Hairong Jiang, Juan P. Wachs and Bradley S. Duerstock
The purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated, computer vision-based system to operate a commercial wheelchair-mounted robotic manipulator (WMRM). In addition, a gesture…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated, computer vision-based system to operate a commercial wheelchair-mounted robotic manipulator (WMRM). In addition, a gesture recognition interface system was developed specially for individuals with upper-level spinal cord injuries including object tracking and face recognition to function as an efficient, hands-free WMRM controller.
Design/methodology/approach
Two Kinect® cameras were used synergistically to perform a variety of simple object retrieval tasks. One camera was used to interpret the hand gestures and locate the operator's face for object positioning, and then send those as commands to control the WMRM. The other sensor was used to automatically recognize different daily living objects selected by the subjects. An object recognition module employing the Speeded Up Robust Features algorithm was implemented and recognition results were sent as a commands for “coarse positioning” of the robotic arm near the selected object. Automatic face detection was provided as a shortcut enabling the positing of the objects close by the subject's face.
Findings
The gesture recognition interface incorporated hand detection, tracking and recognition algorithms, and yielded a recognition accuracy of 97.5 percent for an eight-gesture lexicon. Tasks’ completion time were conducted to compare manual (gestures only) and semi-manual (gestures, automatic face detection, and object recognition) WMRM control modes. The use of automatic face and object detection significantly reduced the completion times for retrieving a variety of daily living objects.
Originality/value
Integration of three computer vision modules were used to construct an effective and hand-free interface for individuals with upper-limb mobility impairments to control a WMRM.
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Ana Laguía, Dominika Wach, Cristina Garcia-Ael and Juan A. Moriano
Entrepreneurship, which traditionally has been a male occupation, still attracts fewer women than men. Challenging gender stereotypes within entrepreneurship is one avenue to…
Abstract
Purpose
Entrepreneurship, which traditionally has been a male occupation, still attracts fewer women than men. Challenging gender stereotypes within entrepreneurship is one avenue to increase women's entrepreneurial intention and promote women entrepreneurship. This study adapts the “think manager – think male” leadership perspective to the entrepreneurship context and explores gender stereotype's implications for both entrepreneurial intention and motivation to become an entrepreneur.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 902 Spanish non-entrepreneurs, both male and female, were randomly asked about the representation of successful entrepreneurs (no-gender-mention), successful men entrepreneurs or successful women entrepreneurs (reduced stereotype threat condition vs no-gender-mention or men entrepreneurs' conditions). Then, female participants' entrepreneurial intention, its antecedents (i.e. attitudes toward entrepreneurship, subjective norms and entrepreneurial self-efficacy) and necessity vs opportunity motivation were measured and compared to their male counterparts' scores in those three conditions.
Findings
Female participants reported higher entrepreneurial intention, self-efficacy and opportunity motivation when assigned to the successful women entrepreneurs' condition. Younger participants – compared to older ones – also exhibited higher entrepreneurial intention and opportunity motivation, more positive attitudes toward entrepreneurship and higher scores in subjective norms. Furthermore, findings suggest a woman entrepreneur seems to be less accessible (or more counter-stereotypical) to male participants than to female participants and, thus, the “think entrepreneur – think male” bias is more noticeable in male participants. Therefore, reducing negative stereotype threat for women in entrepreneurship may increase women's entrepreneurial career aspirations. This is of utmost importance to optimize training courses and mentoring programs to strengthen women's self-efficacy in their entrepreneurial skills and capabilities.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature about gender, entrepreneurial intention and motivation by adapting a leadership paradigm (“think manager – think male”) to entrepreneurship (“think entrepreneur – think male”). These findings shed new light on the antecedents of entrepreneurial intention and motivation and have implications for policy measures. Acknowledging that exposure to successful women entrepreneurs as role models potentially facilitates entrepreneurship among women, governments should provide tailor-made incentives and support for women entrepreneurs in the form of awareness raising, networking and in the mass media.
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Mehrzad Saeedikiya, Aidin Salamzadeh, Yashar Salamzadeh and Zeynab Aeeni
The current research aimed to investigate the external enablement role of Digital Infrastructures (DI) in the interplay of entrepreneurial cognitions and innovation.
