Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

The secrets to successful entrepreneurship: How occupational experience shapes the creation and performance of start-ups

Wu, Y; Maas, G; Zhang, Yi; Chen, F; Xia, S; Fernandes, K; Tian, K

The secrets to successful entrepreneurship: How occupational experience shapes the creation and performance of start-ups Thumbnail


Authors

Y Wu

G Maas

Yi Zhang

F Chen

S Xia

K Tian



Abstract

Purpose Previous experience is a critical factor affecting entrepreneurial activities; however, it has not been fully studied in the existing literature. This study attempts to comprehensively reveal the routes and mechanisms of occupational experience that affect entrepreneurial activities and assess the entrepreneurial potential of different occupational practitioners. Design/methodology/approach By matching occupational characteristics with entrepreneurs' competence, this study proposes ten hypotheses about how occupational experience affects entrepreneurial entry and performance. This empirical study is based on the Occupational Information Network database and Chinese survey data. Factor and regression analyses were used in the empirical research. Findings This study verifies that different occupational practitioners have varied entrepreneurial potential. Occupational experience, including occupational uncertainty, market contact and social capital, gained from previous experience significantly affects entrepreneurial entry. Meanwhile, occupational characteristics, including management experience, marketing experience, social capital, financial capital, risk-taking ability and creativity, accumulated from previous experience, have a significant impact on entrepreneurial performance. Originality/value This study is a pioneering attempt to reveal the relationship between occupational experience and entrepreneurial activities. The transmission mechanism of previous experiences affecting entrepreneurial activities is comprehensively revealed by relaxing the assumption of a representative occupation. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for empirical evidence and have important practical value.

Citation

Wu, Y., Maas, G., Zhang, Y., Chen, F., Xia, S., Fernandes, K., & Tian, K. (2023). The secrets to successful entrepreneurship: How occupational experience shapes the creation and performance of start-ups. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 29(2), 354-384. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijebr-09-2021-0748

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Sep 17, 2022
Online Publication Date Nov 24, 2022
Publication Date Feb 9, 2023
Deposit Date Sep 18, 2022
Publicly Available Date Sep 20, 2022
Journal International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research
Print ISSN 1355-2554
Publisher Emerald
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 29
Issue 2
Pages 354-384
DOI https://doi.org/10.1108/ijebr-09-2021-0748
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1191525

Files

Accepted Journal Article (1.1 Mb)
PDF

Publisher Licence URL
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

Copyright Statement
This author accepted manuscript is deposited under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC) licence. This means that anyone may distribute, adapt, and build upon the work for non-commercial purposes, subject to full attribution. If you wish to use this manuscript for commercial purposes, please contact permissions@emerald.com.






You might also like



Downloadable Citations