The relationship between business incubator services and the psychological capital of tenants

Business incubators (BI) provide a supportive environment for new tenant businesses to grow to independence. Incubators offer characteristic services including (a) space, physical resources, and infrastructure; (b) business support services, (c) networking; and, (d) structured selection, entry, and exit. Despite the global growth in incubator facilities, complemented by extensive research, knowledge gaps remain. Little research has examined the relationship between the characteristic services at incubators and tenants’ psychological capital; a higher-order construct representing an individual’s positive psychological state of development that includes hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. Preliminary examination of the characteristic services at business incubators show analogies with interventions for developing psychological capital. Two research studies were designed to examine these relationships. In the first study, survey (n = 30) and interview data (n = 12) were collected from incubator tenants to examine the existence of a relationship between the four characteristic services at business incubators and tenants’ psychological capital, their hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. The survey data confirmed the existence of a relationship between three incubator services – space, physical resources, and infrastructure, business support services, and networking – and tenants’ psychological capital. Tenants’ narrative experiences confirmed that these same three incubator services support tenants’ hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. This finding implies that the three incubator services contribute to, and augment tenants’ positive psychological states, which is then manifest in their positive behaviours and attitudes towards their business. To further elucidate these relationships a second study was conducted. Data from surveys (n = 75) and interviews (n = 28) with incubators managers also confirmed that space, physical resources, and infrastructure, business support services, and networking were analogous with methods that support tenants’ hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. These findings infer that incubator managers are not only instrumental in delivering these three characteristic services at incubators but are integral in optimising these services to benefit tenants’ hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. This current research provides robust evidence that three characteristic services at incubators are associated with tenants’ psychological capital, hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. These research findings are novel, and the implications for the incubator industry wide-ranging, with evidence indicating that the three characteristic services at incubators are analogous with interventions that support tenants’ psychological capital, and that incubator staff are integral to the delivery of these characteristic services. New directions for the incubator industry are proposed that include establishing a consistent approach to delivering the characteristic services at incubators that support incubator tenants’ businesses, and their positive psychological development.Doctor of Philosoph

Female entrepreneurial networking in the marketing services sector

Networking is a key element of entrepreneurial and SME activity. The skills required to network share similarities to those of a marketer and can be associated with feminine traits, such as relationship building. Yet, little is known about how female SME marketers engage in networking. This study aims to address this gap by exploring how self-employed female services marketers build, use and value networks over the lifetime of their business. In-depth narrative interviews were conducted with 26 self-employed women working in the UK marketing services sector. Template analysis was used to analyse the materials. A model encapsulates the fluid nature of the networking activity throughout the lifetime of the participants’ businesses by illustrating which networks the women used and their perceived value. Networking led to multi-directional outsourcing opportunities and philanthropic marketing activity, all of which supported the success of the SME. Despite support from family, friends and the community, these were not regarded as networks by the women. At the individual level, insights are offered into which networking activity is more valuable for female entrepreneurs working in the sector. For policymakers, the study indicates that participants did not see value in the formal, government networks and the women did not engage with professional bodies. More creative solutions to supporting female marketing entrepreneurs are required. The study is original, in that it offers qualitative insights into how self-employed female marketers use and value networks throughout the lifetime of their business. It concentrates on one sector (marketing services) and so answers criticisms that studies in entrepreneurship do not consider specific sectors. In contrast to studies which focus on one stage of the business lifecycle, this research contributes to a holistic, longitudinal understanding of entrepreneurial female networking activity in marketing. More generally, it contributes to the paucity of literature which explores the reality of working in the marketing services sectorN/

Support of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Performance of Cooperatives in the Bicol Region, Philippines

