Immediate download Entrepreneurship: successfully launching new ventures (4th edition ) 4th edition

Page 1


Visit to download the full and correct content document: https://ebookmass.com/product/entrepreneurship-successfully-launching-new-venture s-4th-edition-4th-edition/

More products digital (pdf, epub, mobi) instant download maybe you interests ...

Entrepreneurship: Successfully Launching New Ventures 5th Edition, (Ebook PDF)

https://ebookmass.com/product/entrepreneurship-successfullylaunching-new-ventures-5th-edition-ebook-pdf/

Small Business Management: Launching & Growing

Entrepreneurial Ventures 19th Edition – Ebook PDF Version

https://ebookmass.com/product/small-business-managementlaunching-growing-entrepreneurial-ventures-19th-edition-ebookpdf-version/

Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation 4th Edition

Paul Burns

https://ebookmass.com/product/corporate-entrepreneurship-andinnovation-4th-edition-paul-burns/

New venture creation : entrepreneurship for the 21st century Tenth Edition. Edition Stephen Spinelli Jr

https://ebookmass.com/product/new-venture-creationentrepreneurship-for-the-21st-century-tenth-edition-editionstephen-spinelli-jr/

2021 cumulative supplement. 4th Edition Michael I. Sanders

https://ebookmass.com/product/joint-ventures-involving-taxexempt-organizations-2021-cumulative-supplement-4th-editionmichael-i-sanders/

New Venture Creation: An Innovator’s Guide to Entrepreneurship 2nd Edition, (Ebook PDF)

https://ebookmass.com/product/new-venture-creation-an-innovatorsguide-to-entrepreneurship-2nd-edition-ebook-pdf/

Entrepreneurship: The Art, Science, and Process for Success 4th Edition Charles Bamford

https://ebookmass.com/product/entrepreneurship-the-art-scienceand-process-for-success-4th-edition-charles-bamford/

Technology Ventures: From Idea to Enterprise 5th Edition, (Ebook PDF)

https://ebookmass.com/product/technology-ventures-from-idea-toenterprise-5th-edition-ebook-pdf/ Entrepreneurship, 10e 10th Edition Robert D. Hisrich

https://ebookmass.com/product/entrepreneurship-10e-10th-editionrobert-d-hisrich/

DEDICATION

To my wife Jan. Thanks for your never-ending encouragement and support. Without you, this book would have never been possible. Also, thanks to all the student entrepreneurs who contributed to the chapter opening features in the book. Your stories are both insightful and inspiring.

To my family: I am so proud of each of you and so blessed by your perseverance and never-ending love and support. I know that sometimes it seems as though “we lose ourselves in work to do and bills to pay and that it’s a ride, ride, ride without much cover.” But you are always in my heart, a gift for which I remain deeply grateful.

This page intentionally left blank

BRIEF CONTENTS

PART 1 Decision to Become an Entrepreneur1

CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Entrepreneurship 3

PART 2 Developing Successful Business Ideas39

CHAPTER 2 Recognizing Opportunities and Generating Ideas41

CHAPTER 3 Feasibility Analysis 77

CHAPTER 4 Writing a Business Plan111

CHAPTER 5 Industry and Competitor Analysis 147

CHAPTER 6 Developing an Effective BusinessModel179

PART 3 Moving from an Idea to an Entrepreneurial Firm211

CHAPTER 7 Preparing the Proper Ethical and Legal Foundation213

CHAPTER 8 Assessing a New Venture’s Financial Strength and Viability253

CHAPTER 9 Building a New-Venture Team289

CHAPTER 10 Getting Financing or Funding319

PART 4 Managing and Growing an Entrepreneurial Firm355

CHAPTER 11 Unique Marketing Issues357

CHAPTER 12 The Importance of Intellectual Property393

CHAPTER 13 Preparing for and Evaluating the Challenges of Growth431

CHAPTER 14 Strategies for Firm Growth 461

CHAPTER 15 Franchising495

Glossary535

Name Index547

Company Index551

Subject Index557

Prefacexvii

PART 1 Decision to Become an Entrepreneur1

CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Entrepreneurship 3

Opening Profile—GIFTZIP.COM: The Classic Entrepreneurial Story3

INTRODUCTION TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP4

What Is Entrepreneurship?6

Why Become an Entrepreneur?7

Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs9

WHAT WENT WRONG? How a Lack of Passion and Too Few Customers

Can Kill a Business12

SAVVY ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM: Angry Birds and Zeo14

Common Myths About Entrepreneurs15

Types of Start-Up Firms17

CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS OF ENTREPRENEURS18

ENTREPRENEURSHIP’S IMPORTANCE21

Economic Impact of Entrepreneurial Firms21

Entrepreneurial Firms’ Impact on Society22

Entrepreneurial Firms’ Impact on Larger Firms22

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: Working Together: How Biotech Firms and Large Drug Companies Bring Pharmaceutical Products to Market23

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PROCESS23

Decision to Become an Entrepreneur (Chapter 1)24

Developing Successful Business Ideas (Chapters 2–6)24

Moving from an Idea to an Entrepreneurial Firm (Chapters 7–10)25

Managing and Growing an Entrepreneurial Firm (Chapters 11–15)26

Chapter Summary26 | Key Terms27 | Review Questions27

Application Questions28 | You Be the VC 1.129 | You Be the VC 1.230 | CASE 1.131 | CASE 1.233

ENDNOTES36

PART 2 Developing Successful Business Ideas39

CHAPTER 2 Recognizing Opportunities and Generating Ideas41

Opening Profile—BENCHPREP: Solving a Problem by Merging a Customer Pain with an Emerging Technology41

IDENTIFYING AND RECOGNIZING OPPORTUNITIES43

Observing Trends44

Solving a Problem50

SAVVY ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM: Xhale and Vestagen: Solving the Same Problem in Different Ways52

FINDING GAPS IN THE MARKETPLACE53

Personal Characteristics of the Entrepreneur55

WHAT WENT WRONG? Clearly Canadian: What Happens When You Don’t Deliver on Your Promises56

TECHNIQUES FOR GENERATING IDEAS59

Brainstorming59

Focus Groups60

Library and Internet Research61

Other Techniques61

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: Want Help Fine-Tuning a Business Idea? Find a Mentor62

