Value-adding and Value-extracting Entrepreneurship at the Margins

Empirical data is reported from two case studies on the methods used to establish and grow the businesses of two entrepreneurs operating in very different environments: one legitimate, the other illegitimate. Both utilize strong social skills to legitimize their behaviours but neither can be considered as mainstream or conventional entrepreneurial actors. The findings suggest that, despite the very different outcomes associated with their actions, both entrepreneurs exhibit similar enterprising skills and managerial capabilities as found in entrepreneurs engaged in non-marginal activities.