Mindful Deviation through Combining Causation and Effectuation: A Design Theory-Based Study of Technology Entrepreneurship

Marine Agogue (), Mats Lundqvist and Karen Williams Middleton ()
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Marine Agogue: CGS i3 - Centre de Gestion Scientifique i3 - Mines Paris - PSL (École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris) - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - I3 - Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Mats Lundqvist: Stockholm University
Karen Williams Middleton: Chalmers University of Technology [Göteborg]

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Abstract: Technology entrepreneurship can be seen as building upon while also deviating from technological paths. Such deviation has primarily been described as singular events where individuals with prior knowledge discover a new opportunity. In this article, we will instead study deviation as a process of collective decision making, seen more as something mindful than singular. The purpose is to explore mindful deviation as decision-making by nascent technology entrepreneurs as they conceptualize an early platform technology. Based on case assignments undertaken by 13 teams in a venture creation program, C-K design theory is used to trace how nascent technology entrepreneurs in action combine causal and effectual decision-making logics. Individually answered questionnaires also offered insights on how the entrepreneurs perceived their decision-making in hindsight. The findings break with our received wisdom around how opportunities are recognized as well as how effectual and causal logics occur. As a result, mindful deviation through combinations of effectual and causal logic is suggested as a means to understand early-stage technology entrepreneurship.

Keywords: nascent; design theory; entrepreneurship; technology; effectuation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ent, nep-hme and nep-ino
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://minesparis-psl.hal.science/hal-01196125v1
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

Published in Creativity and Innovation Management, 2015, pp.16. ⟨10.1111/caim.12134⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01196125

DOI: 10.1111/caim.12134

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