Business Research Methods: Cases In Periods Of Economics

Business Research Methods 13eschindler1casesin Periods Of Economic

The assignment involves analyzing a research study conducted by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) and associated organizations such as the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and the London School of Business. The study investigates government policies and initiatives that stimulate entrepreneurial activity and their correlation with a country's economic well-being, measured by GDP growth and employment. It examines factors like promoting entrepreneurship outside the prime age group, resource availability for women, education, societal capacity to handle income disparity, and cultural attitudes toward entrepreneurship. The research uses data from 10 diverse nations, employing longitudinal and cross-sectional methods, including surveys, expert interviews, and opinion polls, to analyze variables affecting entrepreneurial opportunities and economic outcomes. The study aims to evaluate the causal relationships among cultural, economic, physical, and political factors influencing entrepreneurship and economic growth.

Paper For Above instruction

This paper critically examines the research methodology and findings of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) study, which explores the relationship between government policies, entrepreneurial activity, and national economic well-being. The analysis focuses on understanding the variables involved, the control of extraneous factors, and the implications of using expert opinions and descriptive data in establishing causality.

The GEM study categorizes variables into independent and dependent types. The independent variables include entrepreneurial framework conditions such as government policies, education, infrastructure, cultural norms, and societal capacity factors like motivation and skills. These variables are believed to influence entrepreneurial opportunities and potential, which serve as the mediating factors leading to economic outcomes. The dependent variables analyzed are measures such as startup rates, GDP growth, and employment levels. The goal is to determine how changes in policy or societal attitudes (independent variables) impact entrepreneurial activity and, consequently, economic health.

The study incorporates multiple intervening, extraneous, and moderating variables, such as national cultural attitudes, legal infrastructure, market openness, and social norms. To control for these, the researchers used data from ten countries with diverse framework conditions, thereby attempting to isolate the effects of specific variables on entrepreneurial activity. The use of expert opinions through interviews and questionnaires further aims to help weigh the relative importance of each entrepreneurial framework condition, although it introduces subjective biases. Data collection involved surveys, interviews, and national reports, which are inherently descriptive and ordinal or interval in nature.

Controlling for intervening variables is pivotal in establishing causality; without them, observed correlations might be spurious or misleading. In this study, the multi-national design helps mitigate confounding factors, making causal inferences more plausible. However, the reliance on observational data limits definitive causal claims because unmeasured factors might still influence results. Randomized control trials are not feasible at this macroeconomic level, so the study employs longitudinal and comparative approaches to approximate causal inference.

The use of national experts as key informants has both advantages and disadvantages. Experts possess contextual knowledge that can provide nuanced insights into the entrepreneurial environment, aiding in identifying relevant framework conditions and their perceived importance. However, their opinions are subjective and may be biased based on personal experiences or national perspectives. This can affect the objectivity and generalizability of the findings. Nonetheless, expert assessments are often necessary in macro-level studies where hard data may be limited or difficult to interpret.

Given that much of the primary data consists of descriptive opinions and ordinal or interval measures, establishing causality becomes challenging. Such data can suggest associations but do not definitively prove cause-and-effect relationships. For stronger causal inference, triangulating opinion data with objective measures, such as official economic statistics, is necessary. Despite limitations, the GEM study demonstrates how observational and opinion-based data can contribute valuable insights into complex social phenomena like entrepreneurship, provided findings are interpreted cautiously.

In conclusion, the GEM research employs a comprehensive, multi-method approach to explore the nexus between government policies, societal attitudes, entrepreneurial activity, and economic success. While controlling for extraneous variables enhances internal validity, the reliance on observational data and expert opinions necessitates cautious interpretation of causal claims. Future studies could strengthen causal inferences through more longitudinal designs, triangulation of data sources, and the inclusion of natural experiments where feasible. Overall, the study provides valuable frameworks for policymakers aiming to foster entrepreneurship as a driver of economic development.

References

- Reynolds, P., Hay, M., & Camp, M. (1999). Global Entrepreneurship Monitor: 1999 Executive Report. Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.

- Schindler, P., & Cooper, D. R. (2001). Business Research Methods (7th ed.).

- Autio, E., et al. (1999). Global Entrepreneurship Monitor: 1999 Data Collection - Analysis Strategies Operations Manual. Babson College and the London Business School.

- Zacharakis, A., Reynolds, P., & Bygrave, W. (1999). Global Entrepreneurship Assessment: National Entrepreneurship Assessment, United States of America, 1999. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

- Reynolds, P., Levie, J., & Autio, E. (1999). Global Entrepreneurship Monitor: 1999 Research Report. Babson College and London Business School.

- Gordon, J., et al. (2004). "Assessing the Causality between Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth," Journal of Business Venturing.

- Liñán, F., & Chen, Y. (2009). "Development and Cross-Cultural Application of a Specific Instrument to Measure Entrepreneurial Attitude," Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research.

- Acs, Z., & Audretsch, D. (2003). The Distinguished Scholar Series: Entrepreneurship and Economic Development.

- Baumol, W.J. (1990). "Entrepreneurship: Productive, Unproductive, and Destructive," Journal of Business Venturing.