Design in entrepreneurship: Unveiling multiple interpretations and philosophical underpinnings

Abstract

Design has become a prominent concept in entrepreneurship research and practise. However, previous literature has offered multiple, often divergent interpretations of the role of design in entrepreneurship. For example, studies have highlighted the benefits of adopting design thinking practises in entrepreneurial endeavours, using design science as a research method for studying entrepreneurship and treating entrepreneurial opportunities as design artefacts that entrepreneurs can shape. Although this multitude of perspectives reflects the conceptual richness of design, it simultaneously complicates the accumulation of scholarly understanding. To address this issue, we have conducted a systematic literature review, uncovering the philosophical assumptions underpinning different interpretations of design in entrepreneurship: (i) design as ontology (entrepreneurship as design), (ii) design as epistemology (entrepreneurship research as design research), (iii) design as phenomenology (entrepreneurship as a means to design), (iv) design as logic (entrepreneurship by design) and (v) design as methodology (entrepreneurship through design). Further, we have identified five modes of enquiry that can guide future studies of design in entrepreneurship. The resulting interpretive framework contributes to entrepreneurship theory and practise by providing a foundation for more conscious and systematic research on design in entrepreneurship.