Year: 2016
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: The articles in the book are listed sequentially, by time, rather than by topic.I think particular articles were created in the context of prior work, so, by listing them by time, their relationship to one another, as both an evolution of certain ideas over time, but also as an expansion on certain themes, may become more apparent.I also believe that publishing these articles chronologically may prevent specific articles from being categorized as dealing, mainly, with specific ideas or themes.As I hope to address in this Introduction, some articles were written with different intentions than what might be assumed at face value when reading them without the context of their prior history.What might be a glaring problem with the introduction is that I didn't attempt to put a substantial amount of effort into connecting my research to current research in the entrepreneurship field.As I've indicated recently (Gartner, 2014b) staying current in the entrepreneurship field, particularly as my research cuts across so many topics, is difficult.As the Bloom quote aptly expresses, how my research is used or connected to other research, is not really mine to suggest, in the end, anyway.The book spans 25 years of published work .So, for the sake of having some way to divide up the book, I've divided the material, loosely, by decade: 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s in the Table of Contents.But, ironically, I don't think that this work can be so easily divided by decade as the only way to categorize them.While I suggest that the work be read sequentially, as a way to see how, broadly, certain ideas evolve over time, this Introduction will be better served by headings that emphasize certain touchstones in the chronology.So, there is a chronology, and there are themes.I have also decided to write a haiku for each article.Why?The poetic enables one to see differently that which already is (Gartner, 2008a(Gartner, , 2009;;Weick, 2011).Or, maybe it is more obtusely expressed in this aphorism from Gary Snyder: 'Poetry is how language experiences itself'.And, each poem is another way of 'telling back' the story (Bruner, 1986).This Introduction will end with a few brief thoughts about the nature of entrepreneurship.As this Introduction is essentially an autobiographical account, I would assume that there will be no mystery that (turning Charles Dickens' words around in David Copperfield): 'I shall be the hero of my own life and that station will be not be held by anybody else' (Dickens, 2004: 13).Yet, in the back of mind is the quote from Bloom that begins this chapter.What matters in my work is really left to others to decide and to understand.I have some insights, but the work is what it is, with or without me.So, I am well aware that an autobiographical overview might be viewed as hubris.I hope this chapter reflects the munificence of the friendships I have enjoyed, and, I apologize to my colleagues if this account is not as inclusive or appreciative of your efforts and thoughts.Reflection stares back.I see.Who is this?Old man.Where did the years go? 2 A tale of two Karls I begin with a retelling (see Gartner, 2004a, 2008b) of the genesis of the development of my scholarship in entrepreneurship.Rather than repeat those stories, I will approach the creation of the foundation of my initial insights into entrepreneurship as a recognition of the primacy of the two 'Karls' in my life: Vesper and Weick.I believe that my approach to entrepreneurship might be considered a blend of their views on new venture creation (Vesper, 1980) and William B. Gartner -9781783476947
Source: Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks
Author: William B. Gartner
Language: English
Subfield: Management of Technology and Innovation
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2800448540