The study determined the support of State Universities and Colleges and assessed the performance of the cooperatives in the Bicol Region. The descriptive-qualitative and correlational methods were used in determining the profile of the SUC-based cooperatives and the support services of SUCs extended to the cooperatives in line with rights and privileges, education, trainings and seminars, curriculum, business opportunities, research and extension, and linkages and networking, and the performance of the cooperatives based on the OSE-PISO indicators. Documentary analysis was employed to analyze the profile of the cooperatives. Questionnaires were used to gather data on SUC support for cooperatives. Interviews and observations were likewise done to validate the data gathered. Based from the findings, the following conclusions were derived. First, the SUC-based cooperatives are registered and evaluated annually by the Cooperative Development Authority. They are classified as credit and multi-purpose and categorized as micro, small, and medium. Dividend and patronage refund were given to the members as benefits and incentives. Second, the most common support that SUCs extended to cooperatives was in line with rights and privileges, while the least support was on business opportunities, linkages and networking. Third, the PSU Credit Cooperative was rated very satisfactory performance. Fourth, the profile of the cooperatives was not significantly related to their performance. Lastly, the support of SUCs in line with business opportunities, and linkages and networking negatively affected the financial performance of the cooperatives, which means that SUCs lack support along these areas, while most of the support given was in line with rights and privileges, which are non-monetary in nature

e-clustering - an innovative approach for economic policy

In the State of Schleswig-Holstein the strategy of economic policy is based on a concept which is known as “Cluster Building”. An economic cluster initiates the networking of all participants in a value-added chain. The objective is to bundle the potentials and competences for increasing the innovation power and competitiveness of the partners in a cluster. Because of internet-technology, business and government networking in a rural area will obtain a driving force. Internet-technologies, like infrastructure, applications, platforms, broadband, enable the business processes between companies, research institutes and government to be networked. eBusiness and eGovernment/eAdministration will cause a fundamental structural change of the private and public sector. Owing to this development, there is a new demand for Economic Policy and Technology Policy. With the strategy of eClustering this demand is taken into account. The partners in an eCluster are networked by processes which are more and more standardised and so able to be supported by online-applications. An eCluster needs a central infrastructure and services. Knowledgemanagement, eLearning, eMarketplaces, personnel management and last but not least eGovernment are the main processes and services of an eCluster. Funding activities focuses on innovative eClustering-projects in the State of Schleswig-Holstein: They should on the one hand increase the demand for broadband infrastructure and services and therewith for the regional development of TIMES (Telecommunication, Information Technology, Multimedia, Entertainment, Security) and on the other hand support networking and eBusiness.

Impact of Networking on Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in Tanzania

In this knowledge-based era, networking has been presented as an important device to overcome the inherent challenges that make SMEs vulnerable because act as ingredient in business success.  Due to that fact the researcher decided to assess the impact of networking on the performance of SMEs in Tanzania as the case of Dar es Salaam City.  Specifically, the study assessed the contribution of networking on productivity of SMEs, the role of networking on market accessibility of SMEs, and determined the contribution of networking on profitability of SMEs.From the study, it was found that networking through the usage of ICT was used by SMEs in their daily activities and was helpful in productivity, market accessibility and profitability of their businesses which included increase of their businesses functionality, increase in profit margin and enabled them to advertise their products and services. The study revealed that, networking through the usage of ICT usage is vital in SMEs and therefore, there is a need for SMEs support in knowledge management to achieve their business goals.  The study hence recommended for ICT trainings and a well-articulated policy which will focus on ICT usage in SMEs specifically on the costs reduction of ICT related equipment.The study used survey research design and it involved 40 SMEs from Dar es Salaam City.  The structured questionnaires were distributed by the researcher to these 40 respondents (SMEs) for data collection.  The stratified simple random sampling technique were used to select 40 SMEs involved in this study.  Data collected from survey questionnaire were analyzed by using the statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Keywords: Information Communication Technology, Networking, Small and Medium Enterpris

Resource Mobilization and Business Incubation : The Case of Korean Incubators

The rapid expansion of business incubators in Korea is one of the most important phenomena affecting the high-tech industries in Korea. This paper presents the current conditions of Korean incubators and proposes what factors are important for their continual development. First, we present how rapidly this new organizational model, business incubation, expanded in Korea after the IMF bailout crisis. Second, we explore factors that lead these incubators to perform better. We emphasize that better qualified technical, managerial, and administrative support of incubators are important success factors. However, we also argue that better networked incubators perform better. By better networked incubators, we mean the incubators that can provide the incubatees (start-ups) with effective internal networking (e.g., alliance among incubatees) and sufficient external networking as well (e.g., technical support from outside experts, professional assistance from outside consultants, support from the central and local governments, etc.). We agree to the earlier literature that encouraging networking among incubatees is an important success factor for incubators. In this paper, we also suggest that external networking and outsourcing are significant components in the case of Korea where most of incubators are not self-sufficient in providing services and support to incubatees.This research project was supported by the Research Support Grant from the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) of the David Eccles School of Business, the University of Utah

