An Exploratory Study of Managers' Perspective of Work‐Life Balance in Nigeria: A Case Analysis of the Nigerian Banking Sector

This study describes an exploratory research of managers' perspective of the concept of work‐life balance (WLB) policies and practices in Nigeria. This is done through in‐depth case studies of 20 banks in the banking sector. The data set is comprised of responses from 102 middle line managers in the Nigerian banking institutions. A review of the extant literature on WLB initiatives in the banking sector revealed that there is a dearth of knowledge on WLB policies and practices in an African context. In an attempt to fill the gap in the literature, this study examines the range and scope of WLB practices, managers' perception of WLB, and the forces helping or constraining to shape the choices of work life balance practices and policies. The findings reveal that there is diversity in terms of how middle‐line managers understand and experience WLB initiatives in Nigeria. Another finding highlights the practice of favoritism in most banks using WLB initiatives. In addition, the study shows that cultural sensitivity affects how WLB is appreciated and utilized. The study suggests some policy implications in the form of support for WLB policies in this context. © 2013 Crown copyright.     

SME Networks and International Performance: Unveiling the Significance of Foreign Market Entry Mode

This study investigates the relevance of interorganizational networks for the international performance of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in relation to the foreign market entry mode (FMEM) selected. We distinguish two groups of internationalized SMEs: exporting firms and micromultinational enterprises (mMNEs). Drawing on insights from the network theory, our study accounts for the role of intermediate outcomes (innovative behavior and foreign market knowledge). Structural equation modeling is conducted in a sample of U.K.‐based internationalized SMEs. Our findings suggest that interorganizational networks have an indirect influence on international performance but differences are found among the two groups of internationalized SMEs.     

Managerial characteristics and entrepreneurial internationalization: A study of Tunisian SMEs

Growing internationalization has sparked increasing interest in any factor which could strengthen a firm’s ability to develop a long-term competitive edge. One of the main factors which determine a firm’s international behavior is the characteristics of its management team. The aim of this paper is to shed light on the relationship between the management team’s characteristics and factors which favor a company’s development by examining the causal effects of managerial characteristics on innovative behavior of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking international market expansion. The conceptual model and its hypotheses are tested through an empirical study of a multi-industry sample of Tunisian SMEs. To our knowledge, this present study is the first to include Islamic ethics as a determining factor on managers’ behaviors as their companies enter the international market. Obtained by structural equation modeling technique, the key findings of this research show that personality traits, mental ability, and social networks of managers have a direct impact on a firm’s behavior as it enters the international context. Results also show that Islamic ethics seem to favor a creative context for innovative ideas in both local and foreign markets. Given the importance of the results analyzed, it could be suggested that Islamic ethics in organizations be implemented as a part of the education system in all Islamic societies.     

Shedding gender stigmas: Work-life balance equity in the 21 century

The gender stigma of work-life balance (WLB) policies as concessions for mothers and female caregivers originated with the push by the Women's Movement for gender workplace equity in the late 20^th century. Unfortunately, this perception continues in the 21^st century and retains the additional stigma of employee participation in these policies—regardless of gender—as a detrimental career move. Thus, home and work responsibilities for professionals of all genders who desire more occupational flexibility remain unreconciled. Despite this dominant national and international outlook, this article encourages new century organizations and professionals to reject the traditional perception of occupational inequity through gender-colored glasses and instead contemplate the benefits of WLB policies void of gender stigmas. Specifically, organizations could re-create workplace culture with stigma-free WLB policies through administrative leaders’ embracement of and participation in such policies, which may pave the way for establishing occupational equity. Through workplace culture re-creation, organizations may then offer employees—regardless of gender, marital status, or company position—flexible work options to assist them in leading happy, healthy, and more productive lives.     

