RESEARCHING ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Session 1: Getting Started

Dr. Ingrid Verheul

COURSE OBJECTIVES
Setting a first step in the direction of your Master Thesis: Clarification of procedures (session 1)
This course: Researching Entrepreneurship
Beyond this course: Master thesis graduation

Refresh your memory

Getting started (session 1) Methodology (session 2)

Writing (session 3)

Get you in the right mood (topic & thesis-wise) Match you with a thesis supervisor
3 meetings with your supervisor (week 44/45; week 48; week 49/50)

Provide you with a (preliminary) topic

Work towards your research proposal

To be handed in Tuesday Dec. 20th (before 11.00)

THIS COURSE: SCHEDULE

Date Week 44/45 Nov. 11 Nov. 18 Nov. 25 Week 48 Week 49/50 Dec.20th 11.00 Deadline/Topic 1st meeting thesis supervisor Plenary class I: "Getting Started" Plenary class II: "Methodology" Plenary class III: "Writing" 2nd meeting thesis supervisor 3rd meeting thesis supervisor DEADLINE Eship Research Proposal VB-47 VB-47 VB-47 Location

ABOUT THE MASTER THESIS

Check this out!!! www.eur.nl/rsmmastergraduation

MASTER THESIS ASSESSMENT

www.eur.nl/rsmmastergraduation

8 STEPS TO GRADUATION .

Step 1

Identify a research question & project design (Master thesis proposal) Write a critical review Define concepts & conceptual framework Collect & analyze research data Define, evaluate & interpret results Write a persuasive & well-structured thesis Research ethics & process management

Step 2
Step 3 Step 4 Step 5

Step 6
Step 7 Step 8

Master thesis presentation & oral defense

FORMAT RESEARCH PROPOSAL (DEC.20)

Course assessment through Research Proposal (100%) Content Research Proposal:
Front cover Introduction & problem statement Research objectives Literature review Research design Working title/ Student details / Supervisor & co-reader/ Abstract or executive summary a. b. Short overview of problem and its relevance supported by key references to put the problem in a certain domain and field of research Motivation of the problem statement in terms of gap to fill

Contribution of the study: how will you fill the gap? Present your research question(s) More extensive overview of relevant literature, leading up to conceptual model & hypotheses (in case of theory testing) Short description of design strategy & sampling design (what information do you need/use & how will you get it). Is it feasible?

Schedule
References

Reasonable time plan & deliverables. When do you plan to graduate?

Literature list according to academic standard (e.g. AMJ)

Times New Roman, single-spaced, font size 12 Max. 10 pages excl. reference list & appendices excl. title page with topic, course, supervisor, student name & number

This research proposal can be regarded the first draft of your thesis proposal

BUILDING BLOCKS: RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Problem Statement
What are we talking about?
Define & illustrate the management dilemma Within a scholarly domain of research

Motivation & Research Objectives

What do we know about the topic?
Set the scene and describe the context

What do we NOT know about the topic? Identify a GAP! What is the purpose of the study?
Research objectives: to fill in the gap Can be formulated as research question(s)
Theoretical contribution Relevance: who can benefit?

Why is it important?

Research Design (plenary session 2)

How to achieve the research objectives? Design strategy (How to collect the data; How to analyze the data)
Sampling design (Target population & sample?) Time table & constraints

Choice depends on nature of the research question

FORMAT MASTER THESIS PROPOSAL (2 MONTHS BEFORE GRADUATION)

Anchor for the thesis (for you, supervisor & co-reader) 4 ECTS Contents?
Set the scene & describe context Research objectives
Contribution to research: what is the research gap? Contribution to practice: to whom & why is this study important?

Research question(s) Conceptual model Research design Provisional literature list Time table Download online: www.eur.nl/rsmmastergraduation Signed by supervisor & co-reader Hand in 2 months before graduation date/month

Thesis proposal form

FORMAT MASTER THESIS

English

Flawless

Cover Page Preface (incl. disclaimer) Executive Summary Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Theory 3. Methodology 4. Results 5. Conclusion Reference List Appendices

plagiarism

50-70 pages

30,000 words

Keep personal motives & story out of the thesis (or put them in the preface)

THESIS PROCESS: FROM START TO FINISH

Thesis proposal form

Thesis defense form

Final thesis

Graduation day!!!

EA check & notification

Electronic thesis to coach/co-reader

Manage yourself! Your supervisor is not going to keep track of (your) time & deadlines!