ENCOURAGING AND PROTECTING NEW IDEAS62

Establishing a Focal Point for Ideas63

Encouraging Creativity at the Firm Level63

Protecting Ideas from Being Lost or Stolen64

Chapter Summary65 | Key Terms65 | Review Questions65

Application Questions66 | You Be the VC 2.167 | You Be the VC 2.268 | CASE 2.169 | CASE 2.271

ENDNOTES73

CHAPTER 3 Feasibility Analysis 77

Opening Profile—MORPHOLOGY: The Value of Validating a Business Idea77

FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS79

WHAT WENT WRONG? eBay Drop-Off Stores: How Feasible Were They?80

Product/Service Feasibility Analysis81

SAVVY ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM: How Learning from Customers

Caused a Successful Firm to Make a 180-Degree Turn on the Positioning of a Product87

Industry/Target Market Feasibility Analysis88

Organizational Feasibility Analysis91

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: Finding the Right Business Partner92

Financial Feasibility Analysis93

First Screen95

Chapter Summary96 | Key Terms97 | Review Questions97

Application Questions97 | You Be the VC 3.199 | You Be the VC 3.299 | CASE 3.1100 | CASE 3.2102

ENDNOTES105

Appendix 3.1106

Appendix 3.2108

CHAPTER 4 Writing a Business Plan111

Opening Profile—LINCOLN&LEXI: Proceeding on the Strength of a Winning Business Plan111

THE BUSINESS PLAN113

Reasons for Writing a Business Plan113

Who Reads the Business Plan—And What Are They Looking For?115

Guidelines for Writing a Business Plan116

OUTLINE OF THE BUSINESS PLAN119

Exploring Each Section of the Plan119

SAVVY ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM: Know When to Hold Them, Know When to Fold Them120

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: Types of Partnerships That Are Common in Business Plans125

WHAT WENT WRONG? What StyleHop Learned About the Value ofPlanning the Hard Way132

PRESENTING THE BUSINESS PLAN TO INVESTORS133

The Oral Presentation of a Business Plan133

Questions and Feedback to Expect from Investors135

Chapter Summary135 | Key Terms136 | Review Questions136

Application Questions137 | You Be the VC 4.1138 | You Be the VC 4.2139 | CASE 4.1140 | CASE 4.2142

ENDNOTES145

CHAPTER 5 Industry and Competitor Analysis 147

Opening Profile—ELEMENT BARS: Occupying a Unique Position in a Difficult Industry—and Thriving147

INDUSTRY ANALYSIS149

Studying Industry Trends150

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: Three Ts That Are Important for Becoming Active in an Industry: Trade Associations, Trade Shows, and Trade Journals151

The Five Forces Model152

The Value of the Five Forces Model158

Industry Types and the Opportunities They Offer160

WHAT WENT WRONG? Eclipse Aviation: Sometimes an Industry Can’t Be Revitalized162

COMPETITOR ANALYSIS163

Identifying Competitors164

SAVVY ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM: Thriving in a Crowded Industry by Creating Meaningful Value and Differentiation from Competitors165

Sources of Competitive Intelligence166

Completing a Competitive Analysis Grid167

Chapter Summary168 | Key Terms169 | Review Questions169

Application Questions170 | You Be the VC 5.1172 | You Be the VC 5.2172 | CASE 5.1173 | CASE 5.2175

ENDNOTES177

CHAPTER 6 Developing an Effective BusinessModel179

Opening Profile—STROOME: Working to Find a Viable Business Model for an Exciting New Web-Based Service for Editing and Remixing Video179

BUSINESS MODELS181

The Importance and Diversity of Business Models182

SAVVY ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM: Three Industries, Three Business Model Innovators183

How Business Models Emerge186 Potential Fatal Flaws of Business Models187

COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE BUSINESS MODEL189

Core Strategy189

WHAT WENT WRONG? Joost: Why It's Important to Be Sensitive to All Aspects of Your Business Model190

Strategic Resources192

Partnership Network194

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: 99designs: Making Partnering with Freelancers the Essence of Its Disruptive Business Model196

Customer Interface197

Chapter Summary199 | Key Terms200 | Review Questions200

Application Questions200 | You Be the VC 6.1202 | You Be the VC 6.2202 | CASE 6.1203 | CASE 6.2206

ENDNOTES208

PART 3 Moving from an Idea to an Entrepreneurial Firm211

CHAPTER 7 Preparing the Proper Ethical and Legal Foundation213

Opening Profile—XPLOSAFE: Proceeding on a Firm Legal Foundation213

INITIAL ETHICAL AND LEGAL ISSUES FACING A NEW FIRM215

Establishing a Strong Ethical Culture for a Firm216

Choosing an Attorney for a Firm220

Drafting a Founders’ Agreement221

SAVVY ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM: Vesting Ownership in Company Stock: A Sound Strategy for Start-Ups222

Avoiding Legal Disputes223

WHAT WENT WRONG? How Legal and Management Snafus Can Kill a Business224

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: Patagonia and Build-A-Bear Workshop: Picking Trustworthy Partners227

OBTAINING BUSINESS LICENSES AND PERMITS228

Business Licenses228

Business Permits228

Choosing a Form of Business Organization229

Sole Proprietorship230

Partnerships232

Corporations233

Limited Liability Company236

Chapter Summary237 | Key Terms238 | Review Questions238

Application Questions239 | You Be the VC 7.1241 | You Be the VC 7.2242 | CASE 7.1242 | CASE 7.2244

ENDNOTES247

Appendix 7.1249

CHAPTER 8 Assessing a New Venture’s Financial Strength and Viability253

Opening Profile—KLYMIT: The Critical Importance of Cash Flow253

INTRODUCTION TO FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT255

Financial Objectives of a Firm256

The Process of Financial Management257

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: Organizing Buying Groups to Cut Costs and Maintain Competitiveness258

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS259

Historical Financial Statements260

SAVVY ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM: Know the Facts Behind the Numbers262

Forecasts267

PRO FORMA FINANCIAL STATEMENTS271

WHAT WENT WRONG? Be Careful What You Wish For: How Growing Too Quickly Overwhelmed One Company’s Cash Flow272

Pro Forma Income Statement273

Pro Forma Balance Sheet273

Pro Forma Statement of Cash Flows275

Ratio Analysis277

Chapter Summary278 | Key Terms278 | Review Questions279 Application Questions279 | You Be the VC 8.1281 | You Be the VC 8.2281 | CASE 8.1282 | CASE 8.2284

