|
on Small Business Management |
Issue of 2024‒02‒12
twenty-one papers chosen by |
By: | Sharma, Gautam (CIRCLE, Lund University) |
Abstract: | This study explores makerspaces and fablabs within India's informal innovation context, traditionally associated with grassroots innovators, frugal innovations, and 'jugaad' practices. It introduces a Global South perspective to the largely Global North-dominated discourse on makerspaces and fablabs, highlighting how these spaces function in a unique socio-economic context in India. The research examines the foundational reasons for establishing makerspaces and fablabs in India, their role in fostering innovation networks, and the specific challenges they face, especially in terms of their operations. This paper contrasts with the existing literature, which often focuses on perspectives and experiences from more advanced regions. Using in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 20 respondents, including founders, managers, employees, and users of various makerspaces, the study provides an insightful understanding of the Indian scenario. Findings reveal that these spaces in India primarily support startups and entrepreneurial initiatives, marking a shift from the original maker movement's DIY focus. Efforts to include rural, artisan, and grassroots innovator communities are evident, reflecting a commitment to broader innovation inclusivity. This paper contributes to the understanding of the changing dynamics of makerspaces and fablabs in the context of India's innovation landscape. It emphasizes the need for strategies to ensure equitable access and participation, crucial for the sustainability and growth of these innovation spaces. The insights are valuable for policymakers, educators, and makerspaces practitioners in fostering inclusive innovation ecosystems. |
Keywords: | makerspaces; fabrication laboratories; fablabs; innovation; informal innovation; India |
JEL: | O30 O31 O53 |
Date: | 2024–01–23 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:lucirc:2024_002&r=sbm |
By: | Kock, Alexander; Gemünden, Hans Georg |
Abstract: | Innovation project portfolio management (IPPM) is a key task in R&D management because this decision‐making process determines which R&D projects should be undertaken and how R&D resources are allocated. Previous research has developed a good understanding of the role of IPPM in R&D strategy implementation and of successful IPPM practices. But the fundamental orientations that drive the strategy formation and implementation process have never been investigated in the context of IPPM, and it is unclear whether successful practices are equally valid for different strategic orientations. This study, therefore, investigates the moderating impact of a firm’s entrepreneurial orientation on the relationship between strategic portfolio management practices and portfolio success. An empirical analysis of 257 firms shows that both innovativeness and risk taking as entrepreneurial orientation’s dimensions positively moderate the relationship between managerial practices and performance. Specifically, we find that firms high in innovativeness profit more from stakeholder engagement compared to firms low in innovativeness. Firms high in risk‐taking profit more from a clearly formulated strategy. With increasing innovativeness and risk‐taking propensity, firms also profit more from business case monitoring and agility in portfolio steering. The results suggest that a firm’s entrepreneurial orientation can leverage the effect of IPPM practices. Vice versa, a lacking entrepreneurial orientation can render these practices ineffective. Strategic orientation and IPPM practices should, therefore, be aligned with each other to enable firms to better implement their strategy and generate competitive advantage. |
Date: | 2024–01–09 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dar:wpaper:142184&r=sbm |
By: | Chatzinikolaou, Dimos (Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Economics); Vlados, Charis (Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Economics) |
Abstract: | This chapter investigates the physiological transformation of small firms in a less developed regional business ecosystem facing multiple development problems, barriers, and inadequacies. We present four field surveys we recently conducted in the peripheral Greek region of Eastern Macedonia–Thrace, on a sample of 230 small entrepreneurs, exploring their perception of the following conceptual triangles: (a) Crisis–Innovation–Change Management, (b) Strategy–Technology–Management, and (c) Human Resource Management–Education and Training–Innovation. We conclude that the sample firms exhibit symptoms of monad-centric business structuring and perceptual-functional weaknesses, which are due to their “traditional” physiology. These comparative weaknesses seem structurally and bi-directionally linked to the low competitiveness of this regional socioeconomic system. |
