Firm Growth in Family Businesses—The Role of Entrepreneurial Orientation and the Entrepreneurial Activity

Previous studies show that growth is an important goal for businesses, but little is known of how the entrepreneurial orientation&ndash;performance relationship works in family businesses and how this differs from their nonfamily peers. We examine that and how entrepreneurial activity mediates the relationship in family and nonfamily businesses. Our results on 532 firms show that family businesses benefit from innovative orientation, which is both directly and indirectly associated with firm growth via entrepreneurial activity. This association does not exist in nonfamily businesses. Furthermore, risk taking does not influence family business growth even if it does in nonfamily businesses.</p

Whither a flat ladscape? Regional differences in Entrepreneurship in the Netherlands

In this paper we contribute to the set of studies that focus on explanations of regional differences in entrepreneurship by taking into account the entrepreneurial processes at the individual level. We investigate entrepreneurial attitudes and entrepreneurial activity in three contrasting labour market regions in the Netherlands in two stages. In the first stage we extensively explore regional differences in entrepreneurial activity by looking at several types of entrepreneurs and phases in the entrepreneurial process. In the second stage we investigate to what extent the observed regional differences in perceptions to entrepreneurship and involvement in entrepreneurial activity change when controlling for determinants at the individual level. We find that the observed regional differences in levels of early-stage entrepreneurial activity can to large extent be explained by these individual characteristics. Furthermore we find the regional pattern of overall early-stage entrepreneurial activity to be different from the pattern of ambitious early-stage entrepreneurial activity.

The importance of Lifestyle entrepreneurship: A conceptual study of the tourism industry

The purpose of the paper is to explore and discuss the emergence of lifestyle entrepreneurship. The article addresses the question of the relationship between entrepreneur’s life quality and enterprise growth. The purpose is to conceptualize this relationship and to learn more about lifestyle entrepreneurship. Tourism serves as a case industry to illustrate both relevant research in the field of lifestyle entrepreneurship and a conceptual framework to examine the relationship between entrepreneurial activities and perceived life quality. The paper delivers a literature review on entrepreneurship and certain forms of entrepreneurship and conceptualizes lifestyle enterprise’s growth.

Temporary factors that condition innovation: comparison between family and non-family businesses

Studies conducted on innovation in family businesses have offered very diverse and sometimes contradictory results. The objective of this paper is to analyze the influence of time-related variables on the innovative behavior of companies. Furthermore, we compare the behavior of family and non-family companies, the influence of the generation and the transference of management. To do this, companies are classified according to the stage of life in which they are and are compared using a mean difference test (Anova). Subsequently, already focused on family businesses, the effects of generating control in the case of family businesses are analyzed, considering the foundational and subsequent periods. The results show that the behavior towards the innovation of family businesses is conditioned by the temporal dimension

Firms’ Contribution to Regional Economic Development: Unravelling Some Explanatory and Moderating Variables

Drawing on entrepreneurial orientation (EO), family business, strategic decision-making (SDM) and social capital (SC) theories, we investigated whether the family and non-family firms contribute differently to regional economic development (RED) and the moderating role of family involvement in firms. Using survey research design and data from 307 Kenyan firms, the findings of the study showed that: a) Firms’ EO positively influences RED, but the effect of family firms’ EO on RED is twice that of nonfamily firms; b) the relationship between strategic decision-making and RED is negative and this is more pronounced in family firms than nonfamily firms; c) Bridging social capital’s (BSC) influence on firms’ contributions to RED is positive, but nonfamily firms’ BSC effect is twice that of family firms; d) family involvement moderates the effects of firms’ contribution to RED. The overall conclusion of this study is that better understanding of firms’ effect on RED can be achieved by using a range of theories in combination, as such use would help to unpack the underlying mechanisms through which firms influence RED. Finally, theoretical and practical implications are discussed

Entrepreneurial Orientation and Entrepreneurs' Intentions and Objectives

Entrepreneurship has become an important issue for policy. At one level, enterprise creation is recognised as important for employment growth and effecting structural change; at another, there is concern to encourage existing firms to become more entrepreneurial as a means of enhancing international competitiveness. Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) reflected in recurring organisational behaviour such as innovativeness, pro-activeness and risk-taking is important in the latter context. This paper explores the extent to which differences in motives, intentions and personal objectives held by entrepreneurs were reflected in organisational behaviour relating to the dimensions of EO suggested by Lumpkin and Dess. The paper reports on a group of 153 high-tech CEOs first surveyed in 1998 when information was sought about their family and educational background, antecedents to setting up in business, motivations for doing so and personal objectives. The same CEOs were subsequently surveyed early in 2001. This second study examined ownership structures, perception of competitive issues, market characteristics, innovative behaviour, attitudes towards HRM policies, personal objectives, approaches towards risk and recent performance.entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial orientation, high technology small firms

Entrepreneurship in the Netherlands; Business transfer

This report is the eighth edition of the series 'Entrepreneurship in the Netherlands'. As demonstrated by the name of the series, the reports focus on entrepreneurship but each year a different aspect of entrepreneurship is studied. This eight report deals with business transfer. In the coming years many entrepreneurs in the Netherlands as well as in Europe will retire and cease trading. This will create a large number of enterprises that will be for sale. However at this stage the market for buying and selling such businesses, at least in the Netherlands, is not very well developed and there is a risk that successful enterprises will be closed unnecessarily. In the framework of their entrepreneurship policy, governments as well as the European Commission have developed actions to stimulate a smooth acquisition of these enterprises. In this report, the business transfer case in the Netherlands and the policy developed by the Dutch Government are described.