ENDNOTES286

CHAPTER 9 Building a New-Venture Team289

Opening Profile—SCRIPPED: Hitting the Ground Running289

CREATING A NEW-VENTURE TEAM291

The Founder or Founders292

WHAT WENT WRONG? Devver: How Miscues in Regard to the Composition and Management of a New-Venture Team Can Kill a Start-up293

Recruiting and Selecting Key Employees296

SAVVY ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM: Overcoming a Lack of Business Experience297

The Roles of the Board of Directors300

ROUNDING OUT THE TEAM: THE ROLE OF PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS302

Board of Advisers302

Lenders and Investors303

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: Need Help with Product Development? Consider Establishing a Customer Advisory Board304

Other Professionals306

Chapter Summary307 | Key Terms308 | Review Questions308 Application Questions308 | You Be the VC 9.1310 | You Be the VC 9.2311 | CASE 9.1311 | CASE 9.2313

ENDNOTES316

CHAPTER 10 Getting Financing or Funding319

Opening Profile—INDINERO: Raising Money Carefully and Deliberately319

THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING FINANCING OR FUNDING321

Why Most New Ventures Need Funding321 Sources of Personal Financing322

Preparing to Raise Debt or Equity Financing324

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: TechStars and Y Combinator: A New Breed of Start-Up Incubators328

SOURCES OF EQUITY FUNDING329

Business Angels329

Venture Capital330

SAVVY ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM: Open Angel Forum and AngelList: New Options for Getting in Front of Angel Investors332

WHAT WENT WRONG? How One Start-Up Caught the Attention of VCs, Raised Money, and Still Failed334

Initial Public Offering335

SOURCES OF DEBT FINANCING336

Commercial Banks337

SBA Guaranteed Loans338

Other Sources of Debt Financing338

CREATIVE SOURCES OF FINANCING AND FUNDING339

Leasing339

SBIR and STTR Grant Programs340

Other Grant Programs341

Strategic Partners342

Chapter Summary342 | Key Terms343 | Review Questions343

Application Questions344 | You Be the VC 10.1345 | You Be the VC 10.2346 | CASE 10.1347 | CASE 10.2349

ENDNOTES352

PART 4 Managing and Growing an Entrepreneurial Firm355

CHAPTER 11 Unique Marketing Issues357

Opening Profile—TRUE YOU COSMETICS: Creating a New Brand in the Cosmetics Industry357

SELECTING A MARKET AND ESTABLISHING A POSITION359

Segmenting the Market359

Selecting a Target Market360

Establishing a Unique Position361

BRANDING362

WHAT WENT WRONG? How Failing to Establish a Clear Position in the Marketplace Forced an Adorable Robotic Dinosaur to Fall Silent363

SAVVY ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM: How Airbnb Used Blogs as a Stepping-Stone to Generate Substantial Buzz About Its Service366

THE 4PS OF MARKETING FOR NEW VENTURES367

Product367

Price368

Promotion370

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: How Landing a Partnership with an Influential Web Site and Soliciting Feedback from Customers Can Accelerate a Start-Up’s Visibility and Growth376

Place (or Distribution)377

SALES PROCESS AND RELATED ISSUES378

Chapter Summary381 | Key Terms382 | Review Questions382

Application Questions382 | You Be the VC 11.1384 | You Be the VC 11.2384 | CASE 11.1385 | CASE 11.2388

ENDNOTES390

CHAPTER 12 The Importance of Intellectual Property393

Opening Profile—METROLEAP MEDIA, INC.: The Key Role of Intellectual Property in Its Early and Ongoing Success393

THE IMPORTANCE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY395

Determining What Intellectual Property to Legally Protect396 WHAT WENT WRONG? Dippin’ Dots: Why the USPTO Invalidated Its Patent and It Now Has Two New Competitors398

The Four Key Forms of Intellectual Property399

PATENTS399

Types of Patents401

Who Can Apply for a Patent?402

The Process of Obtaining a Patent403

SAVVY ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM: Knowing the Ins and Outs of Filing a Provisional Patent Application405

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: Individual Inventors and Large Firms: Partnering to Bring New Products to Market407

Patent Infringement407

TRADEMARKS408

The Four Types of Trademarks408

What Is Protected Under Trademark Law?409

Exclusions from Trademark Protection410 The Process of Obtaining a Trademark411

COPYRIGHTS412

What Is Protected by a Copyright?413

Exclusions from Copyright Protection414 How to Obtain a Copyright414

Copyright Infringement414

Copyrights and the Internet416

TRADE SECRETS416

What Qualifies for Trade Secret Protection?417

Trade Secret Disputes417

Trade Secret Protection Methods418

CONDUCTING AN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AUDIT419

Why Conduct an Intellectual Property Audit?419

The Process of Conducting an Intellectual Property Audit420

Chapter Summary421 | Key Terms421 | Review Questions422

Application Questions422 | You Be the VC 12.1424 | You Be the VC 12.2424 | CASE 12.1425 | CASE 12.2427

ENDNOTES428

CHAPTER 13 Preparing for and Evaluating the Challenges of Growth431

Opening Profile—PURBLU BEVERAGES, INC.: Growing in a Cautious, Yet Deliberate Manner431

PREPARING FOR GROWTH433

Appreciating the Nature of Business Growth433 Staying Committed to a Core Strategy435

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: How Threadless Averted Collapse by Bringing on a Partner with Back-End Operational Expertise436 Planning for Growth437

REASONS FOR GROWTH438

SAVVY ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM: Dogfish Head Brewery: How a Simple Initiative Can Contribute to a Start-Up’s Early Growth439

MANAGING GROWTH441

Knowing and Managing the Stages of Growth442

CHALLENGES OF GROWTH444

Managerial Capacity445

Day-to-Day Challenges of Growing a Firm446

WHAT WENT WRONG? How Trying to Build Out Its Own Capabilities in a Key Area Contributed to the Failure of a Promising Firm447

Chapter Summary449 | Key Terms450 | Review Questions450 Application Questions450 | You Be the VC 13.1452 | You Be the VC 13.2453 | CASE 13.1453 | CASE 13.2456

ENDNOTES459

CHAPTER 14 Strategies for Firm Growth 461

Opening Profile—PHONE HALO: Pivoting to Pursue New Strategies for Growth461

INTERNAL GROWTH STRATEGIES463

New Product Development464

SAVVY ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM: SwitchFlops: How to Create Built-In Avenues for Future Growth465

