Navigating Policy Ambiguity and Market Dynamics: A Qualitative Study of EdTech Startup Founders in India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54489/ijtim.v5i2.530Keywords:
Institutional Ambiguity, EdTech Innovation , Strategic Compliance, Adaptive Entrepreneurship, Policy Elasticity, Qualitative AnalysisAbstract
This qualitative study examines how Educational Technology startup founders in India navigate the intertwined challenges of policy ambiguity and dynamic market forces amidst a rapidly evolving educational technology market. Employing a constructivist grounded theory approach, the research captures the lived experiences of 23 startup founders representing diverse business models, geographic locations, and educational verticals. Findings reveal that founders engage in continuous interpretive sensemaking to decode vague, fluid policy directives arising from fragmented, often polycentric institutional frameworks. This study’s conclusions contribute to adaptive business strategies that reconcile compliance demands with innovation in the Indian context. Analysis reveals three core themes among participants: (1) policy elasticity, highlighting founders’ strategic navigation of ambiguous and shifting regulatory environments through informal relational networks and boundary negotiation; (2) adaptation and innovation, characterized by frugal recombination of existing resources, ecosystem leveraging, and resilience amid emotional and cognitive strain; and (3) strategic compliance, whereby entrepreneurs embed regulatory expectations into product design and organizational legitimacy. This study contributes a contextualized theoretical framework that expands institutional and innovation theory in India, an emerging market, by emphasizing the co-constitutive processes of compliance and entrepreneurial adaptation. Practical implications underscore the urgent need for greater policy coherence, formalized stakeholder engagement channels, improved entrepreneur-to-government communications, and supportive infrastructures to sustain EdTech innovation. Limitations include educational and geographic sample homogeneity and reliance on founder narratives. Future recommendations include a pursuit of longitudinal and cross-national analyses
References
Adner, R. (2017). Ecosystem as Structure: An Actionable Construct for Strategy. Journal of Management, 43(1), 39–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206316678451
Almada, M. (2023). Regulation by Design and the Governance of Technological Futures. European Journal of Risk Regulation, 14(4), 697–709. https://doi.org/doi.org/10.1017/err.2023.37
Altaf, D. F. (2024). Government’s Digital Initiatives for Education: Exploring the Implementation of PM e-Vidya at the School Level. International Education and Research Journal (IERJ), 10(11), 127–131. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15608233
Andersen, N. Å. (2001). Polyphonic Organisations. Department of Management, Politics and Philosophy, CBS, 1(1), 28.
Arunga, H. J. (2023). Unpacking Organizational Adaptation Strategies: A Conceptual Review. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 70(1), 387–398. https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2023.7011030
Ashokkumar, T., Russel Raj, T., Rajadurai, A., Abishini, A. H., & Anchani, A. H. (2025). Analyzing the impact of the new educational policy 2020: A comprehensive review of India’s educational reforms. Evaluation and Program Planning, 108, 102515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2024.102515
Baker, T., & Nelson, R. E. (2005). Creating Something from Nothing: Resource Construction through Entrepreneurial Bricolage. Administrative Science Quarterly, 50(3), 329–366. https://doi.org/10.2189/asqu.2005.50.3.329
Banerjee, A., & Biswas, R. (2025). Empowering Educators, Bridging Divides: Evaluating Diksha And Swayam For Digital Teacher Training And Economic Inclusion In India. International Journal for Creative Research and Thoughts (IJCRT), 13(7), 17. https://www.ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT2507545.pdf
Besharov, M. L., & Smith, W. K. (2014a). Multiple Institutional Logics in Organizations: Explaining Their Varied Nature and Implications. Academy of Management Review, 39(3), 364–381. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2011.0431
Besharov, M. L., & Smith, W. K. (2014b). Multiple Institutional Logics in Organizations: Explaining Their Varied Nature and Implications. Academy of Management Review, 39(3), 364–381. https://doi.org/doi.org/10.5465/amr.2011.0431
Bhatia, K. V., Arora, P., & Gupta, S. (2024). Edtech platforms from below: A family ethnography of marginalized communities and their digital learning post-pandemic. Learning, Media and Technology, 0(0), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2024.2328693
Blumer, H. (1954). What is Wrong with Social Theory? American Sociological Review, 19(1), 3–10. https://doi.org/10.2307/2088165
Bowen, G. A. (2006). Grounded Theory and Sensitizing Concepts. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 5(3), 12–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690600500304
Britten, N. (1995). Qualitative interviews in medical research. BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), 311(6999), 251–253. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.311.6999.251
Brunsson, N., & Olsen, J. P. (1993). The Reforming Organization (1st ed., Vol. 1). https://www.routledge.com/The-Reforming-Organization-Making-Sense-of-Administrative-Change/Brunsson-Olsen/p/book/9780815369516
Carmeli, A., & Azeroual, B. (2009). How relational capital and knowledge combination capability enhance the performance of work units in a high technology industry. Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, 3(1), 85–103. https://doi.org/doi.org/10.1002/sej.63
Chakraborty, S. (2025). The Rise of EdTech Startups in India: Growth, Challenges, and Future Prospects in Post- Pandemic Education. 11(2).
