Entrepreneurship in its context(s) : a review

Abstract

In reviewing trends in entrepreneurship research, the paper outlines the main directions of how entrepreneurship is contextualised. The aim is to assess the progress the field has made in contextualising entrepreneurship, but also to identify gaps, in order to identify challenges for entrepreneurship theory and methodologies (as well as for entrepreneurship policies) in this regard. The paper discusses individual and social contexts, before proceeding to socio-spatial and institutional ones. While entrepreneurship research has recognised the importance of analysing entrepreneurship in its context, most research sticks to contexts that are easy to operationalise and observe like the business context, and that fit into the mainstream model of the enterprising individual. I argue that it is worthwhile to set the ‘mainstream ’ entrepreneurship (research) world aside and to pay (more) attention to ‘other ’ contexts as well. The mainstream discourse emphasizes the study of growth-oriented ventures, often in high-technology fields, where, not surprisingly, ‘business ’ contexts such as money and markets and access to resources matter most. Opening up the mainstream discussion can help us to understand the true richness of

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