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Title Exploring new Startups' Formation and Stakeholders' Involvement: The Case of Digital Technologies
Full text https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/exploring-new-startups-formation-and-stakeholders-involvement-the
Date 2024
Author(s) Ayamga, Matthew; Kassahun, Ayalew; Dolfsma, Wilfred; Tekinerdogan, Bedir
Abstract The entrepreneurial potential of digital technologies for new business startups and the engagement of stakeholders in the implementation of these technologies have garnered increasing interest from scholars and practitioners alike. However, there remains a notable gap in understanding the effects of digital technologies on the inception of new business startups and the dynamic conditions that unfold during their interactions with stakeholders in the business domain. To address this gap, we draw from the realms of digital technologies, entrepreneurship, and ecosystem literature to conceptualize a digital entrepreneurial ecosystem. This framework aims to (1) unravel the 'what' and 'how' factors contributing to the establishment of new business startups, specifically in the context of Agritech firms leveraging digital technologies within the agri-food sector in Ghana, and (2) identify the stakeholders involved in the implementation process of digital technologies. Employing an explorative research approach, our study analyzes 22 interviews from 15 Agritech firms in Ghana, complemented by observational and secondary data. Our findings reveal two key aspects: firstly, four distinct business formation processes guide the establishment of Agritech firms, encompassing (a) spin-off activities, (b) engagement in research projects, (c) capitalizing on agricultural business opportunities through digital technologies, and (d) responding to agritech challenges originating from innovation hubs. Secondly, three sets of stakeholders intricately contribute to the implementation process of digital technologies by Agritech firms, operating at the micro, meso, and macro levels. At the micro-level, stakeholders, comprising farmers and their offtakers, indirectly support Agritech firms through feedback and active involvement in the digital solution development process. Meso-level stakeholders, represented by a network of agritech firms, foster mutual support by sharing experiences and knowledge, thus fostering inter-firm synergies. At the macro level, stakeholders, including innovation hubs, government agencies, universities, and international development agencies, provide direct support through grants, business development training, office space, and linkages to investors. Through these findings, our study seeks to offer a nuanced understanding of the intricate interplay between new business startups and various stakeholders within the dynamic landscape of implementing digital technologies in the agri-food sector.
Subject(s) Life Science
Language en
Relation https://edepot.wur.nl/669708
Type of publication Article in monograph or in proceedings
Format application/pdf
Rights (c) publisher; Wageningen University & Research
Identifier 10.5465/AMPROC.2024.19867abstract
Repository Wageningen - University of Wageningen
Added to C-A: 2024-09-12;10:13:49