Keywords: | entrepreneurship; less-developed regions; evolutionary economics; biological metaphors; evolutionary view of the firm; Stra.Tech.Man (Strategy–Technology–Management); evolutionary organisational physiology; business monad-centredness; business massiveness; business flexibility; Greek entrepreneurial |
JEL: | B52 L10 |
Date: | 2023–12–27 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:duthrp:2023_005&r=sbm |
By: | M N, Nikhil; S Shenoy, Sandeep; Chakraborty, Suman; B M, Lithin |
Abstract: | The nature of the relationship between leverage and firm performance has been a subject of investigation in extant literature. We re-examine the nature of the association by using a sample of 78 non-financial firms listed in the Nifty 100 index during the 2013-2023 period by applying the quantile regression technique and comparing the result with the linear regression approach (system GMM technique). Our empirical analysis demonstrates that leverage negatively impacts the performance of firms. Further, results show that the association is non-homogeneous among firms of different quantiles: leverage withers the performance of highly profitable firms (upper quantile) than low profitable firms (lower quantile). The identified concave relationship highlights the prominence of optimal capital structure and the role of finance managers in designing a sound financial policy that matches firm characteristics and borrowing requirements. The findings of our study draw insightful implications for managers and policymakers while contributing to the ongoing leverage and firm performance debate reported in previous studies. |
Keywords: | leverage, profitability, non-homogeneous, nonlinear relation, quantile regression, GMM, India |
JEL: | C23 C26 C33 G30 G32 |
Date: | 2023–09–02 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:119669&r=sbm |
By: | Gong, Robin Kaiji; Li, Yao Amber; Manova, Kalina; Teng Sun, Stephen |
Abstract: | We investigate how international patent activity enables firms from emerging economies to thrive in the global marketplace. We match Chinese customs data to US patent records and leverage the quasi-random assignment of USPTO patent examiners to identify the causal effect of a US patent grant on the subsequent export performance of Chinese firms. Successful first-time patent applicants achieve significantly higher export growth, compared to otherwise similar first-time applicants that failed. This effect operates only in small part through market protection for technologically patent-related products in the US and is largely driven by expansion in other markets. The response across destinations and products reveals that a US patent award signals the Chinese firm's capacity to produce high-quality products and credibility to honor contracts, mitigating information frictions in international trade. There is little evidence for the relaxation of financial constraints or the promotion of follow-on innovation. |
Keywords: | patent rights; innovation; export performance; trade; market protection; asymmetric information; signalling |
JEL: | F10 F14 O30 O31 O34 |
Date: | 2023–11–21 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:121375&r=sbm |
By: | Kaufmann, Carsten; Kock, Alexander; Gemünden, Hans Georg |
Abstract: | Decision makers find creating an innovation portfolio challenging, because more innovative projects are associated with a higher degree of uncertainty. In this study, we investigate the potential benefits of applying real options reasoning (ROR) in innovation portfolio management from an attention‐based view. Using a sample of 137 innovation portfolios with multiple informants, we investigate ROR's influence on portfolio innovativeness and, ultimately, on portfolio success in a mediated model. Further, we analyze the moderating influence of an innovation portfolio's organizational context — entrepreneurial orientation and innovation climate — on ROR's application. The results support ROR's positive relationship to portfolio innovativeness and portfolio success. The analysis also supports the positive interaction between entrepreneurial orientation and ROR with respect to portfolio innovativeness. This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating the relationship between ROR and portfolio success, mediated by portfolio innovativeness. In addition, the study's analysis offers an explanation of previously mixed findings regarding ROR's benefits by considering the firm's strategic and cultural innovation contexts. The findings underline the relevance of strategic support for ROR's effectiveness in innovation portfolio management. Furthermore, the findings encourage managers to implement ROR, but also stress the essential contribution an entrepreneurial orientation makes when the managers do so. |
Date: | 2023–12–22 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dar:wpaper:142038&r=sbm |
By: | Fabio Pieri; Massimiliano Vatiero |
