Arturo E. Osorio

An Entrepreneurial Context for the Theory of the Firm: Exploring Assumptions and Consequences

While entrepreneurship may be driven by personal interests and lifestyle choices, entrepreneurial actions are not only economically driven opportunity-searching processes but also enactments of social transformation that may or may not lead to socioeconomic benefits. We advance that exploring these entrepreneurial processes can inform a theory of the firm that may explain how socioeconomic processes shape the socioeconomic environment of communities while serving individuals. This article discusses several understandings of the firm, as theorized in extant literature. Guided by these different conceptualizations, we present a case study of an artist and artisan cluster in Western Massachusetts to demonstrate various understandings of entrepreneurial processes. By way of conclusion, we develop the idea of the firm as a geographically embedded relational understanding aiding entrepreneurs to achieve personal goals while coconstructing their local environment.

The Urban Quality of Life and Entrepreneurship: Past, Present, and Future

Urban spaces are known for their local quality of life, often fostering higher rates of entrepreneurship and innovation. In 2017 more than half of the world population is already considered urban; by 2050 this number is expected to surpass 70%. To face this accelerated growth, current research needs to better understand urban ecosystems to preserve and promote the urban quality of life that fosters local entrepreneurship and innovation. To aid this research goal Pennings original work on urban quality of life and entrepreneurship is revisited and discussed. This review includes five sections: (1) a historically framed theoretical context, (2) a summary of the original paper, (3) an analysis of the original contributions, (4) a suggested future research agenda, and (5) a brief conclusion.

In-Store Cold Chain Failures: Food Safety Considerations

In-store temperature controlled distribution channels (i.e., in-store cold chains) are a retailing critical factor to ensure the safety of food products. Our study seeks to understand the role that access to standardized knowledge, in-store cold chain practices, and the interaction of those two have on the integrity of in-store cold chains. We develop a model to assess the impact of knowledge in preventing in-store cold chain disruptions, introduce the concept of latent failure (i.e., a nonidentified failure that allows for the unexpected deterioration of products ahead of their expiration date), and use a knowledge-based perspective to conceptualize how disruptions in the cold chain affect the safety and quality of food sold at retailers. We analyze a primary dataset generated over two years of field observations in four socioeconomically distinct urban neighborhoods using a partial least squares path model. Implications are discussed.

Classics in Entrepreneurship Research: Enduring Insights, Future Promises

Academic inquiry into entrepreneurial phenomena has had a rich history over several decades and continues to evolve. This editorial draws attention to the classics: seminal articles that make profound contributions to the development of an academic field in entrepreneurship studies. We focus on the formative years of entrepreneurship research, specifically the 1970s and 1980s, to identify classics using a key informant approach that surveys members of the journal editorial board. Each nominated classic is introduced and discussed by an editorial board member, with particular focus on research opportunities that may be pursued going forward. Analyzing classics allows for the recognition of substantive advances in entrepreneurship research and provides an opportunity to delve into the academic progress achieved in understanding entrepreneurial phenomena.

Culture as the Context of Environmental Uncertainty, Structural Decentralization, and Strategic Significance of Information: A Three Country Comparison

With the rapid rate of globalization, the volume and complexity of the information that managers use has increased exponentially. However, there is little research to understand the characteristics of information considered important by managers. This study empirically investigated the impact of culture, environmental uncertainty and decentralization on the usefulness of information in three countries. We found that the contextual variables had an impact on the perception of information usefulness. Future studies should consider the preexisting epistemological differences among different countries. Expected national cultural differences were not significant. The tentative results support global management systems to deal with contemporary global business issues.