Other Product-Related Strategies467

International Expansion470

EXTERNAL GROWTH STRATEGIES472

Mergers and Acquisitions474

WHAT WENT WRONG? Be Careful What You Wish For: How StumbleUpon’s Founder Sold His Company to eBay and Two Years Later Bought It Back Again476

Licensing477

Strategic Alliances and Joint Ventures479

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: Three Steps to Alliance Success480

Chapter Summary482 | Key Terms483 | Review Questions483

Application Questions484 | You Be the VC 14.1485 | You Be the VC 14.2486 | CASE 14.1487 | CASE 14.2489

ENDNOTES492

CHAPTER 15 Franchising495

Opening Profile—COLLEGE NANNIES & TUTORS: Franchising as a Form of Business Ownership and Growth495

WHAT IS FRANCHISING AND HOW DOES IT WORK?497

What Is Franchising?497

How Does Franchising Work?498

ESTABLISHING A FRANCHISE SYSTEM501

When to Franchise501

SAVVY ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM: Wahoo’s Fish Taco: A Moderate-Growth Yet Highly Successful Franchise Organization502

Steps to Franchising a Business503

Selecting and Developing Effective Franchisees504

Advantages and Disadvantages of Establishing a Franchise System505

BUYING A FRANCHISE507

WHAT WENT WRONG? Trouble at Curves International508 Is Franchising Right for You?509

The Cost of a Franchise509

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: Using Co-Branding to Reduce Costs and Boost Sales512

Finding a Franchise513

Advantages and Disadvantages of Buying a Franchise513

Steps in Purchasing a Franchise514

Watch Out! Common Misconceptions About Franchising516

LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE FRANCHISE RELATIONSHIP517

Federal Rules and Regulations518

State Rules and Regulations520

MORE ABOUT FRANCHISING520

Franchise Ethics520

International Franchising521 The Future of Franchising523

Chapter Summary524 | Key Terms525 | Review Questions525 Application Questions526 | You Be the VC 15.1527 | You Be the VC 15.2528 | CASE 15.1529 | CASE 15.2531

ENDNOTES533

Glossary535

Name Index547

Company Index551

Subject Index557

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

We are truly excited about the fourth edition of our book and the promise it brings to you. A key reason for this is that in many parts of the world, studying and practicing entrepreneurship are very exciting and potentially highly rewarding activities for entrepreneurs and the nations in which they launch their ventures and conduct their operations. In this sense then, across the world, even during what are challenging economic conditions on a global basis, entrepreneurial ventures are creating and bringing to market new products and services that make our lives easier, enhance our productivity at work, improve our health, and entertain us in new and fascinating ways. As you will see from reading this book, entrepreneurs are some of the most passionate and inspiring people you’ll ever meet. This is why successful firms have been launched in a variety of unexpected places such as garages and an array of coffeehouses with wireless hot spots. Indeed, we never know the amount ofsuccess the person sitting next to us drinking coffee might achieve after launching an entrepreneurial venture!

As you might anticipate, the passion an entrepreneur has about a business idea, rather than fancy offices or other material things, is typically the number one predictor of a new venture’s success. Conversely, a lack of passion often leads to entrepreneurial failure.

The purpose of this book is to introduce you, our readers and students of entrepreneurship, to the entrepreneurial process. We do this because evidence suggests that the likelihood entrepreneurs will be successful increases when they thoroughly understand the parts of the entrepreneurial process as well as how to effectively use those parts. The fact that in the United States alone roughly one-third of new firms fail within the first two years while another 20percent fail within four years of their launching is the type of evidence we have in mind. These failure rates show that while many people are motivated tostart new firms, motivation alone is not enough; indeed, motivation must becoupled with accurate and timely information, a solid business idea, an effective business plan, and sound execution to maximize chances for success. Inthis book, we discuss many examples of entrepreneurial ventures and the actions separating successful firms from unsuccessful ones.

This book provides a thoughtful, practical guide to the process of successfully launching and growing an entrepreneurial venture. To do this, we provide you with a thorough analysis of the entrepreneurial process. We model this process for you in the first chapter and then use the model’s components to frame the book’s remaining parts. Because of its importance, we place a special emphasis on the beginnings of the entrepreneurial process—particularly opportunity recognition and feasibility analysis. We do this because history shows that many entrepreneurial ventures struggle or fail not because the business owners weren’t committed or didn’t work hard, but because the idea they were pushing to bring to the marketplace wasn’t the foundation for a vibrant, successful business.

WHAT IS NEW TO THIS EDITION?

We are committed to presenting you with the most up-to-date and applicable treatment of the entrepreneurial process available in the marketplace. While serving your educational interests, we want to simultaneously increase the likelihood that you will become excited by entrepreneurship’s promise as you read and study current experiences of entrepreneurs and their ventures as well as the findings springing from academic research.

To verify currency, thoroughness, and reader interest, we have made several important changes, as presented next, while preparing this fourth edition of our book:

Opening Profile Each chapter opens with a profile of an entrepreneurial venture that was started by one or more students while completing their university-level educational experience. All 15 Opening Profiles (one for each chapter) are new to this edition. These descriptions of real-life entrepreneurs demonstrate that many of us have the ability to be entrepreneurs even while enrolled as a college student. Each profile is specific to a chapter’s topic. We completed extensive interviews with each student entrepreneur(s) to obtain the required materials. While reading each profile, imagine yourself in the role of one or more of the entrepreneurs who launched a venture as a student.

Student Entrepreneurs’Insights At the side of each Opening Profile, wepresent entrepreneurs’ answers to a series of questions. In providing answers to these questions, the entrepreneurs who launched their venture while enrolled in school express their perspectives about various issues. An important benefit associated with thinking about these responses is that those reading this book today have opportunities to see that they, too, may indeed have the potential to launch an entrepreneurial venture quicker than originally thought.

Updated Features Almost every one of the “What Went Wrong?” “Savvy Entrepreneurial Firm,” “Partnering for Success,” and “You Be the VC” features are new to this edition. The very few features we did retain have been thoroughly updated. These features present you with contemporary issues facing today’s entrepreneurial ventures. The “You Be the VC” features, for example, allow readers to decide if the potential of a proposed entrepreneurial venture is sufficient to warrant funding.

New and Updated Cases Virtually all of the pairs of end-of-chapter cases are new to this edition. Those retained have been completely updated. Comprehensive in nature, we wrote these cases with the purpose of presenting readers with opportunities to use chapter-specific concepts to identify problems and propose solutions to situations facing actual entrepreneurial ventures. Questions appearing at the end of each case can be used to stimulate classroom discussions.

