Purpose This research aims to investigate the role of entrepreneurial skills (ES) and ecosystem (EE) in supporting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to achieve transformational entrepreneurship (TE) in an emerging economy. It is apparent that many SMEs are not entrepreneurial and growth oriented due to various factors even though they contribute to economic development. Thus, if more of them were entrepreneurial and growth orientated, this would be beneficial for developing economies. Design/methodology/approach Using a 3-model hierarchical regression analysis, the study examined 576 valid responses from Nigerian SMEs. Harman's single-factor test was conducted to assess common method bias (CMB), and the results indicated it was not a concern. ES were assessed using six constructs: business ethics, management, strategy, financial management, marketing and opportunity identification. The EE was evaluated based on access to funding, markets and resources, as well as the policy/regulatory environment. Gender and business age were included as control variables. Findings A shortage of essential ES and inadequate EE to effectively support TE outcomes. The study introduces a validated framework demonstrating how ES and EE contribute to TE outcomes. These insights offer policymakers and practitioners a valuable guide, highlighting the critical need to strengthen both ES and EE to support TE outcomes. Originality/value This research advances and empirically tests a theoretical framework demonstrating the correlation between ES and EE in achieving TE outcomes among small businesses. It offers valuable implications for other Global South economies with similar developmental contexts. It helps address the existing gap by proposing a more holistic approach to SME support for achieving TE.

The global rise of digital technologies has ushered in a new era of entrepreneurship, fundamentally reshaping traditional business models and driving economic growth and innovation. Digital entrepreneurship is highly relevant today, as advances in technology and infrastructure provide numerous opportunities for entrepreneurs in the modern digital economy. This study maps and synthesizes the field of digital entrepreneurship using two methods: a bibliometric analysis of research articles to identify key clusters, and an umbrella review of peer-reviewed review papers to integrate prior syntheses. Together, these methods surface 13 core themes covering enablers, challenges, mediators, and outcomes in digital entrepreneurship. Based on these consolidated themes, this study proposes the Digital Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Model (DEEM).

PurposeThis study investigates the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI)-related system characteristics and two interpersonal states commonly associated with effective teamwork, namely employee well-being and mutual trust. While generative AI has shown potential to improve organizational performance, its specific effects on internal team-based working relationships remain underexplored.Design/methodology/approachA theoretical model is developed to explore the influence of three antecedent variables, quality of information, system quality and generative AI use, on collaboration within teams. Collaboration is operationalized using two key constructs: employee well-being and mutual trust. The model is empirically tested using data from a large-scale survey of 208 professionals working in team-based environments. Data analysis is conducted using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsThe results confirm that all three antecedent variables positively influence team-based collaboration dynamics. Specifically, the use of generative AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT, is shown to enhance employee well-being and foster mutual trust within teams, both of which act as interpersonal enablers of team collaboration. These outcomes suggest that the integration of high-quality AI tools can meaningfully support collaborative processes in professional settings.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the emerging field of generative AI research by shifting the focus from performance outcomes to collaboration mechanisms within teams. It offers practical implications for managers seeking to optimize teamwork in AI-enabled environments, including investing in system quality, redesigning workflows to integrate AI effectively and promoting a culture of trust and transparency around AI adoption.

This study examines the role of business incubators in supporting start-ups in emerging markets, where resource limitations require entrepreneurs to either rely on entrepreneurial bricolage or invest in developing dynamic capabilities in their early stages. Although prior research has explored incubators, less attention has been given to how they help start-ups move beyond static short-term bricolage toward building long-term dynamic capabilities under resource-constrained conditions. Using data from 403 start-ups, the study tests the moderating effect of incubator support on the relationship between bricolage, dynamic capabilities, and venture performance. The findings suggest that incubators significantly strengthen the positive impact of dynamic capabilities on start-up performance compared to that of bricolage. In emerging markets, incubators thus enable start-ups to cultivate adaptive, growth-oriented capabilities rather than relying solely on static bricolage practices. The study offers implications for policymakers, founders, and incubator managers seeking to promote sustainable start-up development and scaling.