Exploring the role of knowledge management practices on exports: A dynamic capabilities view

Drawing on dynamic capabilities view, this work provides empirical evidence on the role of knowledge management practices on export intensity in SMEs in a mature and global, non-high-tech industry. A quantitative study with structural equation modeling was carried out on a sample of 157 Spanish and Italian manufacturing companies in the ceramic tile industry. Our results suggest the existence of a mediating effect of dynamic capabilities on exports, hence the implementation of knowledge management practices is a necessary but not sufficient condition to improve exporting, requiring the existence of dynamic capabilities to reconfigure these capabilities. Findings highlight the relevance of knowledge practices to foster exports, providing new insights for managers dealing with dynamic capabilities in SMEs.     

Introducing a ‘stop-doing’ culture: How to free your organization from rigidity

Individuals and organizations cannot learn perpetually. Managers should be aware that unlearning becomes necessary to discard obsolete and outdated mental models, assumptions, behaviors, or routines. We investigated new product development teams and interviewed change consultants to explore the phenomenon of unlearning in real-life contexts. We particularly focus on examples of cases in which these steps have been used and implemented successfully. In order to make room for new knowledge and foster innovations more efficiently, we identify and suggest four critical steps managers can introduce to help their employees unlearn: creating situational awareness, providing islands of temporal and spatial freedom, encouraging an error-forgiving and stop-doing culture, and reducing the influence of old knowledge over time. Fostering unlearning can prevent rigidity and stagnation while opening up room for innovation. This article adds an important practical dimension to the mainly theoretical ideas in the field of unlearning and provides strong implications for managers and other practitioners.     

The relationship between CSR and corporate strategy in medium‐sized companies: evidence from Italy

The paper responds to the recent calls for further evidence on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Drawing on the extant literature, the authors identify four characteristics contended by academicians as peculiarities of SMEs’ approach to CSR: the intrinsic relationship between CSR and corporate strategy motivated by the need to continuously dialogue with stakeholders; the centrality of the entrepreneur's ethos in CSR decisions; the coexistence and the cross‐effect of economically instrumental and ethically motivated CSR policies; and the finalization of CSR initiatives to specific firm growth objectives. These four peculiarities are explored in the case of an Italian medium‐sized company operating in the furniture industry. The outcomes show how the four peculiarities are salient in analyzing the CSR approach by the company and suggest areas for further research aimed at developing a thorough theory of CSR in SMEs. In particular, we deepen the analysis of the nature of the uniqueness of medium‐sized companies’ approach to CSR, providing possible interpretations of the reasons making medium‐sized companies’ approach to CSR different from both small and large companies.     

Employee knowledge and the effects of a deferred profit‐sharing system: A longitudinal case study of personnel funds in Finland

We explain the special features of the Finnish profit‐sharing system and explore what outcomes this deferred plan has for the company under longitudinal conditions. We measure changes in employee attitudes, effects of the system, and, in particular, the changes in the employee's pay knowledge before and after the combination of a deferred profit‐sharing system with a cash‐based one. Statistical analyses are preceded by qualitative analyses of interview data to provide the reader with an understanding of the context. Even though the employees' pay knowledge has increased and they perceive that they get more feedback on company key ratios, there still is a need for human resource management and managers to provide training and enhance discussions on the pay system for both supervisors and subordinates. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

电子商务对中小企业核心竞争力的作用机理研究

本文认为,电子商务作为知识经济时代新型的商务模式,是中小企业构建核心竞争力的重要手段,它有利于企业降低产品成本和管理成本;有利于企业提高管理效率,改善管理环境,提高经营效率;有利于中小企业开拓市场空间,创造新的市场;有利于满足顾客的潜在需求和用户对产品种类的极限化需求。文章提出,电子商务的积极作用“内化”为企业的核心竞争力,还需要有相适应的企业文化作为支撑和保障,企业文化是中小企业核心竞争力的支撑因素,中小企业建立与电子商务相适应的企业文化,关键是要建立企业自身的核心价值观,消除观念误区,克服认识不足。     

