A. K. Dwivedi

• PhD (Industrial Finance)
• Professor at Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India

Today, the frequency of research endeavors and their dissemination platforms viz. journals, periodicals, magazines, forums, round tables, conferences in the areas of entrepreneurship and small business management have increased significantly. Institutions, both academic and research, are very enthusiastically aiming and organizing such events where the research findings (both empirical and review) are being shared by researchers, academicians and professionals.

Research in entrepreneurship domain mostly revolves around entrepreneurship development process (ideation to scale-up); environmental and external determinant of entrepreneurship including studies on inclusivity in the context of Gender, Disadvantage group etc. The psychological, cognitive and individual characteristics have been studied as well to understand more about entrepreneurs, their mindset and profiles. Of late, it is observed that entrepreneurship research dimensions have increased from a few areas to many sectors and societal groups. The role of Government, both the future policies and reviews of existing policies and programmes on entrepreneurship, has also been debated in the research endeavours. In fact, scholars have explored the nuances of Public Policies including impact assessments of various initiatives aiming for livelihood and self-employment.

Studies on corporate venturing has grown into studying corporate entrepreneurship in the emergence of technology business incubator which is the key supportive factor to new-Gen innovative tech-ventures. Though researchers have included many of the societal issues in their entrepreneurship literature, but still I feel that there is a need to go beyond studying ‘formal entrepreneurship’ to informal entrepreneurship ‘or ‘inclusive entrepreneurship’ or ‘grassroots entrepreneurship’. The bottom of the pyramid in our society mostly depended upon some livelihood activities (self-employment, Tiny/Nano enterprises) and their approach is extremely different than formal enterprises, where the growth, expansion, vision, strategy etc. maters too much.

The researchers who are studying entrepreneurship using social theories must make an attempt to differentiate ‘How entrepreneurship, management, psychology, sociology and economics theories behave when these are used in Grassroots Entrepreneurship context?’ There is also need to study some issues for instance, Social Network Structures of Grassroots Entrepreneurs; Fear of Failure among entrepreneurs at the grassroots level; Stigmatization of Failed Grassroots Entrepreneurs; Mindset of Grassroots entrepreneurs etc.

The government of every country and state bring policies and schemes for the welfare of society and the nation. These governments implement policies and schemes through their departments and sometimes they assess them with either own departments OR external agencies.  This assessment process has nothing to do with:

‘What new theories are evolving while implementing the scheme or policy?

What are the initial flaw in terms of conceptualization of the policy or scheme? ‘ etc…

In the entire process from policy or scheme conceptualization to implementation, the concerned government department or agency does not see a possibility of theorizing a phenomenon or identifying a theoretical relationship with field-level data. And they assume, ‘it is not their job’.

So whose job is this? Is this a researcher’s job who is either in a doctoral course or post-doctoral assignment, a faculty who is studying public policies/schemes or a consultancy firm who reads/analyzes the data and based on the analysis floats some project?

As a teacher, I see students struggling while exploring their research areas – either for their doctoral dissertation, post-doctoral research or a research paper. They explore with zeal and confidence by reviewing the existing literature – mostly referring research articles published in top-tier journals, but these researchers have no interest in studying the Public Policies or schemes with a view to understanding theoretical grounding of policy or schemes.

Why they do not see this as an opportunity for research? I think these researchers assume that ‘understanding a policy or schemes in not academic job’.  If this is that assumption, I do not agree with that.

In fact, data on these policies and schemes are available to any researcher who wants to study. Most importantly – concerned government department or agency will be happy in supporting them since these arms of government would learn significant findings of the policy they implemented and would know what kinds of policies and schemes be required in the country.

In a true sense, this kind of attempt by a researcher would help the government and country in a bigger way.

The academic research programs across the globe are focusing on research publications in top-tier journals-, especially doctoral programs. Every student who joins research program wishes to get through ‘A*’ or at least ‘A’ grade publication to secure the post-doctorate job in good institutions. However, the data on the number of top graded publications is not so satisfying. Also, the correlation between “yearly student enrollments” and “top rated journal publications by research students” are not justified. Why?

The governments of countries and states have been increasing the allocated budget on ‘Student Research’ year on year; still, the country like India faces difficulty in getting through top-rated research publications. Why?

I was listening to one scholar – who has published many seminal research works and continues to contribute good quality publications – says, “it is not the focus on publication that helps you to publish top-rated journal articles, but, it is all about your reading and grasping the power of learning from reading the scholarly and path-breaking works”.

He further says that ‘the Doctoral program students should be guided and enabled to understand ‘what is a good piece for reading’ and ‘what is not’. In libraries, you find every kind of books, magazines, journals and research articles, but what to read is all about your understanding and discretion about your subject’.

After listening to him I can say that good and impactful reading enables the student to conceptualize a good ‘research question’ and an ‘answer of good research questions’ in terms of scholarly contribution (viz. articles, book and research paper) can be easily published in top-rated publication.

I am trying to understand how to conduct “Systematic Literature Review(SLR)” for Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Research.

This method of doing Literature Review seems more scientific and suitable to synthesise a Research theme like Entrepreneurial Ecosystems.