Abstract
Purpose
The current research aimed to investigate the external enablement role of Digital Infrastructures (DI) in the interplay of entrepreneurial cognitions and innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
Data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) and Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) were used for analyses. This yielded a sample of 8,601 Generation Z entrepreneurs operating in 25 European countries.
Findings
Applying hierarchical moderated regressions showed that socio-cognitive components of an entrepreneurial mindset (self-efficacy, risk propensity, opportunity identification) affect innovation among Generation Z entrepreneurs. More importantly, DI plays an external enablement role in the interplay of cognitions and innovation among Generation Z entrepreneurs.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the socio-cognitive theory of entrepreneurship by integrating an external enablement perspective into the study of cognitions and entrepreneurial outcomes (here, innovation). It contributes to the digital technology perspective of entrepreneurship by connecting the conversation about the socio-cognitive perspective of entrepreneurship regarding the role of cognitions in innovation to the conversation in information systems (IS) regarding technology affordances and constraints. This study extends the application of the external enabler framework to the post-entry stage of entrepreneurial activity and integrates a generational perspective into it.
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Ondřej Dvouletý, Juan Carlos Fernandez de Arroyabe and Michael Mustafa
Juan Felipe Parra, Alejandro Valencia-Arias and Jonathan Bermúdez-Hernández
Entrepreneurial intention is one of the main predictors of venture creation. However, the approaches used to analyze the entrepreneurial intention and venture creation are mostly…
Abstract
Purpose
Entrepreneurial intention is one of the main predictors of venture creation. However, the approaches used to analyze the entrepreneurial intention and venture creation are mostly linear approaches, leaving aside the fact that new ventures arise in a context characterized by fluctuations and instability, especially in emerging economies where economic and social factors are highly variables. Nevertheless, a dynamic approach could best represent its behavior. This study aims to propose an alternative approach and a starting point for more complex dynamic models in the entrepreneurship process that surpass the limitation of the current linear methodologies and allow gathering isolated studies' contributions.
Design/methodology/approach
This study proposes a method to shed light on the processes related to the venture creation process and entrepreneurial intention by designing a system dynamics simulation model.
Findings
The results reveal that the delayed effect of expectations produces a growing tendency in project creation, venture establishment and venture creation. Likewise, the entrepreneurial intention is not a static variable; it changes by the system’s dynamics and disturbs the venture creation process, which produces an increase in oscillations in the model and, therefore, reduces the project’s growth and venture creation.
Research limitations/implications
This model is a generic approach for the study of venture creation and entrepreneurial intention. The model can analyze entrepreneurial intention and venture creation in different contexts, adjusting the different model parameters. The authors run a sensitivity analysis to encompass deviation from the parameter established and the uncertainty about them. However, the empirical data used for the model’s testing, in this case, correspond to an approximation to the behavior of venture creation in Colombia, which is considered an emerging economy. The model proposed does not pretend to incorporate all the variables and phenomena about entrepreneurship.
Originality/value
The approach suggested in this work aims to conceptualize venture creation as a complex process that emerges from the occurrence and combination of simpler states, instead of activities that represent building blocks. In addition, the term “entrepreneurial process” is defined as a composite of different perspectives that use a series of multidisciplinary theories to address the topic.
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Juan Alberto Hueso, Inmaculada Jaén and Francisco Liñán
This systematic literature review (SLR) analyses the existing contributions, jointly studying personal values (PVs) and intentions in entrepreneurship. Despite the long tradition…
Abstract
Purpose
This systematic literature review (SLR) analyses the existing contributions, jointly studying personal values (PVs) and intentions in entrepreneurship. Despite the long tradition that these two constructs enjoy in social psychology, they have only recently been considered together in entrepreneurship research.
Design/methodology/approach
To conduct this SLR, three widely used databases were searched (Scopus, ABI-INFORM and Web of Science). A total of 451 initial hits were successively narrowed down to a final list of 22 journal articles matching the inclusion criteria. This field of research is very recent since the selected papers have all been published since 2011, half of which have appeared since 2017.
