Academic Entrepreneurship: career transformation through the practice of entrepreneurial identity

Dr Lorraine Warren, University of SouthamptonPresented at Newcastle University, November 2007

Overview

Case study Mature PhD student (engineering)

engaged in spin-out processes Involved in university spin-out, sets up

own company in related field Research tracks understanding and

development of professional identity during this transitional time

Examines tensions entrepreneurial & engineering identity

Recommendations for support agencies

Why do engineers/scientists choose to become entrepreneurs?

Audretsch and Erdem (2004): little on scientists/engineers specifically

Fayolle (1994): best qualified engineers least likely

Chell and Allman (2003), Luthje and Francke (2003), Anderson and Chorev (2003): importance of contextual factors

Meyer (2003): a guise for research interests?

Dynamic between professional, academic, entrepreneurial identity not well understood

Case history

Born in Germany 1970 First degree Mechanical Engineering PhD in UK, 1997-2001 automotive

electrical systems Late 2000, begins work for existing spin-

out as R&D engineer and software developer

2004-5, Masters course in entrepreneurship/business venturing

Has now set up own company

USO: Challenges to career development

Academic: stasis or exodus (Pirnay et al (2003), Nicolaou and Birley (2003)/ but for a PhD student?

Self image important in terms of career decision (Baruch, 2004; Politis (2005)

Career as a ‘life journey’ (Baruch, 2004; Giddens, 1991; Goffman, 1959)

Crafting an entrepreneurial identity? (Down, 2006; Down and Reveley, 2004; Lounsbury & Glynn, 2001; Downing, 2005, Warren and Anderson, 2005)

Jens’s journey: research engineer -> entrepreneur in high tech milieu -> extent of identity work

Phases of activity

# Phase Date Company Jens’s activities A-1 Opportunity Pre 2001 A-techi Academic researcher/PhD

student/associated with activities of nascent USO

A-2 Pre-organisation 2001-3 A-tech Academic researcher -> R&D software, building software portfolio for company A

A-3 Re-configuration 2004-5 A-tech Company R&D/entrepreneurship student B-1 Pre-organisation Late 2005 B-tech Founder of new company B-2 Re-configuration of

new company (B) Late 2005 to present

B-tech Building customer relationships for new company

Table 1 Phases of Jens’s engagement with company development activity i A-tech actually embraces two companies on paper

Overall

“I would never compromise my reputation as an engineer”

Good engineers can not only make something work, but understand why

Uniqueness of ideas Elegance of ideas For an academic engineer,

publications

Joining A-Tech

“It’s not just a way of earning money; I had a job offer from [a large car company] while I was doing my PhD, but it wasn’t what I wanted. The company [USO] was the best technology available in the jobs I was offered; in any case, a spin-out company is prestigious – if it works!!”

Privileges engineering reputation over immediate financial gain

Working for A-Tech

Business as ‘nuisance value’ Healthy amount of prejudice to

sales people ??strategic marketing -> begins to

craft a sense of self defined not just through technological expertise, but tuning technology into market growth

Developing through A-Tech and education

Different vocabularies and audiences and appropriate presentation of self in new settings

Networking “not a valuable use of time, meeting people selling me low-level services such as business cards”. ->presenting to IoD

Growing sense of entrepreneurial self

Founding his own company

“it’s not me yet – I’m still an engineer”. I then asked him who his role models were: “early stage

developers in high tech spin outs, putting good technology ideas into practice”.

Here John seems to be in the process of developing an enriched sense of engineering self-hood, with the elegance of solutions being extended from the laboratory into the market place. This manifests in two ways:

1) He is focussed not just on recognising the value of business knowledge but also on presenting the ‘right’ identity in business settings.

2) Most importantly of all is his maintenance of self as ‘cutting edge engineer’ and that spin-out activity is a legitimate dimension of engineering activity.

3) Engineering identity is not compromised by association with growth and market share.

Out on his own

“a totally different mindset” However:

“still thinks as an engineer” An effective & efficient problem solver,

less emphasis on technical expertise Task is to establish legitimacy, “engineer

to engineer” Through track record and peer review

Conclusion

Significant amount of identity work going on

Elegance of engineering, no move towards heroic entrepreneurial stereotypes

Empowered vision of identity Centrality of engineering identity and its

enrichment through entrepreneurial practice

If he achieves sustainable growth, does he become ‘more entrepreneurial’?