Abstract: | This paper investigates the role of the market for knowledge in shaping firm hierarchy—that is, the span of control and the number of layers. We predict that, the larger the extent of the market for knowledge, the larger the span of control and the fewer the layers. We test our predictions using a rich database representing industrial firms in Italy during 2005-2018. Our identification strategy is based on existing cross-regional and cross-industry heterogeneity within the extent of the market for business services’ providers and instrumental variables. Results confirm that firms are flatter as the regional market for knowledge expands. |
Keywords: | firm hierarchy, number of layers, span of control, market for knowledge |
JEL: | D21 D22 D23 L22 L23 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:csl:devewp:482&r=sbm |
By: | Koski, Heli; Fornaro, Paolo |
Abstract: | Abstract This study investigates the impact of firm-level investments in data assets on productivity growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing matched employer-employee data of 13, 609 Finnish firms for 2015–2020. Our estimation results indicate that firms with greater pre-pandemic investments in software and database assets and ICT experienced significantly higher labor productivity growth in the first year of the pandemic. Notably, these positive effects are predominantly observed in the service sector, while manufacturing companies did not exhibit statistically significant impacts. Furthermore, our analysis highlights that large service companies with greater investments in data assets demonstrated higher labor productivity growth than their counterparts. We also identify a noteworthy complementarity between a firm’s investments in ICT and databases and employees’ skills, as measured by education level. Interestingly, our empirical findings underscore that firms investing more in data, databases and ICT were statistically significantly more likely to belong to the productivity frontier of their industry. |
Keywords: | Data assets, Digitalization, Productivity, Growth, Resilience, Pandemics |
JEL: | D22 L25 O33 |
Date: | 2024–01–16 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rif:wpaper:113&r=sbm |
By: | Aghion, Philippe; Bergeaud, Antonin; Gigout, Timothee; Lequien, Matthieu; Malitz, Marc |
Abstract: | We examine the effect of entry by French firms into a new export market on the dynamics of their patents' citations received from that destination. Applying a difference-in-differences identification strategy with a staggered treatment design, we show that: (i) entering a new foreign market has a significant impact on the long-run flow of citations; (ii) the impact is mostly driven by the extensive margin; (iii) inventors in destination countries patent mostly in products that do not directly compete with those of the exporting firm; (iv) the spillover intensity decreases with the technological distance between the exporting firm and the destination. |
Keywords: | international trade; spillover; innovation; patent |
JEL: | O33 O34 O40 F10 F14 |
Date: | 2023–11–15 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:121291&r=sbm |
By: | Pinkus, David (Department of Economics, Copenhagen Business School); Pozzoli, Dario (Department of Economics, Copenhagen Business School); Schneider, Cédric (Department of Economics, Copenhagen Business School) |
Abstract: | We use a unique database on domestic pension fund investment to analyze the re-lationship between pension fund investment and innovation within Danish firms. We find a significant positive association between pension fund investment and various measures of innovation, including green technologies for climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, this relationship is much weaker in highly competitive indus-tries, suggesting that pension funds encourage innovation by monitoring and holding managers accountable. Our analysis also shows that pension funds foster innovation by providing stable long-term capital. Overall, our study highlights the important role of pension funds in driving firm innovation, particularly by reducing managerial slack and by supplying stable, long-term capital. |
Keywords: | Pension Fund Investment; Innovation; R&D |
JEL: | J24 J60 L20 |
Date: | 2024–01–17 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:cbsnow:2024_001&r=sbm |
By: | Jacques Bughin; Julien Gosse; Charles Hoffreumon; Nicolas van Zeebroeck |
Abstract: | Digitalization has changed the way certain firms create and capture value. One channel for this change is through the emergence of business ecosystems. Taking part in these ecosystems requires a certain set of dynamic capabilities, called integrative capabilities. In this article, we use data from a large-scale, cross-industries and cross-continents survey to empirically test whether the presence of such capabilities are associated with faster revenue growth. We conclude that it is the case, providing empirical confirmation to the theory that participation in a business ecosystem helps with the value creation or capture of a firm. |
