Designing a Framework of Key Skills for Technology Entrepreneurs in Technological Environments

Document Type : Original research

Authors

1 Department of Business Administration and Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Management and Accounting, University of Tehran, Iran;

2 Department of Technological Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Entrepreneurship, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management and Accounting, University of Tehran, Iran

4 Department of Policy and Public Affairs Administration, Faculty of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

5 Department of Leadership and Human Capital, Faculty of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

With the increasing complexity of technological environments and the critical importance of effective policymaking to support technology entrepreneurs, identifying and developing their key skills has become one of the primary priorities in fostering innovation, enhancing competitiveness, and creating a suitable platform for the growth and development of technological businesses. Technology entrepreneurs, leveraging their unique skills in identifying innovative opportunities, advancing cutting-edge technologies, and commercializing technological ideas, play a vital role in driving innovation and technological development. This study aims to design a comprehensive framework for the key skills of technology entrepreneurs and analyze their needs for success in technological environments. Employing qualitative content analysis and a systematic review of scientific resources from 2015 to 2024, the identified skills are categorized into three main domains: managerial, business, and technological. Managerial skills include project management, operations management, human capital management, financial management, risk management, strategic management, and innovation management. Business skills encompass opportunity identification, feasibility analysis, business model development, product development, marketing and sales, fundraising, customer relations, networking, and branding. Technological skills include researching technologies, mastering relevant technologies, implementing technologies, and developing technologies. This study also highlights the importance of aligning skills with the changing demands of technological environments. The proposed framework can serve as a foundation for designing targeted training programs, developing assessment tools, and formulating supportive policies. In addition to enhancing the skills of technology entrepreneurs, this framework paves the way for their success in innovative and dynamic environments, facilitating the growth of technological entrepreneurship, technological development, and effective exploitation of business opportunities across various domains.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Aamer, A., Zadeh, A., Mali, P., and Bolick, C. (2024). “Emerging technologies and principle-based project management: A systematic literature review and research agenda”. Management Review Quarterly, 74(2), 369–391. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-024-00419-y
Abedi Nia, H., Rahnavard, F., and Gholavzan, A. A. (2021). “Designing a model for professional competencies of knowledge-based employees in the public sector”. Journal of Human Resource Studies, 11(4), 24–1. (in Persian)
Al-Kwifi, O. S., Petrovska, I., Parast, M., and Safari, A. (2023). “Individual entrepreneurial orientation, self-efficacy, and managerial skills for project performance: An integrated structural approach and analysis”. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 15(6), 1634–1657.
Armaghan, N., Qaedsharafi, H., and Aghabigi, S. (2022). “The role of open innovation in technology development of knowledge-based companies: A case study of the growth center of the Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology”. Journal of Technology Development Management, 10(1), 37–60. https://doi.org/10.22104/jtdm.2022.5132.2863
Bessant, J., and Tidd, J. (2020). Innovation and entrepreneurship: A competitive advantage approach. 6th ed,
Bonesso, S., Cortellazzo, L., and Gerli, F. (2020). “Behavioral competencies in new product development teams”. In Behavioral Competencies for Innovation: Using Emotional Intelligence to Foster Innovation (pp. 51–67).
Byrne, D., and Gavin, M. (2020). “Continuous learning in the workplace”. Human Resource Management Review, 30(2), 145–167.
Chaudhary, R., Malik, N. P., and Raina, S. (2020). “Entrepreneurial competencies: A study on Indian start-ups”. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 12(2), 251–270.
