Phoenix Innovation Study

About Phoenix Innovation Study

ASU is not only an academic institution, but also a driver of economic development. To spur increased innovation in the Phoenix metropolitan area, we must first understand our community's assets and how they can generate and foster innovation. To do so, we will conduct a study of the community's entrepreneurial landscape that will serve as a research foundation to support our institutional investment strategy.

The outcomes of this study will include a multi-dimensional map of the community, which will become an online database accessible to community members and legislators. The research team will also develop a number of policy reports which will provide solid, research-backed information to legislators in addressing the needs of the area. Through this process, we plan to expand our community engagement and strengthen the economic infrastructure in the Phoenix area that supports innovative growth.

The entrepreneurial activity currently prevalent in Phoenix is primarily the kind that serves the needs of a rapidly growing population-referred to by researchers as "life-style entrepreneurship" (Low 2004) or "replicative entrepreneurship" (Carey 2006) - notably in the form of real estate development. While this type of entrepreneurial activity creates wealth and employment, it is not subject to the competitive pressures faced by entrepreneurs who must compete to serve customers outside their local area, and it is not driven by innovation. For long-term sustainability and growth, "high-value entrepreneurship" (Low 2004) or "innovative entrepreneurship" (Carey 2006) is a crucial ingredient.

The team who will conduct this study is comprised of faculty members from: the Center for Population Dynamics, the Global Institute of Sustainability, the Institute for Social Science Research, the School of Geographical Sciences, the School of Human Evolution & Social Change, the School of Justice and Social Inquiry, the School of Social Work, and the W. P. Carey School of Business. This multi-disciplinary team brings together wide-ranging expertise for understanding the dimensions of metropolitan Phoenix.

For more information contact:

Lisa Meierotto
Grants Coordinator
School of Human Evolution & Social Change
lisa.meierotto@asu.edu

Gabriella Sanchez
Graduate Student Research Assistant
gsanch1@asu.edu

Research Process

The research team will initially complete a thorough economics-based component of the study. To do so, the team will determine the distinguishing characteristics of replicative and innovative entrepreneurship, the conditions that promote entrepreneurship, how these conditions interact in the economic climate of Phoenix, and projections if current trends prevail.

The major outcome of this research component will be a policy report to the city, county and state authorities that will also be available online for the community. Sponsors will widely distribute the report to legislators, chambers of commerce, small businesses, municipalities and media organizations to provide knowledge-based guidance for the legislative infrastructure that supports economic growth.

The research team will also use social, economic and geographical approaches to create a multi-dimensional map of the various categories of entrepreneurs. This map will show how small businesses reflect replicative and/or innovative business strategies; identify barriers to business growth for individuals operating small and micro-enterprise ventures; and propose promising strategies for overcoming barriers to business success. The research will pay particular attention to the ways in which entrepreneurial experiences or approaches are framed by gender, race/ethnicity, resources and family status.

A detailed interview process for a selected group of entrepreneurs will illuminate their decision-making processes. The interviews will enable the research team to analyze the entrepreneurs' cognitive processes and understand the circumstances that have influenced their business decisions. Analysis from these interviews will help determine the conditions that may alter their decisions, such as increased opportunities for networking or mentoring.

The results of the Phoenix innovation study will help determine how ASU can most effectively match its resources to community needs, whether those include educational resources, networking opportunities or policy changes. Policy papers, a web site with a multi-dimensional database and scientific journal articles will all work toward influencing the economic infrastructure and contribute to the base for research in entrepreneurship.

Related Articles

• "'The Two Faces of Entrepreneurship, Part 1: Replicative Entrepreneurs Serve Growing Population' Knowledge@W. P. Carey, July 19, 2006"
• "'The Two Faces of Entrepreneurship, Part 2: Innovative Entrepreneurs Bring New Wealth to the Economy' Knowledge@W. P. Carey, September 13, 2006"
• "Regional Asset Indicators: Entrepreneurship Breadth and Depth," Sarah Low, The Main Street Economist, September 2004"

Related Events

• Entrepreneurship Working Group Brownbags Calendar, Spring 2008
• Entrepreneurship Working Group Brownbags Calendar, Fall 2007

Specific goals of the group include:

(a) to educate each other on our various approaches to measuring and studying entrepreneurship;
(b) to develop a specific research plan for studying entrepreneurship in Phoenix; and
(c) to begin to develop methodologies for assessing what policies could be implemented to help the transition into "innovative entrepreneurship" in Phoenix.