This paper focuses on emerging processes of entrepreneurs who made business innovations during the Meiji era, when the modern society was formed, from the perspectives of entrepreneurial history and business history.
The individual data (home situation, educational background, processes to entrepreneurship, and types of innovation) of 46 entrepreneurs were analyzed, and common factors in their emerging processes were sought. As a finding, there were four types in the emerging process :( 1) network type,( 2) regional development type,( 3) merchant type, and( 4) technology type.
As for the network type, entrepreneurs utilized advantages of networking with government/ business leaders/ relatives to acquire advanced western knowledge (i.e. unique information for venturing) which was necessary for modern organization management. Regarding the regional development type, the entrepreneurial activities have characteristics of developing regional industries suitable for the times. Those entrepreneurs, who were mainly local elites playing official and influential roles in their regions, utilized information required for venturing that contributes to regional development (i.e. unique information for venturing) from local and political experts.
As for the merchant type, entrepreneurs were engaged to their merchant activities connected with opportunities for new innovative businesses. Those who became such merchants came mainly from farmers who aimed successful career and independence. In their works as merchants, they succeeded in business by acquiring the earliest information (i.e. unique information for venturing). Finally in the technical type, entrepreneurs raised a business by using technologies acquired through skill acquisition and invention. This type often came from merchants, and as a part of management efforts, they aimed at the creation and invention of new products or technologies that had not existed in Japan so far. Here information on new western product/ technologies( i.e. unique information for venturing) played a crucial role.
Access to such information for venturing above was a key for entrepreneurs who successfully created new modern businesses.
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