Entrepreneurial team diversity – A systematic review and research agenda

Abstract

Research on entrepreneurial team diversity (ETD) has reached a critical juncture as inconsistent findings hinder further theory development. The main reasons for these inconsistencies are one-dimensional theoretical perspectives that make it difficult to comprehensively theorize the benefits and barriers of ETD from a cross-disciplinary perspective. To address this shortcoming, we systematically identify existing literature and classify 44 studies into an ‘inputs-mediators-outcomes’ (IMO) framework. We find that the field is considerably fragmented, especially with regard to disciplinary perspectives, study contexts, diversity dimensions, and outcome variables. To invigorate and advance the research stream, we highlight unresolved issues and knowledge gaps in the current literature and propose a multi-disciplinary research agenda presented in the form of an IMO framework. We conclude that, while existing research on ETD offers a solid foundation, it is far from having reached its full potential.