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Design science in the entrepreneurship field holds the promise of developing relevant knowledge with scientific rigor. Yet despite the promise of this approach, the entrepreneurship field still lacks guidance on how to plan, conduct, and assess design science work. In order to develop theoretically grounded principles, we first make our perspective...
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... Whereas design theory and its anatomy are well-known in the latter field (Gregor, 2006;Gregor & Hevner, 2013), it is a novel form of theory in the entrepreneurship and innovation discourse, also in terms of how scholars have conceived of design science thus far (e.g. Berglund, 2021;Dimov et al., 2023;Romme & Reymen, 2018;Seckler et al., 2021). In this respect, prior applications of design science by entrepreneurship and innovation scholars focused on creating practical artifacts (Baldassarre et al., 2020;Hyytinen et al., 2023;Romme & Holmström, 2023), at best informed by design principles that detail the underlying theoretical mechanisms (Eckerle & Terzidis, 2024;Pascal et al., 2013;Petzolt & Seckler, 2025;Sagath et al., 2019). ...
Innovation ecosystems have become pivotal phenomena in a world of increasing specialization and complexity, in which single ventures cannot develop and commercialize technology-driven value propositions alone. In this setting, various firms and other actors need to work together in creating and building an innovation ecosystem around a shared value proposition. The Ecosystem Pie Model (EPM), published in Long Range Planning in 2020, is the first comprehensive tool for mapping and assessing the risk profile of a prospective innovation ecosystem. We describe, and reflect on, how the so-called design theory underlying the EPM was developed. This design theory includes its key constructs, design principles, visual instantiation, detailed application guidelines, and assessment of how mutable its applications are. The initial design theory was used to develop more than 240 ecosystem constellations to assess its applicability and mutability. We also outline various applications of EPM design theory by others. Overall, this paper contributes to the entrepreneurship and innovation literature by developing a complete design theory, one that covers the entire spectrum from theoretical underpinnings to detailed application guidelines and an initial body of applications.
... To investigate a co-opetition platform fostering hyperautomation in SMEs, we adopt a DSR approach [ 19] and design artifacts as well as develop innovative solutions to relevant problems [ 39]. Effective contributions to theory and practice require novel artifact design and demonstrable impact [ 39], which is well-suited to the entrepreneurial context [ 32]. Following the iterative five-step DSR procedure by Kuechler & Vaishnavi [ 19] (Fig. 1), we define the problem space by elaborating design requirements (DR) and the solution space by examining design features (DF), with design principles (DP) that bridge these artifacts [ 13]. ...
... However, the application of DSR methodology is not limited to these fields. It can be applied in many disciplines to solve real-world problems, for instance, in operations management [2] or in the field of entrepreneurship [24]. ...
... As main contribution, the outlined strategies intend to provide tools to address practical challenges, foster innovation and design impactful solutions. These goals align with entrepreneurship and DSR: emphasizing actionable frameworks and artifacts that bridge theory and practice to solve complex, real-world problems [17][18]. ...
... Building on these insights, we define distinct creativity strategies, characterized by a common core mechanism [19], the degree of structuredness, established creativity methods, connected to creativity theory [8,20] as well as an evaluation of strengths and weaknesses [21,22]. We demonstrate the applicability of these strategies across the DSR phases [18] using an entrepreneurship-focused example. ...
... However, we argue, these strategies can be applied across the entire DSR spectrum. Following Seckler et al. [18], DSR comprises three main phases: analysis, design, and evaluation The analytical phase addresses problem identification, while the design phase refines new artifacts or solutions using existing scientific knowledge and theoretical principles [18]. ...
