Entrepreneurs formulate and implement strategies to tackle different knowledge problems over the entrepreneurial journey. This dissertation systematically disentangled and compared the value of two strategic decision logics that have been tested little in the extant entrepreneurship literature: the strategic decision logic that leverages speed advantages versus the logic that leverages comprehensive advantages. Using a pseudo-NK simulation method first in the management and entrepreneurship fields, the comparative effectiveness of new product development strategies that leverage speed (e.g., the lean method [paper one] and a modular strategy [paper two]) versus comprehensiveness (e.g., a more comprehensive method [paper one] and a parallel strategy [paper two]) was tested in the first and second essays of the dissertation. In the third essay, I systematically reviewed, analyzed, and disentangled two existing corporate strategy constructs of decision speed and decision comprehensiveness by investigating different ways these decision strategies could be effective within entrepreneurship. I also used a multilevel meta-analysis to synthesize and test the contingent role of decision speed and decision comprehensiveness in different entrepreneurial decision contexts. That is, I found that the value of these two entrepreneurial strategies would be contingent upon the external and internal conditions of ventures. Overall, this dissertation shows that strategies that leverage comprehensiveness might even be more effective in entrepreneurship than the strategies that leverage speed advantages, depending on the internal and external decision contexts. / Doctor of Philosophy / Entrepreneurs venture into the unknown to capture abnormal profits. Specifically, entrepreneurs make efforts to develop novel products/services, the market value of which is yet unknown. Thus, a rapid decision-making strategy is typically considered a good decision strategy because it allows entrepreneurs to test the potential new products first and then use the real-time feedback and information that come directly from the market (where there is a high level of 'unknowingness') after testing the products to update those that better satisfy market demands. However, such entrepreneurial strategies that leverage quick decisions do not necessarily capture profits because early adopters from which entrepreneurs collect feedback do not necessarily represent mainstream customers. Rather, it is possible that the market feedback obtained through quick product experimentations fails to indicate actual market demands. Hence, more comprehensive strategies can be a good alternative to rapid decision strategies (e.g., lean startups) for entrepreneurs. Specifically, entrepreneurs can use more comprehensive product designs (paper one), employ systematic approaches (e.g., advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence) to create multiple potential product candidates (paper three), and experiment with multiple products simultaneously (paper two) for new product development. However, this dissertation shows that the effectiveness of comprehensive strategies compared with the entrepreneurial strategies that leverage speed is contingent upon the internal contexts (e.g., available resources and venture lifecycles) and external conditions (e.g., market features).

Det blir allt enklare att starta ett företag i Sverige, mycket tack vare de många startupplattformar som finns. Samtidigt överlever knappt hälften av alla startup längre än fem år. En viktig aspekt för att inte misslyckas som nystartat företag är att förstå sina kunder och sina användare och lansera produkten till rätt kundsegment, samtidigt som det kan vara kostsamma undersökningar som också förlänger den kritiska tiden innan företaget börjar generera inkomster. För att det ska bli lönsamt krävs det också att företagen förstår hur informationen som insamlas ska användas för att förbättra produkten. Det här arbetet undersöker hur och när startups väljer att involvera sina användare i produktutvecklingsprocessen. För att besvara arbetets frågeställningar har en litteraturstudie utförts, där bakgrunden till problematiseringen kartlagts. Därefter genomfördes en intervjustudie med fyra olika startups där syftet var att förstå hur arbetet med användarinvolveringen utfördes i praktiken. Samtliga företag som intervjuades hade genomgått ett program på, eller finansierats av någon startupplattform. Studien visade att startups ofta inte följer en linjär produktutvecklingsprocess, utan måste anpassa den efter de finansiella och strukturella förutsättningar som företaget har. Därför lämpar sig ofta andra iterativa metoder för företagen, där insatsen för varje förändring blir mindre. Det gäller också för användarinvolvering, där företagen dock strävar efter att involvera användaren så mycket som möjligt då det upplevs som en minskad osäkerhet. En kontinuerlig involvering av användare är dock sällan genomförbart för nystartade företag. Dessutom gör bristen på erfarenhet det svårt för företagen att strukturerat fastställa de viktigaste kraven och behoven från användarna. Sammanfattningsvis pekar studiens resultat på att en utmaning för startups är att applicera en linjär produktutvecklingsprocessen på grund av bristande struktur och startupfas. De strävar efter att förstå sina kunder och användare då konsensus råder om att detta leder till en lyckad lansering då osäkerheten minskar och produkterna förbättras. / Starting a business in Sweden is becoming easier, thanks in large part to the numerous startup platforms available. However, barely half of all startups survive beyond the first five years. A crucial aspect of avoiding failure as a new company is understanding one's customers and users and launching the product to the right customer segments. Yet, conducting costly surveys can also prolong the critical period before the company starts generating income. To make it profitable, companies also need to understand how the collected information should be used to improve the product. This study investigates how and when startups choose to involve their users in the product development process. To address the research questions, a literature review was conducted mapping out the background of the problem. Then an interview study was carried out with four different startups, aiming to understand how user involvement was implemented in practice. All interviewed companies had gone through a program on or were funded by a startup platform. The study revealed that startups often do not follow a conventional product development process but have to adapt it based on the company's financial and structural conditions. Insted, other iterative methods are often suitable for new companies, where the cost for each change is less significant. This also applies to user involvement, although companies strive to involve users as much as possible because it is perceived as reducing uncertainty. However, continuous user involvement is rarely possible for startups with limited budgets and time constraints. Moreover, the lack of experience makes it challenging for companies to systematically determine the most critical requirements and needs from users. In summary, the study's findings indicate that a challenge for startups is to apply a linear product development process due to a lack of structure and the startup phase. They strive to understand their customers and users, as there is a consensus that this leads to a successful launch by reducing uncertainty and improving products.

