Financing Complexity and Sophistication in Nascent Ventures

Authors

  • Charles H. Matthews University of Cincinnati
  • Mark T. Schenkel Belmont University
  • Matthew W. Ford Northern Kentucky University
  • Sherrie E. Human (Retired) Xavier University

Abstract

Although scholars have considered the financing challenges facing small businesses for some time, little work has focused on financing issues at the venture's nascent stage. In this study, we investigate the sources of funding sought by nascent entrepreneurs and the relationship between the complexity of these funding sources, business plan formalization, and expectations of future firm growth. Using data from the Entrepreneurship Research Consortium/Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics, we find that nascent entrepreneurs, even those associated with high-growth ventures, favor simple rather than complex sources of funding at the nascent stage. Funding complexity and business plan formalization are also found related to expectation of firm growth. An additional contribution is the development of a funding complexity continuum scale, which should be useful in future studies of nascent as well as later stage entrepreneurial finance and firm growth.

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Published

2013-01-21

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 1 (2013)

Section

Articles

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How to Cite

Financing Complexity and Sophistication in Nascent Ventures. (2013). Journal of Small Business Strategy (archive Only), 23(1), 15-30. https://libjournals.mtsu.edu/index.php/jsbs/article/view/170