Updated References The amount of academic research examining entrepreneurship topics continues to grow. To provide you, our readers, with the most recent insights from the academic literature, we draw from newly published articles in important journals such as Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Journal of Business Venturing, and Academy of Management Journal. Similarly, we relied on the most current articles appearing in business publications such as TheWall Street Journal and Entrepreneur among others, to present you with examples of the actions being taken by today’s entrepreneurial ventures.

HOW IS THIS BOOK ORGANIZED?

To explain the entrepreneurial process and the way it typically unfolds, we divide our book into four parts and 15 chapters. The four parts of the entrepreneurial process model are:

Part 1: Decision to Become an Entrepreneur

Part 2: Developing Successful Business Ideas

Part 3: Moving from an Idea to an Entrepreneurial Firm

Part 4: Managing and Growing an Entrepreneurial Firm

We believe that this sequence will make your journey toward understanding the entrepreneurial process both enjoyable and productive. The model is shown above. The step in the model that corresponds to the chapter being introduced is highlighted to help you form a picture of where each chapter fits in the entrepreneurial process.

WHAT ARE THE BOOK’S BENEFICIAL FEATURES?

To provide as thorough and meaningful an introduction to the entrepreneurial process as possible, we include several features, as follows, in each chapter of the book:

FEATURE INCLUDEDIN EACH CHAPTER BENEFIT

Learning objectives

Chapter opening profile

Help focus the reader’s attention on the major topics in the chapter

Introduces the chapter’s topic by focusing on a company that was started while its founder or founders were still in college, showing that you do not have to wait until you have years and years of experience to launch your entrepreneurial venture

Boldfaced key termsDraw the reader’s attention to key concepts

Examples and anecdotes

End-of-chapter summary

20 review questions

15 application questions

Liven up the text and provide descriptions of both successful and unsuccessful approaches to confronting the challenges discussed in each chapter

Integrates the key topics and concepts included in each chapter

Allow readers to test their recall of chapter material

Allow readers to apply what they learned from the chapter material

4 case discussion questions

2 case application questions

Provide opportunities to use concepts examined following each case in each chapter to evaluate situations faced by entrepreneurs

Provide opportunities to use a chapter’s materials following each case for situations readers might face as entrepreneurs

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER UNIQUE FEATURES OF THIS BOOK?

While looking through your book, we think you’ll find several unique features, as presented next, that will work to your benefit as a student of entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurial process.

UNIQUE FEATUREOFTHE BOOK EXPLANATION

Focus on opportunity recognition and feasibility analysis

What Went Wrong? boxed feature

We open your book with strong chapters on opportunity recognition and feasibility analysis. This is important, because opportunity recognition and feasibility analysis are key activities that must be completed early when investigating a new business idea.

Each chapter contains a boxed feature titled “What Went Wrong?” We use these features to explain the missteps of seemingly promising entrepreneurial firms. The purpose of these features, as you have no doubt already guessed, is to highlight the reality that things can go wrong when the fundamental concepts in the chapters aren’t carefully followed.

Partnering for Success boxed feature

Savvy Entrepreneurial Firm boxed feature

You Be the VC end-of-chapter features

A total of 30 original end-of-chapter cases

Each chapter contains a boxed feature titled “Partnering for Success.” The ability to partner effectively with other firms is becoming an increasingly important attribute for successful entrepreneurial ventures.

Each chapter contains a boxed feature titled “Savvy Entrepreneurial Firm.” These features illustrate the types ofbusiness practices that facilitate the success of entrepreneurial ventures. As such, these are practices you should strongly consider putting into play when you are using the entrepreneurial process.

Two features, titled “You Be the VC,” are provided at the end of each chapter. These features present a “pitch” for funding from an emerging entrepreneurial venture. The features are designed to stimulate classroom discussion by sparking debate on whether a particular venture should or shouldn’t receive funding. All the firms featured are real-life entrepreneurial start-ups. Thus, you’ll be talking about real—not hypothetical or fictitious—entrepreneurial ventures.

Two medium-length cases, written by the authors of the book, are featured at the end of each chapter. The cases are designed to stimulate classroom discussion between you and your professor and with your follow students for the purpose of illustrating the issues discussed in the chapter.

Student Resources

CourseSmart eTextbook—CourseSmart eTextbooks were developed for students looking to save on required or recommended textbooks. Students simply select their eText by title or author and purchase immediate access to the content for the duration of the course using any major credit card. With a CourseSmart eText, students can search for specific keywords or page numbers, take notes online, print out reading assignments that incorporate lecture notes, and bookmark important passages for later review. For more information or to purchase a CourseSmart eTextbook, visit www.coursesmart.com.

Companion Website: www.pearsonhighered.com/barringer—contains free access to a student version of the PowerPoint package, chapter quizzes, and links to featured Web sites.

Business Feasibility Analysis Pro—This wizard-based software is a step-by-step guide and an easy-to-use tool for completing a feasibility analysis of a business idea. The program allows instructors the flexibility to assign each step in the feasibility analysis separately or to assign the entire feasibility analysis as a semester-long project. It can be packaged with the textbook at a nominal cost.

FEEDBACK

If you have questions related to this book about entrepreneurship, please contact our customer service department online at http://247.pearsoned.com.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are pleased to express our sincere appreciation to four groups of people for helping bring both editions of our book to life.

Prentice Hall Professionals

A number of individuals at Prentice Hall have worked with us conscientiously and have fully supported our efforts to create a book that will work for those both studying and teaching the entrepreneurial process. From Prentice Hall, we want to extend our sincere appreciation to our senior acquisitions editor, Kim Norbuta; our director of marketing, Patrice Lumumba Jones; and our editorial project manager, Claudia Fernandes. Each individual provided us invaluable guidance and support, and we are grateful for their contribution.

Student Entrepreneurs

We want to extend a heartfelt “thank you” to the student entrepreneurs who contributed to the opening features in our book. Our conversations with these individuals were both informative and inspiring. We enjoyed getting to know these bright young entrepreneurs, and wish them nothing but total success as they continue to build their ventures.

Academic Reviewers

We want to thank our colleagues who participated in reviewing individual chapters of the book while they were being written. We gained keen insight from these individuals (each of whom teaches courses in entrepreneurship) and incorporated many of the suggestions of our reviewers into the final version of the book.

