Bricolage and the entrepreneurial process in times of crisis: insights from new ventures in the Philippines

Abstract

Purpose How does entrepreneurship flourish amidst persistent resource scarcity, market imperfections, underdeveloped infrastructure and institutional voids? In recent years, bricolage has emerged in the entrepreneurship literature as an effective form of resource mobilization in resource-constrained environments and crisis situations. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of bricolage in new venture creation by examining the use of bricolage at each stage of the entrepreneurial process of opportunity discovery, development and exploitation. Design/methodology/approach The author conducted a qualitative analysis of 10 new business ventures established in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings The author found a prevalence of bricolage at every stage of the entrepreneurial process in all cases, showing that bricolage was embedded in the behavior and decision-making of entrepreneurs throughout the process. Practical implications The finding have implications for policymakers aiming to support entrepreneurship in emerging economies. Originality/value This paper contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence of bricolage behavior identified at every step of the entrepreneurial process in a specific emerging economy context.