Title: Ontologies and epistemologies in 'knowing' the nexus in entrepreneurship: burning rice hay and tracking elephants

Authors: Yolanda Sarason; Michael Conger

Addresses: College of Business, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO 80523-1275, USA ' Farmer School of Business, Miami University, USA

Abstract: The distinctive domain of entrepreneurship has been defined as the nexus of the entrepreneur and opportunities. We argue that this definition, as well as dominant research in entrepreneurship, is rooted in a Western perspective situated in market-based economies. In order to further the understanding of the dominant assumptions of the nature of the nexus (ontology) and our understanding of the nexus (epistemology), we interpret and reinterpret a case of an entrepreneurial venture in Vietnam. We propose that a multi-paradigm analysis in entrepreneurship will yield insights that are applicable to a more global perspective of entrepreneurship.

Keywords: international entrepreneurship; entrepreneur opportunity nexus; philosophy of science; ontology; epistemology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2018.093602

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2018 Vol.34 No.4, pp.460 - 479

Received: 04 Nov 2016
Accepted: 19 Jun 2017
Published online: 30 Jul 2018 *

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