Design Science Research (DSR) holds substantial promise for entrepreneurship
by aiming to advance knowledge through innovative problem-solving approaches
grounded in methodologically rigorous frameworks. While substantial progress
has been made in advancing analytical and evaluative methods in DSR, there
remains a lack of structured guidance on how to systematically integrate creativity
into the design science process. This gap is particularly critical for entrepreneurship,
where innovation and adaptability are essential for solving challenges unique to specific
contexts. This study proposes a typology of creativity strategies, outlining six
distinct approaches to creativity. We draw on the componential theory of creativity to
ground these strategies in a theoretical framework. We demonstrate the applicability
of the strategies across the main activities of DSR providing guidance for deploying
creativity methods in DSR. This study contributes by advancing the methodical repertoire
of creativity methods in entrepreneurship.
... High-growth enterprises contribute disproportionately to employment and economic growth, serve as positive signals to stakeholders, and capitalize on economies of scale and first-mover advantages [1]. However, this focus often leads entrepreneurs to prioritise growth at all costs, neglecting profitability, quality, and reputational concerns, a phenomenon termed Blitzscaling [2]. Entrepreneurial overconfidence plays a significant role, manifesting in behaviours like the "entrepreneurial hustle" [3]. ...
... Sales growth becomes a key metric, incentivizing entrepreneurs to adopt strategies that align with investor expectations, often at the expense of sustainable business practices [8]. This dynamic perpetuates the "growth dogma," even when evidence shows that profit-first strategies better align with stakeholder goals and long-term success [1,2,8,9]. Large-scale studies reveal that growth-first approaches are less likely to achieve both profit and growth and more likely to result in underperforming ventures [1,9]. Additionally, overconfidence, while increasing venture creation, also elevates failure rates [5]. ...
... Design Science Research (DSR) is a world-to-theory approach that seeks to act in the world to fulfil our intention by creating new solutions to old problems, old solutions extended to solve new problems, exaptation, or generating new solutions to new problems [1]. Put differently, it must allow the creation of a means-ends relationship between what is needed and what can be done through the design and evaluation of knowledge [2]. In the case of this research, the central issue is the incongruency between entrepreneurs' SFO (tendency toward growth strategy instead of profit strategy) and their long-term goals of generating value. ...
Traditionally, the success metric for entrepreneurs and their ventures has centred around sales growth, operating on the assumption that it directly correlates with value creation for stakeholders. This emphasis on growth has been hailed as the linchpin for economic expansion by policymakers, generating financial returns for investors, fostering sustainable employment opportunities, nurturing enduring business relations between providers and clients, and ultimately enhancing the livelihoods of founders. However, emerging insights suggest that a profit-centric strategy might be more adept at achieving these objectives despite the persistent advocacy for growth-centric approaches within entrepreneurial ecosystems. This burgeoning paradox between entrepreneurial theory and practice necessitates a shift in perspective among practitioners, who often lean towards growth-centric financial orientations, which may not always align with their overarching goals. This research endeavours to address this dissonance by exploring avenues for reforming entrepreneurial finance education to reshape entrepreneurs' perceptions of their strategic financial orientations. Drawing upon a systematic literature review this study seeks to illuminate the hurdles encountered in entrepreneurial finance and delineate the foundational principles for crafting financial instruments that cater to the unique needs of entrepreneurs. This research initiative will delve into the alignment between entrepreneurs' financial orientations and their overarching objectives by elucidating the myriad factors that influence these strategies from both internal (entrepreneurial persona, startup characteristics) and external (regional context, investor dynamics, educational resources) perspectives. By offering a comprehensive examination of the compatibility between entrepreneurial finance training and entrepreneurs' aspirations, this project aims to generate actionable insights that bridge the gap between theoretical constructs and real-world applications while challenging the dominance of growth-centric paradigms in entrepreneurial education.
... Methodologically, scholars can build on general design science (Bunge, 1966;Niiniluoto, 1993;Simon, 1996) to turn descriptive insights into methodological guidelines and design theories of more immediate value to entrepreneurship scholars. These prescriptive theories should then be evaluated in terms of their practical utility (Dimov, 2016;Romme & Reymen, 2018;Seckler et al., 2021). ...