GRADUATION DATES

Graduation dates: 1. June 2012 2. September 2012 3. December 2012 4. March 2013 5. June 2013 (fast) (aim!) (still ok) (late) (very late)

Deadline thesis proposal form

Check: www.eur.nl/rsmmastergraduation

Keep in mind that your Master grades expire in 3 years

GAP PART I: THE SETTING

National, regional and local economic development agencies are using formal entrepreneurial mentoring programs as one of their assistance programs offered to entrepreneurs and small business owners (Bisk, 2002). This study examines formal entrepreneurial mentoring; a third party providing the match between mentors and entrepreneurs. A mentor is an essential asset for a growing company; he/she can warn of problems at the horizon, help craft solutions to problems and be a sounding board for the entrepreneur (Cull, 2006). Part of a mentors role is to assist entrepreneurs develop and grow their businesses (Sullivan, 2000). Having a mentor could be very beneficial for a starting entrepreneur, especially if the mentor is an experienced entrepreneur (Cull, 2006). Mentoring support using experienced entrepreneurs should be effective in overcoming the crucial early stage learning period when new entrepreneurs have to learn how to handle change, crises and have to make strategic decisions (Deakins et al., 1997).
Master thesis Isabelle Coppens (June 2011)

GAP PART II: IDENTIFICATION OF THE GAP

When the matching process is provided by a third party, as in formal mentoring programs, matchmaking is almost
always based on a set of criteria (Hale, 2000). However, up to date there is no agreement on the most effective matchmaking approach (Hale, 2000). This study on formal mentoring aims to determine relevant factors for successfully matching entrepreneurs and mentors. This research contributes to the existing literature in several ways. First, it makes an important contribution to the existing general mentoring literature by looking into the determinants of matching success. Although the concept of mentoring has received a lot of attention by scholars, only a few looked into the matching process (e.g. Hale, 2000; Bozeman & Feeney, 2008; Gray & Goregaokar, 2010). A reason for why the topic of mentor-protege match may have drawn little attention is that a significant number of mentoring relationships originate as a part of formal programs, with mentors and proteges choices playing little or no role (Bozeman & Feeney, 2008. The current study aims to determine possible success factors in the process of mentor matching through a third party, by reviewing feedback from both proteges and mentors. Such research, from both mentor and protege perspective, is called for repeatedly but is conducted rarely (Wanberg, Kammeyer-Mueller & Marchese, 2006). Allen, Eby & Lentz (2006) identified this gap, the exclusion of the mentors perspective, in the literature as well. Mentors are a key component to any formal mentoring effort and the failure to examine their perceptions provides an incomplete picture of formal mentoring programs (Allen, Eby, & Lentz, 2006). Therefore this study takes both the protege and mentor perspectives into account when determining possible factors for success of the match. Mentoring within the organizational setting is researched and reported in depth (Burke, 1984; Kram, 1985; Noe, 1988; Chao, Walz & Gardner, 1992; Fagenon-Eland, Marks & Amendola, 1997; Ragins & Cotton, 1999). There is a small but growing industry of firms and organizations offering training or promoting various mentoring programs for entrepreneurs (Bisk, 2002). However research on the subject of mentoring within an entrepreneurial context is lacking. This research would like to answer the call for further research by Waters et al. (2002) regarding mentoring in an entrepreneurial context.
Master thesis Isabelle Coppens (June 2011)

HOW TO FIND A RESEARCH GAP ?

1 2 3

Missing dimensions or links

Conflicting theoretical explanations or empirical evidence

New domain, empirical setting

HOW TO FIND LITERATURE ?

Check the more recent issues of top journals in the library (title, abstract, full text) For full text articles go to: http://www.eur.nl/ub Electronic journals (ABI-Inform, JSTOR, EBSCO, Science Direct, Wiley Interscience, Swetswise) A specific E-journal via Catalogue & Full title journal Other studies that used the ideas of specific author via Web of Science (under databanks)

Other data sources: annual reports; Business monitor online, Reuters Business Insights, LexisNexis, etc.
Find more recent scholarly contributions and links to researcher websites via: Google Scholar http://scholar.google.nl Standing on the Shoulder of giantS

RANKING THE SOURCES

Inc. Magazine

Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research Sprout

Textbook: Introduction to Entrepreneurship Lecture: Foundations of Entrepreneurship De Telegraaf International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal

Harvard Business Review

SSRN paper* Academy of Management Journal

Journal of Business Venturing EIM** Report

* Social Science Research Network ** EIM = Research Institute for Entrepreneurship & Small Business

WHAT TO USE TO SUPPORT HYPOTHESES?

Academy of Management Journal

Journal of Business Venturing

International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal

Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research

SSRN working paper / EIM Research Reports

For an official ranking of academic journals, check the ERIM Journal List (www.erim.eur.nl)

WHAT TO USE TO SHOW WHY THE TOPIC IS INTERESTING?

Harvard Business Review

Inc. Magazine / Sprout Wall Street Journal De Telegraaf

If you do not have a(n) (up-to-date) research problem yet, go to the websites of these journals for inspiration.

IMPORTANT JOURNALS IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Core Entrepreneurship:
Journal of Business Venturing Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal Small Business Economics Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice Journal of Small Business Management International Small Business Journal Entrepreneurship and Regional Development

Attention for Eship & Related Topics:

Academy of Management Journal Academy of Management Review Regional Studies Journal of Management Harvard Business Review

Other Relevant Sources:

Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research (http://digitalknowledge.babson.edu/fer) EIM Research Reports (www.ondernemerschap.nl)

How to go from numbers (i.e., practical relevance) to a conceptual model?

