Author(s): Rosemary Fisher, Richard Laferriere, Andrew Rixon
This systematic literature review critically examines an assumption within entrepreneurship research that Entrepreneurial Success (ES) is a universally understood construct. Inspired by the breakout review strategy for literature reviews, we seek to transcend conventional discourse and uncover novel insights about ES in this review. Accordingly, our investigation reveals that ES is not a multidimensional construct but a disparate one, significantly shaped by individual and societal values, and this should affect its conceptualisation and measurement. Our findings also highlight the impactful nature of ES research, and uncovers a significant diversity in how ES is operationalised across different contexts—be it economic, cultural, or societal—underscoring the need for a contextually nuanced understanding of ES. By challenging the notion of a universally accepted definition of ES, we call for a shift towards recognising, requiring and defining multiple, context-informed interpretations of ES in future researach.