Accidental Entrepreneurship: Uncovering the Value of Van Gogh’s Last
Painting Inspiration
Sabine Jentjens
ISC Paris, France
Fernanda Arreola
ESSCA, France
Volume 20: 2025, pp. 000-000; ABSTRACT
In 2020, a retired French couple suddenly learned that their property was home to a
recently discovered cultural heritage, the relics of the roots that world-known painter Vincent Van
Gogh immortalized in his last painting in 1890. This unexpected discovery forced the couple to
question what they should do, later deciding to accept the responsibility to develop this cultural
heritage site and share it with the world of Van Gogh admirers. This case study offers insight into
an accidental entrepreneurial venture by discussing the first steps of an entrepreneurial endeavour.
It addresses the debate on the entrepreneurial opportunity processes, opposing alertness to
opportunity versus an intentional desire to open a business. The case further illustrates the
international business perspective of entrepreneurship. Students are invited to engage in opportunity
evaluation and internationalization avenues based on a real case.
Keywords: entrepreneurship, opportunity evaluation, Dunnings’s eclectic paradigm, cultural
heritage, business model canvas.
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