招标代理企业服务质量控制浅析

结合招标代理中介公司实际,提出在不断提高自身素质、严格按照基本建设程序办事的基础上,进一步增强诚信经营的理念,加强招标代理公司对服务质量的控制。为了不断提高招标代理业务水平,提出招标代理工作应适当地延伸到工程实施与结算阶段。加强对代理工程的回访,并建立反馈机制。     

Investigating CSR communication in SMEs: a case study among Danish middle managers

This paper seeks to analyse small‐ and medium‐sized enterprise (SME) managers' representations of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and CSR communication in a corporate communication perspective. The basic question is: how strategic is CSR communication in SMEs? Corporate communication and CSR theories are used to establish an ideal typology of CSR concepts informing an analysis of qualitative data in the form of interviews with three middle managers in two Danish SMEs. A CSR communication model published earlier by the authors is challenged from a SME perspective. Results from an Internet‐based questionnaire survey of 1071 SMEs pave the way for the analysis. Our analysis shows that SME managers clearly have an inside‐out approach to CSR, with a strong emphasis on the internal (corporate culture) dimension. However, SMEs and/or SME managers tend not to communicate externally about the CSR activities of the company. Based on these findings, the paper argues that CSR communication in SMEs is challenged by the global economy and is under revision. The contribution of the paper is to provide an insight into SMEs' present stage in relation to a possible future approach to strategic CSR communication. The paper also reminds us that SMEs have no interest in turning their local and authentic practice into a forced marketing and branding exercise, leaving them with an artificial picture of who they are and strive to be in the future. They should keep on acting locally but force themselves to think globally.     

In Good Company: When Small and Medium‐Sized Enterprises Acquire Multiplex Knowledge from Key Commercial Partners

This study explores the specific conditions under which key strategic alliances of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) with commercial partners can become multiplex in knowledge exchange. Using survey data from a sample of 150 Spanish SMEs in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry, we find that trust creates an appropriate context for the concurrent acquisition of technological, market, and managerial knowledge. When the SME and its key commercial partner exhibit significant strategic, technological, and market differences, however, the SME's ability to acquire different types of knowledge diminishes considerably, reducing the positive impact of trust on knowledge multiplexity.     

Psychological ownership as a crisis management advertising appeal – antecedents,outcomes, and moderators

In a crisis communication context, this work examines the impact of Psychological Ownership (PO) appeals on Ad message recipients’ development of feelings of PO. It demonstrates that increased levels of PO influence the managerially relevant outcomes attitude toward the company and purchase intentions. In doing so, it finds new application for the construct. In order to better understand the factors that may contribute to or mitigate PO, this research also investigates environmental consciousness as an additional antecedent and gender, persuasion knowledge, and geographic distance as moderators of individuals’ response to such appeals. Managerial and theoretical implications are discussed.     

The Impact of Organizational Orientations on Medium and Small Firm Performance: A Resource‐Based Perspective

Recent studies suggest that market, entrepreneurial, and learning orientations individually improve firm performance. In this study, we suggest that each of the orientations can enhance company success, but the potential of each orientation should not be viewed in isolation. Instead, we draw on the resource‐based view of the firm, looking at these three orientations as capabilities of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). The analysis was carried out on a sample of 164 SMEs. The results indicate that market, entrepreneurial, and learning orientations jointly give rise to positional advantage, which, in turn, is positively related to the performance of the firm.     

Factors in the effective transfer of knowledge from multinational enterprises to their foreign subsidiaries: a Mozambican case study

