The Methodological Choices in Entrepreneurship Research: Comparison of Mathematics and Entrepreneurship Paradigm

Abstract

In this article we investigate the possibility of reconciling two methodological approaches in entrepreneurship research: quantitative and qualitative. Entrepreneurship is one of the youngest paradigms in economics and business fields. Mathematics is the "queen" of  sciences but beside its role as basic science, it is recently applied in various scientific fields, including also entrepreneurship. What kind of research question can be answered by using mathematical approach and what questions can be raised by conducting qualitative research, is of main authors' concern. We use an example of entrepreneurial growth, as one of the most intriguing research problems in economics and entrepreneurship to compare the outcomes of research process by using different approaches and philosophical views. Differences in philosophical, ontological, epistemological and methodological characteristics in research process come from different types of research problems. We do not recognize quantitative and qualitatve methodology as opposite sides of the research in entrepreneurship field but rather as complementary. We analyse outcomes of testing Gibrat's Law (mathematical approach) and qualitative research using grounded theory in software industry.