PurposeThis study examines how low-technology entrepreneurial ventures internationalise within buyer-driven global value chains characterised by governance asymmetry. It develops a governance-conditioned explanation of how dynamic capabilities are enacted in resource-constrained contexts.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a qualitative multiple-case design based on twelve exporting entrepreneurial ventures (SMEs) located in India's Moradabad handicraft cluster. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, site observations, and documentary analysis and analysed using an abductive, process-oriented approach.FindingsThe findings show that sensing, seizing and transforming are enacted through externally structured scaffolding rather than purely internal orchestration. Lead buyers, buying agencies, trade fairs, and compliance regimes filter market signals, codify standards and condition adaptive routines. Externally scaffolded capability enactment produces divergent trajectories: under diversified governance configurations, it enhances adaptive capacity and export continuity; under concentrated buyer power and exclusivity, it reinforces relational dependence and capability lock-in. Importantly, capability development may occur without a corresponding increase in strategic autonomy, revealing a governance-conditioned form of adaptation in which learning and dependence co-exist.Originality/valueThe study introduces the concept of externally scaffolded dynamic capabilities and integrates dynamic capabilities theory with global value chain governance. It advances a governance-conditioned account of entrepreneurial venture internationalisation in low-technology, buyer-driven contexts and challenges firm-centric interpretations of capability development.

Despite considerable scholarly attention to entrepreneurship and poverty, research linking women's entrepreneurship and poverty in slum neighborhoods has been slow to progress. Drawing on an entrepreneurship-poverty nexus and regression results on 12,519 observations, we theorize women's everyday entrepreneurship in Kenya's slum neighborhoods. Our analysis offers theoretical insights into the complexities of necessity-driven everyday entrepreneurship in which women are dominant. We distinguish women's entrepreneurial activities that are embedded in slum systems of everyday entrepreneurship and focused exclusively on a tapestry of essential goods and services, including labor, fuel, energy (for example, charcoal), water, food, and farming. This understanding translates women's entrepreneurial engagements into quantifiable socio-economic outcomes suitable for slum-like conditions where government resources are considered too few to support basic needs. This has academic, social, and policy implications.

The performance of container ports is increasingly being hampered by port congestion, strict adherence to environmental regulatory frameworks, and inefficiency of border control agencies. Anecdotal evidence indicates that advanced analytics and digitalizing container ports holds much promise to mitigate these challenges. At the same time, a lack of empirical evidence about the effects of big data analytics capability (BDAC) is limiting understanding of how port managers can leverage this novel capability. This study draws on the resource-based view and stakeholder theory to develop and test a model that describes the resources to implement BDAC and subsequently improve four dimensions of port performance (i.e., service quality, operational efficiency, sustainability, and financial performance). We test our research hypotheses using survey data from 175 responses gathered from international container ports that have applied big data analytics. The results support our hypotheses and advance understanding by indicating that BDAC can improve these dimensions of port performance. Specifically, financial performance gains the greatest improvements, whereas operational efficiency gains the least improvements. We provide a comprehensive port assessment framework with four principles and 11 associated key performance indicators. This study illuminates the critical role of tangible, intangible, and human resources in establishing BDAC at the port community level. It also enhances knowledge for port authorities, terminal operators, and other public or private stakeholders of container ports.

Recent studies focus on machine learning (ML) algorithms for predicting employee churn (ECn) to save probable economic loss, technology leakage, and customer and knowledge transference. However, can human resource professionals rely on algorithms for prediction? Can they decide when the process of prediction is not known? Due to the lack of interpretability, ML models' exclusive nature and growing intricacy make it challenging for field experts to comprehend these multifaceted black boxes. To address the concern of interpretability, trust and transparency of black-box predictions, this study explores the application of explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) in identifying the factors that escalate the ECn, analysing the negative impact on productivity, employee morale and financial stability. We propose a predictive model that compares the best two top-performing algorithms based on the performance metrics. Thereafter, we suggest applying an explainable artificial intelligence based on Shapley values, i.e., the Shapley Additive exPlanations approach (SHAP), to identify and compare the feature importance of top-performing algorithms logistic regression and random forest analysis on our dataset. The interpretability of the predictive outcome unboxes the predictions, enhancing trust and facilitating retention strategies.

Research identifies digitalisation as the 'holy grail' of entrepreneurship. But the interplay of digital self-efficacy, technostress, and entrepreneurial behaviour in a non-Western setup is unsubstantiated. Using a digital technology-technostress-entrepreneurial intention interface, we examine multiple relationships influencing early-stage South African entrepreneurs. Regression results derived from 643 of these entrepreneurs confirm that digital self-efficacy impacts the link between perceived behavioural control and technostress. Entrepreneurial passion and the benefits of digital technology amplify this effect. Similarly, digital self-efficacy affects perceived behavioural control and technostress. However, the link between technostress and entrepreneurial passion is weak. Test results on the impact of technostress on entrepreneurial intention are inconclusive. Thus, the originality of these observations lies in revealing how ambivalence towards technology differentially influences the various relationships of digital self-efficacy, technostress, and entrepreneurial behavior in a non-Western context. This ambivalent effect at the intersection of digital technology, technostress, and entrepreneurial intention has socio-economic and policy implications.

