Mapping the aliran of the academic discipline of entrepreneurship: A ...

4.3.8.3 Small businesses and entrepreneurial firms – the issue of size
4.3.8.3.00 Schumpe ter predicted the de mise of the entrepreneurial function due to the
increase in soc ialism that would render the entrepreneurial function redunda nt. [Langlois,
2004]. Lucas [1978] (15) postulated a similar demise for small businesses in his article
‘Size distribution of business firms’ suggesting that ‘rising real wages will make working
for someone else more lucrative than the return’ [Lucas, 1978, p523] from working one’s
own small business. Neithe r have proven their case, instead it would appear as per my
discussion in section 4.3.8.2 above that the use of the word ‘corporate’ has added to the
scope of the entrepreneurial function from being only the start point of business cycles, as
proposed by Schumpeter, to an incremental rational function more related to the continuity
of business of larger firms. Also the small business sub-aliran maintains its place in the
aliran defying Lucas’ prediction.
4.3.8.3.01 I suggest that the two terms ‘corporate’ and ‘small business’ repr esent two
ends of a polar scale in the development of the discipline. As Maidique [1986] points out
“to date, little attention has been paid to the evolution of the entrepreneurial role”
[Maidique, 1986, p60]. Maidique discusses that “the small firm is the easiest to analyse”
[Maidique, 1986, p72] yet the development of organizational complexity has meant that
“during the last two decades … a new literature on entrepreneurship has developed that
emphasizes the role of individuals within the firm who also exhibit entrepreneurial
characteristics” [Maidique, 1986, p60]. This fits with my comments above on the evolution
of the ‘corporate’ aspects of the discipline. As Maidique comments further, “this
development in the literature has identified a plethora of new and often confusing, internal
entrepreneurial roles that make interpretation of the new literature difficult” [Maidique,
1986, p60]. Again this supports my comments in section 4.3.6 on the apparent overt
construction of ontologies within the discipline.
4.3.8.3.02 The two terms ‘corporate’ and ‘small business’ do have an implication of
differences in size, this may also be interpreted as differences in management
sophistication. However, it is not the size of the vehicle that pertains to entrepreneurship,
195