CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / De acordo com diferentes pesquisas, o setor de tecnologia da informaÃÃo vem crescendo muito nos Ãltimos anos, com dados cada vez mais significativos no Brasil e no CearÃ. Neste contexto, surgem Ãs startups digitais, consideradas como negÃcios embrionÃrios com caracterÃsticas de inovaÃÃo e agilidade de crescimento. Assim, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo geral analisar as caracterÃsticas dos empreendedores digitais cearenses a partir da atitude, intenÃÃo e do comportamento empreendedor. E como objetivos especÃficos, i) identificar as dimensÃes da atitude dos empreendedores das startups digitais cearenses; ii) identificar as dimensÃes da intenÃÃo empreendedora dos empreendedores das startups digitais cearenses; iii) identificar as dimensÃes do comportamento empreendedor dos empreendedores das startups digitais cearenses. Foi utilizada como referÃncia a Teoria do Comportamento Planejado proposta por Ajzen (2001) e, para estabelecer as dimensÃes de atitude, intenÃÃo e comportamento do empreendedor, foram utilizados os trabalhos de Lopes Jr. e Souza (2005), Carvalho e GonzÃlez (2006) e Brown, Davidsson e Winklund (2001). AlÃm destes, autores relevantes no contexto do empreendedorismo, foram usados tambÃm alguns estudos sobre startups, como Amzecua et al. (2013), Frick (2013), Butler e Anderson (2012), Viana (2012), Frezatti et al. (2010), Van der Merwe e Swardt (2008), entre outros, consolidaram o embasamento teÃrico deste estudo. Quanto à metodologia, a pesquisa apresenta natureza qualitativa; descritiva; documental e de campo por meio do estudo com empreendedores de startups digitais cearenses. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com catorze empreendedores, escolhidos por critÃrios de acessibilidade. A anÃlise dos dados seguiu as etapas da anÃlise de conteÃdo para os dados qualitativos proposta por Roesch (2006). Dentre os resultados constatou-se que os empreendedores de startups digitais cearenses apresentam as dimensÃes de atitude, sobretudo, aquelas ligadas à GestÃo e PersistÃncia. Quanto à intenÃÃo verificou-se que os empreendedores de startups digitais, em sua maioria, tambÃm apresentam as dimensÃes, principalmente as que estÃo relacionadas com antecedentes pessoais e motivaÃÃes empreendedoras. Jà com relaÃÃo ao comportamento empreendedor, percebeu-se que a maior parte dos entrevistados apresentam caracterÃsticas de comportamento em suas startups voltado para o empreendedorismo, nÃo para a parte considerada mais administrativa. Desse modo, conclui-se que os entrevistados apresentam todas as dimensÃes empreendedoras analisadas, ressaltando que eles colocam a atitude e intenÃÃo que tinham em empreender em prÃtica atravÃs da maneira como gerem suas startups. / According to different surveys, the information technology sector has been growing in recent years, with increasingly significant data in Brazil and CearÃ. This raises the digital startups considered embryonic deals with characteristics of innovation and growth speed. Thus, this study has the general objective analyze the characteristics of digital Cearà entrepreneurs from the attitude, intention and entrepreneurial behavior. And as specific objectives i) identify the dimensions of the attitudes of entrepreneurs of Cearà digital startups; ii) identify the dimensions of the entrepreneurial intention of the entrepreneurs of Cearà digital startups; iii) identify the entrepreneurial behavior of the dimensions of the entrepreneurs of Cearà digital startups. It was used as a reference the Theory of Planned Behavior proposed by Ajzen (2001) and to establish the attitude dimensions, intention and entrepreneurial behavior, we used the Lopes Jr. works and Souza (2005), Carvalho and GonzÃlez (2006) and Brown, Davidsson and Winklund (2001). In addition, relevant authors in the context of entrepreneurship, were also used some studies on startups, as Amzecua et al. (2013), Frick (2013), Butler and Anderson (2012), Viana (2012), Frezatti et al. (2010), Van der Merwe and Swardt (2008), among others, consolidated the theoretical basis of this study. As for the methodology, the research presents a qualitative nature; descriptive; documentary and field through the study of entrepreneurs cearenses digital startups. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fourteen entrepreneurs, chosen by accessibility criteria. Data analysis followed the steps of content analysis for qualitative data proposed by Roesch (2006). Among the results it found that the entrepreneurs of Cearà digital startups have the attitude dimensions, especially those related to management and persistence. As for the intention it was found that the entrepreneurs of digital startups, most of them also have the dimensions, especially those related to personal background and entrepreneurial motivations. In relation to entrepreneurial behavior, it was noticed that most of the respondents have behavioral characteristics in their startups focused on entrepreneurship, not for the party deemed to be administrative. Thus, it is concluded that the respondents have all entrepreneurial dimensions analyzed, pointing out that they put the attitude and intention they had to undertake in practice by the way they manage their startups.

