International business scholars are increasingly calling for more awareness of the local context in which international entrepreneurs pursue business opportunities. In this paper, we respond to this call, arguing that an entrepreneur’s business network engenders self-sustaining dynamics that bear upon the entrepreneurial opportunity itself. We conclude that the dynamics that we observe can be interpreted as ‘multidimensional embeddedness’. Through a qualitative inquiry, we study how a Korean entrepreneur seeking to establish an agri-business venture in Cambodia embeds himself in the local business environment as a means to create an opportunity structure. We analyze how the international business venture initially thrived but ultimately failed, attributing these outcomes to the entrepreneur’s multidimensional embeddedness in the wider business environment. In so doing, we contribute a critical perspective to entrepreneurship research, widening the prevailing individualistic focus on entrepreneurship by engaging with the societal context within which an opportunity structure develops. We also extend international business studies by explaining how the opportunity structure underlying international ventures impacts upon opportunity pursuit, beyond the entrepreneur’s control.
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PurposeAll entrepreneurs interact simultaneously with multiple entrepreneurial contexts throughout their entrepreneurial journey. This conceptual paper has two central aims: (1) it synthesises the current literature on gender and entrepreneurship, and (2) it increases our understanding of how gender norms, contextual embeddedness and (in)equality mechanisms interact within contexts. Illustrative contexts that are discussed include entrepreneurship education, business networks and finance.Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper draws upon extant literature to develop its proposed conceptual framework. It provides suggestions for systemic policy interventions as well as pointing to promising paths for future research.FindingsA literature-generated conceptual framework is developed to explain and address the systemic barriers faced by opportunity-driven women as they engage in entrepreneurial contexts. This conceptual framework visualises the interplay between gender norms, contextual embeddedness and inequality mechanisms to explain systemic disparities. An extra dimension is integrated in the framework to account for the power of agency within women and with others, whereby agency, either individually or collectively, may disrupt and subvert the current interplay with inequality mechanisms.Originality/valueThis work advances understanding of the underrepresentation of women entrepreneurs. The paper offers a conceptual framework that provides policymakers with a useful tool to understand how to intervene and increase contextual embeddedness for all entrepreneurs. Additionally, this paper suggests moving beyond “fixing” women entrepreneurs and points towards disrupting systemic disparities to accomplish this contextual embeddedness for all entrepreneurs. By doing so, this research adds to academic knowledge on the construction and reconstruction of gender in the field of entrepreneurship.
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Societal aspects play an important role in successful implementation of renewable energytechnologies such as hydrogen. In Work package 10 (WP10) within the Hydelta 2.0 research program,we investigated the societal challenges and lessons learned for deploying hydrogentransport/distribution and application within the built environment in the Netherlands. Furthermore,we studied how these societal challenges can be successfully embedded within an implementationstrategy. In this deliverable (D10.3), the conducted field research of four cases, each in a differentphase of implementation (Rozenburg, Lochem, Wagenborgen, Stad aan ’t Haringvliet), is described.The central themes that we covered in this research are public support, (risk) communication, safetyand the experience of safety, and perceived success of the project. For each case, we interviewedlocal stakeholders (24 interviews in total) and residents, including people living nearby the hydrogenpilot (17 interviews, 68 questionnaires and approximately 90 conversations). The results show mostlypositive indications for public support (although this is not yet known for Stad aan ‘t Haringvliet). Inall cases, the importance of communication between stakeholders and between stakeholders andpotentially participating residents is acknowledged, even though there seems to be a lack ofcommunication with residents living in the vicinity of hydrogen pilots. This is a missed opportunityand a potential risk, as these residents may have questions and doubts, for instance about theprogress and decisions that have been made in the project. Positive attitudes concerning the safetyare partly attributed to the trust people have in the involved stakeholders. It also seems importantthat there is a contact person whom people can reach in case of questions or concerns. Additionally,in some of the cases a demonstration house, where people can experience what it means when ahouse is heated with hydrogen, seems successful. Thus, the findings emphasize the importance ofbroad and frequent communication, not only with the directly involved residents, but also withpeople who live in the vicinity of a hydrogen pilot. Communication is not only important in theplanning and implementation phase of the project, but also at the end of the implementation phase.Finally, shared ownership of the project and inclusion of all stakeholders in all phases of the projectseems important to prevent delays in the project.
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