Thank you to these professors who participated in reviews:

Dr.RichardBartlett, Columbus State Community College

GregBerezewski, Robert Morris College

JeffBrice, Jr., Texas Southern University

RalphJagodka, Mt. San Antonio College

ChristinaRoeder, James Madison University

AronS.Spencer, New Jersey Institute of Technology

VincentWeaver, Greenville Technical College

LisaZidek, Florida Gulf Coast University

Academic Colleagues. We thank this large group of professors whose thoughts about entrepreneurial education have helped shape our book’s contents and presentation structure:

DavidC.Adams, Manhattanville College

SolAhiarah, SUNY—Buffalo State College

FredericAiello, University of Southern Maine

JamesJ.AllingSr., Augusta Technical College

JeffreyAlstete, Iona College

JeffreyAlves, Wilkes University

JoeAniello, Francis Marion University

MaryAvery, Ripon College

JayAzriel, Illinois State University

RichardBarker, Upper Iowa University

JimBell, Texas State University

RobertJ.Berger, SUNY Potsdam

JamesBloodgood, Kansas State University

JenellBramlage, University of Northwestern Ohio

MichaelBrizek, South Carolina State University

BarbBrown, Southwestern Community College

JamesBurke, Loyola University—Chicago

LowellBusenitz, University of Oklahoma

JohnButler, University of Texas—Austin

JaneByrd, University of Mobile

ArtCamburn, Buena Vista University

CarolCarter, Louisiana State University

GaylenChandler, Utah State University

JamesChrisman, Mississippi State University

DelenaClark, Plattsburgh State University

DeeCole, Middle Tennessee State University

RoyCook, Fort Lewis College

AndrewCorbett, Babson College

SimoneCummings, Washington University School of Medicine

SuzanneD’Agnes, Queensborough Community College

DouglasDayhoff, Indiana University

FrankDemmler, Carnegie Mellon University

DavidDesplaces, University of Hartford/Barney

VernDisney, University of South Carolina—Sumter

DaleEesley, University of Toledo

AlanEisner, Pace University

SusanEverett, Clark State Community College

HenryFernandez, North Carolina Central University

CharlesFishel, San Jose State University

DanaFladhammer, Phoenix College

BrendaFlannery, Minnesota State University

JohnFriar, Northeastern University

BarbaraFuller, Winthrop University

BarryGilmore, University of Memphis

CarolineGlackin, Delaware State University

CherylGracie, Washtenaw Community College

FrederickGreene, Manhattan College

LeeGrubb, East Carolina University

BradHandy, Springfield Technical Community College

CarnellaHardin, Glendale College

AshleyHarmon, Southeastern Technical College

SteveHarper, University of North Carolina at Wilmington

AlanHauff, University of Missouri—St. Louis

GordonHaym, Lyndon State College

AndreaHershatter, Emory University

RichardHilliard, Nichols College

JoHinton, Copiah Lincoln Community College

DennisHoagland, LDS Business College

KathieHolland, University of Central Florida

FrankHoy, University of Texas at El Paso

JeffreyJackson, Manhattanville College

GrantJacobsen, Northern Virginia Community College–Woodbridge

SusanJensen, University of Nebraska— Kearney

AlecJohnson, University of St. Thomas

JamesM.Jones, University of the Incarnate Word, ERAU, Del Mar College

JaneJones, Mountain Empire Community College

JoyJones, Ohio Valley College

TomKaplan, Fairleigh Dickinson University—Madison

ElizabethKisenwether, Penn State University

JamesKlingler, Villanova University

EdwardKuljian, Saint Joseph’s University

JamesLang, Virginia Tech University

AllonLefever, Eastern Mennonite University

AnitaLeffel, University of Texas—San Antonio

GaryLevanti, Polytechnic University— LI Campus

BenyaminLichtenstein, University of Massachusetts, Boston

BruceLynskey, Vanderbilt University

JaniceMabry, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

JeffreyMartin, University of Alabama

GregMcCann, Stetson University

ElizabethMcCrea, Pennsylvania State— Great Valley

BrianMcKenzie, California State University—Hayward

ChrisMcKinney, Vanderbilt University

DaleMeyer, University of Colorado

StevenC.Michael, University of Illinois Urbana—Champaign

AngelaMitchell, Wilmington College

BryantMitchell, University of Maryland— Eastern Shore

RobMitchell, University Western Ontario

PatrickMurphy, DePaul University

CharlieNagelschmidt, Champlain College

WilliamNaumes, University of New Hampshire

ConnieNichols, Odessa College

GaryNothnagle, Nazareth College

EdwardO’Brien, Scottsdale Community College

DavidOrozco, Florida State University

HaesunPark, Louisiana State University

JohnPfaff, University of the Pacific

JosephPicken, University of Texas at Dallas

Emmelinede Pillis, University of Hawaii— Hilo

CarolReeves, University of Arkansas

JohnRichards, Brigham Young University

ChristoRoberts, University of Minnesota— Twin Cities

GeorgeRoorbach, Lyndon State College

MichaelRubach, University of Central Arkansas

JaniceRustia, University of Nebraska Medical Center

JamesSaya, The College of Santa Fe

WilliamScheela, Bemidji State University

GerryScheffelmaier, Middle Tennessee State University

GeraldSegal, Florida Gulf Coast University

CynthiaSheridan, St. Edward’s University

DonaldShifter, Fontbonne University

C. L. J.Spencer, Kapi’olani Community College

JosephStasio, Merrimack College

DeborahStreeter, Cornell University

DaraSzyliowicz, University of Denver

ClintB.Tankersley, Syracuse University

CraigTunwall, Empire State College

BarryVan Hook, Arizona State University

GeorgeVozikis, University of Tulsa

DavidWilemon, Syracuse University

CharleneWilliams, Brewton Parker College

Doug Wilson, University of Oregon

DianaWong, Eastern Michigan University

Finally, we want to express our appreciation to our home institutions (Oklahoma State University and Texas A&M University) for creating environments in which ideas are encouraged and supported.

We wish each of you—our readers—all the best in your study of the entrepreneurial process. And, of course, we hope that each of you will be highly successful entrepreneurs as you pursue the ideas you’ll develop at different points in your careers.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

BruceR.Barringer

Bruce R. Barringer holds the Johnny D. Pope Entrepreneurship Chair in the Department of Entrepreneurship at Oklahoma State University. He earned his PhD from the University of Missouri and his MBA from Iowa State University. His research interests include feasibility analysis, firm growth, corporate entrepreneurship, and the impact of interorganizational relationships on business organizations. Over the years, he has worked with a number of technology-based incubators and student-led entrepreneurship activities and clubs.