Charles, W., Marler, N., Long, L., & Manion, S. (2019). Blockchain Compliance by Design: Regulatory Considerations for Blockchain in Clinical Research. Frontiers in Blockchain, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.3389/fbloc.2019.00018
Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing Grounded Theory (2nd ed., Vol. 1). Sage Publications, Inc. https://afshinsafaee.ir/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Introducing-qualitative-methods-Charmaz-Kathy-Constructing-grounded-theory-2014-SAGE-Publications-libgen.li_.pdf
Ciambotti, G., Littlewood, D., Sottini, A., & M’ithiria, E. N. (2020). Building and scaling social enterprise business models for BOP markets in Kenya. In Base of the Pyramid Markets in Africa. Routledge.
Crotty, M. J. (1998). The Foundations of Social Research: Meaning and Perspective in the Research Process. Sage Publication, 1–256.
Cueto, S., Balarin, M., Saavedra, M., & Sugimaru, C. (2023). Ed-tech in the Global South: Research gaps and opportunities. Southern Voice, 1, 66. https://southernvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Ed-tech-Global-South-Cueto-et-al.-2023.pdf
Czarniawska, B. (1997). Sensemaking in organizations: By Karl E. Weick (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1995), 231 pp. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 13(1), 113–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0956-5221(97)86666-3
Deepa, V., Sujatha, R., & Mohan, J. (2022). Unsung voices of technology in school education-findings using the constructivist grounded theory approach. Smart Learning Environments, 9(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-021-00182-7
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. (1979). The Belmont Report (Notice of Report for Public Comment. No. 1; Belmont Reports, p. 10). United States Government. https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/sites/default/files/the-belmont-report-508c_FINAL.pdf
Dhawale, P. K. (2023). Study on the Effectiveness of National Education Policy (NEP 2020) Implementation in Rural and Urban Schools in Osmanabad. Global Academic Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 5(1), 315–322. https://doi.org/doi.org/10.36348/gajhss.2023.v05i06.010
DiMaggio, P. J., & Powell, W. W. (1983). The Iron Cage Revisited: Institutional Isomorphism and Collective Rationality in Organizational Fields. American Sociological Review, 48(2), 147–160. https://doi.org/10.2307/2095101
Dipboye, R. L. (1982). Self-Fulfilling Prophecies in the Selection-Recruitment Interview. The Academy of Management Review, 7(4), 579–586. https://doi.org/10.2307/257224
Dörnyei, Z., & Narcy-Combes, M.-F. (2008). Research Methods in Applied Linguistics. Oxford University Press ISBN: ISBN 978-019442-258-1., 12(53–54), 335. https://doi.org/10.4000/asp.294
Dotta, L. T., Freitas, A., & Sousa, R. T. de. (2024). Methodological issues in technology-mediated qualitative data collection: A mapping of research undertaken in schools during the Covid-19 pandemic. London Review of Education, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.14324/LRE.22.1.34
Douven, I. (2011). Abduction. In E. N. Zalta & U. Nodelman (Eds.), Abduction, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2011th ed., Vol. 1). Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2025/entries/abduction/
Douven, I. (2022). The Art of Abduction (3rd ed., Vol. 1). The MIT Press. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/14179.001.0001
Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). Building Theories from Case Study Research. The Academy of Management Review, 14(4), 532–550. https://doi.org/10.2307/258557
Escudero-Cipriani, C., García-del Junco, J., Chafloque-Céspedes, R., & Alvarez-Risco, A. (2024). Frugal innovation in the business environment: A literature review and future perspectives. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/frai.2024.1385522
Escueta, M., Quan, V., Nickow, A. J., & Oreopoulos, P. (2017). Education Technology: An Evidence-Based Review (No. w23744; p. w23744). National Bureau of Economic Research. https://doi.org/10.3386/w23744
European Union. (2018). General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj/eng
Filippelli, S., Troise, C., Bigliardi, B., & Corvello, V. (2025). Examining the influence of entrepreneurial ecosystem pressure on the economic, social, and environmental orientation of startups. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 210, 123900. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2024.123900
Gao, W., Cao, Q., & Zhang, L. (2023). The Dynamic Effects of Economic Policy Uncertainty on Education Market Return Dynamics. 1814–1820. https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-172-2_201
Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Routledge.