The purpose of this article is to better understand the role of internal stakeholders in subsidiaries of multinational companies (MNCs) in order to offer potential insights into the cross‐border transfer of knowledge from those companies’ headquarters to their subsidiaries. The focus is upon subsidiaries in developing countries, here Mozambique. More specifically, the article is concerned with identifying factors that influence the learning of internal stakeholders and noting practices which seem associated with a high level of absorptive capacity and performance of subsidiaries. The starting point is evidence of ineffective transfer of knowledge by MNCs to their subsidiaries in developing countries, with consequent sub‐standard performance. The research reported involves four case studies of Portuguese companies operating in Mozambique and draws on data from interviews with senior and middle managers in the firms’ Mozambican subsidiaries. The results obtained suggest that successful knowledge transfer to overseas subsidiaries is found under the following conditions. First, the parent company knows the local context and provides a flow of relevant information. Second, application of knowledge locally is done flexibly to suit local circumstances. Next, a participatory approach is used so that local staff can see why the knowledge conveyed is necessary. Fourth, explanation and demonstration are key techniques, with major roles for on‐the‐job training, continuous improvement and training at headquarters. Finally, issues arising from local culture may need to be addressed.     

International Opportunity Recognition among Small and Medium‐Sized Family Firms*

Current research in the field of entrepreneurship emphasizes the importance of opportunity recognition as a key element in the entrepreneurial process. It has been recognized that network ties, activeness and alertness, and prior knowledge are related to how entrepreneurs recognize new opportunities. However, it is unclear how important these factors are when a firm explores opportunities for entry into a foreign market. In this exploratory case study, covering the international opportunity recognition of eight family‐owned small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), we found that the firms in question mainly recognized international opportunities by establishing new formal ties rather than using existing informal or family ties. The findings also indicated that due to the small size and the flexibility of the management team in family SMEs, these firms were able to react quickly to new international opportunities. However, there was no direct relationship between the prior knowledge of the firms and their international opportunity recognition. In addition, we found that trade exhibitions formed the primary context for the international opportunity recognition of the SMEs in this study. These findings motivate a set of five propositions that may lead to further studies on this topic.     

SME foreign market entry mode choice and foreign venture performance: The moderating effect of international experience and product adaptation

Firms’ foreign market entry mode choice attracts considerable research attention. However, the performance implications of this choice remain inconclusive, particularly in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The present paper draws on the resource-based view (RBV) and develops a theoretical model specifically tailored to the context of SMEs in order to study the relationship between entry mode choice and foreign venture performance. Testing hypotheses on 133 German SMEs, we show that international experience as a resource and product adaptation as a capability improve the performance of non-equity entry modes by mitigating liabilities of smallness inherent to SMEs. We furthermore find empirical support for the joint moderating effect of international experience and product adaptation on the focal relation. Our findings contribute to the SME foreign market entry mode literature and have implications for practitioners and future research.     

SME marketing management competencies

The nature and scope of marketing and managerial competencies in the context of growth SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) are discussed. This is illustrated using a conceptual framework of how SME owner-managers develop experiential learning built upon existing knowledge, experience, communication and judgement and through experiential learning in their own SME work environment. The key issues are relevant to all SMEs in developed economies. The emphasis of the empirical study is on understanding and applying the conceptual framework, hence a qualitative methodology has been employed for gathering and interpreting findings from a study of 60 SME owner-managers.     

Market Orientation and Internationalization in Small and Medium‐Sized Enterprises

This article builds on studies from the literature on market orientation (MO) and internationalization to develop a model and a set of hypotheses regarding the relationships among MO, knowledge acquisition (KA), and market commitment (MC), and the direct and indirect effects of these variables on the performance of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in foreign markets. The model and its hypotheses are tested by means of an empirical study of a multi‐industry sample of Spanish SMEs operating in foreign markets. The results, obtained by structural equation modeling, indicate that a direct positive relationship exists between MO and a strategy of internationalization, and that the effect of MO on performance in foreign markets is moderated by KA and MC.     

The benefits of e-business adoption: an empirical study of Swedish SMEs

The global nature of business today and the advances in information and communications technologies have compelled corporations to employ emerging technologies in order to remain competitive. In recent years electronic business has been adopted by many corporations to improve operational efficiency, profitability, and to strengthen their competitive position. This study examines the impact of web-based e-business on the small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) in Sweden. The analyses of data collected for this study provide valuable information to the executives of manufacturing and service SMEs. The findings show that the SMEs in the sample have benefited from e-business implementation in both operational and performance areas of their organization.