Keywords: | Dynamic Capability, Firm Performance, Ecosystems, Strategic Management, Quantitative Research Method |
Date: | 2024–01 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ict:wpaper:2013/368094&r=sbm |
By: | Katrin Hussinger (DEM, Université du Luxembourg); Wunnam Issah (University of Leicester School of Business, UK) |
Abstract: | This paper shows that the American Inventor’s Protection Act, which introduced the disclosure of patent applications after 18 months, i.e. before a grant decision is taken and, hence, before it is known whether the respective technology receives legal protection, is associated with a reduction of family firms’ research and development (R&D) investment. This suggests that early disclosure of patent applications is perceived as a threat to family firms’ innovation activity and discourages their R&D investment. This finding deserves our attention because family firms account for a large share of the U.S. economy and a reduction of their R&D investment can have long-term consequences. |
Keywords: | R&D investments, AIPA, Family firms, Socio-emotional wealth (SEW) |
JEL: | O30 O34 O38 G32 |
Date: | 2023 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:luc:wpaper:23-17&r=sbm |
By: | Luria, Michal; Nicholas, Gabriel |
Abstract: | In a wide range of industries, policymakers have considered encouraging or mandating data interoperability to facilitate more entrants and promote competition and innovation. However, some incumbents in these industries argue that interoperability would entrench existing technological design and stifle innovation. In this paper, we attempt to better understand the relationship between interoperability and innovation by looking at the case study of podcasting and the innovation that has emerged across its ecosystem. We analyze nine podcasting apps, six podcast hosting services, and five podcast directories to catalog the novel features each offers. We then organize those features, from those that best facilitate the movement of data between systems (interoperable) to those that most impede that movement (anti-interoperable). |
Date: | 2023–12–07 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:osfxxx:t65mw&r=sbm |
By: | Khalil Liouane |
Abstract: | The African continent has witnessed a notable surge in entrepreneurial activity, with the number of startups and investments made in the ecosystem growing significantly in recent years. Against this backdrop, this paper presents an in-depth analysis of the critical key factors influencing funding amounts in African startup deals. A comprehensive analysis of 2, 521 startup investment deals, spanning from January 2019 to March 2023, was conducted using a combination of statistical and several machine learning techniques. The results of this study highlight a significant gender diversity gap, the importance of professional experience, and the impact of founders' academic backgrounds. The study reveals that human capital, a diversified sector approach, and cross-border collaboration strategies are crucial for a robust startup ecosystem. Additionally, we identified the potential positive impact of 'Y combinators' for African startups, the implications of exit strategies on deal amounts, and the heterogeneity as well as the incongruity of investment rounds across the continent. In light of these findings, we propose an assortment of policy recommendations aimed at fostering a propitious milieu for African entrepreneurial ventures, promoting equitable investment distribution, and enhancing cross-border collaboration. By providing a rigorous empirical analysis, this study not only contributes to the existing body of literature but also lays the foundation for future research aimed at promoting investment and catalyzing socio-economic development throughout the African continent. |
Date: | 2024–01 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2401.05760&r=sbm |
By: | Ascione, Grazia Sveva |
Abstract: | Much of the literature emphasizes the relationship between interdisciplinarity and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are seen as closely linked and highly interdisciplinary. Therefore, innovation related to the SDGs is expected to be technologically diverse, especially when it emanates from academia, where teams of researchers collaborate to create innovation for the benefit of society. However, research on innovation for the SDGs is still in its infancy due to a lack of comprehensive quantitative analysis about its characteristics and a lack of consideration of potentially relevant actors, such as universities. This paper aims to make a threefold contribution to the existing literature by analyzing USPTO patent data from 2006 to 2020. First, we develop a novel method for tagging SDGs-related patents using