To enhance managerial relevance, entrepreneurship theory should be anchored in frameworks that are both practically useful and conceptually coherent. This essay develops a triadic design perspective on entrepreneurship that incorporates artifacts alongside individuals and environmental circumstances. Building on concepts of epistemic objects (Knorr Cetina), reflective design practice (Schön), and world disclosing (Spinosa et al.), opportunities are conceptualized as actively framed situations, within which ventures are designed, through the use of more or less concrete entrepreneurial artifacts. This resulting account of entrepreneurship as an artifact-centered and potentially transformative process of design will hopefully offer a robust foundation for advancing entrepreneurship research and practice.
... Arguably, this approach is entirely consistent with an entrepreneurial mindset' (Seckler et al., 2021, p. 8). (Berglund et al., 2020;De Massis et al., 2021;Ding, 2021;Seckler et al., 2021;Stevenson et al., 2024) be used as a research method to study entrepreneurship (e.g., Gilsing et al., 2010;Muñoz & Cohen, 2018; A.G.L. Romme & Holmström, 2023), we codified the subtheme design science as a method for entrepreneurship research. Together with two other subthemes-design as a mode of entrepreneurship research and prospective enquiry as entrepreneurship research-we labelled this interpretation entrepreneurship research as design research. ...
... In this sense, entrepreneurship involves the materialisation of decision-making through design artefacts (e.g., business model canvas) (De Massis et al., 2021). This view emphasises the designer's ability to continuously iterate between different knowledge domains (e.g., explanatory knowledge gained through explaining and describing phe-nomena, the entrepreneur-designer's existing background knowledge) (Seckler et al., 2021). Table 2 presents illustrative excerpts from the articles viewing entrepreneurship as design-that is, interpreting design as an ontology of entrepreneurship. ...
Design has become a prominent concept in entrepreneurship research and practice. However, previous literature has offered multiple, often divergent interpretations of the role of design in entrepreneurship. For example, studies have highlighted the benefits of adopting design thinking practices in entrepreneurial endeavours, using design science as a research method for studying entrepreneurship, and treating entrepreneurial opportunities as design artefacts that entrepreneurs can shape. Although this multitude of perspectives reflects the conceptual richness of design, it simultaneously complicates the accumulation of scholarly understanding. To address this issue, we have conducted a systematic literature review, uncovering the philosophical assumptions underpinning different interpretations of design in entrepreneurship: (i) design as ontology (entrepreneurship as design), (ii) design as epistemology (entrepreneurship research as design research), (iii) design as phenomenology (entrepreneurship as a means to design), (iv) design as logic (entrepreneurship by design), and (v) design as methodology (entrepreneurship through design). Further, we have identified five modes of inquiry that can guide future studies of design in entrepreneurship. The resulting interpretive framework contributes to entrepreneurship theory and practice by providing a foundation for more conscious and systematic research on design in entrepreneurship.
... This paper makes two key contributions. First, we introduce the first situated artifacta field-tested tool for identifying promotor rolesadding a prescriptive element to the primarily descriptive promotor model literature (Gemünden et al., 2007;Petzolt and Hölzle, 2025;Reibenspiess et al., 2018;Seckler et al., 2021). Thus, we extend the promotor model literature by guiding promotor roles' systematic identification (Gemünden et al., 2007;Petzolt and Hölzle, 2025;Reibenspiess et al., 2018). ...
... Thus, we extend the promotor model literature by guiding promotor roles' systematic identification (Gemünden et al., 2007;Petzolt and Hölzle, 2025;Reibenspiess et al., 2018). Second, we derive three more general design principles (Seckler et al., 2021;van Aken, 2004), complementing, changing, and challenging promotor models' core elements: barriers, role allocation, and collaboration. These principles introduce a fifth promotor role, shifting the focus from overcoming barriers to assessing change perception and promoting a division of labor among promotor roles, while at the same time integrating formal and informal roles across the organization. ...
