TY - JOUR

T1 - Decoding evidence-based entrepreneurship

T2 - A systematic review of meta-analytic choices and reporting

AU - Rauch, Andreas

AU - Saeed, Saadat

AU - Frese, Michael

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 International Council for Small Business.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Meta-analysis—the statistical analysis of a large collection of analysis results from individual studies for the purpose of integrating the findings substantially contributes to paradigm development in the field of entrepreneurship. Notably, a number of choices are made when conducting a meta-analysis. Many of these choices have implications for the interpretation of the results, affecting one of the core aims of meta-analysis, that is, to generate generalizable best evidence. To better understand meta-analysis evidence in the field of entrepreneurship it is essential to understand how these meta-analyses are conducted, what type of methodological choices have been made and communicated, and how these choices affect the interpretation of findings. To address these issues, we performed a content analysis of 90 meta-analyses up to 2021 and investigate 74 methodological choices made by the authors. We identify and offer suggestions for future practice in seven areas: the study location strategy, the use of a second coding, the assessment of heterogeneity, multivariate analysis, quality checks, the violation of assumptions, and the interpretation of meta-analytical findings. In so doing, we hope to contribute to best practices and to the legitimacy of validity generalization in the domain of entrepreneurship research. Moreover, we provide a comprehensive and evidence-based understanding of the interpretation and implications of meta-analysis practices for theory building and testing and scholarly impact.

AB - Meta-analysis—the statistical analysis of a large collection of analysis results from individual studies for the purpose of integrating the findings substantially contributes to paradigm development in the field of entrepreneurship. Notably, a number of choices are made when conducting a meta-analysis. Many of these choices have implications for the interpretation of the results, affecting one of the core aims of meta-analysis, that is, to generate generalizable best evidence. To better understand meta-analysis evidence in the field of entrepreneurship it is essential to understand how these meta-analyses are conducted, what type of methodological choices have been made and communicated, and how these choices affect the interpretation of findings. To address these issues, we performed a content analysis of 90 meta-analyses up to 2021 and investigate 74 methodological choices made by the authors. We identify and offer suggestions for future practice in seven areas: the study location strategy, the use of a second coding, the assessment of heterogeneity, multivariate analysis, quality checks, the violation of assumptions, and the interpretation of meta-analytical findings. In so doing, we hope to contribute to best practices and to the legitimacy of validity generalization in the domain of entrepreneurship research. Moreover, we provide a comprehensive and evidence-based understanding of the interpretation and implications of meta-analysis practices for theory building and testing and scholarly impact.

KW - entrepreneurship

KW - Meta-analysis

KW - quantitative review

KW - research synthesis

KW - Management studies

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85208472439&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/9294d72f-781d-3a1c-93e2-a75f76b30e4d/

U2 - 10.1080/00472778.2024.2411246

DO - 10.1080/00472778.2024.2411246

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:85208472439

VL - 63

SP - 1783

EP - 1829

JO - Journal of Small Business Management

JF - Journal of Small Business Management

SN - 0047-2778

IS - 4

ER -