Individual Entrepreneurship Capacity and Performance of SMEs

This paper analyses the importance of human capital and organizational capital on the determination of SME’s performance, by proposing and testing a conceptual model about Individual Entrepreneurship Capacity, and its impact both on non-economic and economic performance. This constitutes an innovative approach in the sense that uses information collected at the individual level, that is, the entrepreneur. Moreover, it constitutes a first attempt for facing the caveat in the literature on the relationship among types of capital and entrepreneurial performance. A model where the individual entrepreneurship capital is defined as a function of two types of capital: Human and Organizational; is proposed and empirically tested. For the Human Capital we consider three dimensions: (a) Individual Characteristics; (b) Managerial Push; and (c) Managerial Pull. As concerns the Organizational Capital, four dimensions are considered: (i) Individual Entrepreneurial Behavior; (ii) Collective Entrepreneurial Behavior; (iii) Managerial Practices; and (iv) Organizational Culture (in terms of the Superstructure and the Socio-Structure). The use of the stepwise method provides the selection of significant variables that impact on SME’s performance. When only non-economic indicators are considered for measuring the performance, in what respects the human capital we find out that the only significant variable is: enthusiasm at work. In what concerns the organizational capital the significant variables are: efficient organizational structure; participative management; incentives for interdisciplinary discussion and dialogue; and frequent meetings of working groups. For its turn, when economic indicators are considered for measuring the performance, we find out that the significant human capital determinants are: entrepreneur’s intuition; and propensity for innovating activities. In terms of organizational capital determinants we reveal that the significant variables are: efficient organizational structure; and use of external indicators for improving entrepreneurial performance. The main policy implication of the paper is the possibility of creating, at an individual level, new incentives and motivational tools based on the identification of the most important variables of human capital and organizational capital, for fostering SME’s performance.Human Capital, Organizational Capital, Performance, SME

As Tecnologias de Informação e a Internacionalização da Educação

As Tecnologias de Informação desempenham um papel dominante e estruturante na emergente Sociedade de Informação, sendo responsáveis pela ruptura com a vivência característica da sociedade industrial. Os métodos e os processos associados às Tecnologias de Informação permitiram, entre muitos outros aspectos, reformular actividades, tão próprias da cultura dos povos como a educação, incorporando novas aplicações, novas abordagens, novas formas de actuar que colidem ou que, em alguns casos, coexistem, com a prática instituida. No âmbito da educação e ao nível da comunicação, as Tecnologias de Informação assumem um papel de primeiro plano, criando condições para a internacionalização da educação, sendo difícil pensar que esta poderia existir sem aquelas. Este texto visa apontar pistas e descrever serviços próprios das Tecnologias de Informação utilizados na internacionalização da educação

The role of tourism public-private partnerships in regional development : a conceptual model proposal

Tourism is characterized as being a sector that stands out as one of the business activities with the greatest potential for worldwide expansion, and as an engine for economic growth. If at the national level, the appeal of tourism is significant, on the local level this sector presents itself as an essential tool in regional development, as a means to avoid regional desertification and stagnation, stimulating the potential of more undeveloped regions. In such a competitive sector as tourism, companies should develop synergies and achieve competitive advantage. In this context, public-private partnerships play an important role in regional development. The aim of this paper is to present a theoretical context that combines different concepts and elements to explain and understand the public-private partnership phenomenon in tourism. A conceptual model of the role of public-private partnerships will be proposed in order to contribute to successful regional development

Influências e particularidades na gestão familiar de PME: uma abordagem qualitativa

