Contribution of franchise research to entrepreneurship: a review and new opportunities

This paper examines the relationship between franchising and entrepreneurship. The paper begins with a review of studies on franchising in leading entrepreneurship and management journals over a 12 year period. It illustrates how although the franchisor, franchise and the franchise organization are important elements of entrepreneurship, there has been only a tenuous link in the contribution of studies in franchising to entrepreneurship theorising and vice versa. The paper suggests fruitful new avenues for franchise research which would integrate franchising as an important, yet heterogeneous, form of entrepreneurship, namely: opportunities, networks and social capital and entrepreneurial learning

Replication of Routines and Capabilities: From Knowledge Transfer to Replication as a Social Practice

Replication of routines and capabilities has been largely neglected in recent research. In this paper we present the current state of research on replication and suggest conceptualizing replication as a social practice. Replication as a social practice goes beyond knowledge transfer between a replicator and a replicatee and involves how routines and capabilities as well as the process of replication itself are constructed and shaped by multiple actors in the organization. Moreover, this perspective acknowledges the role of artefacts in the process of replication. Based on recent literature on routines and organizational rules we differentiate replication into three interrelated sub-practices: rule (re-) creation, rule translation and rule performance. The theoretical framework suggested in this paper has several significant theoretical implications for research on replication. In addition, we point out important research design implications for future empirical research

MOTIVATIONS AND OUTCOMES OF ENGAGING IN REGIONAL CLUSTERS IN THE ICT SECTOR: A DUAL PERSPECTIVE

This paper presents the findings of recent empirical-based research into the experiences of entrepreneurs and intermediaries engaged in cluster building activities in the information and communication technologies (ICT) sector in Northwest England. The research takes a dual perspective by interviewing both entrepreneurs and intermediaries from a range of agencies and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Previous work with high-tech firms has shown that it is through social relations, interactions and networks that entrepreneurship is carried out (Anderson et al. 2007). Our empirical study is based on 14 semi-structured interviews that recorded the interactions and experiences of actors actively involved in building regional clusters. Key findings can be divided into three main themes, namely: i) motivations for organizing / attending regional networking meetings; ii) outcomes of these meetings; iii) the role of sector-specific cluster meetings in supporting networking and entrepreneurship. The use of cluster building activities as a means of supporting regional economic development is widespread. The study demonstrates how cluster building activities can act as a mechanism for supporting regional economic development, but highlights the need for both entrepreneurs and intermediaries to more clearly understand each others' differing motivations and expectations, as well as the multiple reasons for participating in cluster building activities

The exploration phase of replication:the role of autonomous action for overcoming knowledge boundaries in replicator organizations

Replication strategies rely on the exploration of new knowledge. An important source of new knowledge is the transfer of unit level experience to HQ, a process referred to as reverse knowledge flows. Such knowledge flows are fraught with difficulty as formal mechanisms often break down due to diverging business interests of unit and HQ managers. This study brings together research on knowledge stickiness and autonomous action to provide a new avenue for understanding RKF after formal mechanisms break down. By drawing on an exploratory study of a franchise network, we provide an insight into how autonomous action reduces initiation stickiness, but potentially increases implementation stickiness. Our analysis suggests that the role of autonomous action for reverse knowledge flows is moderated by unit managers’ resource expectations that emerge as a result of autonomous action. Exploring the interplay of autonomous action and knowledge stickiness provides new explanatory means for understanding reverse knowledge flows in replicator organizations

Putting strategy into action – The role of artefacts for business format replication

In order to facilitate the implementation of replication strategies, organizations often use a variety of artefacts such as manuals and handbooks. Existing research has largely focused on the extent to which artefacts can act as knowledge repositories that help to facilitate replication. This body of literature has made significant contributions to our understanding of the role of replication, but has focused more on highlighting key challenges involved in the codification of knowledge. This paper demonstrates that artefact based replication is a double edged sword. While replication is enabled by, ‘configuring’ artefact-action relationships (focussing, situating, coordinating) our analysis also reveals that replication is constrained by ‘decoupling’ artefact-action relationships (accounting, differentiating, disengaging). Our findings contribute to research on replication and provide a more nuanced understanding of why the implementation of replication strategies might fail. We also add to the recent debate on socio-materiality in strategy research more generally

Strategic orientation and new product development performance of academic spin-offs:The importance of team cohesion and team heterogeneity

