Entrepreneurial Bricolage in Resource-Constrained Contexts
Summary
Entrepreneurial bricolage refers to the creative recombination and repurposing of existing resources to address new opportunities and challenges when conventional resources are scarce. Rooted in anthropological theory, this concept has been adopted across management studies to describe how individuals and organisations “make do” by improvising with what is at hand. In resource-constrained contexts—such as emerging economies, nonprofit social ventures and small firms operating under tight budgetary or material limits—bricolage emerges as a dynamic capability that supports innovation, resilience and competitive advantage. Research has emphasised the role of individual dispositions (for example, passion and sense of community), structural enablers (such as network ties and slack resources) and environmental conditions (including technological turbulence and circular economy pressures) in shaping bricolage practices. By fostering frugal innovation and adaptive problem-solving, entrepreneurial bricolage contributes to sustainable performance, social value creation and ecosystem development across global markets.
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Entrepreneurial Bricolage in Resource-Constrained Contexts publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in entrepreneurial bricolage in resource-constrained contexts across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Entrepreneurial bricolage: The improvised reconfiguration of existing resources to pursue opportunities when conventional resources are unavailable.
Resource-constrained contexts: Environments where financial, material or institutional resources are limited, often found in emerging economies or small organisations.
Frugal innovation: The development of cost-effective and simplified products or processes by minimising resource use and leveraging local knowledge.
Circular economy: An economic model aimed at reducing waste and maximising resource reuse through recycling, repurposing and regenerative design.
Dynamic capabilities: The firm’s capacity to integrate, build and reconfigure internal and external competences to address rapidly changing environments.
References
- Achieving sustained competitive advantage in retail and consumer service firms: The role of entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurial bricolage. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services (2023).
- Implementing circular economy through bricolage, frugal innovation and technological turbulence. Sustainable Development (2024).
- Enabling bricolage in resource-constrained contexts: the role of sense of community and passion in African social entrepreneurs. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development (2022).
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