Entrepreneurial activity is a vital part of any economy whether developed or developing. In South Africa the primary focus of the government has been on the development of previously disadvantaged communities and designing programs to encourage the participation of women in entrepreneurship. This study sought to profile South African female entrepreneurs as well as investigate their risk taking propensity in relation to other constructs. T-tests as well as ANOVAs were conducted on data obtained from 122 female entrepreneurs across South Africa. The results indicated that the female entrepreneurs in the current study were typically white, English speaking, married with children, were well educated and possessed previous working experience mainly in managerial positions. The results also indicated a significant difference in risk taking propensity according to age with entrepreneurs who are 35 years and younger having a higher risk taking propensity than those who are 36 years and older. However, no significant differences were found in risk taking according to entrepreneurial motivations, gender role orientation, level of education and previous experience. The practical implications of the study are discussed together with the limitations.

Entrepreneurial migration has become increasingly common as a result of globalization and regional economic integration, and the economic contribution of immigrant entrepreneurs is increasingly appreciated. Many of these immigrant entrepreneurs become transnational entrepreneurs (TEs), in that their business activities link the markets of their home countries and their new host countries. Entrepreneurship, International Entrepreneurship and Internationalization Process research has emphasized the role of networks and of social capital for entrepreneurs for addressing the liabilities of foreignness or of outsidership when they address new markets. Research has not, however, addressed the role of networks for TEs, nor the role of networks in their strategies. This thesis asks how participation in Diaspora networks helps transnational entrepreneurs diminish liabilities of newness and foreignness, and how transnational entrepreneurs successfully realize and manage business embeddedness at an interorganizational level. A qualitative study is undertaken with 12 Bulgarian-owned service-consulting companies in London. Data came from semi-structured interviews of the entrepreneurs involved and their employees, which was combined with participant observations and oral life story narratives. Three overall contributions are developed from the findings of the study. First, the study makes a theoretical contribution to the field, by introducing the ‘resource orchestration’ framework in the study of entrepreneurs’ capabilities and resource configurations. Modifying this framework with the inclusion of a time dimension adapts it to the dynamism of process research. This helps the study to show how TEs typically undergo a sequence of processes in which they leverage their Diaspora networks in order to access, acquire, and adapt knowledge and capabilities. It is these processes that allow them to reduce the liabilities of foreignness that they face, and embed themselves in their new local environments. Second, the study illuminates heretofore unexplored processes of TE integration that reduce their liabilities of newness and foreignness and help to align with their new foreign country market environment. This involves preparation, paradigm shift, and initiation stages, each one being facilitated by embeddedness within a Diaspora community. It is through these integration processes that entrepreneurial resource orchestration is achieved, and the synchronization of resource structuring and bundling processes. Third, the findings challenge an assumption often encountered in entrepreneurial and international entrepreneurial network and social capital research that the co-existence of strong ties and bridging ties – referred to by Burt (1992) as an ideal configuration – is exceedingly rare. This study finds evidence of their frequent co-existence in the Diaspora network, and shows this configuration to underpin the operation and growth of the network. It shows how TEs have a particular opportunity to access, orchestrate and employ this valuable form of social capital, and doing this in the ways shown not only enables their own entrepreneurial success, but also their economic contribution to their host communities.

