Abstract
This conceptual study posits that the debate about lack of agreed upon definition of entrepreneurship is rooted in the varied assumptions about knowledge claims. Entrepreneurship research is dominated by the functionalist paradigm which uses an objectivist stance with a view of regulation. Functionalism prevents the humanistic perspectives and is incapable of appreciating and enacting a ‘heterogeneous view of entrepreneur (ship)’. Thus, there is a need to embrace new ways of generating knowledge that would lead to the development and enactment of an indigenous view of entrepreneurship in developing countries. However, acknowledging multiple paradigms can lead to ‘incommensurability’ rooted in debate about uniformity or variation of ‘value(s)’ across contexts. This paper argues that the methodological choice must be understood along with their overarching philosophies. It exhibits the value of using social construction to make a holistic sense of various definitions of entrepreneurship. It contributes to research and practice by advocating the adoption of clear philosophical stance and considering alternate paradigms of inquiry.

Muhammad Junaid, Mommin Durrani, Mehboob-ur-Rashid, Nasir Shaheen. (2015) Entrepreneurship as a Socially Constructed Phenomenon: Importance of Alternate Paradigms Research , Journal of Managerial Sciences, Volume 9, Issue 1.
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