City Research Online

Abstract

The Lean Startup approach, introduced by Eric Ries in 2011, has become a widely recognised method in entrepreneurship, emphasising rapid experimentation, customer feedback, and iterative development over traditional business planning. Building on a debate from the DRUID 2023 conference, this article presents scholarly reflections on whether the Lean Startup represents a ‘giant leap’ in our understanding of entrepreneurship, offering arguments both for and against this claim. The discussion highlights both the strengths and limitations of the Lean Startup approach, ultimately emphasising the need for a nuanced perspective on the conditions under which tools such as the Lean Startup are most effective to foster entrepreneurship and business model innovation.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Industry & Innovation on 10 March 2025, available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13662716.2025.2476431
Publisher Keywords:	Lean Startup, entrepreneurship, business modelling, experimentation, theory-based view
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management
Departments:	Bayes Business School Bayes Business School > Management
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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