Government of India. (2020). National Education Policy 2020 (Government Report No. 1; Education, pp. 1–66). Ministry of Human Resource Development. https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf
Greenwood, R., Meyer, R. E., Lawrence, T. B., & Oliver, C. (2017). The SAGE Handbook of Organizational Institutionalism. 1–928. https://www.torrossa.com/en/resources/an/5018766
Heinrich, E. (2024). Revolutionising educational technology: The imperative for authentic qualitative research. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 10, 101073. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2024.101073
Hendren, N. (2013). The Policy Elasticity. National Bureau of Economic Research, 1(Working Paper 19177), 1–46. https://doi.org/doi.org/10.3386/w19177
Hendren, N. (2015). The Policy Elasticity. MIT Economics, 1(1), 45. https://economics.mit.edu/sites/default/files/inline-files/the_policy_elasticity.pdf
Hendren, N. (2016). The Policy Elasticity. Tax Policy and the Economy, 30(1), 51-89. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/685593
Heyneman, S. P. (2021). Volume 82: Summary highlights. International Journal of Educational Development, 82, 102383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2021.102383
Indian Ministry of Education. (2025). Indian Council of Social Science Research—ICSSR. Ethical Guidelines. https://icssr.org/sites/default/files/ICSSR%20Ethical%20Guidelines.pdf
Kaiser, K. (2009). Protecting Respondent Confidentiality in Qualitative Research. Qualitative Health Research, 19(11), 1632–1641. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732309350879
Ken-Giami, I., Simandjuntak, S., Yang, L., & Coats, A. (2022). A Grounded Theory Approach to Uncovering the Process of How Sustainability Topics Influence Women Engineers’ Career Choice and Engagement. Sustainability, 14(9), 5407. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095407
Khanna, T., & Krishna, P. G. (2006). Emerging giants: Building world-class compaines in developing countries. Harvard Business Review, 84(10), no. 10. https://hbr.org/2006/10/emerging-giants-building-world-class-companies-in-developing-countries
Kumar, S. (2020). Ending Fragmentation of Higher Education as Per National Education Policy 2020. International Journal of Multidisciplinary, 5(11), 182–184. https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2020.v05.i11.036
Kvale, S., & Brinkmann, S. (2015). Interviews: Learning the Craft of Qualitative Research Interviewing. (3rd ed., Vol. 1). Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA. https://www.scirp.org/reference/referencespapers?referenceid=2154192
Ledwith, A., & O’Dwyer, M. (2009). Market Orientation, NPD Performance, and Organizational Performance in Small Firms. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 26(6), 652–661. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5885.2009.00690.x
Liang, S., Calderon-Morin, E., & Fu, Y. (2016). Otter Meeting Agent—AI Notetaker, Transcription, Insights. Otter.Ai Transcription Software. https://otter.ai
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry (Vol. 1). Sage Publications, Inc. https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&lr=&id=2oA9aWlNeooC&oi=fnd&pg=PA5&sig=GoKaBo0eIoPy4qeqRyuozZo1CqM&dq=naturalistic+inquiry&prev=http://scholar.google.com/scholar%3Fq%3Dnaturalistic%2Binquiry%26num%3D100%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=naturalistic%20inquiry&f=false
Liu, B., Shao, Y.-F., Liu, G., & Ni, D. (2022). An Evolutionary Analysis of Relational Governance in an Innovation Ecosystem. Sage Open, 12(2), 21582440221093044. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221093044