Prior studies have highlighted the importance of team heterogeneity and team cohesion in supporting academic spin-offs during their commercialisation activities. However, there has been little insight into the role of strategic orientation, namely speed to market and product performance, in moderating the relationship between team characteristics and market performance in the new product development (NPD) process. From the analysis of 105 academic spin-offs, this study suggests that team heterogeneity is more likely to support a strategic orientation focusing on product performance, while team cohesion supports both speed-to-market and product performance. This study provides both theoretical and practical recommendations for managing academic spin-offs for the development of new products, especially highlighting the importance of building a heterogeneous team whilst at same time maintaining cohesion amongst team members

Cumbria 2037: Decarbonising Mobility Futures

Transport is something we all use. Even in the digital age, we all need transport to connect with family, enjoy leisure, get to work, and to meet friends. Even if we never left the house we would still use transport indirectly, as we take deliveries from local shops or goods are transported from further afield. While big-picture concepts like climate change and decarbonisation can feel remote or overwhelming, this journal shows how decarbonisation is possible and how we can all take action to make a difference. We explore both the challenge and possibility of decarbonisation in Cumbria, examining: • Where we are now • What happens if we carry on as we are • How we need to rethink our values if we are to address decarbonisation • Potential decarbonised futures • What we can do to shape desirable futures This compact collection of ideas draws on evidence from over 80 researchers, policymakers, community organisations and local businesses who attended a Decarbon8 event in Cumbria on 22nd - 23rd November 2022. It was created during a 6 hour ‘Instant Journal Design Sprint’ facilitated by Nifty Fox Creative, to show what can be achieved when all the right people are in the right room at the right time. We can act both together and individually to take on the challenge of decarbonisation and make a better future

Rendering sexism invisible in workplace narratives. A narrative analysis of female entrepreneurs’ stories of not being talked to by men

Taking a social constructionist and narrative approach to identity, in the analyses of a corpus of stories concerning sexism in the entrepreneurial world, we use positioning theory to provide a fine-grained analysis of the (gendered) identity work that female entrepreneurs perform to answer three research questions: 1) how female entrepreneurs themselves construct their (gendered) identities 2) how this differs from, or resembles, academic constructs of sexism and 3) what this identity work ‘means’ in terms of larger societal Discourses or ideologies that are invoked. Findings suggest that paradoxically these stories construct gender identities in which the female entrepreneurs are positioned as inferior to, and different from, their male interlocutors. However, the interviewees themselves fail to evaluate their stories as sexism-in-action. Consequently, they enforce and (re)create the often noted masculine and sexist nature of the entrepreneurial world

Local enterprise partnerships: Socialisation practices enabling business collective action in regional knowledge networks

This article identifies and theorises the interorganisational socialisation mechanisms that facilitatethe knowledge dynamic capabilities of organisations brought together within the applied contextof a U.K. Local Enterprise Partnership. Focusing on the Sheffield City Region's Creative and Dig-ital Industries Sector Group, the data for this study were messages posted to the Creative andDigital Industries Sector Group's online consultation platform. Data analysis proceeded throughinductive thematic analysis. It is revealed that collaborative workspaces, business networksresources, and pathways to internationalisation are perceived to play an important role in facili-tating interorganisational learning. These knowledge socialisation mechanisms are essential toavoid regional competency traps. The article identifies and discusses knowledge socialisationmechanisms that are perceived to play a key role in transferring knowledge between membersof the regional system of innovation. In identifying and discussing knowledge socialisation mech-anisms, this paper offers knowledge management theorists and practitioners—more specifically,regional knowledge brokers and regional development managers—actionable insight into a rangeof strategies that reinforce social ties and increase the flow of knowledge with a view to improv-ing innovation outcomes

Ethnic entrepreneurs and online home-based businesses: an exploratory study

This exploratory, qualitative study considers how online home-based businesses offer opportunities for ethnic entrepreneurs to ‘break out’ of traditional highly competitive and low margin sectors. Previous studies have found a positive association between ethnic minorities’ high levels of entrepreneurship and home computer use in ethnic groups. Despite these associations, previous studies have overlooked the particular opportunities offered by home-based online businesses to ethnic entrepreneurs. The study adopts mixed embeddedness as a theoretical lens to guide interviews with 22 ethnic entrepreneurs who have started online home-based businesses in the UK. We find online home-based businesses offer ethnic entrepreneurs novel opportunities to draw on their ethnic advantages and address the constraints they face. The unique affordances of this type of business allow entrepreneurs to develop the necessary IT skills by self-learning and experimentation and to sub-contract more difficult or time consuming aspects to others. The findings also show that, consistent with the theory of mixed embeddedness, whilst the entrepreneurs are influenced by social, economic and institutional forces, online businesses allow them to exert their own agency and provide opportunities to uniquely shape these forces