Micro-businesses in the driver's seat: a qualitative study of market-driving practices in the food sector
Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development
ISSN: 1462-6004
Article publication date: 12 May 2023
Issue publication date: 28 July 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Previous research studying larger market-driving businesses argues that successful entrepreneurs intuitively show market-driving capabilities. Even though market-driving is acknowledged as entrepreneurial action and practice, this phenomenon has rarely been studied from a micro-business perspective. Representing more than 40% of all food businesses in Norway, micro-businesses contribute significantly to both value creation and variety in the marketplace, and this study addresses the existing research gap by examining market-driving practices in food micro-businesses in a competitive Norwegian grocery market.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs a multiple-case-study approach with four pioneering food micro-businesses within the Norwegian local food sector. Data collected during in-depth interviews with the individual founder-managers provide insight into understanding market-driving practices through the lens of entrepreneurial orientation.
Findings
The findings suggest that food micro-businesses are disrupting the grocery market through their pioneering practices. A three-pillared framework for market-driving practices in food micro-businesses was developed: (1) taking the risk and following their passion, (2) innovativeness led by a passionate personal value proposition, and (3) proactively and perseveringly building a new category.
Originality/value
The study offers a novel attempt to explore and conceptualize market-driving practices in a micro-business context. The findings present a new framework for market-driving contextualized in the local food sector, representing an under-investigated area in micro-business and enterprise development.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the participants for their contribution to the research. This research was supported by the Norwegian Fund for Research Fees for Agricultural Products (FFL) through the project InnoFood (262303) and FoodForFuture (314318).
Citation
Hersleth, S.A., Gonera, A. and Kubberød, E. (2023), "Micro-businesses in the driver's seat: a qualitative study of market-driving practices in the food sector", Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, Vol. 30 No. 4, pp. 759-785. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-06-2022-0280
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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