Entrepreneurship & Responsible Leadership

This research area includes the domains of entrepreneurial finance, family businesses, responsible entrepreneurship with enduring values across generations, analyzing leadership styles that promote ethical decision-making and social impact, circular economy business models, and sustainable market transformations. The overall goal is to pave the way for a new era of entrepreneurial ventures and visionary leadership guided by principles of purpose, responsibility, and sustainability, offering an exciting journey where research meets real-world application. 

Focus

In this area we focus on how entrepreneurial endeavors can facilitate the move to a circular economy prioritizing the well-being of future generations, how responsible leaders can foster trust, inspire others, and contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future, how venture capital plays a role in funding entrepreneurs, how family businesses deal with disruptions, and how the goal for management includes People & Planet in addition to Profit.

This collaborative research area strongly builds upon the Nyenrode core values of Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Stewardship.

Examples of relevant challenges

• How can organizations, both public and private, demonstrate responsible leadership in addressing sustainability challenges? What specific actions can they take to contribute effectively to sustainability efforts?
  
• What narratives should responsible leaders adopt to demonstrate accountability and effective decision-making?
• What are some archetypal strategies for facilitating mission-driven transformations within entrepreneurial ecosystems? How do mission-driven transformations within entrepreneurial ecosystems shape the understanding and implications of post-growth organizations?
• How can post growth organizations navigate the challenges intrinsic to mission-driven transformations within entrepreneurial ecosystems while maintaining a positive and constructive narrative?
• How can private investors balance societal impact and financial returns effectively? Does the traditionally held belief of necessary trade-off between both hold or is the more modern view of impact and return being complementary? And if complementary, what are the necessary requirements to foster this and how may private investors accelerate their adoption?

The research output below showcases how we contribute to advancing understanding and develop effective solutions for global challenges. Through these publications we aim to foster a new era of entrepreneurship and visionary leadership, focusing on purpose, accountability, and sustainability.

