The impact of early-stage resource acquisition: a randomised field experiment in Morocco
This project tests the process underlying the assumption that resource acquisition influences venture performance and its strategic orientation, and analyses which mechanism (financial capital, entrepreneurial capital, or both) is more important. A trade-off could exist in accessing these resources and these various trade-offs are explicitly considered in the research design in order to identify the “active ingredient” in the process of early stage resource acquisition.
In many places, entrepreneurship is a vital process for job creation, economic growth, and the development of novel solutions to pressing social and environmental problems. Most of the research into entrepreneurship has examined the United States and European settings, along with select Asian countries (China and India). We understand very little about entrepreneurship in northern Africa. Given Morocco’s unique culture, institutions, and resources, it is critical to develop a rigorous understanding of entrepreneurship that account for such differences – and that enables northern African entrepreneurs and their potential supporters to maximise their chances of success.
Obtaining rigorous evidence on the impact of resource acquisition is not easy given the empirical challenges that limit causal inference. To address these empirical challenges, this project will use a process field experiment. Such an experiment tests the process underlying why we think resource acquisition influences venture performance and its strategic orientation, and analyses which mechanism (financial capital, entrepreneurial capital, or both) is more important.
In addition to having a control group that will receive no initial resources, I will implement: (1) access to entrepreneurial capital including mentoring and training and (2) access to financial capital and entrepreneurial capital.
The results of this study could be relevant to accelerators, incubators, and local governments considering entrepreneurship programs. The surveys should provide a rich source of data to investigate other questions regarding entrepreneurship development. Well-designed surveys and interviews will allow us to draw other meaningful correlations and causal relationships to understand the factors behind entrepreneurial outcomes and the impact of resource acquisition.