• Describe, compare and critically discuss theories and concepts that address the particular challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurship in developing countries
• Apply relevant concepts and theories to concrete cases of entrepreneurship in developing countries
• Use relevant tools and methods to formulate a concept for a venture that contributes to development

Entrepreneurship is increasingly recognized as playing a key role in economic growth and poverty alleviation, and the rapidly growing markets of developing countries are often portrayed as booming with unexploited opportunities for entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs in developing countries are, however, often faced with a range of challenges related to difficult business environments with many institutional voids, resource constraints, and widespread poverty. While such challenges often act as barriers to business start-up and growth, resource scarcity and uncertain institutional contexts may also create opportunities for entrepreneurship. Accordingly new forms of entrepreneurship, which seek to bring solutions to poverty, environmental degradation, and institutional voids, are gaining salience. While such initiatives are diverse and span for-profit, non-profit and hybrid organizations, a common element is that they employ business principles to generate social, environmental and/or institutional change.

The course “Entrepreneurship for Development” examines the opportunities and challenges for entrepreneurship in developing countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia. The course examines different theoretical approaches to entrepreneurship and scrutinizes different forms of entrepreneurship (such as entrepreneurship in the informal economy, social entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship with the Base of the Pyramid (BoP), sustainability entrepreneurship, digitial entrepreneurship and institutional entrepreneurship). The course examines the relationship between entrepreneurship and development and critically scrutinizes if and how entrepreneurship can contribute to sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction. The course directs attention to the influence of the institutional, economic and cultural environment for entrepreneurship levels, opportunities and strategies, and scrutinizes how business models are adapted to the particular contexts of their operation.  

First, students will be introduced to theoretical perspectives on entrepreneurship and will unravel the links between entrepreneurship and development. Second, students will examine different forms of entrepreneurship and will scrutinize different concrete entrepreneurship cases and business models. Finally, students will generate their own ideas and will formulate a concept for a venture in a developing country.

To be announced on Canvas, but most likely:

• Dees, J. G., & Anderson, B. B. (2006). Framing a theory of social entrepreneurship: Building on two schools of practice and thought. Research on social entrepreneurship: Understanding and contributing to an emerging field, 1(3), 39-66.
• Dolan, C., Johnstone-Louis, M., & Scott, L. (2012). Shampoo, saris and SIM cards: seeking entrepreneurial futures at the bottom of the pyramid. Gender & Development, 20(1), 33-47.
• Friederici, N., Wahome, M. and Graham, M. (2020): Digital Entrepreneurship in Africa. Cambridge: MIT Press
• Gafni, H., Hudon, M., & Périlleux, A. (2020). Business or basic needs? The impact of loan purpose on social crowdfunding platforms. Journal of Business Ethics, 73, 777-793

• Haarman, A., Larsen, M. M., & Namatovu, R. (2022): Understanding the Firm in the Informal Economy: A Research Agenda. The European Journal of Development Research, 34(6), 3005-3025.

• Imas, J. M., Wilson, N., & Weston, A. (2012). Barefoot entrepreneurs. Organization, 19(5), 563-585.

• Khavul, S and Bruton, G.D. (2013): Harnessing innovation for change: sustainability and poverty in developing countries, Journal of Management Studies 50(2): 285-306.
• Krämer , A., Tewes-Gradl and Knobloch, C. (2015) Participatory market research for BoP innovation in: Cañeque and Hart, S.L. Base of the Pyramid 3.0. pp. 46-58. Sheffield: Greenleaf Publishing.

• Langevang, T., Hansen, M. W., & Rutashobya, L. K: (2018). Navigating institutional complexities: The response strategies of Tanzanian female entrepreneurs. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 10(4), 224-242.

• Lindvert, M., Patel P.C & Wincent J. (2017) Struggling with social capital: Pakistani women micro entrepreneurs’ challenges in acquiring resources, Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 29:7-8, 759-790.
• Mair, J. and Marti, I. (2009): Entrepreneurship in and around institutional voids: a case study from Bangladesh, Journal of Business Venturing 24: 419-435. 
• Panum, K. and Hansen, M.W. (2014): Successful social enterprises in Africa: Case studies of six social enterprises in Kenya, CBDS Working Paper Series Working Paper No. 02.
• Read, S., Sarasvathy, S., Dew, N., Wiltbank, R. and Ohlsson, A.-V. (2011) Effectual entrepreneurship. London: Routledge.
• Sutter, C., Bruton, G. D., & Chen, J. (2019). Entrepreneurship as a solution to extreme poverty: A review and future research directions. Journal of Business Venturing, 34(1), 197-214. 
• Thompson, N., Kiefer, K. and York, J.G. (2011): Distinctions not dichotomies: exploring social, sustainable and environmental entrepreneurship, Social and Sustainable Entrepreneurship 13: 201-229.
• Tracey, P. and Phillips, N. (2011): Entrepreneurship in emerging markets: strategies for new venture creation in uncertain institutional contexts, Management International Review 51:23–39.  
• Xavier, S. R., Kelley, D., Kew, J., Herrington, M., & Vorderwülbecke, A. (2013). Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2012 Global Report.
• Zott, C., Amit, R. and Lorenzo, M. (2011): The business model: recent developments and future research. Journal of Management 37.4: 1019-1042.