Do we have some book/chapter that describe SLR in detail including various steps and process flows?

Fellow Programme in Management at EDII Ahmedabad was introduced to create scholars and thought leaders who can produce insightful research in enterprise creation and promote entrepreneurship widely. The Institute is happy to invite applications for its fifth batch of the doctoral level programme for the years 2018-22. The programme is designed to address the gaps in the availability of trained educators, researchers, business consultants and resource persons in entrepreneurship at higher learning institutions/professional organisations/ Government departments/industry in India. The cadre of academicians thus created will raise the standard of education and research, thereby ensuring wider acceptance of entrepreneurship as a career option in the society.

FPM programme focuses on:

1. Foundation of theoretical, empirical and applied aspects in major areas of Entrepreneurship.

2. Professional ethics and intellectual honesty.

3. Interdisciplinary research and training of high quality.

4. Proficient activities and joint academic efforts.

5. Networking with leading entrepreneurship and research institutions globally.

Scholars who are forced by their inquisitiveness and research process – attempt newer fields to study and to make academic disciplines. These new disciplines are being developed and studied further in many ways and in many campuses of higher learning institution.

Exploring a worthy research question to answer always takes time and efforts, whether it is social science, pure science, medical, humanities, management or technology. Being an academic, I interact very frequently with researchers and doctoral scholars to know their research activities, findings and many times one typical question that encounters us during the interaction is, ‘How to explore research question?’

Over the years and by participating in many such discussions – I am trying today to develop a tentative idea which could be answer of the above mentioned question, needless to mention this is my experiential finding.

One of the ways to explore the research question is – identifying the problem that exists in society/Industry etc. (viz. Why women in rural areas do not go for higher education? Why small enterprises do not maintain activity based costing method etc.). These existing problems could be explored through experiences or observational studies and converted in an academic research question.  Moreover, when you identify the problem from the field and attempt to answer it – you need the theoretical framework and existing finding from literature to validate your findings, add something new to existing findings and/or create a new set of knowledge that was never explored in the literature.

Another way to explore the research problem is – through revisiting existing scholarly contributions. On and off researchers encounter many new ideas/research questions while conducting research. Since, they endeavor to answer one specific question, it is difficult for them to pursue each and every idea they would see while research process and thus they document them in their publications under future research directions/future scope of research. So, for a beginner, who is attempting a research, it is sensible if he could glance through recent scholarly works and to explore the research question of his interest and caliber.

Research question could also be explored through various discourses among the close group of researchers, who are exploring a very specific field. In this case of exploration of research question it is expected that discourse is being pursued in a systematic manner (viz. colloquium, roundtable discussion etc.), though this is not very popular way of exploring research question.

Putting together all three ways mentioned above are aimed to explore a research question which is relevant to the context and create some knowledge. In sum, I should say that, ‘Quality of Research Questions – those are being answered through systematic research process – lead academic excellence in the discipline’.

The corporate training is a methodical tool to develop corporate executives and today every corporate/MNC uses this as HR Developmental tool. Another thought says that the Corporate training is used as skill-building exercise that aim to inculcate many useful traits - among corporate officials that are worthwhile for business development in both short and long term.

As an entrepreneurship learner, a question that always comes in my mind that, "is a training programme that aims to develop and prepare executives in achieving the vision set by the owner/promoter/founder be termed as 'Executive's Mind-Cloning'?

Today, every promoter wants his/her officials becoming as entrepreneurial as he/she is. Since promoters are entrepreneurs and their one of the roles is to maximize shareholders' wealth. These founders attempt every possibility to increase the bottom-line - which is the most significant number for any business that exists.

How much minimum the bottom-line should grow has been debated a lot in the media, academia or other platforms? But, hardly there is any debate available on 'how much maximum the bottom-line should grow? There is no bar. The limitless desire of 'maximum at the max' bottom-line has created a different marketplace globally today. Promoters are not sure, how much bottom-line they would need to sustain for "n" number of years at the marketplace - and dilemma leads them for 'Executive's Mind-Cloning'.

One of the objectives of 'Executives' Mind-Cloning' programme is to tune these executives' mind as per the plans set (target for the bottom-line) by the promoter. These executives are trained in these programmes in such a way that, 'they should not act or think independently'. However, the other truth is, these executives are the creators of wealth in society. Their 'dependency' (on a business and promoter) makes sense in the business world. This ‘dependency’ guides the marketplace in a different manner - though this raises many questions in long run.

Which method is suitable when you are a beginner in research programme? Often researchers get confused with the appropriateness of methodology and its clarity in a research. They explore literature, contact experienced researchers and faculty to know ‘how to decide Qualitative or Quantitative method’?

I discussed this context (of deciding the methodology) with my colleague and he explained the process ‘how to decide a methodology that is appropriate for a study’. He stressed a lot to go by “Philosophy of Research” and motivated me to refer this in detail while deciding research plan for any research question.

He was focusing on – without having a perspective of “Research Philosophy” it is difficult to understand the methodology. He says, “Its not about Qualitative, Quantitative or Mixed – it is much based on your assumptions and research phenomenon that you are trying to study” .

