The great pretending: artistic logic for entrepreneurial action

Purpose: We propose an artistic logic of entrepreneurial action whereby individuals undertake entrepreneurial acts even without entrepreneurial intentions, creating a pretended reality through performance-like processes. We explore how these actions impact real-world entrepreneurship, challenging conventional venture creation and evaluation paradigms.

Design/methodology/approach: Artistic logic is developed and illustrated through an in-depth analysis of a qualitative case study of a pretend airline employing a constructivist-interpretive approach. 

Findings: We identify four dimensions of artistic logic in entrepreneurial action, which underscore the capacity of artistic entrepreneurial performances to simulate real entrepreneurial experiences: leveraging a socio-economic situation, building an evocative image of a venture, attracting engagement and pretending. 

Practical implications: The findings have significant implications for venture creation, offering entrepreneurs a framework for conducting expansive prototyping to develop, evaluate and actualise opportunities. Additionally, the findings can enrich entrepreneurial education by highlighting the value of expansive prototyping that immerses student entrepreneurs in the opportunity as a creative process. 

Originality/value: Framing entrepreneurial action within the context of performance art as artistic logic bridges theoretical gaps between creativity, subversion and entrepreneurship, offering a novel perspective on venture simulation, creation and opportunity evaluation.