Chukwuka, E. J., and Igweh, F. O. (2024). “Strategic role of feasibility study in entrepreneurial profitability and project management”. International Journal of Business and Entrepreneurial Research, 14(11), 1–18.
Cincera, M., and Ravet, J. (2020). “Corporate RandD and innovation: Evidence from 27 EU countries”. Research Policy, 49(3), 103922. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2020.103922
Cooney, T. M. (2021). “Entrepreneurial competencies: A systematic literature review and development agenda”. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research, 27(5), 1091–1107.
Crovini, C., Santoro, G., and Ossola, G. (2021). “Rethinking risk management in entrepreneurial SMEs: Towards the integration with the decision-making process”. Management Decision, 59(5), 1085–1113.
Cullen, U. A., and De Angelis, R. (2021). “Circular entrepreneurship: A business model perspective”. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 168, 105300.
Daeichian, Y., Hejazi, S. R., Faraji, A., and Yadollahi Farsi, J. (2024). “Providing a design-based entrepreneurship framework in engineering education”. Journal of Entrepreneurship Development Research, 17(2), 130–106. https://doi.org/10.22059/jed.2024.370865.654318 (in Persian)
Dehghani Poudeh, H., Cheshmberah, M., Torabi, H., Karimi Gavareshki, M. H., and Hasnavy, R. (2018). “Determining and prioritizing the influential indices for outsourcing RandD projects of complex systems products (Case study: Aerospace Industries Organization)”. Journal of Technology Development Management, 5(3), 139–168. https://doi.org/10.22104/jtdm.2018.2699.1910
Duong, C. D. (2024). “What makes for digital entrepreneurs? The role of AI-related drivers for nascent digital start-up activities”. European Journal of Innovation Management, 27(3), 409–428. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-02-2024-0154
Eliakis, S., Kotsopoulos, D., Karagiannaki, A., and Pramatari, K. (2020). “Survival and growth in innovative technology entrepreneurship: A mixed-methods investigation”. Administrative Sciences, 10(3), 39. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci10030039
Ellis-Chadwick, F., and Chaffey, D. (2012). Digital marketing: Strategy, implementation and practice (5th ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Felicetti, A. M., Corvello, V., and Ammirato, S. (2023). “Digital innovation in entrepreneurial firms: A systematic literature review”. Review of Managerial Science, 18(1), 315–362. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-023-00638-9
Fernandes, A. J., and Ferreira, J. J. (2022). “Entrepreneurial ecosystems and networks: A literature review and research agenda”. Review of Managerial Science, 16(1), 189–247.
Ferreira, J. J., Fernandes, C. I., and Ratten, V. (2017). “Entrepreneurship, innovation and competitiveness: What is the connection?” International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 18(1), 73–95.
Ferreira, J., and Coelho, A. (2020). “Dynamic capabilities, innovation and branding capabilities and their impact on competitive advantage and SME's performance in Portugal: The moderating effects of entrepreneurial orientation”. International Journal of Innovation Science, 12(3), 255–286.
Frendika, R., Suwarsi, S., and Setiyawan, S. (2021). “Exploring human resource factors based entrepreneurship”. Journal of Management and Energy Business, 1(1).
Ghorbani Pirali-Dehi, F., Ahmadian, H., Sinaei-Rad, Z., and Koocheki, Z. (2024). “A model for entrepreneurship development at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources of Sari”. Policy Science and Technology Letter, 14(3), -.
Grilli, L. (2022). “Entrepreneurship and new product development: Exploring the advantage of youth and business acumen views”. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 39(5), 662–685.
Guerola-Navarro, V., Gil-Gomez, H., Oltra-Badenes, R., and Soto-Acosta, P. (2024). “Customer relationship management and its impact on entrepreneurial marketing: A literature review”. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 20(2), 507–547.
Hammoda, B. (2024). “The impact of educational technologies on entrepreneurial competencies: A systematic review of empirical evidence”. Knowledge Management and E-Learning, 16(2), 309–333.
Herliana, S., Lawiyah, N., and Aina, Q. (2018). “SWOT analysis approach on SME's entrepreneurial competency”. Academy of Entrepreneurship Journal, 24(2), 1–6.
Hrytsenok, I. A. (2021). “Pedagogical technology of entrepreneurial competence development of future qualified workers in the project activity process”. Professional Pedagogy, 1(22).