ILLUSTRATION: Gender differences in start-up capital

45
40

Source: EIM

40

35
30
27 26

25 20 15
12 19 16 13 9 9

18

10 5 0 <2500 2500-5000

5000-10000

10000-25000

25000-50000

>50000

THE PROBLEM STATEMENT

Discuss the importance / size of the phenomena under study: Female entrepreneurs
33% of all Dutch entrepreneurs is female 35,000 business started each year, etc.

Start-up capital
Acquiring capital is problem for starting entrepreneurs Start-up capital important for venture performance

Combine the phenomena into a problem statement

Undercapitalization: female entrepreneurs at a disadvantage .? Aim: explain the lower amount of start-up capital of women

Go more in-depth into the problem: What holds women entrepreneurs back?
Preference Ability Need

RELATING CONCEPTS .

What is the relationship?

For example: positive, negative, curvilinear??? Data shows a negative effect of gender (female) on start-up capital Why does gender (female) have a negative effect on start-up capital? What are the (theoretical) arguments? What did prior studies found on the relationship?

What explains this relationship?

What do we already know about the effect?

What do empirical studies show?

Is there consensus? Which methodology / data is used? (survey, case study, etc.) How are the concepts measured? (numerical or categories, currency, one-time investment?, etc.)

How have prior studies studied this relationship?

Context of the study? (country, industry, etc.)

In sum: what is the contribution of your study to the solution of the puzzle?

RECOMMENDATION: DRAFT TABLES OF EMPIRICAL STUDIES

Authors

Independent

Dependent

Method

Sample

Outcomes

Controls

Theoretical arguments

A & B (1999)

Gender (0=male; 1 = female)

Start-up capital (in thousands )

Quantitative study

N=551

Negative effect (of female)

Industry

C (2005)

Gender (0 = female; 1=male)

Amount of bank credit

Quantitative study

N=12,000

Positive effect (of male)

Industry Fulltime Experience

D et al. (1988)

women and men in services

Total amount of start-up capital (personal funds+bank loan)

Case study

N=5

Negative effect

E and F (2000)

Gender (0=male; 1=female)

Start-up capital (categories: < 5,000; 5,00010,000; >10,000)

Quantitative study

N=1,200

No significant effect

Industry Risk attitude Time invested Networking

Note that these numbers and references are fictitious and just serve as an example.

CONCEPTUAL MODEL?

v1
?

v2

MODERATION: UNDER WHICH CONDITIONS YOU FIND AN EFFECT?

Independent variable

Dependent variable

?
Moderating variable

MEDIATION: SOMETHING ELSE EXPLAINS THE EFFECT

?
Independent variable
Mediating variable Dependent variable

STEPS IN BUILDING A THEORETICAL MODEL: 4 Ws

WHICH? Which factors impact my dependent variable? WHAT? What is the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable? WHY/HOW? Why/how does the independent variable have this effect? WHEN? Under which conditions does this effect (not) take place?

HYPOTHESES: RIGHT OR WRONG?

H1: H1: Gender has an effect on the amount of start-up capital Female entrepreneurs start with a lower amount of start-up capital than male entrepreneurs. Industry moderates the effect of female gender on the size of the start-up capital Working in manufacturing negatively moderates the effect of gender (female) on the size of the start-up capital. The negative effect of female gender on the amount of start-up capital is smaller for entrepreneurs working in manufacturing than for entrepreneurs in other industries. The negative effect of female gender on the amount of start-up capital is smaller for entrepreneurs working in manufacturing than for entrepreneurs in other industries.

H2: H2:

H3:

H3:

MORE ABOUT HYPOTHESES

Specific way of stating the research question Assumes a clear direction (positive, negative, curvilinear) It may also take the form of a cause-effect statement: if X then Y

Common pitfalls:
Hypotheses are not properly formulated Hypotheses do not follow from theoretical arguments Hypotheses are not linked to the conceptual model

WHAT COMES FIRST: THEORY OR DATA?

Induction Typical of qualitative research (bottom-up)

Observation Findings Propositions Theory building

Deduction Typical of quantitative research (top-down)

Theories Hypothesis Testing Explanation or Prediction

Both approaches require knowledge of literature & original contribution

FROM HEADLESS CHICKEN TO ..?

DEDUCTIVE RESEARCH

Research question

What is it that I want to explain?

What are common explanations? What knowledge is missing? What is my explanation? What are my concrete expectations? How do I operationalize my concepts? Where can I find data to test my hypotheses? Do the results support / reject my hypotheses?

theory

hypotheses

Data collection

Findings

Revision

What do my findings imply for theory & future research?

INDUCTIVE RESEARCH

Gather information

What phenomenon are you interested in? Study the phenomenon in its natural setting (talk, observe) Look for emerging themes and answers What is going on here? Look for common themes within & across cases Interpret & draw conclusions Make sense of your findings Compare your insights with those of other theories

Ask questions

Look for patterns

Develop theory

Compare theory