How Should We Study Heterogeneity in Entrepreneurship?: Moving the Field to an Inclusive Approach

Rosanna Garcia; Rachel M. B. Atkins; Ezekiel Bonillas; Candida Brush; William B. Gartner; Friederike Welter; Haya Al-Dajani; José Ernesto Amorós; Karin Berglund; Anne de Bruin; Pascal Dey; Sarah Dodd; Laura Galloway; Diana M. Hechavarria; Rev. Debora Jackson; Jan Keim; Alexander Lewis; Jessica Lindbergh; Cathy Yang Liu; Christina Lubinski; Anil Nair; Arielle Newman; Jay O’Toole; Gregory Price; Miruna Radu-Lefebvre; Monder Ram; Angela Randolph; Eunki Ro; Birgitta Schwartz; Tabitha Sindani; Florence  Villesèche; R. Daniel Wadhwani; Anna Wettermark; Mirela Xheneti

doi:10.1177/10422587251347048

How Should We Study Heterogeneity in Entrepreneurship? Moving the Field to an Inclusive Approach

Rosanna Garcia^*
, Rachel M. B. Atkins
, Ezekiel Bonillas
, Candida Brush^*
, William B. Gartner
, Friederike Welter^*
, Haya Al-Dajani
, José Ernesto Amorós
, Karin Berglund
, Anne de Bruin
, Pascal Dey
, Sarah Dodd
, Laura Galloway
, Diana M. Hechavarria
, Rev. Debora Jackson
, Jan Keim
, Alexander Lewis
, Jessica Lindbergh
, Cathy Yang Liu
, Christina Lubinski

Anil Nair, Arielle Newman, Jay O’Toole, Gregory Price, Miruna Radu-Lefebvre, Monder Ram, Angela Randolph, Eunki Ro, Birgitta Schwartz, Tabitha Sindani, Florence Villesèche, R. Daniel Wadhwani, Anna Wettermark, Mirela Xheneti

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Business Humanities and Law

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Entrepreneurship scholarship faces challenges related to diverse populations, striving to balance inclusivity with the recognition of unique entrepreneurial identities. Applying optimal distinctiveness theory, we explore the relationship between belongingness and uniqueness in entrepreneurship research. Catalyzed by Bakker and McMullen’s 2023 article on inclusivity in entrepreneurship, we utilized natural language processing to examine responses about inclusive entrepreneurship from 29 scholars dedicated to marginalized populations. Findings suggest that employing varied research methods and integrating structural and epistemological considerations can enhance our understanding of entrepreneurial heterogeneity. We advocate for entrepreneurship research that values individual experiences while promoting inclusive practices, highlighting the need for evolving scholarly paradigms to reflect entrepreneurial differences.

Original language	English
Journal	Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice
Number of pages	43
ISSN	1042-2587
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587251347048
Publication status	Published - 22 Oct 2025

Bibliographical note

Epub ahead of print. Published online: October 22, 2025.

Keywords

Optimal distinctiveness theory
Inclusive entrepreneurship
Marginalized entrepreneurs
Hetero-geneity in researc
Epistemological considerations

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Cite this

Garcia, R., Atkins, R. M. B., Bonillas, E., Brush, C., Gartner, W. B., Welter, F., Al-Dajani, H., Amorós, J. E., Berglund, K., de Bruin, A., Dey, P., Dodd, S., Galloway, L., Hechavarria, D. M., Jackson, R. D., Keim, J., Lewis, A., Lindbergh, J., Liu, C. Y., ... Xheneti, M. (2025). How Should We Study Heterogeneity in Entrepreneurship? Moving the Field to an Inclusive Approach. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587251347048

@article{3ea533c1df394ad1b14a06eff5d2997a,

title = "How Should We Study Heterogeneity in Entrepreneurship?: Moving the Field to an Inclusive Approach",

abstract = "Entrepreneurship scholarship faces challenges related to diverse populations, striving to balance inclusivity with the recognition of unique entrepreneurial identities. Applying optimal distinctiveness theory, we explore the relationship between belongingness and uniqueness in entrepreneurship research. Catalyzed by Bakker and McMullen{\textquoteright}s 2023 article on inclusivity in entrepreneurship, we utilized natural language processing to examine responses about inclusive entrepreneurship from 29 scholars dedicated to marginalized populations. Findings suggest that employing varied research methods and integrating structural and epistemological considerations can enhance our understanding of entrepreneurial heterogeneity. We advocate for entrepreneurship research that values individual experiences while promoting inclusive practices, highlighting the need for evolving scholarly paradigms to reflect entrepreneurial differences.",

keywords = "Optimal distinctiveness theory, Inclusive entrepreneurship, Marginalized entrepreneurs, Hetero-geneity in researc, Epistemological considerations, Optimal distinctiveness theory, Inclusive entrepreneurship, Marginalized entrepreneurs, Hetero-geneity in researc, Epistemological considerations",

