A short note on entrepreneurship as method: a social enterprise perspective

Recent work by Sarasvathy and Venkataraman (Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 113–135, 2011) suggest that entrepreneurship may offer an alternative to the scientific method in solving some of the increasingly complex problems facing modern society. This paper adopts an entrepreneurial method framework to explore how social enterprises (SEs) can more efficiently and effectively provide goods and services to the needy. SEs have the potential to improve efficiency and effectiveness by innovating new products, processes, strategies, and/or business models to better meet their beneficiaries’ needs. Three case studies of SEs are used to explore the process and the outcomes of the entrepreneurial method. In addition, propositions are developed to illustrate the social and economic performance advantages of SEs and offer managerial implications for enhanced practice.     

The impact of disability-assistance animals on the psychological health of workplaces: A systematic review

This study presents a systematic review of the impact of disability-assistance animals in the workplace. While the importance of establishing workplace diversity initiatives is widely established, there is little thought as to how organizations can support it beyond legal compliance with anti-discrimination laws. This paper adopts an innovative approach to analysing diversity, combining business, psychology and law literature to identify the positive and negative implications of disability assistance animals in the workplace. The literature review reveals three benefits to having assistance animals in the workplace: it positively affects disability support; it improves the productivity and psychological health of employees; and it increases workplace attractiveness. However, because these positive effects may be moderated by individual preferences, we acknowledge potential negative effects, such as allergies, phobias and disruptions when animals are introduced to a workplace. We conclude by presenting a framework to guide future research, and analysing the practical and theoretical implications of assistance animals in the workplace.     

Small business strategy and the industry life cycle

This article proposes that individual small firms, just like large firms, use different approaches to make strategy. Three processes relevant to small firms are identified: simplistic, participative and adaptive. The article examines how these processes are related to performance, depending on industry life cycle stage. Empirical analysis indicates that all three approaches are related to small firm performance, but that the importance and impact of these relationships will change according to the industry life cycle stage. Markedly, and contrary to evidence from studies in large firms, small firms in mature industries are most likely to benefit from using adaptive strategy-making processes.     

‘Pushing the Boundaries’ versus Identifying the Boundaries: An Institutional Perspective on NPM Principles

This paper considers the boundaries of new public management (NPM) principles in the context of the mandate for a commercial approach within a New Zealand state‐owned enterprise (SOE). Investigating a commercial approach to NPM through an institutional theory lens, the case study highlights complexities and potential conflict between structured NPM principles and the more complex reality. Analysis reveals blurred lines and boundaries have implications for public sector organisations such as SOEs, government and other stakeholders, where managers push the boundaries beyond the point where stakeholders are comfortable. Thus, a key challenge involves developing clearer institutional boundaries to balance freedoms with stakeholder acceptability.     

Social Enterprises and the Performance Advantages of a Vincentian Marketing Orientation

This study focuses on the managerial issue of should social enterprises (SEs) become more marketing oriented. It adapts the Kohli et al. (J Mark Res 30:467–477, 1993) MARKOR marketing orientation scale to measure the adoption of marketing by SEs. The items capture Vincentian-based values to leverage business in service to the poor as a measure of a Vincentian marketing orientation (VMO). A VMO is an organisational wide value-driven philosophy of management that focuses a SE on meeting its objectives by adopting a more marketing orientated approach to serve the needy and poor in a just and sustainable manner. SEs that exhibit a VMO seek to understand and respond to both the needs of their beneficiaries and stakeholders. They are constantly generating, disseminating, and responding to environmental, beneficiary, and stakeholder information and develop their business propositions to more effectively and efficiently meet the needs of the poor, while guided by a philosophy of leveraging business for social good. This study of SEs in Australia found that a VMO is strongly and positively correlated with social, economic, and environmental performance. These findings suggest that SEs may benefit by leveraging marketing capabilities to better serve their beneficiaries and stakeholders.     

Learning capabilities,human resource management innovation and competitive advantage

The growing literature on innovation pays limited attention to the role of human resource management (HRM) innovation in creating competitive advantage. This paper adopts a knowledge-based approach to examine how firms design and implement HRM innovations (HRMIs) and how such innovations support competitive advantage. Drawing from multiple streams of literature and qualitative evidence from Australian manufacturing and service firms, our findings reveal that human resource (HR) functional-level learning capabilities, through which HR professionals build and nurture new knowledge configurations, facilitate the design and implementation of HRMIs. The findings also reveal that HRMIs, when coupled with top management support, can play a vital role in firm competitive advantage. Addressing the limitations of the term radical innovations to fully capture HRMIs and based on our findings and extant literature we propose a new classification that will capture the unique nature of HRMIs. In addition to contributing to theory, our paper provides valuable insights to practitioners for building and nurturing learning capabilities for HRMI-related competitive advantage.     

The networking practices of women managers in an emerging economy setting: negotiating institutional and social barriers

Women managers face institutional and social barriers throughout their careers. In this research, we use networking and symbolic interactionism theories to explain how they network while negotiating these impediments in an emerging economy setting. Focus‐group data revealed three themes. The women in our study, as predicted by networking theory, use networks to bolster career outcomes, although some also use non‐influential networks or network ineffectively. Next, symbolic interactionism explains how expectations of, and personal reflections on, networking lead to a lack of confidence and feelings of guilt that can be career limiting. However, when women understand that their unique networking approach can be powerful, they gain social capital that enhances their leadership. Last, patriarchal cultures of emerging economy settings support stereotypical gender roles, leaving women conflicted between competition and mutual support, thus redefining the so‐called Queen Bee phenomenon. We conclude by showing how women can use networking to enhance career and personal development.     

The behavioral additionality effects of a tax incentive program on firms’ composition of R&D investment

This paper investigates the behavioral additionality effects of a unique high- and new- technology enterprise (HNTE) program in China. The program provides a reduced corporate income tax to certificated HNTEs. By distinguishing research expenses from development costs, we examine if the tax incentive program affects firms’ composition of R&D investment, based on a sample of Chinese listed firms. The results indicate that the tax incentive program encourages firms to focus more on development than on research. The effects are also found to be heterogeneous among the first-time, repeated, and one-time certification users. The results imply that tax incentives prompt firms to invest in short-term development opportunities with promising private returns. Conversely, they are less likely to stimulate risky research projects with potential high rates of social and long-term economic returns. Our study highlights the importance of understanding the behavioral additionality effects for innovation policy evaluations and better policy designs.