Este estudio tiene como objetivo investigar las influencias y particularidades de la gestión de las PYMEs. Para lograr este propósito, se utilizó un enfoque cualitativo basado en la exploración de ocho empresas en Portugal consideradas como PYMEs familiares y que tuviesen una gestión exclusivamente familiar. Los resultados mostraron que la gestión de la organización familiar de las PYMEs están determinadas en gran medida por el gerente. El estudio también determinó que este tipo de negocio es financiado preferentemente a través de un crédito a largo plazo, y niega la participación de socios que no sean miembros de la familia.This study aims to investigate the influences and particularities of family management of SMEs. To achieve this purpose, we used a qualitative and exploratory approach based on eight companies (cases) in Portugal, simultaneously considered as family SMEs and having exclusively family management. The results showed that the management and organizational culture of family SMEs are greatly determined by the manager. The risk aversion in this sector of business prevents cooperation with similar firms, and the stakeholders’ role is not equally recognized. The study also determined that this type of business finances itself preferably through long-term credit, denies the possibility of opening up share capital to outsiders and that the eventual succession is prefe¬rably to an immediate family member. It may be concluded that this business sector is ruled by unique values and characteristics. Some theoretical and practical implications will be discussed.O presente estudo tem como objetivo investigar as influências e particularidades da gestão familiar das PME. Para alcançar este objetivo, foi utilizada uma abordagem qualitativa e exploratória com base em oito empresas (casos) com sede na área do centro de Portugal, simultaneamente consideradas PME familiares e de gestão exclusivamente familiar. Os resultados mostraram que a gestão e a cultura organizacional das PME familiares são muito marcadas pelo gestor. A aversão ao risco neste sector de negócio impede a cooperação entre eles. O papel dos atores não é igualmente reconhecido. O estudo também determinou que este tipo de negócio, se financia de preferência sobre o crédito de longo prazo, nega a possibilidade de abrir o capital social a estranhos e que a eventual sucessão, é, de preferência atribuída a um membro da família imediata. Pode-se concluir que este sector de atividade é regido por valores e características únicas. Alguns desses recursos serão mostrados e discutidos na apresentação e análise dos resultados.peerReviewe

Composite Index to Measure the Performance of Today's Creative Cities: A Holistic Perspective ·

The urgency to make today’s cities competitive has made political decisionmakers focus on strategies oriented towards creativity, intelligence and urban sustainability. This scenario has led to the need to measure, assess and monitor the effects of those strategies on cities' performance. Therefore, this study aims to present the scientific and robust weighting of the creativity, intelligence and urban sustainability dimensions in cities' holistic, integrated and overall performance. Implicit in this objective is the previous construction of Composite Indices for each of those dimensions. In this context, the Exploratory Factor Analysis was found to be appropriate to respond to this aim, with empirical evidence being obtained in Portugal. The results show a weighting of 38%, 23.4% and 39.6% for creativity, intelligence and urban sustainability respectively. The contributions and implications for theory and practice, followed by indications for future research and the conclusions are also presented

Cross-border cooperation to strengthen innovation and knowledge transfer: An Iberian case

This study seeks to find out the main achievements of a cross-border cooperation project (INESPO III) in terms of innovation and university-firm knowledge transfer in a region situated in the central region of Portugal and Castile and León, Spain. To achieve this aim, research of a qualitative and exploratory nature was chosen., that is, case study method. Data collection was based on seven interviews with several project actors, and content analysis was also used. Through interviews with project beneficiaries, empirical evidence suggests that this type of cooperation allows access to new sources of external knowledge, with the network benefiting globally from each partner’s type of specialization. This study makes an important contribution to the literature on cross-border cooperation by extending its field of research to knowledge transfer and innovation, analysing a project that has produced good results. It can be determinant for government institutions responsible for administering cross-border incentive systems, and for partner networks in drawing process of similar projects for benefit of their own regions, besides the clear academic interest in business cooperation networks. Final results and main contributions of the project are also presented.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Factores influenciadores e formas de cooperação universidade–empresa: um estudo empírico

A cooperação universidade-empresa é frequentemente apontada como uma estratégia viável para a transmissão do conhecimento das instituições de ensino superior para o tecido empresarial, com o consequente desenvolvimento das regiões/países. Assim, pretende-se com o presente trabalho analisar o fenómeno da cooperação entre uma instituição do ensino superior – Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB) - e o tecido empresarial desta região de Portugal. Para alcançar este objectivo, procedeu-se a um estudo empírico com base em dados primários e recolhidos através de um questionário e de uma entrevista semi-formal realizada a um ex-aluno desta instituição. Com base no modelo de regressão logística proposto para este estudo, os resultados revelaram que as variáveis como o sexo, idade e a escola onde se lecciona, dentro da instituição de ensino superior seleccionada, influenciam a capacidade de cooperação dos docentes no tecido empresarial. Algumas implicações teóricas e práticas para os docentes/investigadores e empresários/gestores são também apresentadas