  Startups is a popular phenomenon that has a significant impact on global
economy growth, innovation and society development. However, there is still
insufficient understanding about startups, particularly, how to start a new
business in the relation to consequent performance. Toward this knowledge, we
have performed an empirical study regarding the differences between a Resource
and Competence View (Internal) vs Environment and Market View (External) when
defining a Business. 701 entrepreneurs have reflected on their startups on nine
classes of Resources (values, vision, personal objectives, employees and
partners, buildings and rental contracts, cash and credit, patents, IPR's and
brands, products and services and finally revenues and grants) and three
elements of the Business Mission ("KeyContribution", "KeyMarket" and
"Distinction"). It seems to be a tendency to favour the Internal View over the
External View. This tendency is clearer in Stable Economies (Europe) than in
Emerging Economies (South Africa). There seems to be a co-variation between the
tendency to favour the Internal View and the tendency to focus on adding
Resources. Finally, we found that an order-based analysis seems to explain the
differences between the two views better than a number-based method.
