Economy & Business, Volume 14, 2020

Abstract: The main purpose of this paper is to investigate whether a startup that adopts imitation practices is in position to generate entrepreneurial innovation. In addition, it examines whether a part of its entrepreneurial innovation can be attributed to imitation of other firm’s innovative features. To this end, a literature review was carried out, in order to develop a research framework with factors related to imitation predicting the entrepreneurial innovation. Also, this research framework incorporates managerial and entrepreneurial skills as predictors of the entrepreneurial innovation. The empirical research was executed using a structured online questionnaire that was disseminated to startups’ owners operating in Greece. A multivariable hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to predict entrepreneurial innovation. With regard to imitation strategies, it was confirmed that outcome–based imitation and trait–based imitation positively affect the development of entrepreneurial innovation. Moreover, the positive impact of managerial and entrepreneurial skills on the development of entrepreneurial innovation was also confirmed.