Entrepreneurship in challenging institutional environments

Current knowledge of entrepreneurship is rich in terms of the entrepreneur as an individual and the regulatory aspects of the environment. However, we know little about how culture shapes entrepreneurship. This longitudinal project investigates the entrepreneurial behaviour in institutionally challenging environments. The research draws upon institutional and sensemaking theories and adopts a multi-level approach, addressing the role of cultural norms at the levels of the individual, higher education institutions, and society. In so doing, the project analyses challenges and enhances the current theoretical and practical knowledge of how entrepreneurship is shaped by, but also how it can shape institutions over time and how it affects the formation of capitalism.