Abstract:
Introduction: Startup businesses have a very high failure rate and various factors are involved in their failure at different stages of life, among which behavioral factors are more controllable and preventable. Behavioral models focus on understanding the behavior and decision-making processes of individuals in a startup business and how they can affect the risk of failure. Therefore, the main goal of this research was to contribute theoretically to reducing the failure rate by providing a startup life cycle model suitable for investigating the behavior, action and decisions of entrepreneurs.
Methods: In this qualitative research, which was carried out using a meta-synthesis approach, the seven-step method of Sandelowski and Barroso (2007) was employed, in the first step of which the research framework was determined by posing questions, and in the second step, the main and secondary keywords and the string of search terms were set. And in the third step, a systematic review of Persian and English academic resources was conducted in domestic and foreign databases, journals and search engines, as well as valid business researches in the non-academic entrepreneurial ecosystem. 160 articles and sources with related titles, were selected and 33 articles and sources were screened based on the abstract, content and quality of the research method with the CASP method and with the logic of the Ghasemi flowchart. In the fourth step, the final process of identifying the codes and in the fifth step, content analysis was performed, and the categorization of the codes was done based on Ethride Sterling's levels and the resulting theme network was drawn with the help of MAXQDA software. In the sixth step, refining and finalizing the categorization of the codes was done with the help of six experts, who were selected by the snowball method, and Cohen's Kappa index was used to check the internal validity and internal reliability of the model.
Findings: As a result of meta-synthesis, a behavior-oriented model was obtained, in which 6 Global Theme categories are the basis for differentiating stages, and below them are 14 Organizing Theme categories, including: 1- Idea and opportunity validation (idea and opportunity, opportunity validation), 2- Seed (vision and planning, establishment and preparation), 3- Business start-up (launch, customer validation, break-even point, stabilization and productivity), 4- Growth (primary growth, secondary growth), 5- Scale and maturity (scale/maturity /stability), 6- decline/revival. Also, the structural components of the model were explained based on the two selected behavioral theories using statements of risk, behavior, actions and strategies related to each stage of the life cycle and evolution of startup businesses with the help of experts.
Conclusion: The explanation of behaviors and factors that lead to failure in the resulting model provides a comprehensive framework for failure risk analysis at each stage of a startup's life cycle. The analytical framework presented in this research can be considered as a basis for analyzing the startup business situation for entrepreneurs, investors and planners. |
