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Journal article
The phantom push: a reevaluation of necessity entrepreneurship
Journal of small business management, Vol.64(1), pp.247-374
01/2026
Web of Science ID: WOS:001472993900001
Abstract
Entrepreneurship research has traditionally been separated into (1) necessity entrepreneurship (NE) and (2) opportunity entrepreneurship (OE). While there has been a great amount of research dedicated to unpacking the nature of opportunities and OE, little attention has been given to the forces that push individuals into NE. Most of the entrepreneurial research regarding NE assumes that economic desires to provide physiological necessities are the only push factors. However, this conceptualization is too restrictive and rules out being recognized as necessity entrepreneurs for most people in developed economies. Through an in-depth qualitative literature review, we identify three types of push factors at work-namely, economic, social, and psychological necessity. We then develop a conceptual model and propositions that incorporate the country context, unmet needs, types of NE, and impact on well-being. We conclude by discussing how NE can satisfy various human needs and the relationship between entrepreneurship and marketplace vulnerability.
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Details
- Title
- The phantom push
- Publication Details
- Journal of small business management, Vol.64(1), pp.247-374
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Number of pages
- 28
- Copyright
- © 2025 International Council for Small Business
- Identifiers
- WOS:001472993900001; 99381345839806600
- Academic Unit
- Business Administration; Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business
- Language
- English