Recent publications

• Akterujjaman, S. M., Mulder, R., & Kievit, H. (2022). The influence of strategic orientation on cocreation in smart city projects: enjoy the benefits of collaboration. International Journal of Construction Management, 22(9), 1597-1605. https://doi.org/10.1080/15623599.2020.1736834
• Alemany, L. & Andreoli, J. J. (2018) Entrepreneurial Finance: The Art and Science of Growing Ventures. Cambridge University Press. https://www.cambridge.org/highereducation/books/entrepreneurial-finance/FBED2D092649BA26267C15C88F3670B1#overview
• Chevrollier, N., Argyrou, A. A., Ainiwaer, N., & Nijhof, A. (2023). On the encroachment of sustainable value propositions: Business model innovation for impact. Journal of Cleaner Production, 382, 135341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.135341
• Chevrollier, N., Lieshout, J. W. F. C. van, Argyrou, A., & Amelink, J. (2023). Carbon emission reduction: Understanding the micro-foundations of dynamic capabilities in companies with a strategic orientation for sustainability performance. Business Strategy and the Environment, 33(2), 968-984. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3513
• van ‘t-Foort-Diepeveen, R. (2022). Organizational interventions towards achieving gender equality at the corporate top: a multiple case study approach. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: an International Journal, 41(8), 1225-1242. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-08-2021-0216
• Flören, R. H., Berent-Braun, M. M., Bles-Temme, L. D. L., Castricum, W. J. O., Buitenhuis, M., Ditewig, Y. (2024), Eigendomsoverdracht van familiebedrijven. Van onderzoek tot actie: wat werkt in uw familiebedrijf? rapport. Hoofddorp: RSM/Nyenrode Business Universiteit/Van Lanschot Kempen.
• Flören, R. H., Berent-Braun, M. M., Bles-Temme, L. D. L., Castricum, W. J. O. (2021), Duurzaamheid en het familiebedrijf. Een onderzoek naar innovatiekeuzes en –strategieën van Nederlandse familiebedrijven, rapport. Hoofddorp: RSM/Nyenrode.
• Jansen, B. (2023). Waar toegang tot recht niet over gaat, en waarover wel. Reactie op J. Broekhuizen, ‘Corporate social responsibility en de advocatuur’. Nederlands Juristenblad, 29, 2485-2486. Lees het artikel hier
• Koning, I. (2022). Signalering rechtspraak, Rechtbank Noord-Holland 27 oktober 2021, ECLI:NL:RBNHO:2021:9580. Tijdschrift voor Vervoer & Recht, 2. Lees het artikel hier
• Lambooy, T., Anthoni, P., & Argyrou, A. (2020). Aren’t we all pursuing societal goals in our businesses? Defining ‘societal purpose. Sustainable Development, 28(3), 485-494, https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2039.
• Lambooy, T. (2022). Een procederende rivier. Ars Aequi, Bijzonder nummer (Recht & Natuur) (7/8), 596-607. https://arsaequi.nl/product/een-procederende-rivier/
• Putzer, A., Lambooy, T., Jeurissen, R., & Kim, E. (2022). Putting the rights of nature on the map. A quantitative analysis of rights of nature initiatives across the world. Journal of Maps, 18(1), 89-96. https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2022.2079432
• Nandram, S., Bindlish, P., Sukhada, & Shrestha, A. K. (2022). Spirituality led ethical decision making with Yogic Yamas and Niyamas. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, 19(3), 237-257. https://doi.org/10.51327/EHZW1674
• Solaimani, S., van Eck, T., Kievit, H., & Koelemeijer, K. (2022). An exploration of the applicability of Lean Startup in small non-digital firms: An effectuation perspective. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research, 28(9), 198-218. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-04-2021-0270
• Zandee, D., Zutshi, A., Creed, A., Nijhof, A. (2024). Aiming for bullseye: A novel gameplan for circular economy in the construction industry, Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 31 (2), 593-617. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-03-2022-0288
• Zhang, J., van Gorp, D., & Kievit, H. (2023). Digital technology and national entrepreneurship: An ecosystem perspective. Journal of Technology Transfer, 48(3), 1077–1105. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-022-09934-0
• Zhang, J., van Gorp, D., Ebbers, H., Zhou, C., & Kievit, H. (2022). Organizational legitimacy of emerging multinational enterprises: An individual perspective. International Business Review, 31(6), 102015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2022.102015

In this Research Collaboration Area, we collaborate with various organizations and institutions to enhance the practical relevance of our research.

Research on family-owned enterprises

Prof. Dr. Marta Berent and Prof. Dr. Roberto Flören have long-running partnerships with the business community on an exploration of the characteristics of family-owned enterprises. This work is sponsored by RSM and Van Lanschot Kempen.

Radical Thinkers Series

The Radical Thinkers series is meant to explore new areas of research on the edges of mainstream management thinking. The series is initiated by Dr. Aikaterini Argyrou, Dr. Nicolas Chevrollier and Prof. Dr. Ronald Jeurissen. The series resulted in long term partnerships with scholars from various backgrounds, working together on presentations and chapters for a book on the Radical Thinkers Series.

Social Entrepreneurship research

Prof. Dr. Tineke Lambooy and Dr. Aikaterini Argyrou have a long-lasting partnership with PWC to investigate developments in the area of social entrepreneurship. This resulted in several publications, key-notes and training programs.

Entrepreneurial Finance

The research work of Dr. Job Andreoli resulted in a text book that is updated with many other educational institutions. The book is published at Cambridge University Press and results in many cooperations to improve educations in the area of growing ventures.

Circular Economy network

Nyenrode Business University is part of a network of universities sharing research results in relation to the circular economy. Monash University (Australia) is the initiator of the network and research workshops are held in Prato, Italy. On behalf of Nyenrode, Dr. Diane Zandee, Dr. Taher Ahmadi, Prof. Dr. André Nijhof and Prof. Dr. Henk Kievit participated in this network together with Rijkswaterstaat and Steel Blue.

Impact cases showcase the impact our faculty and its research has on society, the business world, and our students.

Impact cases represent a portfolio of research around a central theme. Here you'l find the impact cases that serves the research area Entrepreneurship & Responsible Leadership. For all Impact Cases, please visit www.nyenrode.nl/impact.