Over the last twenty years, the topic of opportunities has received an increased interest, which is not surprising given that it lies at the heart of entrepreneurship research. The business creation process is basically an opportunity development process, starting from the first glimpse of the entrepreneur’s idea and continuing until the exploitation of the opportunity. Currently, there is minimal amount of research looking at the process of opportunity development as a whole, no research investigating the opportunity as a unit of analysis and looking in-depth into what happens to the opportunity during the gestation period of a business. Opportunities are objective entities that are subjective to the entrepreneur as he or she is the one recognizing opportunities and acting upon pursuing them. In this thesis we combine more theories and separate the opportunity development process into three main stages, which are recognition, objectification and enactment and investigate each of them in-depth. We also look at how shaping or refinement is being done during the development process and how social networks influence this process.

Habilitationsschrift--Geisteswissenschaftliche Sektion--Universität Konstanz, 2005. / Bibliogr. p. 494-543.

Reproduction de : Thèse de doctorat : Sciences de gestion. Entrepreneuriat : Toulon : 2007. / Titre provenant du cadre-titre. Bibliographie p.403-424.

For ethnic entrepreneurs, it is vitally important to be able to move fluidly through boundaries between ethno-racial groups. Social activities on both sides of a boundary increase access to opportunities, needed resources and advantageous contacts in mainstream marketplaces. In Canada, men of European descent disproportionately hold positions of advantage and authority in mainstream marketplaces. Entrepreneurs wishing to do business in these markets must foster ties with well placed European Canadians, yet research shows that ethnic minorities are typically shut out of these important and advantageous networks. Through three publishable papers, this dissertation considers the unique case and place of Indigenous entrepreneurs in Toronto, Canada. They are a population discriminated against for centuries, while at the same time a fundamental part of the creation of Canadian society. This dissertation asks whether and how Indigenous entrepreneurs can move effectively across ethnic boundaries and participate in multiple groups and settings. More specifically, these three papers explore the factors and macro social structures that contribute to the development of diverse networks and cultural capital within Indigenous and Euro-Canadian worlds, and the effects of social and cultural capitals on performance in Toronto's mainstream marketplace. While current theory explores the ability of some individuals to move between groups and across boundaries, research does not exist to test these assertions. This dissertation provides then, an initial case study of boundary spanning behaviour and the first effort at exploring Indigenous entrepreneurs in that role. Findings do indeed show that respondents instrumentally develop and maintain diverse cultural and social capital. Further, some forms of social capital contribute substantially to successful performance in Toronto's mainstream marketplace.

For ethnic entrepreneurs, it is vitally important to be able to move fluidly through boundaries between ethno-racial groups. Social activities on both sides of a boundary increase access to opportunities, needed resources and advantageous contacts in mainstream marketplaces. In Canada, men of European descent disproportionately hold positions of advantage and authority in mainstream marketplaces. Entrepreneurs wishing to do business in these markets must foster ties with well placed European Canadians, yet research shows that ethnic minorities are typically shut out of these important and advantageous networks. Through three publishable papers, this dissertation considers the unique case and place of Indigenous entrepreneurs in Toronto, Canada. They are a population discriminated against for centuries, while at the same time a fundamental part of the creation of Canadian society. This dissertation asks whether and how Indigenous entrepreneurs can move effectively across ethnic boundaries and participate in multiple groups and settings. More specifically, these three papers explore the factors and macro social structures that contribute to the development of diverse networks and cultural capital within Indigenous and Euro-Canadian worlds, and the effects of social and cultural capitals on performance in Toronto's mainstream marketplace. While current theory explores the ability of some individuals to move between groups and across boundaries, research does not exist to test these assertions. This dissertation provides then, an initial case study of boundary spanning behaviour and the first effort at exploring Indigenous entrepreneurs in that role. Findings do indeed show that respondents instrumentally develop and maintain diverse cultural and social capital. Further, some forms of social capital contribute substantially to successful performance in Toronto's mainstream marketplace.

Thèse (Ph. D.)--Université Laval, 2007. / "Cette thèse a été rédigée par insertion de trois articles dont [Egide G. Karuranga] est le premier auteur"--P. ix. Bibliogr. Publié aussi en version électronique dans la Collection Mémoires et thèses électroniques.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.