... The DSR approach is particularly suitable for our project, as the aim is to develop knowledge about new and innovative solutions to real-world problems (Tuunanen et al., 2024). Furthermore, DSR is widely used in the learning context (e.g., Weber et al., 2023), supporting negotiations or negotiation skills (e.g., Zahn & Dickhaut, 2024;Zahn & Schöbel, 2024), and is also becoming more popular in entrepreneurship research (e.g., Seckler et al., 2021). ...
... Previous research highlighted that entrepreneurship necessitates a balance between theory and practice (Wiklund et al., 2019). With an emphasis on combining theoretical rigor and practical relevance, design science is proposed as an approach applicable to entrepreneurship (Seckler et al., 2021). Since the existing literature does not provide enough design knowledge to develop a CA to foster entrepreneurs' negotiation skills for VC term sheet negotiations, we follow a DSR approach. ...
Venture capital term sheet negotiations play a critical role in the success of entrepreneurial ventures, underscoring the importance of entrepreneurs' negotiation skills in this context. While conversational agents hold significant potential for training these skills, the academic literature and practical applications lack a comprehensive approach to principles and evidence for a conversational agent tailored for this purpose. To address these gaps, the paper used a design science research approach to develop and evaluate a conversational agent that assists entrepreneurs in improving their negotiation skills for venture capital term sheet negotiations. The evaluation results support the overall appropriateness of the proposed prototype and its design principles from an entrepreneurial perspective, providing a valuable contribution to both entrepreneurial education research and technology-mediated negotiation training.
... Hence, policymakers might instead focus on the ability to use fear as a motivator (through entrepreneurship programs, for example) rather than aim at reducing fear of failure as a part of a country's culture (e.g., Amankwah-Amoah & Wang, 2019). Here, we see an opportunity for design science researchers to develop practical artefacts that can help practitioners and policymakers leverage the knowledge gained from our study (Dimov et al., 2023;Seckler et al., 2021). ...
... The prevalence of collective fear of failure can vary widely across countries (Beynon et al., 2018;Bustamante et al., 2021;Kelley et al., 2015;Noguera et al., 2013). These variations can be explained by the fact that fear of failure is considered socially situated and contextually constructed (Cacciotti et al., 2016(Cacciotti et al., , 2020Jafari-Sadeghi, 2020), such that the role business failure plays in a society is "rooted in cultural norms, social hierarchies, and ideologies" (Simmons et al., 2019: 519), as well as influenced by business failure institutions (Kücher & Feldbauer-Durstmüller, 2019;Lee et al., 2022). ...
... While we offer important practical implications-such as the idea that entrepreneurship educators and policymakers should encourage entrepreneurs to embrace and leverage the fear of failure as part of the entrepreneurial journey, rather than attempting to eliminate it, given its potential motivational effects in the later stages-we cannot offer specific recommendations on what these measures might look like nor how they should be implemented. Future research, using methods such as experiments or design science approaches, should build on our study to develop potential support mechanisms and explore how our theoretical insights can be translated into helpful practical applications (e.g., Dimov et al., 2023;Seckler et al., 2021). ...
Scholars studying entrepreneurship are increasingly interested in understanding the impact of informal factors, such as national culture or norms, on entrepreneurial behavior. One concept that is receiving particular attention is fear of failure. While the prevailing assumption here is that it functions as a hindrance, recent studies are beginning to challenge this view. Adopting a perspective on fear of failure as a country’s cultural characteristic, we examine its differential effects on the emergence of entrepreneurship at the country level across three stages of the entrepreneurial process: the pre-launch, launch and post-launch stage. Across a set of 89 countries, we find empirical evidence showing that the effects of collective fear of failure unfold differently at subsequent stages of entrepreneurship. While collective fear of failure is negatively related to the emergence of entrepreneurial intentions and opportunity-seeking behavior, it is positively related to entrepreneurial activity in later stages that aims to achieve growth and innovation. Our research contributes to the field of entrepreneurship by reconciling previously conflicting findings on the role of fear of failure in entrepreneurship and extends the ongoing discussion of entrepreneurship as a process.
