Publication Details
Abstract
This article explores the theoretical and practical foundations of startups and innovative entrepreneurship by integrating classical and modern management theories with current entrepreneurial trends. It highlights the conceptual evolution of entrepreneurship from Schumpeter’s innovation-based disruption and Kirzner’s opportunity recognition to effectuation logic and resource-based views that characterize contemporary startup management. The study addresses the knowledge gap surrounding the institutional and managerial mechanisms necessary to support startups in emerging economies like Uzbekistan, where strategic planning, risk mitigation, and resource optimization remain critical challenges. Using analytical review and comparative synthesis, the paper identifies the structural stages of startup development—seed, startup, early growth, and expansion—while outlining managerial tasks and innovation strategies at each phase. Findings emphasize the centrality of innovation in product, process, and social contexts, and the need for supportive entrepreneurial ecosystems, including business incubators, venture financing, and integrated infrastructure. The article concludes that startups represent a high-potential model of entrepreneurial activity requiring coordinated institutional support and adaptive management strategies. These findings have significant implications for policy, practice, and further research on promoting innovation-led economic growth through startup ecosystems, especially in transitioning economies.