contributes to existing literature and research on entrepreneurial learning by developing explorative measures of individual learning outcomes that have been highlighted as influenced by prior experience in recent entrepreneurship research.}},
  author       = {{Politis, Diamanto}},
  keywords     = {{Business formation, Learning, Organizational effectiveness, Entrepreneurs; business formation; learning; organizational effectiveness; entrepreneurs}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{472--489}},
  series       = {{Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development}},
  title        = {{Does prior start-up experience matter for entrepreneurs’ learning? : A comparison between novice and habitual entrepreneurs}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14626000810892292}},
  doi          = {{10.1108/14626000810892292}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}