Choosing Team Members versus Ideas
Research
Abstract
What makes teams effective in early-stage entrepreneurship — their composition, or the topics they explore?
Although society is investing heavily in entrepreneurial teams, there is surprisingly little evidence on whether these initiatives effectively foster successful entrepreneurial outcomes. This trial aims to gain a better understanding of what factors differentiate successful from non-successful entrepreneurial teams.
The trial focuses on a Business and Entrepreneurship class at a German university. The students must work in teams to create a business plan. The intervention randomly allocates students to either self-selected or externally assigned teams and business topics.
The impact on early entrepreneurial success is measured through teams’ business plan performance, assessed by both internal and external evaluators. These findings are complemented by survey data on other dimensions of team selection and performance.