The power of arguments: How entrepreneurs convince stakeholders of the legitimate distinctiveness of their ventures

R van Werven, O Bouwmeester, Joep Cornelissen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

111 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Entrepreneurs gain positive evaluations when their stakeholders are convinced that a new venture is simultaneously legitimate and distinct. Prior research highlights that analogies are a powerful device for constructing such legitimate distinctiveness. We extend this work by providing a more comprehensive typology of arguments that, besides analogies, contains five additional arguments that entrepreneurs can use to gain legitimacy and support for their ventures. We use this rhetorical typology in turn to consider how the nature of the business concept associated with a new venture constrains the choice, and effects, of certain arguments. Our typology provides a base for future research on the micro-discursive processes through which entrepreneurs claim, and in turn achieve, legitimate distinctiveness for their ventures.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)616-631
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of Business Venturing
Volume4
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015

Research programs

  • RSM ORG

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The power of arguments: How entrepreneurs convince stakeholders of the legitimate distinctiveness of their ventures'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this