Nurturing Entrepreneurship

This book places collective entrepreneurship at the center of business strategy to provide a comprehensive discussion of the institutions and policies that nurture entrepreneurship, not only in start-up, but also in large, established corporations (intrapreneurship). The authors show that entrepreneurship is the only economic resource that can not be easily transferred across corporate boundaries. It must be nurtured within business institutions in ways that release the imagination, ingenuity, and creativity of individuals and groups.

The authors look at the complementary roles of venture capitalists and business incubators, the importance of the Internet, job rotation and labor transfers, working teams, cash-based bonuses, ESOPs and stock options, corporate spinoffs, strategic acquisitions, corporate venturing, and strategic alliances. The book also discusses an agenda for government in an entrepreneurial economy, the creation of an entrepreneurship regime, and various related topics, including bridging start-up equity gaps. Corporate planners are provided with insights needed to develop entrepreneurial groups both in and out of their organizations. Independent entrepreneurs are given a succinct summary of things they need to know, from securing start-up capital to finding the money to grow established businesses. VCs, bankers, and other types of funders will find this a concise survey and evaluation, and a useful guide to give to their clients.

PANOS MOURDOUKOUTAS teaches economics at Long Island University, and conducts research on entrepreneurship and various topics in international business, much of it done at Nagoya University, Japan. Author or coauthor of four earlier Quorum books, he has published articles in the major journals of his fields and presents papers regularly at the leading academic and business conferences.

STRATOS PAPADIMITRIOU is the Managing Director of Athens (Greece) Urban Transport Organization and Assistant Professor in the Department of Marine Studies, University of Piraes. He has served as adviser to several private and government agencies, including the Ministry of National Economy, and published several papers in the academic and professional journals of his fields.