The Creation and Configuration of Infrastructure for Entrepreneurship in Emerging Domains of Activity

Entrepreneurship is a perilous endeavor. Contextual changes, such as nascent technology emergence or new industry creation, can spawn entrepreneurial opportunities; however, these changes do not instantaneously create the resources and structures that new firms need to survive. This study examines t...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Entrepreneurship theory and practice 2014-07, Vol.38 (4), p.721-747
Main Author: Woolley, Jennifer L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Economic analysis
Economic theory
Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurship
Infrastructure
Innovations
Interactionism
Nanotechnology
Organization theory
Public infrastructure
Studies
Technological innovations
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Entrepreneurship is a perilous endeavor. Contextual changes, such as nascent technology emergence or new industry creation, can spawn entrepreneurial opportunities; however, these changes do not instantaneously create the resources and structures that new firms need to survive. This study examines the creation and configuration of the contextual infrastructure necessary for nascent technology entrepreneurship in new industries. Using the case of nanotechnology, I show how the elements of infrastructure emerge and configure through systemic coevolution. The data highlight how boundary crossing and obfuscation induces the configuration of separate elements into a cohesive infrastructure through heightened interaction and interdependence of organizations and institutions, both private and public.
ISSN:1042-2587
1540-6520
DOI:10.1111/etap.12017