Doing Your Entrepreneurship Research

So, you have an idea for a business.  As an entrepreneur, you take your idea and do the research necessary to develop it into a business.

But did you ever wonder who is doing the research that affects policy and resources available to entrepreneurs?

There are government, education, and non-profit foundations that study entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial practices, otherwise known as entrepreneurship research.  There are a number of research groups, both in the U.S. and worldwide.

The Entrepreneurship Research Institute at Florida International University aims to foster better understanding of the entrepreneurial venture’s life cycle through quantitative measurement and qualitative case studies.

The Silicon Valley Review of Global Economic Research focuses on global entrepreneurship as it affects our economic and societal concerns.

Entrepreneurship Research and Policy Network of the Social Science Research Network exists as “An online community for entrepreneurship research from all academic disciplines and users of that information.” 

Our nation's smallest businesses are a major source of U.S. employment, and one possible solution to our nation's struggling economy, according to the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO).  The positive influence entrepreneurship can have on the economy and beyond makes it vital that these groups continue their assessments. 

The continued exploration into what makes entrepreneurship successful can lead to improved policy and better access to resources for the entrepreneurs.  However, you still need to do your own entrepreneurship research to turn your business idea into a reality.