Cowboys Criminals
Cowboys, criminals and visionaries: from 'can ' to 'should ' in entrepreneurship
Colin G. Benjamin
Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship and
Neil E. Béchervaise
The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand
Abstract
From pirates and warlords to accountants and corporate raiders, successful business practice has always incorporated a degree of volatility Business leaders have too frequently neglected social responsibility in their pursuit of expanded reach, market advantage and, ultimately, increased profit. Differences between commercial, moral and social entrepreneurs point to the need for a more integrated theory of entrepreneurship.
This paper argues that successful entrepreneurial activity is based in sound moral principles; that exploitation, corruption and criminality may masquerade as business in the short term but are unsustainable in the longer term …show more content…
The second stream of research has focused on the entrepreneurs themselves. Research in this stream examines entrepreneurship from a psychological and sociological perspective (e.g., Collins & Moore, 1964; McClelland, 1961).
Opportunity is defined as "any activity requiring the investment of scarce resources in hopes of a future return" (Sahlman, 1996, p. 140). Change is motivated by the vision of the future that is better for the decision maker, and by the credibility of the path presented to that desired future state, but there is no necessary requirement for benefits to come to both the individual and society as a whole.
One of the historic difficulties in the study of entrepreneurship is that the multiple constituencies who must work together to create change do not necessarily share the definition of opportunity. Often change affects power relationships, economic interests, personal networks, and even
Colin G. Benjamin
Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship and
Neil E. Béchervaise
The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand
Abstract
From pirates and warlords to accountants and corporate raiders, successful business practice has always incorporated a degree of volatility Business leaders have too frequently neglected social responsibility in their pursuit of expanded reach, market advantage and, ultimately, increased profit. Differences between commercial, moral and social entrepreneurs point to the need for a more integrated theory of entrepreneurship.
This paper argues that successful entrepreneurial activity is based in sound moral principles; that exploitation, corruption and criminality may masquerade as business in the short term but are unsustainable in the longer term …show more content…
The second stream of research has focused on the entrepreneurs themselves. Research in this stream examines entrepreneurship from a psychological and sociological perspective (e.g., Collins & Moore, 1964; McClelland, 1961).
Opportunity is defined as "any activity requiring the investment of scarce resources in hopes of a future return" (Sahlman, 1996, p. 140). Change is motivated by the vision of the future that is better for the decision maker, and by the credibility of the path presented to that desired future state, but there is no necessary requirement for benefits to come to both the individual and society as a whole.
One of the historic difficulties in the study of entrepreneurship is that the multiple constituencies who must work together to create change do not necessarily share the definition of opportunity. Often change affects power relationships, economic interests, personal networks, and even