The Maturing of Entrepreneurial Firms: Entrepreneurial Orientation, Firm Performance, and Administrative Heritage

A large body of research has exhibited the positive effect of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on firm performance. However, research that attempts to explore what happens to high EO firms when they mature is sorely needed. Every firm establishes a heritage over time that impacts future capabilities. In the current research, we build on the international business literature to examine how a firm’s administrative heritage moderates the long-term effects of the EO-performance relationship, examined through the firm’s asset specificity, founder tenure, and home culture embeddedness. From this, implications are derived for EO retention and the firm’s awareness of administrative heritage and how to shape it to their advantage

High performance work systems: A necessity for startups

New businesses are an important part of any economy, yet the key elements to achieve startup success are often unclear or up for debate. Attracting, selecting, and training employees are often critical activities for most startups. Research suggests that high performance work systems (i.e., a bundle of human resource practices) enhance organizational performance. However, we posit that most startups lack these systems at the onset, yet with minimal effort can establish a system to improve their likelihood of meeting their goals, enhancing capabilities, and ensuring long-term survival

Why small firms are different: Addressing varying needs from boards of directors

Board of director member diversity has an impact on the functions each director successfully provides. Appropriate and necessary board member capabilities differ between small and large firms. Although these differences seem apparent, current research has favored studies related to large firms and neglected those related to board member needs of small firms. Grounded in Agency Theory and Resource Dependence Theory, the following manuscript theoretically suggests that firm size moderates the relationship between board member diversity and the two primary functions (monitoring and the provision of resources) of board members. Furthermore, small firms can enhance performance through appropriate member composition in differing ways than large firms

Development of a multi-dimensional measure for assessing entrepreneurial ecosystems

Researchers and theorist have put great effort into defining and examining entrepreneurial ecosystems and how business clusters develop in certain regions. Favourable entrepreneurship ecosystems are thought to drive business and innovation. However, a commonly accepted measure of entrepreneurial ecosystem favourableness has yet to be developed. The purpose of the present research is to contribute to ecosystems research by taking a two-study approach to developing and validating a perceptual measure of entrepreneurial ecosystems. The perceptual measure is based upon prior conceptual frameworks that outline ecosystems. In developing this measure, we are able to further unpack and illuminate the factor structure of ecosystems, the results of which have direct scholarly and practitioner uses

Entrepreneurial ecosystem knowledge spillover in the face of institutional voids: groups, issues, and actions

The presence or absence of formal institutions impacts entrepreneurship potential and influences the paths of entrepreneurial ventures. When institutions are lacking or weak, institutional voids may be present. Knowledge spillover can mitigate problems caused by institutional voids by substituting for such voids or through sharing information about navigating these environments. We study the associated impacts on entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship ecosystems and how knowledge spillover is valuable within entrepreneurial ecosystems with institutional voids. Non-institutional drivers of entrepreneurship and examples of specific actions that are taken to stimulate entrepreneurship are also explored as a means of better understanding entrepreneurship activity within weak or failing institutions. To assess knowledge spillover in an entrepreneurial ecosystem with institutional voids, the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan was selected and a content analysis was conducted using news articles related to “Detroit” and “entrepreneurship” from 2006–2018. The findings present valuable insights for cities or regions facing similar situations