The significance of sustained entrepreneurial orientation on performance of firms – A longitudinal analysis

This study focuses on the importance of changes in entrepreneurial orientation (EO) over time for subsequent firm performance, and the significance which inimitable resources (networks, governance system and unique competence) might have in this connection. Hypotheses are developed to test the effects that changes in EO level over a time period and resources have on subsequent firm performance. The study is based on data from 168 Norwegian SMEs, interviewed both in 2000 and 2003. The primary contribution of this study is that a change in EO over time (increased or decreased), may be of importance for a firm's performance represented by performance compared to competitors, and employment growth. A focus on entrepreneurial activities seems to be beneficial in the long run (increasing EO), while the opposite is the case if the EO level decreases. It is especially encouraging to see that firms focusing on EO (increased or the same) are positively associated with employment growth, one of the primary policy goals world-wide. Another contribution from this study is that resources that may be inimitable for firms have some influence on performance compared to competitors. Implications for policy-makers, practitioners and further research are discussed.     

创业营销对创业绩效的影响研究:一个有调节的中介模型

先前学者们对于创业营销的研究大多聚焦于定性研究,文章从创业营销的创业导向与市场导向入手,通过实证研究的方法探究创业营销对创业绩效的提升机制。以创业导向作为自变量、市场导向作为中介变量、顾客导向为调节变量,构建一个有调节的中介模型。通过问卷搜集中国297家企业的数据检验假设,结果表明:创业导向、市场导向均正向影响创业绩效,且当市场导向作为中介变量时,对两者之间对创业绩效的总效应更加明显;顾客导向的调节作用并不明显。最后,提出了管理建议与未来的研究方向。     

创业导向与企业绩效:制度创业的观点

基于制度创业的观点,本文分析了不良竞争和政府支持这两个制度要素对创业导向与企业绩效关系的影响作用。研究发现,创业导向和企业绩效有正相关关系,不良竞争和政府支持对该关系有正向的调节作用。本文研究丰富了对创业导向和企业绩效关系的认识,也为制度创业的观点提供了实证支持。     

The dynamics of entrepreneurs’ networks in a transitioning economy: the case of Russia

Despite its theoretical and practical importance, the evolution and development of entrepreneurs’ networks has attracted a little attention of researchers. The emerging research literature on this topic found that the dynamics of entrepreneurial networks were contingent upon venture lifecycle, industry and region, and resource needs of the firm. In addition and contrast to the previous research, this article examines the effects of the initial network structure, and firm performance of previous years on the changes in entrepreneurs' network structure, relations, and resources over 4 years. The empirical data is composed of the face-to-face interviews with 75 Russian entrepreneurs in 1995, and the follow-up interviews with 56 original respondents in 1999. I found that the greater the initial network size, the less the increase in network size, strong and weak ties, and resources over time. Further, the findings indicate that revenue growth of previous years predicts the changes in networks in the reverse manner. Thus, I found that the greater the average revenue growth, the less the increase in network size, weak ties, and resources over time.     

Talent management,absorptive capacity,and firm performance: Does it work in China and Russia?

This article investigates the relationship between talent management (TM), absorptive capacity (AC), and firm performance. We build a theoretical framework and examine the mediating role of a firm's AC in TM–performance relationships in the contexts of China and Russia. We use a sample of 120 Chinese and Russian firms to provide empirical evidence of our hypotheses. Our results show for both Chinese and Russian firms, a well‐developed TM system positively influences a firm's ability to acquire, assimilate, and exploit knowledge as well as increase the overall level of a firm's AC. We also found support for the argument that TM has an indirect positive effect on firm performance through its AC; moreover, the effect is stronger for Chinese firms, specifically, within the link between AC and performance.     

When is Effort Contagious in New Venture Management Teams? Understanding the Contingencies of Social Motivation Theory

Consistent with social motivation theory, prior research on managerial motivation suggests that effort is contagious across management team members. In this study, we draw on belongingness theory to develop a model on important boundary conditions to social motivation theory in the management team context. The model predicts that new venture managers react to their teammates’ higher effort levels by investing higher effort levels themselves primarily when they are confronted with a threat – namely, low venture performance and high environmental hostility – but that effort is less contagious when managers face little threat. We test our model with a sample of 103 new venture managers nested in 51 management teams in a longitudinal setting capturing managerial effort over 26 weeks. While we do not find a direct relationship between teammates’ effort and a new venture manager’s subsequent effort, we find support for the crucial role of threat in triggering the contagion of managerial effort. We discuss the contributions of our study for research on management teams, performance feedback, and entrepreneurial effort in new ventures.     

The Puzzle of Firm Performance in China: An Institutional Explanation

China has achieved phenomenal economic growth in an institutional environment that defies conventional economic rationales. Researchers offer different theories to explain this puzzle. But so far, due to the lack of data, little effort has been made to test these theories at the firm level. We develop a framework of endogenous institutional change to explain this puzzle and we test our framework with firm-level data. We argue that the decentralization from the central to the local governments and from government to firms are the driving forces behind China's institutional changes that have shaped the roles of government and market, which in turn significantly affect firm performance. We then submit our theory to a vigorous empirical test using data from China's industrial census, covering all 2000 counties and over 500 manufacturing industries. The test shows that two results of decentralization, the involvement of low-level governments in business and the process of privatization, positively affect firm performance.     

企业家精神何以落地——创业导向影响竞争优势的路径研究

本文通过327家企业的问卷调查数据,验证了中国背景下创业导向的独特维度构成;利用竞争优势理论,提出并检验了创业导向维度与绩效之间存在的三条中介路径———竞争战略、实质能力、动态能力,并进行全面整合与比较,从而结合内外观点、结合静态与动态观点,系统阐释了创业导向的作用机理。     

创业者网络能力、创业激情与创业绩效——基于资源编排与风险承担双重传导路径

创业者及其新创企业面临较大的生存压力,研究其如何借助外部关系网络提升创业绩效具有重要意义。本文基于创业网络理论,以大学生创业者为样本进行实证研究,结果显示:关系建立能力负向影响创业资源编排,正向影响创业风险承担,而关系协调能力对创业资源拼凑和创业风险承担均具有正向影响。创业资源编排正向影响创业绩效,而创业风险承担对创业绩效的影响呈倒U型;创业激情正向调节创业者网络能力对其创业绩效的影响。本文从网络能力视角深化了创业绩效提升机制研究,提出创业者应提高网络能力、对外部资源的利用能力和对企业经营管理的能力,政府应进行及时有效的创业扶持,从而为创业者实现创业成长提供实践指导。     

创业企业招聘偏好与创业绩效关系理论研究

文章在已有研究成果的基础上展开理论研究,集中关注创业企业在招聘时是否存在对某一类型应聘者的普遍偏好、这种偏好与其组织绩效的作用关系、创业企业招聘偏好与人一组织匹配之间的关系以及人一组织匹配理论在创业企业招聘偏好与其绩效关系中的中介效用。并提出了相关理论假设,为今后的实证研究提供了理论依据。     

创业导向、外部知识获取与创业机会识别

创业活动是创新、就业和经济增长的重要来源。企业家通过持续探索创造新业务,促进社会和经济的发展和繁荣。本文基于资源基础理论和知识基础理论,以大众创业浪潮为研究背景,深入揭示创业导向、外部知识获取与创业机会识别之间的关系,并以中国246份创业新企业为样本进行了实证研究。研究结果表明：创业导向对新企业的机会识别和外部知识获取均具有积极影响;外部知识获取在创业导向和新企业的机会识别之间起到部分中介作用;此外,市场知识获取比技术知识获取对创业机会识别的影响更为突出。