Not an entrepreneur, but a researcher of entrepreneurship!

[thebrodi]

Hello,

I'm not an entrepreneur, but i conduct research on entrepreneurship.
I however do work as a freelancer (code, IT project management, etc.) but in my full time I'm a researcher. I studied computer science/information systems and work now at a public university in germany.
My name is Dominik.
I usually do research about IT-supported creativity, gamification, design thinking and entrepreneurship. Always looking at the use of IT and information systems. I teach e-business and e-services on a post-graduate level. Additionally i mentor(ed) a few start-ups (IT related startups)

At the moment, me and a colleague conducting a study with which we want to find out, how entrepreneurs are supported by other entrepreneurs in online communities (such like this forum).
I know, surveys are annoying, but we are a public university conducting non-funded research. We cannot buy big amounts of data or e-mails. We require participants for our research and publish our work that might help entrepreneurs on a long term.

I would love to share the survey with you, but I don't want to get banned or flamed for just searching participants. Please let me know (maybe even DM me) if you would participate. It only takes around 5 minutes to fill out the survey. If i can post the survey, me and my research colleague would be more than happy.

Dominik

 

Don't like ads? Remove them while supporting the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Greg R]

I'm not an entrepreneur, but i conduct research on entrepreneurship.

Out of curiosity, what is the point of researching entrepreneurship if your not going to use it? Couldn't you put your time and energy into something more useful to you?

You could also assume that the answer to your question will be the same across any niche where there is an online community. We are all here to help and support each other, share stories, and interact with like-minded people. That should sum up everything you need to know.

What is the purpose of this study and how will this information be used?

 

[WJK]

Hello,

I'm not an entrepreneur, but i conduct research on entrepreneurship.

I would love to share the survey with you, but I don't want to get banned or flamed for just searching participants. Please let me know (maybe even DM me) if you would participate. It only takes around 5 minutes to fill out the survey. If i can post the survey, me and my research colleague would be more than happy.

Dominik

Is this for for you doctorate studies? It sounds like some of the background research work that goes into writing you thesis.

 

[thebrodi]

Well i don't do research about entrepreneurship in general. I do research about how information systems can (actively) support creativity of teams/groups and individuals. Among others, I do this in the context of entrepreneurship. In this study however, i try to find out if online communities help entrepreneurs (which mechanisms of social behaviour are applied). Cannot be to specific but i included the link in the first post. Here is the survey as well:
Global Enterpeneurship (please remove if not appropriate)

Out of curiosity, what is the point of researching entrepreneurship if your not going to use it? Couldn't you put your time and energy into something more useful to you?

It's not about using it! I research it and might publish it, so it can help the science community and the entrepreneurship community. I'm a researcher/scientist because of belief and because i love what i do. That's why it is something completely useful to me
Yes, it is part of my doctoral thesis.
Everyone can leave their email, if interested in the research results!

 

Don't like ads? Remove them while supporting the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[I Am I Said]

Out of curiosity, what is the point of researching entrepreneurship if your not going to use it?

I was about to ignore this thread in disgust when your question made me think.

In a way, the OP is an entrepreneur whether he realizes it or not.

He is doing research that will help other people - in this case 'other people' happens to be entrepreneurs. He is helping people, which will eventually lead to his discovering of opportunities of some sort.

It's a bit of a stretch but in some ways he's doing what we're all often reminded to do, so I'll take a look at his survey.

And probably then ignore the thread...

 

[I Am I Said]

OK, some comments on the first part:

• I don't think your "startup stages" apply in the real world, except for startups that are basically business plans that try to acquire venture capital before starting up, and then aim for an IPO. While those types of startups may attract media attention, that's not what you find in here;
• Your categories for startups don't include anything to do with business, although a lot of products and services target business as it's own category;
• Likewise, your categories for what people do all day (I can't recall the actual term you use) doesn't include regular full-time employment (unless you count "engaged in start-up part-time")! A lot of entrepreneurs are building something on the side, not trying to find a VC to take control of their lives.

And on the second part:

• I mean this constructively, but the level of English used in this survey is terrible. I understand the need to ask a question multiple ways in order to allow for differences in psychological profiles, but the garbled translation means your data may be skewed or even irrelevant.
• Again, the list of industries has some holes. No manufacturing? No Automotive / transportation?

Finally, I am glad when researchers do research and increase knowledge, but I think the survey's authors need to spend a bit more time in business, at work, or with entrepreneurs for this research to be valuable.

