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International Small Business Journal, Vol. 24, No. 3, 232-250 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0266242606063431

Immaturity

The Constraining of Entrepreneurship

Richard Thorpe

Leeds University Business School, UK, r.thorpe{at}lubs.leeds.ac.uk

Jeff Gold

Leeds Business School, UK, j.gold{at}leedsmet.ac.uk

Robin Holt

Leeds University Business School, UK, r.holt{at}leeds.ac.uk

Jean Clarke

Leeds University Business School, UK, busjsc{at}leeds.ac.uk

We introduce conceptions of ‘enacted cognition’,‘practical authorship’ and ‘maturity’ that help us to investigate entrepreneurship as an activity. The first two stem from social constructionist perspectives on patterns of recognition and the articulation of knowledge respectively (Shotter, 1993; Vygotsky, 1986). The third is found in Kant’s (1784/1991) essay ‘What is Enlightenment?’ By combining these, our research highlights those factors that prevent entrepreneurs developing maturity and so embedding their ideas within the wider economic and social activities of their community. A novel e-postcard methodology is employed with 44 UK entrepreneurs to investigate these factors from the entrepreneurs’ own judgements. Implications for the development of a new methodology, for the conceptualization and development of entrepreneurial activity and learning among small firm managers, and for policy are discussed.

Key Words: entrepreneurial behavior • constructionist perspectives • immaturity • maturity


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