Walang Plano? Walang Pera? Walang Problema!: How Effectuation Drives MSMEs to Flourish
Document Types
Business Presentation
School Name
De La Salle University, Laguna Campus
Track or Strand
Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM)
Research Advisor (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)
Manuel, Generie, M.
Start Date
25-6-2025 1:00 PM
End Date
25-6-2025 2:30 PM
Zoom Link/ Room Assignment
Meeting link: https://zoom.us/j/93557679081?pwd=m9SvbbrXAaTpCxHAqRUrgcOB9M005U.1 Meeting ID: 935 5767 9081 Passcode: 7thRCBPR1
Abstract/Executive Summary
Globalization has significantly impacted economies worldwide, including the Philippines, presenting both opportunities and challenges. In the Philippine context, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are vital economic drivers, generating employment and fostering enterprise activity. Despite their importance, MSMEs often face systemic barriers such as limited capital, restricted market access, and insufficient institutional support. This study, grounded in Sarasvathy’s Effectuation Theory—which emphasizes leveraging existing means, minimizing risks, forming partnerships, and embracing uncertainty—investigates how Filipino micro-entrepreneurs navigate decision-making under resource constraints. Unlike traditional predictive models, effectuation is more suited to uncertain environments. This research examines Filipino entrepreneurial experiences that would validate effectuation principles Filipino micro-entrepreneurs apply and whether new, culturally rooted principles emerge. Using a phenomenological qualitative approach, the study conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with five successful MSMEs in Laguna. Thematic analysis, facilitated by NVivo software, revealed six lived experience themes - personal, social, strategic, psychological, emotional, and situational influences - that validated the application of all effectuation principles: Bird-in-Hand, Affordable Loss, Crazy Quilt, Lemonade, and Pilot-in-the-Plane. Bird-in-Hand and Affordable Loss were dominant during the enterprises’ early stages, while Crazy Quilt and Lemonade played key roles in adaptation and scaling. Beyond these, participants also displayed context-specific strategies coded in this study as “Gold-in-the-Chest” for inheritance and “Power-of-the-Cross, ” for faith reflecting uniquely Filipino values. These findings enrich the current understanding of effectuation by incorporating localized insights. The study affirms the relevance of effectual logic in developing economies and highlights the need to integrate such frameworks into entrepreneurship education and policy to support resilient, opportunity-focused MSMEs.
Keywords
entrepreneurs; effectuation; entrepreneurship; MSMEs; micro-enterprise
Business Presentation Type (for Business Presentation submissions only)
Business Research
Initial Consent for Publication
yes
Statement of Originality
yes
Walang Plano? Walang Pera? Walang Problema!: How Effectuation Drives MSMEs to Flourish
Globalization has significantly impacted economies worldwide, including the Philippines, presenting both opportunities and challenges. In the Philippine context, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are vital economic drivers, generating employment and fostering enterprise activity. Despite their importance, MSMEs often face systemic barriers such as limited capital, restricted market access, and insufficient institutional support. This study, grounded in Sarasvathy’s Effectuation Theory—which emphasizes leveraging existing means, minimizing risks, forming partnerships, and embracing uncertainty—investigates how Filipino micro-entrepreneurs navigate decision-making under resource constraints. Unlike traditional predictive models, effectuation is more suited to uncertain environments. This research examines Filipino entrepreneurial experiences that would validate effectuation principles Filipino micro-entrepreneurs apply and whether new, culturally rooted principles emerge. Using a phenomenological qualitative approach, the study conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with five successful MSMEs in Laguna. Thematic analysis, facilitated by NVivo software, revealed six lived experience themes - personal, social, strategic, psychological, emotional, and situational influences - that validated the application of all effectuation principles: Bird-in-Hand, Affordable Loss, Crazy Quilt, Lemonade, and Pilot-in-the-Plane. Bird-in-Hand and Affordable Loss were dominant during the enterprises’ early stages, while Crazy Quilt and Lemonade played key roles in adaptation and scaling. Beyond these, participants also displayed context-specific strategies coded in this study as “Gold-in-the-Chest” for inheritance and “Power-of-the-Cross, ” for faith reflecting uniquely Filipino values. These findings enrich the current understanding of effectuation by incorporating localized insights. The study affirms the relevance of effectual logic in developing economies and highlights the need to integrate such frameworks into entrepreneurship education and policy to support resilient, opportunity-focused MSMEs.
https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_shsrescon/2025/bus_research/4
