Entrepreneurship as a Values and Leadership Paradigm

Paradigms are ontological orientations that influence the way we construct our realities. Leadership paradigms therefore affect the way leaders go about defining their roles as leaders and applying themselves to the responsibilities of leadership. Entrepreneurship may be seen as one type of leadership orientation, namely that of leading a business venture. As such, the entrepreneurial process relates to a particular leadership paradigm. In addition, modern day business is underpinned by a particular set of values, which in their turn are associated with ways of thinking, world views, or paradigms. The intersection of the two paradigms – values and leadership – creates a psychological ‘space’ or ‘new paradigm’ in which entrepreneurship may be situated. The paper aims to position entrepreneurship within a leadership and values paradigm, thereby providing a view of the emergent discipline that may be seen as complementary to traditional economic models. It is envisaged that an increased understanding of the psychological tensions that exist in entrepreneurial firms will equip emergent and nascent entrepreneurs, corporate managers wishing to evoke a more entrepreneurial culture, and academics who teach and research in the fields of entrepreneurship, with the ability to nurture entrepreneurial talent.