31 research outputs found
A configurational analysis of the antecedents of entrepreneurial orientation
Entrepreneurial orientation is widely acknowledged as a strong predictor of firm performance. It is therefore critical to understand the factors and conditions that nurture it. In this paper, we investigate what configurations of motivations and personality traits trigger entrepreneurial orientation in three strategic leadership situations: successor of a family business, family-oriented founder, non-family founder. Strategic leaders in these situations are differently exposed to the opportunities and constraints to pursue entrepreneurial posture, because of the influence of family embeddedness and organizational resistance. We apply Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis to a sample of 257 Italian SME owner/managers. We identify 12 coherent configurations of internal and external motivations, and personality traits that are all conducive to entrepreneurial orientation. These configurations are consistent with features of the family and organization environments in which the entrepreneurial action takes place; furthermore, in each strategic leadership situation, different configurations of attributes lead to entrepreneurial orientation
The effect of path-dependence and uncertainty on the value of mature technologies
This paper examines whether technological advances benefit more from path-dependent or path-creating capabilities. Consistently with recent advances in the literature, we argue that multiple technological trajectories can coexist in a field; therefore, firms may contribute to technological development by recombining in novel ways the capabilities that are widespread in the field, or by building novel and rare capabilities. The paper also conceptualises how technological uncertainty affects the value of such capabilities. Using patent data from 1977 to 2007 for firms developing the hydrocracking technology, the paper finds that both rare and widespread capabilities are valuable to the invention process, thereby suggesting that both path-dependent and path-creating strategies are beneficial for technological development. The paper shows that uncertainty has an inverted U-shaped effect on invention value. In particular, under conditions of low uncertainty, path-dependent capabilities tend to be more valuable. </jats:p
Satisfaction of entrepreneurs: a comparison between founders and family business successors
Although a substantial body of literature compares the job satisfaction of employees to that of the self-employed, scholars rarely take into account the heterogeneity of the latter population. We compare the level and the drivers of job satisfaction of founders and successors in family businesses. Building on the notion of procedural utility, which entails the gratification that individuals experience in the process of performing a task, we find that job satisfaction and perceived discretion in decision making is lower for successors. We also find that perceived discretion fully mediates the relationship between mode of entry into entrepreneurship and job satisfaction
Big Egos in Big Science
In this paper we investigate the micro-mechanisms governing the structural evolution of a scientific collaboration. Empirical evidence indicates that we have transcended into a new paradigm with a new modus operandi where scientific discovery are not lead by so called lone ?stars?, or big egos, but instead by a group of people, from a multitude of institutions, having a diverse knowledge set and capable of operating more and more complex instrumentation Using a dataset consisting of full bibliometric coverage from a Large Scale Research Facility, we utilize a stochastic actor oriented model to estimate both the structural and performance effects of selection, as well as the behavioral of crossing organizational boundaries. Preliminary results suggest that the selection of collaborators still is skewed, and identify a large assortativity effect, as well as a tendency to interact with both authors with similar citations
Perceived incentives to transdisciplinarity in a Japanese university research center
As a method of investigating complex socially relevant phenomena, transdisciplinary research (TDR) is gaining increasing centrality as a model of knowledge production. However, it is being discouraged by a scientific reward system based on disciplinary logic. The disincentive is even stronger for junior scholars who should be developing the capabilities necessary for achieving long-term scientific excellence.
Building on theories of the coordination of scientific communities and using the case of a research center of Kyoto University investigating the boundary between cell and material sciences, we aim to disentangle the interplay between institutional incentives and intrinsic motivation in the prioritization of TDR over monodisciplinary research.
We find that, despite strong interest in TDR among scientists and the center's mission to promote this orientation, only a minority of scientists prioritize this approach. Choice of research strategy is associated with its perceived benefits for idea generation, publication opportunities, intellectual effort required, the costs of team coordination, and satisfaction with organizational resources. Furthermore, the propensity to prioritize TDR drops among scientists beginning their careers.
Therefore, we recommend the development of evaluation schemes grounded in activity-based measures and the granting of permanent positions to scientists pursuing TDR
Collective vs. expert rationality for evaluation of new technologies in crowdsourcing initiatives
The Design of Interactive Training for Digital Transformation: A Practice-Oriented Case Study
Hybrid approaches to new product development are blurring the boundaries between
established models, such as Lean, Stage-Gate and Agile. The actual implementation of the principles of these archetypical approaches seems to be contingent on the features of the product to innovate and the organisation in which the product development effort is made.
This paper investigates how Lean, Agile, and Stage-Gate product development principles can foster the design, development and delivery of a training program for digital transformation in a knowledge intensive business service that delivers training by relying on a simulated,
highly-realistic, digitalised business environment. The conception and execution of a new training program requires a new product development effort since it significantly departs from the current offering of the training provider and involves the coordination of multiple stakeholders. Through a practice-oriented case study methodology, this investigation examines whether a hybrid organisational method is a viable approach for new product development and assesses its practical feasibility and effectiveness