Maitlis, S., & Christianson, M. (2014). Sensemaking in organizations: Taking stock and moving forward. The Academy of Management Annals, 8(1), 57–125. https://doi.org/10.1080/19416520.2014.873177
Marcesse, T. (2018). Public Policy Reform and Informal Institutions: The Political Articulation of the Demand for Work in Rural India. World Development, 103(1), 284–296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.10.024
Marquis, C., & Raynard, M. (2015). Institutional Strategies in Emerging Markets. Academy of Management Annals, 9(1), 291–335. https://doi.org/10.5465/19416520.2015.1014661
Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981a). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 2(2), 99–113. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.4030020205
Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981b). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 2(2), 99–113. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.4030020205
Morris, S., Aguilera, R. V., Fisher, G., & Thatcher, S. M. B. (2023). Theorizing From Emerging Markets: Challenges, Opportunities, and Publishing Advice. Academy of Management Review, 48(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2022.0527
Nambisan, S. (2017). Digital Entrepreneurship: Toward a Digital Technology Perspective of Entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 41(6), 1029–1055. https://doi.org/10.1111/etap.12254
Orb, A., Eisenhauer, L., & Wynaden, D. (2001). Ethics in qualitative research. Journal of Nursing Scholarship: An Official Publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, 33(1), 93–96. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1547-5069.2001.00093.x
Parsheera, S. (2022). Understanding state-level variations in India’s digital transformation. The African Journal of Information and Communication, 30(Johannesburg), 12. https://doi.org/10.23962/ajic.i30.15082
Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods (4th ed., Vol. 1). Sage Publications, Inc. https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/qualitative-research-evaluation-methods/book232962
Pethe, A., Tandel, V., & Gandhi, S. (2012). Understanding Issues Related to Polycentric Governance in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region1. Public Finance and Management, 12(3), 182–203. https://doi.org/10.1177/152397211201200302
Queirós, A., Faria, D., & Almeida, F. (2017). Strengths And Limitations Of Qualitative And Quantitative Research Methods. European Journal of Education Studies, 3(9), 19. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.887089
Ramteke, Ms. V. (2024). Challenges in implementation of NEP 2020 in government colleges of rural areas in Madhya Pradesh. International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews, 5(8), 1476–1479. https://doi.org/10.55248/gengpi.5.0824.2114
Raphael, K. (1987). Recall bias: A proposal for assessment and control. International Journal of Epidemiology, 16(2), 167–170. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/16.2.167
Rawal, A., & Abdul, H. (2025). Dynamics of Competition in the EdTech Market: Insights from Adoption and Quality Progression Models. 5(1).
Rodriguez-Segura, D. (2022). EdTech in Developing Countries: A Review of the Evidence. The World Bank Research Observer, 37(2), 171–203. https://doi.org/10.1093/wbro/lkab011
Rosenberg, J., & Mojadeddi, Z. (2024). Automated Transcription of Interviews in Qualitative Research Using Artificial Intelligence A Simple Guide. Journal of Surgery Research and Practice, 5(2), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.46889/JSRP.2024/5204
Sarkar, S. (2019). Grassroots entrepreneurs and social change at the bottom of the pyramid: The role of bricolage. In Social Entrepreneurship and Bricolage. Routledge.
