ABSTRACT

Entrepreneurship is at the heart of new developments that often lead to the creation of new industries. This study examines the origins of the canning industry via the experiences of three of its earliest entrepreneurs: Edward Wright, William Numsen, and Thomas Kensett II. The narrative examines key aspects of the industry’s context including the growth in demand for preserved foods, the resources of the Chesapeake region, and the development of food preservation technology. Using the five characteristics of entrepreneurial processes, the importance of entrepreneurs in the development of the economic growth of Baltimore’s early canning industry is examined. Each founder exhibited entrepreneurial characteristics in different ways. One failed in his efforts; the other two succeeded in developing businesses that endured into the next century. The study reveals that using entrepreneurial processes does not guarantee success, and that there are various paths to success. An entrepreneurial multiplier effect was also evident in the growth of firms producing supplies and equipment for canners. Using an entrepreneurial lens offers a closer insight into the development of firms and their industries. Some remaining unanswered questions as well as avenues for future studies are discussed.

摘要

创业精神是新发展的核心，往往会导致新产业的产生。本研究通过三位最早的企业家的经历来考察罐头行业的起源：爱德华·赖特、威廉·努森和托马斯·肯塞特二世。叙述考察了行业背景的关键方面，包括对腌制食品需求的增长、切萨皮克地区的资源以及食品保鲜技术的发展。利用创业过程的五个特征，考察了创业者在巴尔的摩早期罐头行业经济增长发展中的重要性。每个创始人都以不同的方式展现出企业家的特质。一个人的努力失败了；另外两个成功地发展了持续到下个世纪的业务。研究表明，使用创业流程并不能保证成功，成功的途径多种多样。在为罐头生产供应品和设备的公司的增长中，企业家乘数效应也很明显。使用创业视角可以更深入地了解公司及其行业的发展。讨论了一些尚待解决的问题以及未来研究的途径。