The Scientific Approach to Pivoting A Qualitative Study Identifying Factors Influencing Its Adoption in Startups
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2025-07-01
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en
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This study examines the role of factors that influence the adoption of the scientific approach to pivoting. This scientific approach to pivoting refers to a structured, evidence-based method for strategic decision-making. Prior studies have highlighted the effectiveness of this approach, but empirical understanding of factors that influence its adoption remains lacking. Therefore, the question: “What factors influence the extent to which startups adopt a scientific approach to pivoting?” is formulated to guide this research. This research question is answered by a qualitative research design, involving 28 semi-structured interviews with key decision-makers of startups that have executed a pivot. The analysis of the interviews revealed six factors influencing the adoption of the scientific approach to pivoting: theoretical expertise, entrepreneurial experience, team capacity, resource availability, client pressure, and investor pressure. Additionally, this study revealed that the startup stage is an important antecedent, influencing the factors: team capacity, resource availability, client pressure, and investor pressure. This study contributes to the extant literature by offering a more comprehensive understanding of the adoption process, complementing prior work that mainly focused on the outcome of the scientific approach to pivoting. It also offers practical implications for startup entrepreneurs, incubators, and investors. The identification of these factors enables practitioners to create conditions that stimulate the adoption of the scientific approach to pivoting.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen