The impact of vendor incentives on Quick Response

Quick Response (QR) is an important business strategy that was initiated in the mid 1980s to deal with competition, slow growth, and reduced margins in the apparel industry. The purpose of this paper was to explore QR strategies focusing on the development of vendor partnerships. A vendor partnership model of QR implementation and channel relationships was developed using an exploratory sample of US retail firms. The model was tested using correlation analysis. Major findings indicated that these firms gave vendors incentives to adopt QR and that firms having more advanced QR programmes perceived fewer problems than those with less advanced programmes. A partial relationship was found between QR and improved financial performance. Finally, the length of time firms had been practicing QR did not guarantee a more advanced QR programme.     

The Turnover of Firms and Industry Growth

In a dynamic setting, every firm can be regarded as a “business experiment” with the objective to search and explore new business opportunities. It is suggested that the growth of an industry is enhanced by new-firm entry, since a positive correlation between the number of successes, i.e. fast-growing firms, and the number of business experiments is to be expected. Exit is necessary to sort out the firms that the market rejects. Hence, it is rather the entry and exit of firms that jointly should have a positive effect on growth, rather than the number of entries in isolation. This paper tests the hypothesis that a high turnover rate of firms has no, or a negative, effect on industry growth. The analysis is based on an extensive data set covering all Swedish IT firms that existed between 1994 and 1998. The turnover rate of firms is found to have a significantly positive effect on industry growth.     

商业模式设计与战略导向匹配性对业务绩效的影响

作为竞争优势的来源之一,商业模式设计对经营绩效而言变得越来越重要。文章通过区分驱动市场型和市场驱动型商业模式设计,探讨了商业模式设计与战略导向的匹配性对业务单位绩效的影响。结果表明,驱动市场型商业模式设计与创业导向之间的匹配对业务单位绩效产生积极影响;市场驱动型商业模式设计与顾客导向及竞争者导向之间的匹配对业务单位绩效产生积极影响。研究结论对企业的商业模式设计和创新活动提供了管理建议。     

A value-based perspective of market orientation and customer service

This study aimed to build a model of business performance based on customer value-defined market orientation. In the context of a service retail industry, both firms’ and customers’ perspectives were involved in the development of the construct, using such dimensions as management support, employee efforts and customer satisfaction. The authors undertook a large-scale fieldwork to collect matched response data from firms and consumers and to test the proposed model. The results provide empirical evidence of the effects of a customer value-based market orientation on business performance, measured in terms of customer retention. In addition, this study identified three drivers of employees’ effort to implement market orientation from a value perspective.     

美国网上证券经纪公司发展路径研究

本文认为,网上证券经纪公司会随着企业生存环境的改变,依据自身的内生竞争实力及外生获得性能力不断地在发展过程中进行业务转型和策略调整,以获取其他企业的优势基因,整合企业自有资源,增强企业抗风险能力,从而适应环境的变化,保持企业的长期生存和持久的竞争实力。文章指出,企业的策略选择具有路径依赖的惯性,不同的网上经纪公司会采取不同的策略切入点,同一个企业在不同的发展阶段也会采取不同的策略,选择不同的路径以求得发展和提高。     

企业腐败动机与“最优”腐败程度实证研究

对于企业向官员行贿动机的解释主要有两种相反的观点,一是企业为了获取政府帮助而主动行贿,二是企业在威胁逼迫条件下的被动行贿。文章从企业在应对政府和应对市场两项事务间的权衡出发,构建企业绩效与腐败强度间的二项式回归模型,通过与传统线性回归模型的比较,发现企业腐败是一种主动行为,腐败的目的是为了构建政治关系以获取相应回报。运用世界银行企业调查数据,二次项回归模型显示出绩效与腐败强度间显著的倒U型曲线关系,文章得出了企业的“最优”腐败程度并对其政策含义进行了解释。     

International Export Orientation and Firm’s Performance: Evidence from Enterprise Survey Data of India

This study aims at analyzing the performance of firms by international export orientation vis-à-vis domestic orientation, based on World Enterprise Survey Data of 9,281 firms of India. Simple statistical techniques such as chi-squared test, ANOVA, and regression model have been used to analyze the data with the help of SPSS version 20.0. Chi-square statistics indicate that there is significant difference in enterprise characteristics by business orientationdomestic versus export-oriented businesses. Result of the ANOVA indicates a significant difference in business performance between export versus domestic orientation of firms in terms of sales and employment growth rates. Export-oriented enterprises perceive comparatively fewer obstacles than domestic enterprises. Regression analysis indicates that enterprise characteristics, performance indicators, and business obstacles have influence on export orientation of the firms. This study provides insights on differences in firms’ performance across business orientations and factors affecting the internationalization of business. This study can be helpful in designing policies for promoting export-oriented enterprises in a focused manner.     

THE BENEFITS OF USING E‐BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY: THE SUPPLIER PERSPECTIVE

The use of e‐business technologies between supply chain organizations has primarily been examined from the viewpoint of buying firms or retailers, with little attention given to the benefits accrued to suppliers. Further, previous studies have been limited to either financial or marketing performance measures, or a narrow range of operational measures. This study builds on research in this area by testing a model of the relationship between supplier use of e‐business technologies in communication with their primary buyer, degree of buyer‐supplier coordination, and a complete set of benefits that include strategic and operational performance measures. Using data from 241 first‐tier OEM suppliers in the computer industry, the findings show that supplier use of e‐business technologies positively impacts organizational benefits both directly and indirectly by promoting buyer‐supplier coordination.     

Having Arrived: The Homogeneity of High‐Growth Small Firms*

This study explores the homogeneity of small firms that have achieved and sustained high growth. Using a recent population of the 50 “Best Managed” Canadian firms identified as achieving high business growth for three or more consecutive years, firm homogeneity in terms of current management challenges is analyzed. In contrast to the rich body of literature available regarding the heterogeneity of managerial challenges and patterns during small business growth and development, this study finds that once small businesses begin to sustain high growth, their reported management challenges converge. We find that, controlling for location and performance, the high‐growth small firms in our population experience similar management challenges regardless of the specific firm size, revenue level, or industry. Our results challenge the “received wisdom” that suggests the managerial challenges faced by small firms during their business growth and development always vary. Management implications and future research directions are discussed.     

A resource-based analysis of sustainable competitive advantage in a global environment

The extant business literature on global competitive advantage has been dominated by a contingency-based approach, which advocates the attainment of fit between the firm's strategy, structures and processes and its competitive conditions. However, most support for this view has been anecdotal and rigorous empirical evidence has been lacking. This study adopts a more voluntaristic stance, and integrates perspectives from international business and strategic management to propose a resource-based model of global sustainable competitive advantage (GSCA). A series of hypotheses are presented on the nature of global resources and on the relationships between these resources and sustained superior performance. The model is tested on a sample of firms in the global automotive components industry with promising results. Conclusions are drawn and the implications for research and practice are outlined.     

The Effect of Brand Management and Product Quality on Firm Performance: The Italian Craft Brewing Sector

The article contributes to the limited literature on marketing strategies of microfirms operating in new niches within mature industries. The study explores the effect of brand management processes and product quality on performance of microfirms in the Italian brewing industry. Preliminary qualitative interviews with eight entrepreneurs were realized. Then 92 questionnaires were collected from the entire population of 335 microbreweries operating in Italy for quantitative analysis. Findings suggest intrinsic product quality being the most relevant determinants of firms’ performance, while the adoption of brand management processes exerts a significant, negative impact. The article takes into account the relationship between brand management, quality, and performance by focusing on a single industry. Future research may enhance the significance of our findings by including multiple sectors. Entrepreneurs and microbusiness leaders should carefully assess both external (industry life-cycle stage) and internal (resource availability) factors before engaging in any brand management activity. In mature firms, it may be more beneficial and effective focusing on enhancing product quality. The article addresses an important gap regarding the adoption of brand management practices in microfirms, adding to the emerging strategic marketing literature in the small business field.     

Group Affiliation and Entry Barriers: The Dark Side Of Business Groups In Emerging Markets

Business groups dominate the economic landscape in many economies around the world. While business groups overcome the institutional voids arising due to inefficiencies of external markets, they also possess market power, which could be economically and socially counterproductive, especially for unaffiliated firms. Drawing on the transaction cost and industrial organization economics, we examine whether the presence of business group affiliated firms in industries restricts the entry of unaffiliated firms or firms affiliated with small- and medium-size business groups. Findings based on Indian firms suggest that investments by business group affiliated firms in an industry have an inverted U-shaped relationship with the investment by unaffiliated firms. However, investments by firms affiliated with large-sized business groups have a U-shaped relationship with the investment by affiliates of small and medium business groups. These findings suggest that the market power of business groups and entry barrier relationship is contingent on the size of the business groups.     

Firm internationalization,business group diversification and firm performance: The case of Latin American firms

We examine the influence of multinationality and business group diversification on firm performance. Further, we examine how their interaction varies between service and manufacturing firms. We assess these relations in three Latin American countries using a sample of 103 firms over the period from 2000 to 2007. We found that there is a limit to the positive effects of business group diversification and that business group diversification effectively moderates the multinationality-performance (M-P) relationship. Our results also suggest that diversified business groups have a stronger positive influence on the M-P relationship for service firms compared to manufacturing firms.     