author = "Rosanna Garcia and Atkins, \{Rachel M. B.\} and Ezekiel Bonillas and Candida Brush and Gartner, \{William B.\} and Friederike Welter and Haya Al-Dajani and Amor{\'o}s, \{Jos{\'e} Ernesto\} and Karin Berglund and \{de Bruin\}, Anne and Pascal Dey and Sarah Dodd and Laura Galloway and Hechavarria, \{Diana M.\} and Jackson, \{Rev. Debora\} and Jan Keim and Alexander Lewis and Jessica Lindbergh and Liu, \{Cathy Yang\} and Christina Lubinski and Anil Nair and Arielle Newman and Jay O{\textquoteright}Toole and Gregory Price and Miruna Radu-Lefebvre and Monder Ram and Angela Randolph and Eunki Ro and Birgitta Schwartz and Tabitha Sindani and Florence Villes{\`e}che and Wadhwani, \{R. Daniel\} and Anna Wettermark and Mirela Xheneti",

note = "Epub ahead of print. Published online: October 22, 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = oct,

day = "22",

doi = "10.1177/10422587251347048",

language = "English",

journal = "Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice",

issn = "1042-2587",

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Garcia, R, Atkins, RMB, Bonillas, E, Brush, C, Gartner, WB, Welter, F, Al-Dajani, H, Amorós, JE, Berglund, K, de Bruin, A, Dey, P, Dodd, S, Galloway, L, Hechavarria, DM, Jackson, RD, Keim, J, Lewis, A, Lindbergh, J, Liu, CY, Lubinski, C, Nair, A, Newman, A, O’Toole, J, Price, G, Radu-Lefebvre, M, Ram, M, Randolph, A, Ro, E, Schwartz, B, Sindani, T, Villesèche, F , Wadhwani, RD, Wettermark, A & Xheneti, M 2025, 'How Should We Study Heterogeneity in Entrepreneurship? Moving the Field to an Inclusive Approach', Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587251347048

TY - JOUR

T1 - How Should We Study Heterogeneity in Entrepreneurship?

T2 - Moving the Field to an Inclusive Approach

AU - Garcia, Rosanna

AU - Atkins, Rachel M. B.

AU - Bonillas, Ezekiel

AU - Brush, Candida

AU - Gartner, William B.

AU - Welter, Friederike

AU - Al-Dajani, Haya

AU - Amorós, José Ernesto

AU - Berglund, Karin

AU - de Bruin, Anne

AU - Dey, Pascal

AU - Dodd, Sarah

AU - Galloway, Laura

AU - Hechavarria, Diana M.

AU - Jackson, Rev. Debora

AU - Keim, Jan

AU - Lewis, Alexander

AU - Lindbergh, Jessica

AU - Liu, Cathy Yang

AU - Lubinski, Christina

AU - Nair, Anil

AU - Newman, Arielle

AU - O’Toole, Jay

AU - Price, Gregory

AU - Radu-Lefebvre, Miruna

AU - Ram, Monder

AU - Randolph, Angela

AU - Ro, Eunki

AU - Schwartz, Birgitta

AU - Sindani, Tabitha

AU - Villesèche, Florence

AU - Wadhwani, R. Daniel

AU - Wettermark, Anna

AU - Xheneti, Mirela

N1 - Epub ahead of print. Published online: October 22, 2025.

PY - 2025/10/22

Y1 - 2025/10/22

N2 - Entrepreneurship scholarship faces challenges related to diverse populations, striving to balance inclusivity with the recognition of unique entrepreneurial identities. Applying optimal distinctiveness theory, we explore the relationship between belongingness and uniqueness in entrepreneurship research. Catalyzed by Bakker and McMullen’s 2023 article on inclusivity in entrepreneurship, we utilized natural language processing to examine responses about inclusive entrepreneurship from 29 scholars dedicated to marginalized populations. Findings suggest that employing varied research methods and integrating structural and epistemological considerations can enhance our understanding of entrepreneurial heterogeneity. We advocate for entrepreneurship research that values individual experiences while promoting inclusive practices, highlighting the need for evolving scholarly paradigms to reflect entrepreneurial differences.

AB - Entrepreneurship scholarship faces challenges related to diverse populations, striving to balance inclusivity with the recognition of unique entrepreneurial identities. Applying optimal distinctiveness theory, we explore the relationship between belongingness and uniqueness in entrepreneurship research. Catalyzed by Bakker and McMullen’s 2023 article on inclusivity in entrepreneurship, we utilized natural language processing to examine responses about inclusive entrepreneurship from 29 scholars dedicated to marginalized populations. Findings suggest that employing varied research methods and integrating structural and epistemological considerations can enhance our understanding of entrepreneurial heterogeneity. We advocate for entrepreneurship research that values individual experiences while promoting inclusive practices, highlighting the need for evolving scholarly paradigms to reflect entrepreneurial differences.

KW - Optimal distinctiveness theory

KW - Inclusive entrepreneurship

KW - Marginalized entrepreneurs

KW - Hetero-geneity in researc

KW - Epistemological considerations

KW - Optimal distinctiveness theory

KW - Inclusive entrepreneurship

KW - Marginalized entrepreneurs

KW - Hetero-geneity in researc

KW - Epistemological considerations

U2 - 10.1177/10422587251347048

DO - 10.1177/10422587251347048

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1042-2587

JO - Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice

JF - Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice

ER -