He serves on the editorial review board of Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice and Journal of Small Business Management . His work has been published in Strategic Management Journal, Journal of Management, Journal of Business Venturing , Journal of Small Business Management , Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, and Quality Management Journal.

Bruce’s outside interests include running, trail biking, and swimming.

R.Duane Ireland

R. Duane Ireland is a University Distinguished Professor and holds the Conn Chair in New Ventures Leadership in the Mays Business School, Texas A&M University. Previously, he served on the faculties at University of Richmond, Baylor University, and Oklahoma State University. His research interests include strategic entrepreneurship, corporate entrepreneurship, strategic alliances, and effectively managing organizational resources.

Duane’s research has been published in journals such as Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Executive, Strategic Management Journal, Administrative Science Quarterly, Journal of Management, Journal of Business Venturing, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, and Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal among others. He is a co-author of both scholarly books and textbooks, including best-selling strategic management texts. Along with Dr. Mike Morris (Syracuse University), Duane serves as a co-editor for the Prentice Hall Entrepreneurship Series. These books offer in-depth treatments of specific entrepreneurship topics, such as Business Plans for Entrepreneurs (authored by Bruce Barringer).

Duane has served or is serving on the editorial review boards for a number of journals, including AMJ, AMR, AME, JOM, JBV, and ETP. He just completed a term as Editor for AMJ. He has completed terms as an associate editor for AME and as a consulting editor for ETP and has served as a guest co-editor for special issues of a number of journals including AMR, AME, and SMJ. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Management and a Fellow of the Strategic Management Society. He is the current Vice President and Program Chair for the Academy of Management. He is the recipient of both teaching and research awards.

Duane’s outside interests include running, reading, listening to a variety of music, and playing with his grandson.

This page intentionally left blank

PART 1 Decision to Become an Entrepreneur

CHAPTER 1

Introduction to Entrepreneurship

CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Entrepreneurship

GIFTZIP.COM

The Classic Entrepreneurial Story

Web: www.giftzip.com

Twitter: GiftZip

Facebook: GiftZip

It all started in a sustainable supply chain management class at Michigan State University. Sam Hogg, an MBA student, started thinking about the waste plastic gift cards create. The class challenged Hogg and his classmates to think about the path that a product travels from inception to disposal. Gift cards are made, sold, redeemed, and are then immediately discarded—a wasteful supply chain. In fact, according to Plenty,a leading sustainable periodical, about 75 million pounds of them go into landfills every year.1

Largely as result of his experience in this class, in November 2008, roughly eight months after he earned his MBA, Hogg launched GiftZip.com, an online gift card aggregation site. The site allows people to buy electronic gift cards from popular retailers like Amazon.com, Target, Bass Pro Shops, and Pottery Barn. All are delivered in ways that address Hogg’s sustainability concerns. For example, if you log onto GiftZip.com and click on the Pottery Barn icon, you’re sent to Pottery Barn’s gift card site. There, you can buy a gift card for between $25 and $250, and it’s delivered via e-mail or Facebook. You can also select from Pottery Barn’s choices for the design of the card, or upload your own design. The card will be electronically delivered to the recipient within hours, with a message saying it came from you. The recipient can then take the e-mail or Facebook voucher and redeem it on Pottery Barn’s Web site or in a Pottery Barn store.

Hogg gives his MBA program at Michigan State credit for helping him formulate his business model. In particular, a marketing professor influenced his thinking about how to display the cards on his site. The professor suggested that consumers are more likely to buy a product when given multiple choices, even if those choices sit next to competing brands. GiftZip.com is strictly a pass-through site, meaning that it doesn’t process transactions. Instead, when you click on a retailer’s emblem, you’re “passed through” to the retailer’s Web site where you place your order. GiftZip.com receives an affiliate fee for purchases that originate from its site. GiftZip.com’s value

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After studying this chapter you should be ready to:

1. Explain entrepreneurship and discuss its importance.

2. Describe corporate entrepreneurship and its use in established firms.

3. Discuss three main reasons people decide to become entrepreneurs.

4. Identify four main characteristics of successful entrepreneurs.

5. Explain the five common myths regarding entrepreneurship.

6. Explain how entrepreneurial firms differ from salary-substitute and lifestyle firms.

7. Discuss the changing demographics of entrepreneurs in the United States.

8. Discuss the impact of entrepreneurial firms on economies and societies.

9. Identify ways in which large firms benefit from the presence of smaller entrepreneurial firms.

10. Explain the entrepreneurial process.

added is that it provides a single place for people to search for gift cards. It also divides gift cards into categories such as Apparel, Gourmet, Family, and Sporting Goods. This approach allows searchers to see gift card choices that they might not have known about otherwise.

Signing up retailers was the biggest challenge Hogg confronted in making GiftZip.com a success. He made cold calls and got hung up on repeatedly. A breakthrough in his thinking was that he didn’t have to convince an entire company, like Amazon.com, to participate on his site, just the person in the company that had the say so regarding gift cards. He found that once he got one company signed up in an industry, it was much easier to get others. He almost gave up several times when the going was tough. He found that perseverance is a necessary quality for successful entrepreneurs.

Hogg feels he got a little lucky in that GiftZip.com had perfect timing. At the time he launched, which was fall 2008, three things were happening in his favor: (1) the gift card market was growing, (2) people were becoming increasingly comfortable buying online, and (3) it was becoming increasingly more affordable to launch an online business. All of these factors continue to evolve in GiftZip.com’s favor.

Another thing Hogg feels has benefited his business is positive PR, which has been generated in part by the fact that he originated his business idea while in college. GiftZip.com has been recognized twice by Entrepreneur magazine, for example. It was recognized in March 2009 in an article titled “The Gift Card Economy.” The article highlighted several companies in the gift card industry, and drew attention to the fact that Hogg came up with the idea for GiftZip.com while a student at Michigan State University. The other mention was in June 2009, when GiftZip.com was designated one of American’s “10 Hot Startups” to watch.

