PURPOSE: Explore what entrepreneurship and success factors can help drive business to resilience and stability and achieve competitive advantage through innovation in different countries and business realities in the era of digital transformation and turbulent times. METHODOLOGY: Based on the narrative literature review, we present research findings concerning new strategies and outlooks for business innovation in times of many unknowns. Each organization wants to find its way to gain success and create its unique business model, which can capture value creation and innovativeness and be more adaptive, resilient, and stable in critical moments and sustainable over time. FINDINGS: The articles presented in this issue explore the essential factors of business innovation and success in different organizations and the environments in which these businesses function. IMPLICATIONS FOR THEORY AND PRACTICE: This article synthesizes the presented research field’s importance and relevance, connecting its theoretical background with practical research. Recommendations and implications for future trends of this research stream might also be helpful for professionals and academicians. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: The novel studies presented in this issue were done in five different (developing and developed) countries and business sectors that present human-based and non-human-based factors as crucial factors needed to empower business transformation in a complex world. Each group of elements is essential in business success, and their components are interdependent. We need to look at the interactions and interdependencies of their components in a dynamic and network form and cannot simplify the reality, focusing only on one group of business components and ignoring the other. These unique studies provide a valuable outlook to establish dynamic, adaptive business pathways towards a sustainable and resilient organizational future and propose future research paths needed to execute structural changes in businesses. Keywords: business model, innovation, critical success factors, digital transformation, knowledge management, talent management, competitiveness, leadership, transformation, change management, VUCA Table of Contents Business innovation and critical success factors in the era of digital transformation and turbulent times 7 Anna Florek-Paszkowska, Anna Ujwary-Gil, Bianka Godlewska-Dzioboń Survival of the funded: Econometric analysis of startup longevity and success 29 Daniel Keogh, Daniel K.N. Johnson The use of process benchmarking in the water industry to introduce changes in the digitization of the company’s value chain 51 Natalia R. Potoczek Entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention: The mediating role of the need for independence 91 Victor Osadolor, Emmanuel K. Agbaeze, Ejikeme Emmanuel Isichei, Samuel Taiwo Olabosinde Application of knowledge management tools: Comparative analysis of small, medium, and large enterprises 121 Natalia Sytnik, Maryna Kravchenko Innovation among SMEs in Finland: The impact of stakeholder engagement and firm-level characteristics 157 Hannu Littunen, Timo Tohmo, Esa Storhammar
In this thematic issue of the Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, entitled Qualitative Research in Economics and Management Sciences, the authors used many quantitative methods and research models, e.g. SEM, PLS-SEM, or probit models (Table 1). Each of these approaches is characterized by methodological rigor and an assessment of the reliability and validity of the research instruments used. Pini and Tchorek (2022) analyze the determinants of exports in two European, culturally related countries, such as Italy and Poland, using an econometric and probit model, which implies a normal distribution of errors and is adapted to binary responses (excluding size and age variables). The authors investigate the influence of many independent variables (size, age, management by family members or external managers) on the dependent variable (export), controlling the research model by product and process innovation, location in a less developed region, operations in a high/medium-high technology-intensive sector or cooperation with many banks. The results confirm the authors' initial assumptions that the size of companies influences the exports of the surveyed countries; the age of companies exporting their goods is more important in Italy than in Poland, where no such impact has been recorded. In addition, management by an external manager increases the likelihood of exports for younger family businesses in Italy and smaller family businesses in Poland. The authors also showed that product innovation is the engine of exports in Italy and Poland, and geographic location affects the likelihood of exports in Italy, but not in Poland. In other studies, Paulino (2022) presents the growing business analytics and business intelligence in the Philippines, their impact on organizational performance, and marketing, financial, and business process performance indicators. Retail companies were selected for the study, focusing on advanced data management used in business operations. The author mainly used the well-known PLS-SEM model, and his research instrument was assessed in terms of content validity, construct validity, and reliability. The results of the measurement and structural model evaluation were also subject to verification. The results indicate the impact of business analytics capabilities (including the ability of the decision support system (DSS), business process improvement (BPM), data dashboard (DD), and