Good luck!

 

[Deleted50669]

I was about to ignore this thread in disgust

Uh, that comment reeks of arrogance. If you have nothing constructive to say, stifle your ego.

 

Don't like ads? Remove them while supporting the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[BD64]

Took your survey, good luck with it. If this thread is still alive and kicking when its done I'd love to hear you relay the results here so that everyone can see them and chime in.

 

[thebrodi]

@SteveF
Thank you and yes, you are probably right. Somehow I am an entrepreneur. As a researcher you don't have such a financial thinking (face it, you're not getting rich as a scientist) but i create new things and find evidence for certain phenomena.
Please tell me which stages are missing or how they should be designed? They are based on certain "Entrepreneurship literature". Same for the categories, which we used from existing, established survey.
The english might be odd, but the majority of the items (questions) are based on validated questionnaires (underwent certain statistical calculations to represent what is wanted). Again, i would love to hear your feedback on specific formulations.

And yes, you are probably right by telling me that you learn the most, when you work in a startup or talk to people who are actively working/worked in a startup. This qualitative research we do as well (interviews, case studies). But in some cases quantitative research is needed as well.

Finally: A big thanks to everyone who participated. The survey is still on, so I'm happy for every other participants.

 

[I Am I Said]

Uh, that comment reeks of arrogance. If you have nothing constructive to say, stifle your ego.

Uh, that comment was at least partly tongue-in-cheek, but the rest of my post was intended to be constructive. However, at first I thought the OP was just an academic pursuing his own ends and looking for a free ride, and if that had been the case I don't think disgust would have been out of place.

But then @Greg Rutkowski made me think, and I realized that in some ways, a researcher is a kind of entrepreneur, and I thought I'd pursue that line of thinking, hopefully to our mutual benefit.

However, I'm sure I appreciate your constructive input on my post (ouch, there goes my cheek again!)

 

Don't like ads? Remove them while supporting the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Deleted50669]

Uh, that comment was at least partly tongue-in-cheek, but the rest of my post was intended to be constructive. However, at first I thought the OP was just an academic pursuing his own ends and looking for a free ride, and if that had been the case I don't think disgust would have been out of place.

But then @Greg Rutkowski made me think, and I realized that in some ways, a researcher is a kind of entrepreneur, and I thought I'd pursue that line of thinking, hopefully to our mutual benefit.

However, I'm sure I appreciate your constructive input on my post (ouch, there goes my cheek again!)

You’d have no reason to craft a defense unless I struck a nerve

 

[I Am I Said]

@SteveF
They are based on certain "Entrepreneurship literature". Same for the categories, which we used from existing, established survey.

You actually started an interesting thread. l don't have any specific details about the English. I use a plethora of personality tests at work so I do understand the concept of using similar and statistically verified questions that ask the same thing from different angles. Language can reveal a lot about someone's motivation profile, for example. I'm just saying that these questions seemed like standard personality-profile questions that had been fed through google translate. Do you have contacts in similar academic fields who could polish them? I guess once you've collected X% of your sample you can't make a change.

On the Entrepreneurship stages, I think what caught my eye was the terminology. Is my venture at the pre-seed stage? The seed stage? That kind of thing. I hear that language a lot from acquaintances who get into venture capital, mergers, and acquisitions; but I think in this forum - and in the ideas presented in The Millionnaire Fastlane book, on which this forum is based, most people take a different approach. From what I've seen in here - and among those entrepreneurs I have known - the real winners are those who have built something small themselves and scaled it while maintaining ownership and control as much as possible.

Of course, that's just my perception and I'm new here. However, it is my perception, and I have worked in enough businesses to recognize a few patterns over the past 20-25 years. I will build what I can and scale it myself. I could see myself using a line of credit to finance large COGS or CAPEX costs, but I don't see myself pursuing investors in the sense of other shareholders.

Anyhow, best of luck with your doctorate!

 

[thebrodi]

Thank you SteveF
The constructs are actually from a validated survey, published in a highly ranked (englisch) journal. We adapted them slighty, which might have caused the errors.

I can totally understand you, that the entrepreneurship stages might not fit. They are not so much in our focus, but we tried to at least give as many stages as possible. Thank you for your valuable view on the stages. Its something we have to mention.

We still haven't reached our goal, so whoever can participate is highly welcome
Thanks

 

Don't like ads? Remove them while supporting the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.