Abstract
The lean startup approach and its principles are increasingly gaining relevance in entrepreneurial theory and practice. At the same time, key principles such as ‘pivoting’ and the ‘build-measure-learn cycle’ remain under-theorized. This hurts the clarity of these concepts, and it hinders more effective use of them in practice. We tackle both issues in this article. First, we draw on action regulation theory to theorize the practice concepts of ‘pivoting,’ as well as of the ‘build-measure-learn cycle.’ Subsequently, we build on this theorizing to develop theoretically grounded design principles. This article contributes to literature in two ways. First, theorizing the lean startup principles improves the clarity of the focal concepts and helps to understand why, for whom, and when they work. Second, the developed design principles contribute to the increasing body of design knowledge which provides scientifically grounded guidance for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship educators.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hampel, C.E., Tracey, P., Weber, K.: The art of the pivot: how new ventures manage identification relationships with stakeholders as they change direction. Acad. Manag. J. 63(2), 440–471 (2020). https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2017.0460
Ghezzi, A.: Digital startups and the adoption and implementation of lean startup approaches: effectuation, bricolage and opportunity creation in practice. Technol. Forecast. Soc. Change (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2018.09.017
Grimes, M.G.: The pivot: how founders respond to feedback through idea and identity work. Acad. Manag. J. (2018)
Ries, E.: The Lean Startup by Eric Ries. The Starta (2016). https://doi.org/23
Ones, D., Anderson, N., Viswesvaran, C., Sinangil, H., Zacher, H., et al.: Action Regulation Theory: Foundations, Current Knowledge and Future Directions. The SAGE Handbook of Industrial, Work & Organizational Psychology (2017). https://doi.org/10.4135/9781473914957.n7
Berglund, H., Dimov, D., Wennberg, K.: Beyond bridging rigor and relevance: the three-body problem in entrepreneurship J. Bus. Ventur. Insights (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbvi.2018.02.001
Romme, A.G.L., Reymen, I.M.: Entrepreneurship at the interface of design and science: toward an inclusive framework. J. Bus. Ventur. Insights 10, e00094 (2018)
Frese, M., Zapf, D.: Action as the Core of Work Psychology: A German Approach. Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, vol. 4 (2nd Ed.) (1994)
Frese, M.: Toward a psychology of entrepreneurship - an action theory perspective. Found. Trends Entrep. (2009). https://doi.org/10.1561/0300000028
Campos, F., et al.: Teaching personal initiative beats traditional training in boosting small business in West Africa. Science 357(6357), 1287–1290 (2017)
Glaub, M.E., Frese, M., Fischer, S., Hoppe, M.: Increasing personal initiative in small business managers or owners leads to entrepreneurial success: a theory-based controlled randomized field intervention for evidence-based management. Acad. Manag. Learn. Educ. 13(3) (2014). https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2013.0234
Seckler, C., Mauer, R., vom Brocke, J.: Design science in entrepreneurship: conceptual foundations and guiding principles. J. Bus. Ventur. Des. (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbvd.2022.100004
van Aken, J.E.: Management research based on the paradigm of the design sciences: the quest for field-tested and grounded technological rules. J. Manag. Stud. (2004).https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2004.00430.x
Suddaby, R.: Editor’s comments: construct clarity in theories of management and organization. Acad. Manag. Rev. (2010).https://doi.org/10.5465/AMR.2010.51141319
Dimov, D.: Toward a design science of entrepreneurship Models of start-up thinking and action: theoretical, empirical and pedagogical approaches: Emerald Group Publishing Limited (2016)
Veenman, M.V.J., van Hout-Wolters, B.H.A.M., Afflerbach, P.: Metacognition and learning: conceptual and methodological considerations. Metacognition Learn. (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11409-006-6893-0
Austin, J.T., Vancouver, J.B.: Goal constructs in psychology: structure, process, and content. Psychol. Bull. 120(3) (1996). https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.120.3.338
Zacher, H., Hacker, W., Frese, M.: Action regulation across the adult lifespan (ARAL): a metatheory of work and aging. Work, Aging and Retirement (2016). https://doi.org/10.1093/workar/waw015
Gollwitzer, P.M.: Implementation intentions: strong effects of simple plans. Am. Psychol. 54(7) (1999). https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.54.7.493
Keith, N., Frese, M.: Self-regulation in error management training: emotion control and metacognition as mediators of performance effects. J. Appl. Psychol. (2005)
Hacker, W.: Action regulation theory: a practical tool for the design of modern work processes? Eur. J. Work Organ. Psychol. 12(2) (2003). https://doi.org/10.1080/13594320344000075
Hacker, W.: Action regulation theory and occupational psychology: review of German empirical research since 1987. Ger. J. Psychol. 18(2) (1994)
Hacker, W., Sachse, P.: Allgemeine Arbeitspsychologie. Allgmeine Arbeitspsychologie (2013). https://elibrary.hogrefe.com/book/99.110005/9783840925405
Campbell, J.P., McCloy, R.A., Oppler, S.H., Sager, C.E.: A theory of performance. Personnel Selection In Organizations (1993)
Dörner, D., Schaub, H.: Errors in planning and decision-making and the nature of human information processing. Appl. Psychol. 43(4) (1994). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.1994.tb00839.x
Bamberger, P.: Beyond contextualization: using context theories to narrow the micro-macro gap in management research. Acad. Manag. J. (2008). https://doi.org/10.5465/AMJ.2008.34789630
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Sielski, K., Seckler, C. (2024). Theorizing the Lean Startup Approach: Towards Well-Grounded Design Principles. In: Mandviwalla, M., Söllner, M., Tuunanen, T. (eds) Design Science Research for a Resilient Future. DESRIST 2024. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14621. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61175-9_28
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61175-9_28
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-61174-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-61175-9
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)