New Audiences, New Opportunities in a Joint Academic and Public Library: The Hive, University of Worcester, U.K.

The Hive provides a unique, fully integrated library run in partnership by the University of Worcester and Worcestershire County Council, which offers a wider range of services and events than either of the partners could provide individually. In order to maximise the benefits to both communities and attract new audiences, access to facilities and services is equal for all. Key stake holders include University students and the local Business community, and some of the benefits and challenges of working with these groups are described. Students have a variety of ways of engaging in service delivery to the whole range of customers, and develop valuable organisational, research and communication skills in the process. Business customers have access to high quality facilities, resources and support, along with training and networking events. After nearly 5 years of operation, the success of the model is clear, with more new opportunities constantly emerging

Placing the Networks on the Web: Challenges and Opportunities for Managing in Developing Asia

Placing the networks on the Web poses a fundamental challenge, but also provides new opportunities for managing in Developing Asia. There is a huge efficiency gap between the region's manufacturing systems and the management of complementary, knowledge-intensive support services. The challenge is to reduce this gap as quickly as possible by embracing the Internet as a core business function, despite a weak base of accumulated knowledge of how to manage IT-based information systems. Asian companies, even the best, lag substantially behind their American and European counterparts. There is a potential vicious circle that needs to be broken: a belated transition to IT-based information systems has prevented the accumulation of knowledge, through trial-and-error, of how to design and implement an appropriate IT organization that reflects the peculiar strengths and weaknesses of diverse Asian management systems. Limited resources prevent any attempt to address these problems in a big leap forward. This implies that in-house efforts need to be supplemented with outsourcing of IT services. There is also a need for strategic partnering with major suppliers of Internet software and networking equipment. The opportunity is that the Internet provides almost unlimited opportunities for the outsourcing of mission-critical support services, such as ERP (enterprise resource planning), HRM (human resource management). Furthermore, fierce competition among major producers of Internet software and networking equipment has created a buyers' market - placing Asian firms in a reasonably strong bargaining position. These developments are generally not well covered by existing studies, which are primarily focused on developments in the U.S. and Europe. The paper tries to fill this gap, and explores how placing global production networks on the Web affects managing in Developing Asia. A conceptual framework is introduced in parts 1 to 3. That framework is then applied to one of the role models of managing in Asia, Taiwan's Acer Group. Part 1 introduces a taxonomy of expected benefits from Internet-enabled transformations of business organization. In part 2, we argue that the real issue is to analyze how the Internet reshapes the organization of global production networks. In part3, we access conflicting claims on how an increased use of the Internet to manage global production networks affects international knowledge diffusion. In part 4, the example of Taiwan's Acer Group is used to describe the challenge for Asian firms to embrace the Internet as a key management function. And in part 5, we ask what Acer's experience tells us about Developing Asia's opportunities.

A study into how Australian banks use social media

Social Media is a term commonly used to describe a group of individual web based services that have grown beyond the provisioning of the capability to connect, network or blog. The popular social networking services have evolved into a &lsquo;platform&rsquo; by incorporating a multitude of functionalities through an array of applications to attract millions of users. This has created a favourable environment for businesses to exploit the benefit of having access to millions of social media users by using it as a business support tool. Studies indicate that social media services are being used by businesses for engaging with the general public, enhancing customer interaction, and for crisis communications. Whilst there are many businesses who have adopted social media, others have either rejected the idea or are still unsure about how to proceed. This paper analyses the functionality of selected social media services in order to explore how Australian banks use such services strategically. It reports findings from a longitudinal study of Australian bank use of four popular social media services: Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube.<br /