Year: 2014
Type: dissertation
Abstract: In the introduction to this study I write how I became a researcher out of 'pure chance'.Chance or not, being a researcher is possibly the most interesting and privileged profession in the world.Independent thinking and freedom of action related to research is great.On the other hand, many times this freedom is of course illusionary because you cannot even go to the sauna without hearing the stories of the participants in your head or thinking about the relevance of an article to your research.As I discovered in this research the same illusionary freedom is a part of being an entrepreneur and I have borrowed the concept from one of the participants in this study.At one point in my research journey I found myself taking completely new paths as I was applying theories and methodologies that were new to me and to a large extent to entrepreneurship research.Here also I can find an analogy to being an entrepreneur: if entrepreneurs have taken this leap of faith by abandoning the safe and the familiar in the face of the new and alluring, why would not an entrepreneurship researcher.Presumably as a starting point, a thesis on entrepreneurship should strive to be innovative and entrepreneurial.The journey has been fun and educational but not lonely.I have received a lot of support from various places and people.Firstly, I'd like to thank all the entrepreneurs participating in this study.All accepted without much persuasion and those moments were the most rewarding ones in this process.My sincerest thanks to the examiners of this study, Professor Päivi Eriksson and Professor Robert Blackburn, for their excellent comments that helped me to improve the research.I am very thankful that Professor Anne Kovalainen agreed to be my supervisor.As an experienced and well read academic she has had plenty of ideas to help me lay the foundations for this research.Anne's inspiring approach and her willingness to please me by setting deadlines for each phase has kept this process going.Without Anne's support this research would not yet be here and in this form, so thank you Anne for your significant input!The reason why being a researcher has gradually become an interesting career alternative is partly due to the magnificent working environment at the Small Business Institute.All these years Dr. Jarna Heinonen has been my encouraging and inspiring boss, a role model
Source: UTUPub (University of Turku)
Author: Ulla Hytti
Language: English
Subfield: Management of Technology and Innovation
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2290546759