Criticalanalysisof:Ireland,R.D.,Hitt,M.A.andSirmon,D.G.,2003.
Amodelofstrategic
entrepreneurship:Theconstructanditsdimensions.Journalofmanagement,29(6),pp.963989.
JohnnyDarko(INTBUS301,Assignment4)
Theauthorsstartfromthepremisethatstrategicmanagement(SM)andstrategicentrepreneurship
(SE)arecomplementaryfields,bothconcernedwiththeinterrelatedconceptsofgrowthandwealth
creation,yetbothhistoricallyfocusondifferentaspectsoftheseconcepts.Thatis,SEismostly
focusedonachievingcompetitiveadvantageasadeterminantofwealthcreation.Competitive
advantageisbeingdeterminedbythemarketconditionsand/orpossessionandcontrolofvaluable
resources.SEputsopportunityrecognitionatthecoreofachievinggrowth,oftenthrough
introductionofnewproductsandprocesses.Theauthorsstressthatunderstandingthe
complementaritiesbetweenthetwofieldsisnecessarytounderstandhoworganisationcreate
wealthandachievingsustainablecompetitiveadvantage.
Consequently,thepaperintroducesanintegrativeframeworkthatbringsthetwofieldstogether,in
anattempttoincorporatethe(broad)rangeofconceptsfrombothfields.Thisisbasedonthe
assumptionthatfirmsfocusonidentificationofopportunitiesintheirexternalenvironment(SE)and
turningtheseintocompetitiveadvantage(SM).Yet,accordingtotheauthors,theseprocessesdo
notalwaysgotogether.Instead,itiscommontoseenewventuresexcellinginopportunity
identificationbutlackingthecompetenceindevelopingandsustainingcompetitiveadvantage,while
incumbentorganisationstendtobetheopposite.
Overallthepaperdevelopsaconvincingargumentthatachievingsustainablecompetitiveadvantage
isacombinationofstrategicentrepreneurshipstrategicmanagement.Yetnotalloftheelements
introducedinthepaperareclearlyintegratedandthelinkagesbetweenthevariouselementsstill
needsomeadditionalexplanation.Forexample,itisnotclearhowentrepreneurialmindeset,mostly
focusedonindividuals,canbepromotedandleveragedinorganisations.Thoughthe(implicit)
suggestionisthatthisisachievedthroughdevelopingentrepreneurialculture,theimplicationsfor
strategicmanagementofsuchcultureremainunclear.
Thisrelatestoanothershortcomingofthepaper:partsoftheargumentareperhapstoouncritical.
Forexample,theauthorsclaimthatorganisationsshouldencourageentrepreneurialculture,which
ispromotesrisktaking,toleratesfailure,andchampionsadministrativeinnovation.Yettheyfailto
discusswhatitmightrequire,whatshouldbeconsideredorwhatarethepotentialpitfallsandrisks.
Thislargelyunderminesthepotentialvalueofthepapertopractitioners.
Nevertheless,thepaperstillofferssomevaluetopractitionersbyhighlightinganumberoftools(e.g.
realoptions)thatcansupportSE.Ialsofoundthediscussiononleadershiptraitsasvaluableand
interestingasitimplicitlyhighlightsthevalueofcriticalthinking(Wright,2013),andespeciallythe
abilitytochallengeassumptionsandestablishednorms,thatisnecessaryinsupportingSE.Thispart
ofthepapercouldbestrengthenedtoprovidemanagersandstudentswithsomeadditional,more
explicit,guidanceindevelopingtheseskills.
Uponreadingthepaper,IwasleftwiththeimpressionthatSEiscloselyrelatedtothemangers
capabilitytoseeopportunitiesandleveragetheexistingorganisationalresources.Butthisleaves
othermembersoftheorganisationaslessimportanttofacilitatingSEtoachievesustainable
competitiveadvantage.
Commented [FS1]: Donotforgettoincludethetitleofthe
paperandstatethatthisisacriticalanalysis.
Commented [FS2]: Thesameforyourname.Iwilldeduct
pointsfornoname/titleofthedocument.
Commented [FS3]: Notsurethisisexactlywhatthey
claim.Probablyneedsalittlebitrewarding/extensionto
bettercapturewhytheythinkthisframeworkisneeded.
Commented [FS4]: Thesummaryisquitegood:focused
anddoesnottrytosummarisethewholepaperpointby
point/sectionbysection.
Thereissomespacetobemoreprecise/specificin
summarisingwhatthemodelintendstodo/address.
Commented [FS5]: ThisistrueandIagree.Butthe
authorsalsoclearlystatethat:Theactionsassociatedwith
thesedimensionsarecomplexandchallengingandthe
modelofSEpresentedhereinrequiresresearchtobetter
understandtherelationshipsposed.Forexample,weneed
tomorefullyunderstandhowtoestablishan
entrepreneurialmindsetandentrepreneurialcultureandthe
relationshipbetweenthetwo.Inaddition,empiricalresearch
isneededtoexplicateandunderstandhowentrepreneurial
leadersmanageresourcesstrategicallytocreatecompetitive
advantages.
Youshouldacknowledgethatthepaperistopromote
furtherdebateandresearchintheseareas,ratherthan
critiquethe(acknowledged)shortcomings.
Ontheotherhandtheseshortcomingsareagoodstartfor
classdiscussion.
Commented [FS6]: Thisisagoodpoint.Wouldbeagreat
discussionhookforthepresentation.
Commented [FS7]: Goodconnectiontooneofthe
readings.Itshowsthatyouwentbeyondjustreadingand
summarisingthepaperbut,instead,activelyengagedwith
whattheseelementsmeanandhowtheycanbeexplained.
Butdonotforgettoaddreferencelistattheend.
Commented [FS8]: Somespaceleftthatyoucoulduseto
stilldeveloptheargumentabitmore.Especiallyashort
summaryofwhatthemodelitselfisabout/does.p
Commented [FS9]: Highlightingthatthisisyour
interpretationisimportanthere.Ilikeitasitreinforcesthe
pointthateachreadermighthaveadifferentinterpretation
andpickdifferentpointsfromthereading.
Highlightingwhatyoufoundaspotentialshortcoming/issue
oftheframeworkisagooddemonstrationofcriticalthinking
andengagementwiththetext.Again,youhaveagreat
exampletopickupfordiscussionintheclass.