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Cross-cultural entrepreneurship research: Current status and framework for future studies

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Abstract

Although cross-cultural research in the field of entrepreneurship is still in its infancy as a research stream, it offers important inferences for both theory and practice. Some have criticized the relative immaturity of previous survey-based studies’ methodology. In order to address this flaw, we analyze existing survey-based studies in the field of cross-cultural entrepreneurship to identify research gaps in content and methodology and then derive the most appropriate analytical approach to fill the gaps for this type of research. Finally, we present a practical framework in which to conduct sound and prudent future studies, integrating the most appropriate analytical approach, general methodological insights, and the particularities of entrepreneurship research in a cross-cultural setting.

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Notes

  1. The following journals/conference proceedings were taken into account: Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Small Business Management, Small Business Economics, and Entrepreneurship and Regional Development. According to Katz (2003), these are the most influential entrepreneurship journals/conference proceedings. In addition, we examined the reference sections of these empirical studies and major conceptual articles (e.g., Hayton et al. 2002) to identify articles not published in those entrepreneurship journals listed in this paper. With regard to the microeconomic level of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial organizations, studies that address either the degree or the consequences of entrepreneurship at the national level are intentionally omitted. Cf. e.g., Davidsson (1995), Shane (1992).

  2. In order to guarantee the coverage of all essential univariate and multivariate analytical approaches, we drew upon prominent standard works on statistical methods, in particular Stevens (2002) and Gujarati (1995). All analytical approaches covered in these publications were compared on the identified criteria for advancement of cross-cultural entrepreneurship research.

  3. More specifically, the minimum sample size to ensure a stable estimation process in PLS is derived either from (a) the maximum number of paths leading to any one dependent variable in the model or (b) the number of indicators included in the largest formative construct. The higher of these two numbers is multiplied by ten to establish the minimum number of cases (Chin and Newsted 1999).

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Acknowledgment

The authors gratefully acknowledge the excellent constructive comments from the editor and two anonymous reviewers on earlier drafts of this manuscript

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  1. Center for Entrepreneurship, Aachen University (RWTH), Templergraben 64, 52056, Aachen, Germany

    Andreas Engelen, Florian Heinemann & Malte Brettel

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  1. Andreas Engelen
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Correspondence to Andreas Engelen.

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Engelen, A., Heinemann, F. & Brettel, M. Cross-cultural entrepreneurship research: Current status and framework for future studies. J Int Entrep 7, 163–189 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10843-008-0035-5

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