Entrepreneurship has attained the centre of the stage of Higher Education today. Almost every business school has one or two courses on Entrepreneurship development, however results in terms of new enterprises creation by students those who attend Entrepreneurship courses are not as per expectations. Why? Is there some lapse in teaching or course management pedagogy? Is pedagogy more important than lecture contents in an Entrepreneurship course?

There are several ways to maintain 'Inclusivity' in the society because, exclusivity will lead to exclusion of good or bad; though it attain something unique.

The question comes that "should entrepreneurship research aim to create exclusive knowledge on entrepreneurship or there should be focus on "Inclusivity" ?

How you could contribute to the existing literature by your efforts – is the research. In recent years there has been significant increase in the number of research programs globally with very scientific curriculum and program design.

I observed many focused doctoral/postdoctoral researchers, where they put their every positive and systematic efforts in terms of ‘finding a research outcome’ that contribute some or the other way to the existing knowledge; but a very few succeed in terms of some kinds of contributions. Though these doctoral/postdoctoral researchers follow every rule of research given by many books by many revered authors. These doctoral/postdoctoral researchers survey literature with theoretical lenses, test questionnaires, stratify samples, collect data, analyse with very advanced tools, interpret it; and come up with research dissertation. Still, very low or no contribution to existing knowledge OR birth of new field.

Among many cases that I observed, they perform research in a fragmented  manner. They, i.  survey literature to get some gap which can be studied; ii. move on exploring methodologies and get confused with ‘what to do or not to do’  and ‘which methodology to adopt – which not to consider’ (many a times whether qualitative approach or quantitative or mix) iii. develop data collection plan with some tested questionnaire/tools, in some defined territory; iv. use the data and its analyses to test hypotheses they set initially; and v. start writing dissertation.

Often there are lapses at many OR every steps they undertake, mostly in social science research.

I think researchers forget that they are either trying; 1. to raise question(s) on existing literature and suggesting some alternative that is suitable to grow the academic field further; OR 2. to add something new which would flourish the field in future.

I think the ‘review of existing literature’ does not get much focus in rest of the processes during the research, except first section; and the whole study fragments in two parts i. the research gap (from existing literature in a form of section), and ii. the report/dissertation (with altogether new data, findings and very little linking with research gap).

I don’t know ‘whether this process will lead to some contribution in the existing literature’ and ‘how much time should be devoted on literature survey?’

However, one thing is for sure that ‘surveying literature could show many paths to a researcher from where he could get/sense research idea, suitable methodologies and selection of tools.

Doctoral degree is one among the most time taking academic programs. Every year hundreds of aspirants join to pursue this program with zeal and rigor, across many prestigious to newly born higher learning institutions. I see almost every week several advertisements for Doctoral Level Courses, where institutions guarantee the award of  degree/diploma in a given time frame – and the guarantee motivate aspirants to take-up the doctoral degree program, though it is not the case of state or central universities.

I personally observed that aspirants who join  doctoral programs with lots of zeal and hope, and to contribute something in a field,  end up with redefining both these words differently when they reach in the middle of their doctoral level program  – especially during their dissertation writing phase. And finally they finish the dissertation with a sophisticated literature review section, a hi-fi method/tool section,  significantly long but well equipped with table and graph focused result and  discussion section  and  general finding and conclusion section.

Why this happen ? I too don’t know much, though I did my doctoral program and experienced facts mentioned above.

In my more than a decade of experience in academic world,  I found scholars struggling tremendously when they try to select a tool or method – which is suitable to the dissertation. Many a times I found they forget the mandate of the course – exploring method or tool OR something else.

The question that remain there always that,  what should be prime in a doctoral level research program; the method/tool or the research question?

Hundreds of Government affiliated TBIs are registered and operational in academic campuses/R&D institutions, but there are hardly good no. of emerging Start-ups. In fact, TBIs face problem in getting good idea.

So questions come... what factors start-up entrepreneur explore before joining a TBI? Is that the campus? The Incubator CEO/Manager? The Mentor network of TBI? The existing Start-up at TBI ... OR something else?

As I know, the prime objective of TBI is to sensitize individuals to take-up entrepreneurial career, groom them, help them in testing business ideas and support them with every means viz. mentoring, financing etc.

I visited many incubators and experienced that the Head of TBI (CEO/Manager) does not have even clarity of ''how to help individuals who can then take-up entrepreneurial career''. In fact in many cases, the Head of TBI himself is not entrepreneurial and he/she only good in following the norms and guidelines set by the TBI board. Hence, the questions again comes...

Can a non-entrepreneurial individual guide/mentor individuals as the Head of TBI?

‘National Enterprise Development Programme’ is the need of the hour toady. National Enterprise Development Programme may be aimed to provide stage-wise developmental interventions including training with respect to Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) development in India.

With higher education in private hands, full time academic programmes are getting costlier than ever before. Therefore compared to joining a full time educational programme students can join a distance and online programme in a university/institution at a much cheaper rate. Thanks to technological development, quality education is now not only accessible for students right at home but is welcomed with open hands.