Makers, hackers, DIY-innovation, and the strive for entrepreneurial opportunities Online publication date: Mon, 24-Apr-2017
by Oliver Mauroner
International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business (IJESB), Vol. 31, No. 1, 2017
Abstract: Contemporary maker/hacker communities represent an internet-driven extension of the 'do it yourself' subculture. Corresponding projects are typically motivated by fun and self-fulfilment and not primarily by economic stimuli. Nevertheless, many new ventures have emerged as a result of the hacker culture. The purpose of the present multiple case study is to develop insights into the maker culture and its intersections with entrepreneurship and business innovation. The results show that makers typically understand a start-up process as a sequence of creative learning comparable to technical problem solving. Trial and error is seen as precondition for improvement. Makers, hackers, tinkerers, and other creative people who pursue own ideas with the intention to build their own business can unquestionably be qualified as entrepreneurs - even if they occasionally do not like terms such as businessman/businesswoman.
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