Enhancing performance of cross-border mergers and acquisitions in developed markets: The role of business ties and technological innovation capability

This study examines the determinants of performance of cross-border mergers and acquisitions (cross-border M&As) in developed markets initiated by firms from emerging markets. Drawing on social network theory and organizational innovation literature, we hypothesize that business ties of the acquiring firm increase performance of cross-border M&As via enhancing the acquiring firm's technological innovation capability and that environmental turbulence strengthens this mediating model. Moreover, the interplay of cultural distance and technological innovation capability would decrease performance of cross-border M&As. To test the model, we collected data from 186 Chinese firms initiating cross-border M&As in developed markets. As predicted, we found that (1) technological innovation capability of the acquiring firm positively mediates the relationship between business ties and performance of cross-border M&As; (2) environmental turbulence positively moderates the relationship between business ties and technological innovation capability; and (3) cultural distance negatively moderates the relationship between technological innovation capability and performance of cross-border M&As.     

Firm size, business experience and export intensity in SMEs: A longitudinal approach to complex relationships

The objective of the paper is to test the effect of firm size and business experience on export performance. In fact, despite a growing number of empirical studies, the question of the relationship between these variables is not clearly established. This research aims at contributing to a better understanding of these complex relationships with a special focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The authors develop a general model and test it using a sample of Italian manufacturing firms that spans the 1997–2001 period. Combining a time-series with a cross-sectional analysis, they use an econometric model in order to test the relationships. Their findings provide a strong support for both relationships. The results show that it is not business experience per se which is important but that it is the relative change in experience that truly impacts upon export performance. The model also reveals that industry effects are relevant.     

Business Strategy and Performance: An Assessment of Retailers in Guatemala

Although competitive strategy has attracted much attention in the literature, a limited number of studies have attempted to investigate the strategy-performance nexus within the context of local business units in emerging economies. This study investigates the relationship between competitive strategies and business performance among industry in Guatemala, Central America. Data from 364 retail firms in Guatemala suggest that in terms of both financial and operating performance retailers employing a combination of the cost leadership and differentiation strategies outperformed those adopting only one of the two pure strategies.     

Who benefits most? The effects of managerial assistance on high- versus low-performing small businesses

This study investigates the relationship between outside managerial assistance and small business performance using a conditional quantile regression approach. The model was tested using a sample of 902 ventures that received managerial or technical assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration's Entrepreneurial Development Resource Partners. Results show that outside assistance for primary business functions, such as marketing strategy, promotional strategy, financial management and general management, is more effective for firms with lower levels of financial performance. Outside assistance for secondary business functions, such as human resources and obtaining capital, is likely to have a greater impact on firms in the middle- to upper-quantile levels. Based on the results, we propose that managerial outside assistance providers should employ different approaches for firms with lower versus higher levels of financial performance.     

公司特征、行业特征和并购战略类型的实证研究

This paper studies 148 related and 169 unrelated acquisition cases conducted by Chinese listed firms from 2001 to 2004 and explores firm and industry characteristics of these firms prior to their acquisition. Results show that there are significant pre-acquisition differences between firms pursuing related acquisition and firms pursuing unrelated acquisition in terms of firm performance, business risk, firm size, proportion of state shares and degree of diversification profile. Except for differences in internal capital as represented by undistributed profit per share, there is no significant difference in other aspects of available resources and industry performance. Translated and revised from Guanli Shijie 管理世界 (Management World), 2007, (3): 130–137     

Board diversity and firm performance: The role of business group affiliation

There is little consensus globally on the relationship between board diversity and firm performance. Using the resource dependence and agency views, this paper examines how business group affiliation influences the relationship between board diversity and firm performance as a contextual/confounding factor. Based on data for listed firms in India, we find that board demographic diversity is positively associated with the firm performance (Tobin’s Q) of standalone firms, but this association is negative for group-affiliated firms. This negative effect of group affiliation is confirmed in a test based on a novel measure of firm performance using the stock market reaction to the announcement of mergers and acquisitions. For both measures of performance, we show that business group affiliation impairs the positive firm value effects of board demographic diversity. These findings imply that the relationship between board diversity and firm performance requires re-examination in the many countries where group affiliation is common. Our results also provide evidence of a new cost of group affiliation and show in a fresh context that cross-country studies should account for international variations in ownership and institutional structures.     

The relationship between organizational culture and market orientation in the Greek telecommunication companies

The modern business environment is characterized by intense competition, which has led telecommunication companies to a continuous race towards gaining and maintaining a competitive advantage. In order to succeed, telecommunication companies “cultivate” market orientation and market oriented cultures as non-imitable characteristics, capable to ensure long–term corporate viability and growth. This paper provides an insight into the Greek telecommunication industry by: a) revealing the coordination between market orientation strategies with corresponding culture, b) the relationship between extrovert-type cultures with performance and c) how special traits of telecommunication providers (size and age) influence the degree of market orientation and the dominant culture type (introvert or extrovert). The paper contributes: a) to the creation of national cultural profile in the telecommunication industry, which can become a starting point in a wider trial to create a European industry profile, b) to the empirical testing of the correlation between culture and market orientation and c) to the examination of the extent to which background factors (such as firms’ age and size) should be taken into account during the implementation of a business strategy.