Jaboob, A. S., Awain, A. M. B., and Ali, K. A. M. (2024). “Introduction to operation and supply chain management for entrepreneurship”. In Applying Business Intelligence and Innovation to Entrepreneurship (pp. 52–80). IGI Global.
Karami, S., and Agahi, H. (2017). “SWOT analysis of strategies for agricultural entrepreneurs empowerment”. International Journal of Agricultural Management and Development (IJAMAD), 8(2), 307–320.
Kruger, S., and Steyn, A. A. (2021). “A conceptual model of entrepreneurial competencies needed to utilise technologies of Industry 4.0”. The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 22(1), 56–67.
Maharti, Y., and Entezarian, N. (2023). “Introducing and evaluating Rogers' diffusion of innovation theory”. Innovation Ecosystem Economic Studies Quarterly, 3(1), 45-66. https://doi.org/10.22111/innoeco.2024.47286.1083.
Mai, K. N., and Thai, Q. H. (2024). “Entrepreneurial competencies – A systematic literature review”. Journal of International Entrepreneurship, 22(2), 174–198. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10843-024-00356-7
Martín-Rojas, R., Fernández-Pérez, V., and García-Sánchez, E. (2017). “Encouraging organizational performance through the influence of technological distinctive competencies on components of corporate entrepreneurship”. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 13, 397–426.
Meyer, K. E., and Peng, M. W. (2016). “Theoretical foundations of emerging economy business research”. Journal of International Business Studies, 47, 3–22.
Morales Burgos, J. A., Kittler, M., and Walsh, M. (2020). “Bounded rationality, capital budgeting decisions and small business”. Qualitative Research in Accounting and Management, 17(2), 293–318.
Morris, M. H., Kuratko, D. F., and Covin, J. G. (2021). Corporate entrepreneurship and innovation: Today’s leadership imperative. Cengage Learning.
Mustapha, W. N. W., Al Mamun, A., Mansori, S., and Balasubramaniam, S. (2020). “Effect of entrepreneurial competencies on micro-enterprises income and assets in Malaysia”. Asia Pacific Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 14(3), 249–261.
Nenni, M. E., De Felice, F., De Luca, C., and Forcina, A. (2024). “How artificial intelligence will transform project management in the age of digitization: A systematic literature review”. Management Review Quarterly, 74(2), 345–367.
Ogunsanya, A., Molale, B., and Hueva, W. (2020). “An exploration of entrepreneur brand orientation and consumer perceptions of SMEs' brand positioning”. Communicare: Journal for Communication Sciences in Southern Africa, 39(2), 49–74.
Ogutveren-Gonul, O. (2019). “Teaching and implementing ideation in entrepreneurship: A systematic approach”. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation, 5(2), 27–45.
Papageorgiou, G., and Ness, A. N. (2021). “Feasibility study methods for entrepreneurs in sustainability-related ventures”. In Entrepreneurship, Institutional Framework and Support Mechanisms in the EU (pp. 133–148). Emerald Publishing Limited.
Pennetta, S., Anglani, F., and Mathews, S. (2024). “Navigating through entrepreneurial skills, competencies and capabilities: A systematic literature review and the development of the entrepreneurial ability model”. In Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 16(4), 1144–1182.
Piperopoulos, P., and Dimov, D. (2021). “Burst bubbles or build steam? Entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial intentions”. Journal of Small Business Management, 59(3), 498–521.
Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations. 5th ed, Free Press.
Ramirez, J. G. C. (2024). “The power of planning: How business plans drive effective management strategies”. Integrated Journal of Science and Technology, 1(3).
Rasmussen, E., and Sorheim, R. (2023). “Action-based entrepreneurship education”. Technovation, 33(5–6), 185–194.
Razak, T. M. T. A., Jalil, M. H., Shamsuddin, Z., Ibrahim, N., and Abd Aziz, N. (2022). “Effective assessment model to reduce risk management: A micro entrepreneur program”. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 6(3), 8877–8882.
Rosienkiewicz, M., Helman, J., Cholewa, M., Molasy, M., Górecka, A., Kohen-Vacs, D., ... and Benis, A. (2024). “Enhancing technology-focused entrepreneurship in higher education institutions ecosystem: Implementing innovation models in international projects”. Education Sciences, 14(7), 797.
Sahoo, S., and Yadav, S. (2017). “Entrepreneurial orientation of SMEs, total quality management and firm performance”. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 28(7), 892–912.
Sandelowski, M., Sandelowski, M. J., and Barroso, J. (2006). Handbook for synthesizing qualitative research. Springer Publishing Company. https://books.google.com/books?id=rjNMH0g8fFsC
