Towards a Taxonomy of Entrepreneurial Theories

Abstract

JOAQUIN GUZMAN-CUEVAS IS TITULAR professor of applied economics and director of the Small and Medium Enterprise Research Unit at the University of Sevilla, Spain. The main objective of this paper is to explore the concept of 'entrepreneur', focusing on his or her functions and identifying characteristics rather than on other aspects such as the role of entrepreneurial profit or the relationship between the role of entrepreneur and macro-economic balance, or growth processes. This analysis is focused to achieve an ordination and systematisation of the contributions of the main economic and non-economic doctrines in order to form a whole or set which embraces the fundamental parts of entrepreneurship. On this basis, three fundamental approaches are found which imply three essential functions within entrepreneurship. The thought streams, with their most representative authors, are interconnected methodically and integrated in a diagram according to criteria on which those entrepreneurial functions are outstanding on each one.