PurposeThis study analyzes technostress in African entrepreneurship. It advances contextualized theoretical explanations of technostress depicting its impact on entrepreneurs who excessively consume digital technology in Africa. The study also describes how research linking transactional benefits to digital technology has created an imbalanced literature that ignores technostress and well-being in African entrepreneurship.Design/methodology/approachConsidering the study’s theoretical explanations derived at the technostress–entrepreneurship–well-being nexus, structural equation modeling (SEM) was deemed appropriate. Unlike qualitative–based methods, SEM experiments on 643 observations of early–stage African entrepreneurs in South Africa enabled robust statistical interpretations of their social settings. Thus, strengthening our analysis and focus on the interplay between the variables of technostress, including overload, invasion, complexity and uncertainty, and their impact on entrepreneurship intentions defined through perceived behavior control, entrepreneurship passion and digital self-efficacy.FindingsSEM experiments on these African entrepreneurs revealed technostress dimensions of overload, invasion, complexity and uncertainty as moderators of their entrepreneurial actions encompassing perceived behaviour control and entrepreneurship passion in connection with their entrepreneurial intentions. The results also suggested that perceived behaviour control, entrepreneurship passion, and the digital self-efficacy of these entrepreneurs influenced their entrepreneurial intentions.Research limitations/implicationsBesides inspiring more studies on technostress and well-being in varied entrepreneurial contexts, this research also initiates debate on policy and social reforms geared toward entrepreneurs considered vulnerable to excessive digital technology consumption.Originality/valueThe novelty of this study lies in its theoretical explanations derived at the technostress–entrepreneurship–well-being nexus. This conceptual overlay elevates the interpretations of the findings of this study beyond the averages in entrepreneurship and information technology (IT) research. Specifically, it increases their inferential value by revealing subtle and hard to dictate social interactions inherent in how African entrepreneurs consume and are impacted by technology as they pursue their entrepreneurial endeavors.

Our chapter focuses on the disconnect between economic and cultural policies and the needs of individual firms and creative industry professionals, all of which affect creative and cultural industry (CCI) entrepreneurship in the 21st century. After a review of selected policy trends and the overlooked role of creative industries in developing more sustainable liveable communities worldwide, we discuss recommendations by chapter authors in volumes 18A and 18B for useful policy actions, not only in and for their respective countries of study but also for other geographical contexts. Our particular focus is on how the CCIs have contributed to developing sustainable societies and meeting many targets of the Sustainable Development Goals. Thereafter, we provide an overview of the fifteen chapters distributed over five sections: 'unusual and temporary places for CCI entrepreneurship', 'economic perspectives on CCI entrepreneurship', 'organising clustering of CCI entrepreneurs', 'cognitive aspects of doing CCI entrepreneurship', and 'social spaces and placemaking for CCI entrepreneurs'. Topics discussed include CCI entrepreneurship in rural areas (heritage entrepreneuring, book festivals), social work spaces, creativity and neuroentrepreneurship, strategic networking management for creatives, tensions from economic and artistic logics, collaboration challenges, street art and arts festivals. Countries considered include Estonia, Nigeria, Norway, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe. We conclude the chapter with a selection of policy implications of chapters in both volumes 18A and 18B, and a research programme and manifesto for researchers to develop novel insights for policymakers, aimed at strengthening the important role of the CCIs in creating more liveable sustainable communities and economies.

Previously, it was recognized that Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs') entrepreneurial competencies (EC) play a critical role in supporting MSMEs' systemic development. However, there is minimal literature regarding how MSMEs' characteristics impact ECs in sustaining their systemic development towards producing transformational entrepreneurship (TE). This study addresses this gap and provides an increased understanding of the phenomenon. In this correlational, quantitative study, the MSMEs characteristics and ECs were tested with data collected from 576 MSMEs using SPSS. The study found a positive correlation between the MSMEs' characteristics and ECs. The study identified Nigerian MSMEs' deficit of essential ECs (business ethics, business management, business strategy, financial management, marketing management, and opportunity identification). The study discussed how TE outcomes in Nigeria would assist theory and practice by focusing on ECs development. In addition, it offers potential benefits for developing economies with similar economic conditions. Future research opportunities are also identified.