Sánchez-López, A. M., and Pedraza, S. (2020). The resourceful academic-entrepreneur: How to build entrepreneurial potential with limited budget. Advances in Engineering Education, Summer 2020, 1–31. ERIC Document No. EJ1255248. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1255248.pdf
Schachel, H., Lachmann, M., Endenich, C., and Breucker, O. (2021). “The importance of management control systems for startup funding–empirical evidence from external financiers”. Journal of Accounting and Organizational Change, 17(5), 660–685.
Schumacher, K., and Edmondson, J. (2022). “Social entrepreneurship: Addressing societal challenges through innovation”. Journal of Social Innovation, 19(1), 98–115.
Shekarian, M., and Parast, M. (2021). “Do entrepreneurship skills improve project performance? A project-based learning perspective”. The Journal of Entrepreneurship, 30(2), 267–305.
Shen, Y., Wang, Q., Hua, D., and Zhang, Z. (2021). Entrepreneurial learning, self-efficacy, and firm performance: Exploring moderating effect of entrepreneurial orientation. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 731628. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.731628
Singh, R., Kumar, V., Singh, S., Dwivedi, A., and Kumar, S. (2024). “Measuring the impact of digital entrepreneurship training on entrepreneurial intention: The mediating role of entrepreneurial competencies”. Journal of Work-Applied Management, 16(1), 142–163.
Singh, S., and Green, P. (2023). “Social entrepreneurship: A framework for addressing global challenges”. International Journal of Social Enterprise, 28(2), 150–170.
Tamberg, T., Kuura, A., and Soosaar, R. (2021). “Project management and entrepreneurship competences”. Central European Economic Journal, 8(55), 25–43.
Taneja, S. (2018). Entrepreneurship: A practice-based guide. Routledge.
Tewary, A. K., and Mehta, R. (2021). “Brand development and entrepreneur’s role in small businesses”. Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship, 23(1), 159–174.
Thoti, K. K. (2023). “A study of business risk management among youth micro entrepreneur in Kelantan”. I-iECONS e-proceedings, 256–274.
Triono, T. A., Kirana, K. C., and Fadhilah, M. (2021). “Improved performance of business owners with social capital, human capital, and entrepreneurial competence”. International Journal of Economics, Business and Accounting Research (IJEBAR, 5(4).
Vu, H. M., and Nwachukwu, C. (2021). “Influence of entrepreneur competencies on profitability and employee satisfaction”. International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development, 20(1), 1–16.
Wach, D., Stephan, U., Weinberger, E., and Wegge, J. (2021). “Entrepreneurs' stressors and well-being: A recovery perspective and diary study”. Journal of Business Venturing, 36(5), 106016.
Wang, Y., Li, X., and Zhang, H. (2024). “Creativity and innovation in entrepreneurship: New insights from the latest research”. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research, 30(1), 1–18.
White, P. J., and Kennedy, C. (2022). “Designing a module in entrepreneurship for product design students”. Industry and Higher Education, 36(2), 217–226.
Wilson, F., Kickul, J., and Marlino, D. (2023). “Gender, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial career intentions: Implications for entrepreneurship education”. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 47(2), 345–372.
Yadollahi Farsi, J., Baradaran, M. S., Hejazi, S. R., and Akbari, M. (2019). “Expanding the concept of entrepreneurial competencies in technological entrepreneurs: An interpretive approach; A phenomenological study”. Science and Technology Policy, 11(3), 44–58.
Yazdani, H. R., Zare, H., and Hadpoor Seraj, M. (2021). “A framework for managing the outsourcing of human resource processes: A meta-synthesis study”. Motale’at-e Manabe Ensani (Human Resource Studies, 11(1), 26–53. (in Persian)
Yousefi, A., Ghasemian, M., and Hajheidari, N. (2020). “Evaluating the technology maturity level and estimating its associated costs for light class submarines”. Journal of Technology Development Management, 7(4), 29–61. https://doi.org/10.22104/jtdm.2020.3699.2283
Zhao, F. (2019). Technology entrepreneurship: From idea to innovation. Springer.
Zhao, H., and Wibowo, A. (2021). “Entrepreneurship resilience: can psychological traits of entrepreneurial intention support overcoming entrepreneurial failure?”. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 707803.
Zoltners, A. A., Sinha, P., Sahay, D., Shastri, A., and Lorimer, S. E. (2021). “Practical insights for sales force digitalization success”. Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, 41(2), 87–102.