GiftZip.com appears to have substantial potential. The gift card industry is expected to top $100 billion in 2012, and is continuing to gain momentum.2

In this first chapter of your book about the successful launching of an entrepreneurial firm, we define entrepreneurship and discuss why some people decide to become entrepreneurs. We then look at successful entrepreneurs’ characteristics, the common myths surrounding entrepreneurship, the different types of start-up firms, and the changing demographics of entrepreneurs in the United States and in nations throughout the world. We then examine entrepreneurship’s importance, including the economic and social impact of new firms as well as the importance of entrepreneurial firms to larger businesses. To close this chapter, we introduce you to the entrepreneurial process. This process, which we believe is the foundation for successfully launching a start-up firm, is the framework we use to present the book’s materials to you.

INTRODUCTION TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP

There is tremendous interest in entrepreneurship around the world. Although this statement may seem bold, there is evidence supporting it, some of which is provided by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM). GEM, which is a joint research effort by Babson College, London Business School, and Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile, tracks entrepreneurship in 59 countries, including the United States. Of particular interest to GEM is early stage entrepreneurial activity, which consists of businesses that are just being started and businesses that have been in existence for less than three and one-half years. The 2010 survey shows, in the countries analyzed, some 110 million

people between 18 and 64 years old just starting businesses, and another 140million running businesses they started less than three and one-half years ago. Taken together, some 250 million people were involved in early entrepreneurial activity in the 59 countries included in the study. A sample of the rate of early-stage entrepreneurial activity in countries included in the GEM study is shown in Table 1.1. While the highest rates of entrepreneurial start-up activities occur in low-income countries, where good jobs are not plentiful, the rates are also impressive in high-income countries like France (5.8 percent), United Kingdom (6.4 percent), and the United States (7.6 percent). What the 7.6 percent means for the United States is that almost 1 out of every 13 American adults is actively engaged in starting a business or is the owner/manager of a business that is less than three and one-half years old.3

The GEM study also identifies whether its respondents are starting a new business to take advantage of an attractive opportunity or because of necessity to earn an income. The majority of people in high-income countries are drawn to entrepreneurship to take advantage of attractive opportunities. The reverse is true of people in low-income countries, who tend to be drawn to entrepreneurship primarily because of necessity (resulting from a lack of career prospects).4

One criticism of entrepreneurship, which is often repeated in the press, is that the majority of new businesses fail. It simply isn’t true. The often used statistic that 9 out of 10 businesses fail in their first few years is an exaggeration. According to Brian Headd, an economist for the U.S. Small Business Administration, after four years 50 percent of new businesses are still open, 33percent have failed, and 17 percent are closed but were considered to be successful by their owners.5 While overall these figures are heartening, the 33 percent of start-ups that fail show that a motivation to start and run a business isn’t enough; it must be coupled with a solid business idea, good financial management, and effective execution to maximize chances for success. In this book, we’ll discuss many examples of entrepreneurial firms and the factors separating successful new ventures from unsuccessful ones.

Source: Based on D. Kelley, N. Bosma, and J. E. Amoros, Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2010 Global Report (Babson College and Universidad del Desarrollo, 2010).

TABLE 1.1 RATESOF EARLY-STAGE ENTREPRENEURIAL ACTIVITY (AGES 18 TO 64)

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

1. Explain entrepreneurship and discuss its importance.

Many people see entrepreneurship as an attractive career path. Think about your friends and others you know. In all probability, you are acquainted with at least one or two people who want to become an entrepreneur—either now or at some point in the future. The number of books dealing with starting one’s own business is another indication entrepreneurship is growing in popularity. Amazon.com, for example, currently lists over 35,600 books and other items dealing with entrepreneurship and over 62,700 books concerned with small businesses.

What Is Entrepreneurship?

The word entrepreneur derives from the French words entre, meaning “between,” and prendre, meaning “to take.” The word was originally used to describe people who “take on the risk” between buyers and sellers or who “undertake” a task such as starting a new venture.6 Inventors and entrepreneurs differ from each other. An inventor creates something new. An entrepreneur assembles and then integrates all the resources needed—the money, the people, the business model, the strategy, and the risk-bearing ability—to transform the invention into a viable business.7

Entrepreneurship is defined as the process by which individuals pursue opportunities without regard to resources they currently control.8 Others such as venture capitalist Fred Wilson define it more simply, seeing entrepreneurship as the art of turning an idea into a business. In essence, an entrepreneur’s behavior finds him or her trying to identify opportunities and putting useful ideas into practice.9 The tasks called for by this behavior can be accomplished by either an individual or a group and typically require creativity, drive, and a willingness to take risks. Sam Hogg, the cofounder of GiftZip.com, exemplifies all these qualities. Hogg saw an opportunity to create a single place for people to shop for electronic gift cards, he risked his career by passing up alternatives to work on GiftZip.com full-time, and he’s now working hard to put GiftZip.com in a position to deliver a creative and useful service to its customers.

In this book, we focus on entrepreneurship in the context of an entrepreneur or team of entrepreneurs launching a new business. However, ongoing firms can also behave entrepreneurially. Typically, established firms with an entrepreneurial emphasis are proactive, innovative, and risk-taking. For example, Apple Inc. is widely recognized as a firm in which entrepreneurial behaviors are clearly evident. Steve Jobs is at the heart of Apple’s entrepreneurial culture. With his ability to persuade and motivate others’ imaginations, Jobs continues to inspire Apple’s employees as they develop innovative product after innovative product. To consider the penetration Apple has with some of itsinnovations, think of how many of your friends own an iPhone, iPad, or Macintosh computer. Similarly, studying Facebook or Zynga’s ability to grow and succeed reveals a history of entrepreneurial behavior at multiple levels within the firms.10 In addition, many of the firms traded on the NASDAQ, such as Intuit, Amazon.com, Google, and Research In Motion are commonly thought of as entrepreneurial firms. The NASDAQ is the largest U.S. electronic stock market, with over 2,850 companies listed on the exchange.

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

2. Describe corporate entrepreneurship and its use in established firms.

We want to note here that established firms with an orientation to acting entrepreneurially practice corporate entrepreneurship. 11 All firms fall along a conceptual continuum that ranges from highly conservative to highly entrepreneurial. The position of a firm on this continuum is referred to as its entrepreneurial intensity . 12 As we mentioned previously, entrepreneurial firms are typically proactive innovators and are not averse to taking calculated risks. In contrast, conservative firms take a more “wait and see” posture, are less innovative, and are risk averse.

One of the most persuasive indications of entrepreneurship’s importance to an individual or to a firm is the degree of effort undertaken to behave in an

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.