Ethical issues in family businesses become increasingly relevant for businesses, societies and, consequently, organization scholars which manifests in a growing number of publications in the field over the years. Considerable knowledge generated in the area needs to be systematically structured and synthesized. This study reviewed 162 articles published over the last three decades (1989–2023) to map the intellectual and conceptual structure, and future research opportunities in the family business ethics field. Co-citation analysis highlighted four main groups of scholars influencing the field. The bibliographic coupling distinguished five thematic clusters: succession, religion and goodwill, entrepreneurship and innovation, ethical dilemmas, and values and ethical behavior. Sentiment analysis revealed that scholars explored more positive than negative terms associated with family business ethics. Finally, co-occurrence network analysis suggested the emerging keywords and potential research questions, organized into five research themes, for further development of the family business ethics field.

There is currently renewed policy focus on ‘levelling-up’ economic performance across Great Britain’s regions and nations. Heterogeneous historical regional economic experiences lead to questions over the need for policy differences and trade-offs, and roles of regional, versus national level, policies in the longer term. This paper examines, using panel fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), combinations of education and human capital, entrepreneurship, and economic activity conditions driving economic development differences across local authorities in Great Britain. Analysis identifies three and six condition-based pathways for the presence and absence of high local economic development (LED), respectively, absence pathways having a particular geographical focus. This identifies different sets of regions, where disadvantage is ‘deep-rooted’ (and non-traditional policymaking is needed), advantage is long-established, or where policy is most likely to make a positive difference. It also identifies a need to tailor policy according to the pathway(s), rather than assuming homogeneous approaches are appropriate. Finally, exemplar regions offer case studies of how future policy can assist movement from absence to presence of high LED.

Research identifies universal entrepreneurship peculiarities, but how legacy communal family systems impact migrant entrepreneurs has remained esoteric. Accordingly, we introduce an overlapping entrepreneurial action-migrant entrepreneurship theoretical interface to examine 1,284 European and sub-Saharan African entrepreneurs. Compared with a European entrepreneur's nuclear family mindset, regression results reveal that a legacy communal family mindset of belonging and obligation to serve society influences a sub-Saharan African migrant entrepreneur's behaviour, values, and entrepreneurship practice in a European setup. In this context, a legacy communal family system attributable to a migrant entrepreneur's country of -origin underlies their entrepreneurial cognitive processes. This understanding contributes theoretical perspectives to account for how a sub-Saharan African migrant entrepreneur's ingrained legacy communal family mindset does not decay irrespective of their circumstances. It also contributes knowledge, clarifying the prolonged impact of traditional socio-business philosophies in migrant entrepreneurship with academic, business, policy, and social implications.

Slums are singled out as ‘outposts’ of inescapable clutches of poverty. This widely held assumption overlooks everyday entrepreneurship in slum–based networks of donated community asset vouchers (CAVs). Utilising the closeness centrality literature, we examine 185,227 transactions involving 4972 slum entrepreneurs across 60 Kenyan shanty towns. Leveraging the panoramic view afforded by their closeness centrality position in their networks, they establish a slum system of economic and social interactions based on timed CAV circulations. This contributes to research by extending the concept of networks to incorporate closeness centrality in unusual slum–based CAV networks with economic, policy, and social implications for over a billion people the UN–Habitat categorises as inhabitants of slums or shanty towns scattered across many parts of the developing world.

What channels entrepreneurial effort towards activities that generate broad social and economic value, rather than towards rent-seeking or destructive pursuits, remains a critical question for developing nations. This study investigates whether and how religious beliefs steer entrepreneurs towards productive outcomes. Employing Upper Echelons Theory as a lens, we argue that religious beliefs shape productive entrepreneurship through the mediating mechanism of personal social responsibility (PSR), and that this process is influenced by the entrepreneur's entry mode (necessity versus opportunity). Data from 390 entrepreneurs in Iran, analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), reveal that religious beliefs do bolster productive entrepreneurship. However, this relationship is fully mediated by PSR, i.e. religious faith increases productive entrepreneurship primarily by fostering a sense of social and ethical duty. Furthermore, while necessity-driven entry typically weakens PSR, strong religious commitment effectively neutralizes this negative effect. These findings highlight the role of internal value systems as a foundation for ethical venturing, offering valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking to foster productive entrepreneurship and advance social welfare.