Exploratory Bricolage: How Resource-constrained Entrepreneurs Achieve Stretch Goals

Bricolage is as an approach for entrepreneurs to overcome resource constraints, but the core definition of bricolage is far more exploratory than its extra feature of combination, which is manifest in today's entrepreneurial environment. To resolve this inconsistency, this study adopts the design of a longitudinal single case to investigate if and how resource-constrained entrepreneurs can achieve stretch goals via bricolage. First, we explain a novel type or form of bricolage, exploratory bricolage, especially via a specific mechanism of resource transformation driven by stretch goals, thus contributing primarily to the research on bricolage, and secondarily to the research on stretch goals. Second, we propose an overall process of entrepreneurial resourcing, which consists of three mechanisms at the stage of resource assembly (i.e., getting internal resources at hand, accessing free or cheap resources externally, and acquiring resources externally via resource-seeking) and also three mechanisms at the stage of resource application (i.e., using resources conventionally, combining resource, and transforming resource), thus contributing to the research on resource orchestration or resourcing as well as integrating the three entrepreneurship approaches (i.e., causation, effectuation, and bricolage). Third, we differentiate between short-term (as specific or concrete milestones via cognitive decisions and behavioral actions) and long-term (as abstract or broad directions via affective motivations) stretch goals and thus contributing to the research on stretch goals.