Purpose The conventional perception of entrepreneurial venturing is often associated with the energy and dynamism of young people. Nevertheless, the phenomenon of senior entrepreneurship is gaining academic attention as seniors embark on entrepreneurial endeavors, defying stereotypes by demonstrating their capacity to address challenges associated with age. This paper aims to identify, assess and synthesize research findings to elucidate the determinants of opportunity recognition in senior entrepreneurship and delineate their interrelationships. Design/methodology/approach Senior entrepreneurship dynamics are examined through a systematic literature review (SLR) that leverages bibliometric methods, analyzing 108 articles from a pool of 4,135 initially identified in Scopus and Web of Science. This SLR uncovers the distinct factors that influence opportunity recognition among senior entrepreneurs within the context of the expanding silver economy. Findings Academic literature suggests that older entrepreneurs, aged 50 and above, utilize resources differently than their younger counterparts. This study presents a novel conceptual framework for analyzing senior entrepreneurship and opportunity recognition, examining the internal and external determinants that influence silver entrepreneurs’ participation in new venture creation. Moreover, it reveals a shift in research patterns in the senior entrepreneurship literature, offering a deeper understanding of the conceptual framework of the field. Originality/value This study advances senior entrepreneurship literature by innovatively modeling age-related factors affecting opportunity recognition into five key dimensions. It integrates the theory of planned behavior and network theory to offer a comprehensive understanding of senior entrepreneurship and its contributions to economic and social well-being. It challenges ageist assumptions and encourages further exploration of entrepreneurial dynamics.
PurposeThis study examines the effect of entrepreneurship on carbon emissions and the moderating role of financial institutions (FI). While prior studies have examined various determinants of carbon emissions, the interaction between entrepreneurship and FI across quantiles of the emissions distribution remains underexplored.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from 1995 to 2022, this study employed the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR) analysis approach to examine the linkage between entrepreneurship, FI and carbon emissions across quantiles.FindingsThe findings reveal that entrepreneurship has a positive impact on carbon emissions across quantiles, while FI show a significant adverse effect. The interaction between FI and entrepreneurship reveals a stronger positive effect from lower to higher quantiles, indicating that FI intensify the emission-inducing effects of entrepreneurial activities, with the effect being more pronounced at upper emission levels.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that policymakers should focus on strengthening FI' capacity to guide entrepreneurial ventures toward sustainable practices through targeted green financing mechanisms and environmental risk assessment frameworks.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the literature by examining the interactive effects of entrepreneurship and FI on carbon emissions across different emission quantiles. The study addresses a significant gap in understanding how FI moderate the environmental impact of entrepreneurial activities at varying emission levels.
PurposeThis paper investigates the intricate dynamics of market information use (MIU) in small firms. First, the influence of market orientation (MO) on MIU is examined. Then, the mediating roles of instrumental and symbolic uses of market information and the moderating role of firm ownership are scrutinized to connect small firms' MO to small firm market performance (SFMP).Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm, follows a community-engaged action research approach and draws on primary and secondary data from a population of 150 small food and drink producers, of which 79 were usable, in the UK.FindingsThis research dissects the contrasting impacts of instrumental and symbolic uses of market information on SFMP. Importantly, this study reveals that only instrumental MIU mediates the positive linkage between MO and SFMP, and that link is strengthened when firms are family-owned.Originality/valueThis study contributes to a deeper understanding of the internal factors influencing market information dynamics in small firms and their subsequent impact on SFMP. It also extends theoretical understanding of how small firms' unique resources, i.e. MIU, conditioned by ownership structure, drive performance in resource-constrained contexts.
PurposeThis study examines the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance on private equity financing in European Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). It specifically explores the impact of aggregated ESG scores and individual environmental, social and governance dimensions on private equity investment decisions.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis employs fixed-effects panel regressions using a dataset of European SMEs from 2015 to 2023. The study assesses the relationships between private equity involvement, ESG scores and individual ESG sub-components while controlling for firm-specific financial attributes and macroeconomic factors.FindingsResults indicate that SMEs with higher aggregated ESG scores attract significantly greater private equity investment. Specifically, environmental and governance sub-components have a positive and significant impact on investment decisions, signaling investor preferences for ecological risk management, regulatory compliance and corporate transparency. Conversely, the social dimension lacks a significant effect, highlighting less emphasis on social sustainability factors by private equity investors. Additionally, macroeconomic conditions, liquidity and sales growth have a positive influence on private equity financing, whereas country-level emissions have a negative impact on investment flows.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings indicate the importance of embedding comprehensive ESG frameworks into SME financing strategies. Future research should investigate sector-specific differences and the impact of regulatory changes on investor behavior toward ESG criteria.Practical implicationsThe study offers practical insights for entrepreneurs and policymakers, suggesting an enhanced emphasis on environmental and governance practices to attract private equity. Policymakers are recommended to incentivize ESG adoption among SMEs through targeted financial incentives, regulatory simplification and supportive sustainability-focused policies.Originality/valueThis research addresses a significant gap in entrepreneurial finance literature by empirically linking distinct ESG dimensions to private equity financing within European SMEs. The findings highlight the strategic benefits for SMEs that adopt robust ESG practices in attracting external finance and achieving long-term resilience.
PurposeSolo entrepreneurs interact with external stakeholders such as clients, financiers, government agencies and unions, yet how they perceive the fairness of these interactions is not fully understood. This study examines fairness perceptions among solo entrepreneurs towards governmental agencies, financiers, clients and unions and their associations for well-being (career satisfaction, self-rated health) and self-rated job performance.Design/methodology/approachA survey study with solo entrepreneurs in Sweden at T1 (N = 485) and a follow-up six months later (N = 192) was conducted. Latent profile analyses were utilized and differences between profiles of fairness perceptions were tested.FindingsFour distinct fairness profiles were identified: "Unfair", "Fair", "Financiers and Government Fair", and "Average Fair". These profiles differed significantly in career satisfaction, self-rated health and job performance at both timepoints. Some differences between profiles in demographic and business characteristics were found. Findings highlight the particular importance of fairness perceptions in relation to government agencies and financial entities for solo entrepreneurs' well-being and performance.Originality/valueThis study underscores the role of perceived fairness in fostering a healthy and productive entrepreneurial environment, offering insights for stakeholders aiming to promote sustainable entrepreneurship.