Findings
The predominant approach in these papers was the consideration of PVs as antecedents in the formation of entrepreneurial intentions (EIs). In particular, basic human values (BHV) theory for PVs and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) for intentions are the prevalent frameworks. The influence of PVs differs notably depending on the motivational antecedent of intention being considered and also on the specific (general vs social) EI analysed.
Originality/value
This SLR is, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the first review that addresses this fast-growing area of research. It provides a comprehensive mapping of the contributions to date as well as an integrative conceptual framework to synthetise accumulated knowledge. It also identifies subsisting knowledge gaps and a number of future research opportunities.
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Doménica Heras Tigre, Katherine Coronel-Pangol, Juan Carlos Aguirre Quezada, Karina Durán Andrade and Pedro Fabián Mora Pacheco
The purpose of this study is to identify the key factors that drive social entrepreneurship (SE) among Ecuadorian social entrepreneurs.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to identify the key factors that drive social entrepreneurship (SE) among Ecuadorian social entrepreneurs.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was developed following a qualitative and exploratory research design based on the identification of social entrepreneurs through the nonprobabilistic sequential sampling technique, giving a total of fifteen social entrepreneurs who were given a structured interview that was later analyzed in the ATLAS.TI software for the identification, analysis and categorization of drivers.
Findings
The results will identify eight drivers for SE, including social exclusion, public support, sources of employment, economic income, family support, environmental awareness and fair trade, as standards and values. Overall, the findings help to improve the understanding of the factors that determine the creation and development of social enterprises in the country.
Research limitations/implications
Deepen and increase the literature on SE in Latin America. Contribute to reducing the knowledge gap on the topic.
Originality/value
Taken together, the results provide empirical evidence and help to better understand the factors that determine the creation and development of social enterprises in the country.
Propósito
Identificar los factores clave que impulsan el emprendimiento social en emprendedores sociales ecuatorianos.
Metodología
El estudio se desarrolló siguiendo un diseño de investigación cualitativo y exploratorio basado en la identificación de emprendedores sociales a través de la técnica de muestreo secuencial no probabilístico, obteniendo un total de quince emprendedores sociales a quienes se les realizó una entrevista estructurada que posteriormente fue analizada en el software ATLAS.TI para la identificación, análisis y categorización de impulsores.
Resultados
Los resultados identificarán ocho impulsores del empresariado social, entre los que se encuentran la exclusión social, el apoyo público, las fuentes de empleo, los ingresos económicos, el apoyo familiar, la conciencia medioambiental y el comercio justo, como normas y valores. En general, los resultados ayudan a mejorar la comprensión de los factores que determinan la creación y el desarrollo de empresas sociales en el país.
Originalidad
En conjunto, los resultados aportan evidencia empírica y ayudan a comprender mejor los factores que determinan la creación y desarrollo de empresas sociales en el país.
Implicaciones de la investigación
Profundizar e incrementar la literatura sobre Emprendimiento Social en América Latina. Contribuir a reducir la brecha de conocimiento sobre el tema.
Objetivo
Identificar os principais fatores que impulsionam o empreendedorismo social nos empreendedores sociais equatorianos.
Metodologia
O estudo foi desenvolvido de acordo com um projeto de pesquisa qualitativo e exploratório baseado na identificação de empreendedores sociais por meio da técnica de amostragem sequencial não probabilística, totalizando quinze empreendedores sociais que foram submetidos a uma entrevista estruturada, posteriormente analisada no software ATLAS.TI para identificação, análise e categorização dos fatores determinantes.
Conclusões
Os resultados identificarão oito motivadores do empreendedorismo social, incluindo exclusão social, apoio público, fontes de emprego, renda econômica, apoio familiar, consciência ambiental e comércio justo, como padrões e valores. Em geral, os resultados ajudam a melhorar a compreensão dos fatores que determinam a criação e o desenvolvimento de empresas sociais no país.
Originalidade
Em conjunto, os resultados fornecem evidências empíricas e ajudam a entender melhor os fatores que determinam a criação e o desenvolvimento de empresas sociais no país.
Implicações para a pesquisa
Aprofundar e aumentar a literatura sobre empreendedorismo social na América Latina. Contribuir para reduzir a lacuna de conhecimento sobre o tema.