Micro-multinational or not? International entrepreneurship,networking and learning effects

Micro-multinational enterprises (mMNEs) represent a new breed of smaller firms in the field of international entrepreneurship. This study investigates the effects of the three sets of variables, namely international entrepreneurship (which encompasses innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking propensity), networking and learning on the probability that a firm will become a MNE. Drawing upon a survey of the activities of 116 Chilean internationalized small- and medium-sized firms and utilizing a logistic regression analysis, this study suggests that risk-taking propensity and networking with domestic and international partners increase the likelihood that the firm will become a mMNE. Our findings confirm the predictive validity of the international entrepreneurship and networking perspectives. Because of the positive association between mMNEs and international performance, the suggestions for management of internationalized firms are to nurture a risk-taking propensity and cultivate a networking orientation.     

Venture capital reputation: a blessing or a curse for entrepreneurial firm innovation—a contingent effect of industrial distance

This study investigates whether venture capital reputation is a blessing or a curse for entrepreneurial firm innovation by using data from 1553 observations of venture capital investments on entrepreneurial firms in China’s New Over-the-Counter (OTC) Market. Advantages that venture capital brings to entrepreneurial firms have been widely acknowledged in extant research. However, our research emphasizes the potential resource outflows rather than inflows when firms are embedded in a shared reputable venture capital, and finds that the curse effect of venture capital reputation on entrepreneurial firms is manifested. Furthermore, we develop the concept of venture capital “intra-industrial reputation” and “extra-industrial reputation” to give a contingent answer to the “blessing or curse” question. The conclusions are drawn indicating that the curse effect is contingent on industrial distance. Venture capital intra-industrial reputation is positively linked to entrepreneurial firm innovation, whereas extra-industrial reputation exerts a strong negative impact, which is responsible for the curse effect.     

Foreign direct investment via M&A and domestic entrepreneurship: blessing or curse?

There are conflicting predictions in the literature about the relationship between FDI and entrepreneurship. This paper explores how foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, measured by lagged cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A), affect entrepreneurial entry in the host economy. We have constructed a micro-panel of more than two thousand individuals in each of seventy countries, 2000–2009, linked to FDI by matching sectors. We find the relationship between FDI inflows and domestic entrepreneurship to be negative across all economies. This negative effect is much more pronounced in developed than developing economies and is also identified within industries, notably in manufacturing. Policies to encourage FDI via M&A need to consider how to counteract the prevailing adverse effect on domestic entrepreneurship.     

Turning a curse into a blessing: Contingent effects of geographic distance on startup–VC partnership performance

This study aims to unravel the dynamic effect of geographic distance on startup–VC partnership performance by incorporating the possibility of accessibility improvement triggered by China's high-speed railway (HSR) during the partnership. We find that the negative effect of geographic distance is significantly weakened when HSR becomes available after the startup–VC partnership formation. We draw on the relational view to explore what types of geographically distant startup–VC partners can benefit more from HSR technology advancement. Results indicate that startup–VC partners that rely heavily on knowledge-sharing, have more complementary resources, or have more complex governance structures can better leverage the improved accessibility from HSR to transform the disadvantages of the long-distance to advantages.     

Burst Bubbles or Build Steam? Entrepreneurship Education,Entrepreneurial Self‐Efficacy,and Entrepreneurial Intentions

This paper contextualizes the relationship between student's self‐efficacy beliefs and entrepreneurial intentions in the content and pedagogy of the entrepreneurship course. Using the logic of regulatory focus theory, we argue that the nature of the entrepreneurship course—whether theoretically or practically oriented—creates a distinct motivational frame for entrepreneurship in promotion or prevention terms. When coupled with students' self‐efficacy beliefs, this frame can strengthen or weaken their intentions for future entrepreneurial efforts. We test this hypothesis through a survey of 114 students enrolled in different entrepreneurship courses at a major British university. Our results show that higher self‐efficacy is associated with lower entrepreneurial intentions in the theoretically oriented courses and higher entrepreneurial intentions in the practically oriented courses. We draw a number of implications for the theory and practice of entrepreneurship education.     

Are rival team fans a curse for home team sponsors? The moderating effects of fit,oppositional loyalty,and league sponsoring

Sports sponsorship is big business, and a great deal of research provides evidence as to sponsorship’s efficacy in achieving a large range of communication goals, particularly for brands that are perceived as fitting well with the sport by the most involved fans. A developing body of literature, however, suggests that fan passion for a favorite team or athlete might work against the sponsors of hated rivals. The current research contributes to the rivalry effects topic by examining the impact of sponsor-sport fit, business rivalry, and league sponsoring on “home” team fan attitudes towards the sponsors of their team’s main rival. The study finds that negative rivalry effects are particularly severe when the rival team sponsor has high-perceived fit with the sport and is a direct business rival to a “home” team sponsor, but that league sponsorships largely mitigate these rivalry effects.     

Consumer Preferences for Coffee: Hot and Wet,or Quality and Flavor?

An econometric model is developed and estimated for all brands of coffee sold at the retail level in four supermarkets in Columbus, Ohio. These brands are segmented into 24 categories, and the four stores are classified into two groups, inner-city and suburban, based on 2010 census tract data. Using estimated measures of price-sensitivity, these 24 categories are further segmented into four groups to help guide and clarify the discussion. Estimated results show different purchasing patterns and different levels of price-sensitivity for inner-city and suburban shoppers. Further, these purchasing patterns and levels of price-sensitivity suggest alternative marketing strategies for retailers. Private-label coffee brands are shown to be quite competitive with many national brands, and indeed private-label brands command a market share among inner-city shoppers that is more than double that for the nation (21.95% vs. 9%).     

Is microcredit a blessing for the poor? A meta-analysis examining development outcomes and contextual considerations

Increasing efforts aim at economic development and the reduction of poverty in developing countries through microcredit-enabled entrepreneurship. Following the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Prof. Yunus, microcredit lending has risen to prominence and the volume of microcredit loans has increased substantially. However, theory on the outcomes of this financing form is controversial. Furthermore, the academic community lacks conclusive empirical evidence about the impact of such programs. Primary empirical studies report fragmented and to a large extent contradictory results. In this meta-analysis, we empirically synthesize a total of 545 quantitative empirical findings from 90 studies conducted to date. Our findings reveal a positive impact of microcredit on key development outcomes at the level of the client entrepreneurs. Additionally, we scrutinize how the development context influences the effectiveness of microcredit and find that microcredit generally has a greater impact in more challenging contexts. With our findings we contribute to research on the nexus of entrepreneurship and economic development, and offer recommendations for practitioners and academics working on this promising frontier.     

Teleworking: A Curse or a Blessing for Gender Equality and Work-Life Balance?

Intereconomics - Affordable, reliable and high-quality child and elderly care services are essential for employees to do teleworking in an efficient manner.     

Corporate social responsibility: a boon or bane for innovative firms?

In today’s dynamic business landscape, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is considered as an important strategic initiative for attaining sustainable competitive advantage. The present study aims to examine (i) the influence of consumer’s perceived firm innovativeness (CPFI) and consumer trust on perceived CSR activities of the firm and (ii) the mediating role of perceived CSR in the relationship between (iia) consumer’s perceived firm innovativeness and purchase intention (iib) consumer trust and purchase intention. Four hypotheses were tested with the primary data (n = 287) collected through a structured questionnaire. The regression analysis revealed that CPFI and consumer trust have direct positive impacts on the perceived CSR. Further, perceived CSR mediates the relationship between CPFI and purchase intention. However, perceived CSR does not play a mediating role between Consumer Trust and Purchase Intention. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that engagement in the CSR activities tend to reduce the perceived risk associated with innovation and consequently, influence the purchase intention among consumers. Theoretical and managerial implications are further discussed.     

Anesthesiologists and anesthetist: are we paying for outcome or process?

The concept of Value Exchange is fundamental to any discipline that focuses on interactions between providers and consumers. In both the study of Marketing and the study of Economics, one learns that a producer and consumer will engage in an exchange relationship only so long as the value/cost relationship is positive. Once the cost of the exchange is equal to the value of that exchange, further economic activity is irrational. In a market-based economy, the market is obviously the regulator unless there is some imperfection inhibiting the interaction of the buyer and seller. When there is an imperfection, it is the government's responsibility to intervene and function as a proxy promoting rational buying and selling. In this paper, the author will attempt to demonstrate that the consumer has been economically irrational when purchasing anesthesia services and government has been slow and minimally effective when intervening to rectify this market imperfection.     

Entrepreneurship,economic growth,and innovation: Are feedback effects at work?

This study aims to analyze the relationships between entrepreneurship, innovation and economic growth, and to show the feedback effects in these relationships. A Schumpeterian approach considering three equations linking GDP, innovation, and entrepreneurship facilitates this analysis. This paper presents empirical analysis of entrepreneurial activity in 13 developed countries. Panel data with fixed effects methodology, for the period 2002 to 2007, provides the means to estimate the equations. The analysis shows that several factors have positive impacts on innovation and entrepreneurship, including monetary policy and social climate. Additionally, a feedback effect is at work: economic activity promotes entrepreneurship and innovation activities, and the latter enhances economic activity. Therefore, policymakers must consider this effect when designing economic policies.     

Examining the link between salesperson networking behaviors,job satisfaction,and organizational commitment: Does gender matter?

Sales professionals are embedded in an array of social interactions through their networking behaviors, yet the literature's understanding of these effects on job-based attitudes is relatively limited. Further, research suggests that men and women, not only network differently, but also often benefit in different ways from networking. This study examines the extent to which gender moderates the relationships between three forms of salesperson networking behaviors, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. The data from a survey of 179 salespeople indicates that networking behaviors are related to job satisfaction and commitment in sales. However, the relationships vary for male and female salespeople. When analyzed separately, job satisfaction relates positively to professional networking for women, while job satisfaction relates positively to peer networking for men. In addition, peer networking directly relates to organizational commitment for women, rather than mediated by job satisfaction.     

Business groups and profit redistribution: A boon or bane for firms?

This article examines the phenomenon of profit redistribution in Indian business groups and relates redistribution with the underperformance of group-affiliated firms relative to unaffiliated firms. The study also documents that profit redistribution is more pronounced in groups of large sizes and high levels of corporate control. The relative underperformance of affiliated firms persists even after controlling for other explanations such as corporate diversification and resource transfers to unlisted firms. The empirical results of the study lend support for the inefficient profit redistribution explanation of the “business group discount”.     

Personal finance blogs: Helpful tool for consumers with low financial literacy or preaching to the choir?

Recent transitions from defined benefit to defined contribution plans assign greater individual responsibility to consumers to prepare for retirement and make consequential financial choices. However, many consumers are ill‐equipped to do so, considering overall low levels of financial literacy. At the same time, there is increasing controversy about the effectiveness of traditional financial education, such as high school financial education, counselling and seminars or workshops. Alternative sources of (just‐in‐time) financial training or advice may be needed to financially empower consumers and help them make important financial decisions. In the light of these developments, this study investigates if consumers perceive personal finance blogs as a helpful alternative in acquiring financial knowledge, and which factors influence perceived helpfulness of and intention to use personal finance blogs. Using Structural Equation Modelling to analyse data from a sample of U.S. consumers, the results of this study uncover that financial literacy and susceptibility to informational influence have a significant positive association with perceived helpfulness. Perceived financial uncertainty, which refers to uncertainty in terms of consumers’ perceived ability to accurately predict their future financial needs, has a significant negative association with perceived helpfulness of and intention to use personal finance blogs. Finally, perceived helpfulness of a personal finance blog is a significant positive predictor of consumers’ intention to use it. Overall, the findings suggest that personal finance blogs are preaching to the choir, since the consumers who are most likely to use personal finance blogs seem to need them the least given their higher levels of financial literacy and lower levels of perceived financial uncertainty. Taken together, the findings shed light on the potential users of personal finance blogs and underline the challenges of a ‘one‐size‐fits‐all’ financial education. This study aids in assessing personal finance blogs as an online resource which is scarcely researched, but which has the potential to provide just‐in‐time financial education to consumers across the world.     

Reward strategy: Time for a more realistic reconceptualization and reinterpretation?

This article focuses on organizations' continued struggles to design and implement successful and credible reward strategies. We argue that a major and neglected factor that accounts for this is how reward strategies are designed and executed with insufficient attention given to employee preferences for different types of reward. We argue that this is both a problem of process in the way reward systems are designed and a problem of how models of reward strategy are built. Developing more effective reward strategies requires a better understanding of holistic rewards and greater attention to line management roles in their implementation. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Corporate Motives for Social Initiative: Legitimacy, Sustainability, or the Bottom Line?

This article presents results of exploratory research conducted with managers from over 500 Norwegian companies to examine corporate motives for engaging in social initiatives. Three key questions were addressed. First, what do managers in this sample see as the primary reasons their companies engage in activities that benefit society? Second, do motives for such social initiative vary across the industries represented? Third, can further empirical support be provided for the theoretical classifications of social initiative motives outlined in the literature? Previous research on the topic is reviewed, study methods are described, results are presented, and implications of findings are discussed. The article concludes with the analysis of study limitations and directions for future research.