We are living in the “Anthropocene” the era in which human activities are responsible for severe damage to the resilience of the ecological and social systems, undermining the Earth’s autopoetic mechanism, integrity and ability to function as a healthy complex adaptive systems. The prevailing societal paradigm for business practices has yet to realise the reality of our current global unsustainable state – and the shift necessary to move us forward collectively. Startup companies have a unique opportunity to gain and leverage competitiveness and attractiveness for funding and customers through sustainability driven business strategies, models and value propositions. This research analyses literature, document and interview data to explore if and how current practices in the Lean Startup contribute to a sustainable society – and how a Strategic Sustainable Development approach might be introduced to enhance the resilience of Lean Startups. Therefore, our key recommendations for Lean Startups that want to introduce an SSD approach are: to raise awareness about the sustainability challenges and opportunities; utilise backcasting towards a vision framed by the Sustainability Principles; focus on fulfilling fundamental basic Human Needs; utilize strategic prioritization questions when pivoting and combine the FSSD ABCD process with the Lean BML cycle. Ultimately, this thesis proposes the use of Strategic Sustainable Trigger Questions to (re)design sustainable business models and value-propositions. We conclude that “asking the right questions - rather than giving answers up front” might spark conversations and innovations in Lean Startups, beneficial for the sustainability of both the individual startup the larger socio-ecological systems.

Submitted by Niko Stäger (nikostaeger@gmail.com) on 2014-11-07T23:23:04Z No. of bitstreams: 1 NIKO STAEGER - MASTER THESIS.pdf: 1292135 bytes, checksum: f5c9d4d530d8327489b7aec48d3ae60b (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luana Rodrigues (luana.rodrigues@fgv.br) on 2014-11-10T12:14:52Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 NIKO STAEGER - MASTER THESIS.pdf: 1292135 bytes, checksum: f5c9d4d530d8327489b7aec48d3ae60b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-11-10T12:24:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 NIKO STAEGER - MASTER THESIS.pdf: 1292135 bytes, checksum: f5c9d4d530d8327489b7aec48d3ae60b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / O modelo lean startup representa uma forma recente de desenvolver novos produtos e serviço. No entanto, existe pouca informação sobre a implementação em empresas. O autor desta tese aborda esta lacuna na literatura, fornecendo um exemplo prático de uma organização adaptando o modelo lean startup. O estudo de caso único envolve o intermediário de serviços aéreos Pro Sky que tenta desenvolver um novo serviço de concierge em aeroporto. Um entendimento profundo é obtido por meio de entrevistas, participant-observation e a simulação do novo serviço. Em comparação com desenvolvimentos passados de novos serviços na Pro Sky, o modelo lean startup ajuda a acelerar o processo de desenvolvimento, reduzir o desperdício de recursos e reduzir os efeitos negativos dos vieses cognitivos. O modelo reforça o objetivo da Pro Sky se desenvolver numa empresa voltada para o cliente. Obstáculos incluem oferecer aos clientes um produto inacabado e o medo resultante da perda de reputação.