an unsupervised natural language processing (NLP) approach. Starting from an initial list of keywords, we build an extended dictionary of keywords for each SDG based on the patent text by combining the TF-IDF method with a vector representation of the patent text and SDGs keywords. Second, we analyze innovation related to the SDGs, focusing particularly on the contribution of universities. Third, we compare the diversity of SDGs and non-SDGs patents using the Rao-Stirling index. Our results show that patents related to the SDGs are on the rise, but the trend is more pronounced for universities, where the majority of innovation production revolves around SDG 3 (good health and well-being). Moreover, the rise in SDGs patents seems to be led not only by green technologies, but mainly by high technologies. Eventually, the empirical results point in two directions. On the one hand, SDGs related patents are more diverse than their counterparts across almost all technology sectors. However, if we consider university patents only, there is a diversity premium only for a few SDGs, namely SDG 2, SDG 3, and SDG 15. |
Keywords: | echnological diversity; University patents; Interdisciplinarity; SDGs; United States |
JEL: | O3 O34 |
Date: | 2023–10–01 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:119452&r=sbm |
By: | Silvia Massini (Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, The University of Manchester); Mabel Sanchez Barrioluengo (Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, The University of Manchester); Xiaoxiao Yu (Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, The University of Manchester); Reza Salehnejad (Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, The University of Manchester) |
Abstract: | Advanced digital technologies (DTs) such as AI, Big Data, Cloud Computing, 3D printing, IoT, and Robotics are known for their potential to be pervasive and generate disruptive change. Despite this, there is limited evidence regarding the factors that motivate or hinder technology adoption. This study, based on an original survey of firms in Greater Manchester, aims to shed light on the determinants of DT adoption, including underlying motivations, potential barriers, and skills deficits. Additionally, it explores the influence of digitalisation and skills on firms‘ performance. Our results suggest that while different DTs are at varying stages of technology diffusion, they are characterised by complementarity and are often jointly adopted. Furthermore, the adoption of DTs in SMEs and younger firms, coupled with the presence of appropriate (digital and non-digital) skills, constitutes a pivotal synergy that significantly influences firms' productivity levels. |
Keywords: | Digital transformation, Adoption, Skills, Motivations, Barriers, Productivity, Firms |
Date: | 2024–01 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bdj:smioir:2024-01&r=sbm |
By: | N. Y. Al Saiqal; James. C. Ryabn; Osiris Jorge Parcero |
Abstract: | The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a young, oil-rich country, where national youth display a clear preference for public sector employment. Growing youth unemployment reinforces the importance of non-government employment, including entrepreneurship. This study investigates UAE national youth intentions towards entrepreneurship through the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire (EIQ). Analysis (N=544) identifies the direct influence of attitude and perceived behavioral control, and indirect influence of subjective norms on entrepreneurship intention. Results also examine several demographic variables and highlight the potential importance of family and social groups in promoting entrepreneurial intentions in this emerging country context. |
Date: | 2024–01 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2401.04253&r=sbm |
By: | Patricia Crifo (École polytechnique, CREST and E4C, France and CIRANO, Canada) |
Abstract: | This paper examines why a growth process relying on both green innova tion and green human capital may be responsible for higher inequality within and between skills. We propose a theoretical framework and derive some em pirical observations using data from more than 2000 companies in 21 OECD countries in 2022. We discuss the policy implications of this analysis in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led many governments to place green investment at the heart of their recovery plans. |
Keywords: | Environment, Skill Supply, Innovation-driven Growth |
JEL: | O33 Q50 J24 |
Date: | 2024–02–01 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:crs:wpaper:2024-02&r=sbm |
By: | De Ridder, Maarten |
Abstract: | This paper offers a unified explanation for the slowdown of productivity growth, the decline in business dynamism, and the rise of market power. Using a quantitative framework, I show that the rise of intangible inputs, such as software, can explain these trends. Intangibles reduce marginal costs and raise fixed costs, which gives firms with high-intangible adoption a competitive advantage, in turn deterring other firms from entering. I structurally estimate the model on French and US micro data. After initially boosting productivity, the rise of intangibles causes a decline in productivity growth, consistent with the empirical trends observed since the mid-1990s. |
Keywords: | productivity; growth; business dynamism; intangible inputs; market power; Centre for Macroeconomics; “Investissements d’Avenir” program (reference: ANR-10-EQPX-1; CASD |
JEL: | D20 D24 E23 L11 O31 O47 |
Date: | 2024–01–01 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:120285&r=sbm |
By: | Solène Juteau (Métis Lab EM Normandie - EM Normandie - École de Management de Normandie, LEMNA - Laboratoire d'économie et de management de Nantes Atlantique - Nantes Univ - IAE Nantes - Nantes Université - Institut d'Administration des Entreprises - Nantes - Nantes Université - pôle Sociétés - Nantes Univ - Nantes Université, GREDEG - Groupe de Recherche en Droit, Economie et Gestion - UNS - Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UCA - Université Côte d'Azur) |
Abstract: | This case study focuses on Netflix's technological journey, emphasizing its role as a startup that revolutionized a sector through tech-savvy approaches. Up until 2023, Netflix continues to innovate. This exploration delves into how Netflix has evolved as a platform organization, leveraging advanced technologies to enhance user experience and business models. The case discusses Netflix's use of Cloud Computing and proposes elaboration on Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain technologies. This case will be particularly useful for graduate and postgraduate students or MBA students in courses on digital technologies and business perspectives. |
Keywords: | Disruptive innovation, Digital platforms and ecosystems, Teaching cases, Long Tail, Artificial intelligence, Blockchain |
Date: | 2024 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04374918&r=sbm |
By: | Safwane Sadki (Laboratoire Universitaire de Recherche en Instrumentation et Gestion des Organisations - Faculté des sciences juridiques économiques et sociales de Oujda Université Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Maroc); Abdelmalek Bekkaoui (Laboratoire Universitaire de Recherche en Instrumentation et Gestion des Organisations - Faculté des sciences juridiques économiques et sociales de Oujda Université Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Maroc) |
Abstract: | The financial landscape has undergone major changes in the wake of the financial crises. Rivalry between banks is intense, with customers having increasingly high expectations, conditions which have made technological innovation one of the main solutions. In today's financial world, technology is at the heart of every company's ability to offer new financial products and services. And thanks to the use of technological innovation, FinTech companies in particular are able to offer more efficient, faster and more accessible financial solutions to consumers. The aim of this article is to carry out a systematic literature review on the impact of technological innovation and its effect on the banking sector. More specifically, the article focuses on exploring the literature on technological innovation in the financial sector and the factors that give rise to it. The article also takes stock of the impact of new technological innovations used by Fintechs and banks. |
Abstract: | Le paysage financier a subi d'importants changements suite au suivi des crises financières. La rivalité entre les banques est intense avec une clientèle qui a des attentes de plus en plus élevées, des conditions qui ont rendu l'innovation technologique comme l'une des principales solutions. Aujourd'hui dans le domaine financier, la technologie représente un noyau central de toutes les entreprises ont leur donnent la possibilité d'offrir de nouveaux produits et services financiers. On outre grâce à l'utilisation de l'innovation technologique, et plus particulièrement les entreprises FinTech sont capables de proposer des solutions financières plus efficaces, plus rapides et plus accessibles aux consommateurs. Cet article a pour objectif de réaliser une revue systématique de littérature sur l'impact de l'innovation technologique et de son effet sur le secteur bancaire. Plus spécifiquement, l'article se focalise sur l'exploration de la littérature relative à l'innovation technologique dans le domaine financier et les facteurs qui donnent naissance à cette dernière. L'article met aussi le point sur les retombées des nouvelles innovations technologiques utilisées par les Fintechs et les banques. |
Keywords: | Innovation, Technology, Fintech, Banking sector., Technologie, Secteur bancaire. |
Date: | 2023–12–31 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04377063&r=sbm |