Sarta, A., Durand, R., & Vergne, J.-P. (2021). Organizational Adaptation. Journal of Management, 47(1), 43–75. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206320929088
Saunders, M. N. K., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2023). Research Methods for Business Students (9th ed., Vol. 1). Research Methods for Business Students. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240218229_Research_Methods_for_Business_Students
Schaufeli, W. B., & Bakker, A. B. (2004). Job demands, job resources, and their relationship with burnout and engagement: A multi-sample study. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 25(3), 293–315. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.248
Schneider, L., & Zerfass, A. (2019). Polyphony in Corporate and Organizational Communications: Exploring the Roots and Characteristics of a New Paradigm. Communication Management Review, 03(02), 6–29. https://doi.org/doi.org/10.22522/cmr20180232
Schwandt, T. A. (1994). Constructivist and Interpretivist Approaches to Human Inquiry (1st ed., Vol. 1). Sage Publications, Inc. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Thomas-Schwandt/publication/232477264_Constructivist_Interpretivist_Approaches_to_Human_Inquiry/links/557048d908aeab777228bfef/Constructivist-Interpretivist-Approaches-to-Human-Inquiry.pdf
Schwandt, T. A. (2000). Three epistemological stances for qualitative inquiry: Interpretivism, hermeneutics, and social constructionism. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research (2nd ed., pp. 189–213). SAGE Publishing. http://worldcat.org/oclc/43384732
Schwarz, S. (2017). The role of human capital, social capital, and psychological capital in micro-entrepreneurship in China [Thesis (University of Nottingham only)]. University of Nottingham. https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/40361/
Senyard, J., Baker, T., Steffens, P., & Davidsson, P. (2014). Bricolage as a Path to Innovativeness for Resource-Constrained New Firms. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 31(2), 211–230. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpim.12091
Shepherd, D., & Haynie, J. M. (2009). Birds of a feather don’t always flock together: Identity management in entrepreneurship. Journal of Business Venturing, 24(4), 316–337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2007.10.005
Siggelkow, N. (2002). Evolution toward Fit. Administrative Science Quarterly, 47(1), 125–159. https://doi.org/10.2307/3094893
Slotsvik, T. N., Gould, K. A. P., & Stene, L. K. (2023). Contributions and limitations of relational governance towards the reliability of publicly procured air ambulance services. Safety Science, 164, 106167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2023.106167
Storyboard18. (2024). Entrepreneurial stress: 31% of founders suffer from imposter syndrome, survey reveals. https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/entrepreneurial-stress-31-of-founders-suffer-from-imposter-syndrome-survey-reveals-49809.htm
The Economic Times. (2025). India’s edtech market set to reach $29 billion by 2030: Report. The Economic Times. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/indias-edtech-market-set-to-reach-29-billion-by-2030-report/articleshow/117321708.cms
The New Indian Express. (2025, March 13). 55% of startup founders and business leaders struggle with sleep due to demanding work hours: Survey. The New Indian Express. https://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/health/2025/Mar/13/55-of-startup-founders-and-business-leaders-struggle-with-sleep-due-to-demanding-work-hours-survey
Thornton, P. H., & Ocasio, W. (1999). Institutional Logics and the Historical Contingency of Power in Organizations: Executive Succession in the Higher Education Publishing Industry, 1958‐1990. American Journal of Sociology, 105(3), 801–843. https://doi.org/10.1086/210361
Tripathi, M., & Shukla, S. (2024). International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research (IJFMR). International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research, 7(4), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5054029
Wang, G. M., She, W. J., & Song, J. J. (2014). The psychological structures model of highly effective mathematics learning based on the Nvivo 10 qualitative analysis. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 12(1), 74–79. https://doi.org/CNKI:SUN:CLXW.0.2014-01-013
Welsh, E. (2002). Dealing with Data: Using NVivo in the Qualitative Data Analysis Process. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 3(2), 12. https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-3.2.865
WMA–The World Medical Association. (2013). Declaration of Helsinki – Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Participants. WMA–The World Medical Association. https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-declaration-of-helsinki/
Zamawe, F. C. (2015). The Implication of Using NVivo Software in Qualitative Data Analysis: Evidence-Based Reflections. Malawi Medical Journal, 27(1), 13–15. https://doi.org/10.4314/mmj.v27i1.4
Zubairi, A., Kreimeia, A., Jefferies, K., & Nicolai, S. (2021). EdTech to Reach the Most Marginalised: A Call to Action. EdTech Hub, 1, 60. https://docs.edtechhub.org/lib/W8DB96IE/download/XDMFQU9V/EdTech%20to%20Reach%20the%20Most%20Marginalised%20A%20Call%20to%20Action.pdf
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
How to Cite