Submitted by Yi Chen (kych80@gmail.com) on 2018-01-16T13:50:19Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Projeto Final Corregido.pdf: 1893994 bytes, checksum: a9c159251cfa7347a1fdf78f9105ad2e (MD5) Projeto Final Corregido.pdf: 1893994 bytes, checksum: a9c159251cfa7347a1fdf78f9105ad2e (MD5) / Rejected by Mayara Costa de Sousa (mayara.sousa@fgv.br), reason: Prezado Yi Chen, Alguns itens deverão ser ajustados no trabalho: 1. O nome Getulio não tem acento 2. O título do trabalho deve ser em caixa alta 3. Não é necessário o SP ao lado de SÃO PAULO, na capa e contracapa 4. As palavras-chave do resumo/abstract devem estar separadas por ponto e vírgula 5. A paginação começa na introdução, porém, todos os elementos pré-textuais devem ser contados. Qualquer dúvida estou à disposição. Mayara 3799/3438 on 2018-01-16T22:46:18Z (GMT) / Submitted by Yi Chen (kych80@gmail.com) on 2018-01-18T01:48:35Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Projeto Final Corregido.pdf: 1894742 bytes, checksum: ec1c9bb08bf7b6c6262752532976e443 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Mayara Costa de Sousa (mayara.sousa@fgv.br) on 2018-01-19T18:13:30Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Projeto Final Corregido.pdf: 1894742 bytes, checksum: ec1c9bb08bf7b6c6262752532976e443 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-01-19T19:34:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Projeto Final Corregido.pdf: 1894742 bytes, checksum: ec1c9bb08bf7b6c6262752532976e443 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-12-15 / Este estudo tem como tema o desenvolvimento e implantação de um modelo de negócios para a introdução de uma nova marca de maquiagem e de um novo produto no mercado de cosméticos brasileiro. O objetivo do estudo é investigar quais são as razões determinantes para a escolha de um modelo de negócios específico para este mercado. O estudo, de natureza qualitativa, utilizou uma abordagem multiteórica, aplicando a teoria de diversos modelos de negócios para desenvolver e implantar o mais adequado para o produto. A entrevista semiestruturada foi utilizada como método de coleta de dados, aplicada a amigos e pessoas que tem grande interesse em produtos inovadores de cosméticos. É esperado que este trabalho contribua academicamente ao gerar um maior conhecimento sobre o tema. Do lado profissional, com a pesquisa, o modelo de negócios estudado poderá ser executado na prática. Além disso, a pesquisa serve como base para ajudar a introduzir um produto inovador em qualquer setor do mercado.

Cílem této diplomové práce je návrh rozvoje obchodních aktivit vybrané společnosti. Práce obsahuje podrobné analýzy vnějšího a vnitřního prostředí společnosti, které jsou následně shrnuty a vyhodnoceny ve SWOT analýze. Na základě výstupů z provedené analýze jsou vypracovány návrhy pro rozvoj obchodních aktivit za použití Lean Startup metodiky. Uskutečnění popsaných návrhů povede ke zvýšení tržeb a konkurenceschopnosti společnosti na trhu.

The thesis deals with the issue of startups and methodologies of their development. Main aim is to explain chosen approaches to development of startup, compare them and then retrospectively use them in an e-shop selling clothes, determine mistakes of past development in relation to the methodologies and evaluate their suitability for specific business of specific product (clothes) distribution in the Czech Republic. Another equally important aim is to assess the effectiveness of acquisition and activation of customers of the e-shop using web analytics tools and evaluate behavior of visitors.

Thesis deals with startup companies and their development methodology. The main aim is to present a model of startup company development. Within the theoretical part successful and unsuccessful businesses are analyzed and selected approaches to the development of startup companies are explained. In practical part, based on the findings a model for startup company development is proposed.

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / In 2018, the Ministry of Health of Peru reported that more than 50% of the Peruvian population suffers from obesity. In total, 40% of the people affected by this disease are in the metropolitan area of Lima. Moreover, a report by the newspaper Gestión states that, on average, each Peruvian citizen consumes 52 kg of ultra-processed food per year. These alarming figures show that a change in the lifestyle of the citizens of Lima is necessary. It is imperative to increase peoples’ awareness of the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle, which in turn means improving eating habits and exercising. Given the increase of people with health problems caused by poor nutrition, the manufacture of health products, such as nut butter, must be natural, without added sugar, hydrogenated oils, added chemicals, or preservatives. Nuts belong to the group of energy foods and eating them provides great health benefits and helps fight obesity. They are a source rich in proteins and healthy fat, provide energy, and contain vitamins and antioxidants, among other benefits. They are also suitable for vegetarians, vegan, celiac, and diabetic people. Therefore, the manufacture and sale of handmade nut butter is a business opportunity in Lima. To prove this, the lean startup methodology was used, and through the development of viable minimum products, the viability of the project was evidenced. The project management bases of the Project Management Institute (PMI) are used as guidelines to develop the project, and digital marketing tools are applied to make the products known to the target market. / Revisión por pares

Managing innovations is a well studied success factor for companies and organizations. This research focuses on the recently established Lean Startup Methodology (LSM) and the obstacles of implementing it in early- and later-stage business-to-business (B2B) Software as as Service (SaaS) startups. The scarcity of academic research around this framework, in contrast to its popularity, motivated the researchers’ aim to provide a better understanding on how it could be adapted to better fit the needs of these companies.Following an interpretivist paradigm, this qualitative research uses a literature review and semi-structured interviews for its purposes. Interviews were conducted with six individuals at four different early- and late-stage startups. The focus was on understanding the realities of working with innovation management and the different approaches at early and later stage startups. Startups face an abundance of ideas regarding what to do next, a hypothesis confirmed with this study. It is the researchers’ belief that the LSM does not provide sufficient tools for organizations to make an idea selection decision without committing too many resources initially. Lastly, the importance of product ownership for an effective innovation management process was validated.In conclusion, we present the need for an updated Lean Startup Methodology with a dedicated selection step to validate an idea early in the process. This contributes to the theory of innovation management and its practical implementation. The identified gap in academic research around frameworks tailored towards these types of organizations provides a good starting point for future research.