financial analysis (FA) on the business intelligence level. In addition, it has been empirically verified that organizational performance influences marketing, financial, and business process performance. Overall, business intelligence is an essential predictor of a retail company's organizational performance. The assumption that the level of readiness to implement business analytics can be treated as a moderating factor between business analytics and organizational performance has not been confirmed. The next article by Klimontowicz and Majewska (2022) presents the positive impact of intellectual capital (IC), especially its three components, such as process capital, human capital and relational capital, on the competitiveness of banks and market efficiency. The authors used the following methods and tools: Principal Axis Factor Analysis, PLS-SEM, PAPI, and CAWI. As a result of their application, they emphasize that, in contrast to previous research, the process capital dominates the bank's potential to create a competitive advantage, not human capital, proving the vital role of technology and innovation. They found that competitive performance moderates the relationship between IC and market efficiency; the environment positively moderates the relationship between IC and competitor performance as well as the relationship between competitor performance and market efficiency. The size of the bank and the length of its market activity affect the market efficiency measured by the average rate of changes in ROA and ROE. The study expands the existing evidence, mainly from well-developed countries, on the intellectual capital of Polish banks, emphasizing the process capital to a much greater extent as a modern and so far little exposed component of IC in other research. The last two articles refer to human resource management. Hassan's study (2022) explores the impact of human resource management (HRM) practices on employee retention. In addition, he moderates the role of performance evaluation, training and development in the relationship between HRM practices and employee retention. Using SEM and questionnaires validated by other researchers, the author proves the originality of research in the retail sector in the Maldives on improving employee retention, a complementary approach to the impact of rewards and compensations, training and employee development, as well as assessing their results in human capital management, recommending practical solutions for the sector retail Maldives. In another study on workers’ adaptive performance, Tan and Antonio (2022) using PLS-SEM prove that the new form of remote work and the so-called e-leadership forced by the COVID-19 pandemic have changed the way employers and employees interact. Organizational commitment, teleworking and a sense of purpose affect the adaptive performance of employees directly, while the perception of e-leadership indirectly. It is also one of the first studies to capture intrinsic motivation as the antecedent of employee adaptive performance, along with perceived e-leadership and teleworking results.
Business consulting, knowledge absorptive capacity, and innovativeness: A triangular model for micro and small enterprises in Poland Abstract PURPOSE: This paper proposes a triangular relationship between business consulting, knowledge absorptive capacity, and innovativeness. The role of knowledge absorptive capacity in stimulating the impact of business consulting on innovativeness is studied. METHODOLOGY: An empirical study is conducted using the CATI method, and it is based on data concerning 382 Polish micro and small enterprises. Qualitative variables reflecting using business consulting, knowledge absorptive capacity and innovativeness are defined. The multivariate discrete choice model taking into account relationships among these constructs, is proposed and its parameters are estimated. FINDINGS: The results of the empirical research indicate that business consulting in Poland and similar countries may help firms implement innovative solutions. Knowledge absorptive capacity stimulates innovativeness and has a positive impact on the relationship between using business consulting and improvement in innovativeness. Though the frequency of using business consulting is an important factor in improving innovativeness, cooperation between a consultant and a manager matters more. IMPLICATIONS: Results of the empirical research indicate that cooperation between a consultant and a manager may help reduce differences of opinion and internal conflicts. A higher propensity to cooperate may significantly improve the functioning of an enterprise. Business consulting has an indirect and direct effect on innovativeness. It has a positive impact on knowledge absorptive capacity, while better knowledge stimulates innovativeness. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: An original triangular model of the relationship between business consulting, knowledge absorptive capacity, and innovativeness is proposed. Advanced econometric methods are used in order to find complex relationships between using business consulting, knowledge absorptive capacity, and improvement in innovativeness. Moreover, results of the estimation of the parameters of the econometric model provide interesting recommendations for policies supporting the development of business consulting in the Polish economy. Keywords: business consulting, knowledge absorptive capacity, innovativeness, multivariate discrete choice model, development support policy, econometric model, economy Sustainable development and entrepreneurship in emerging countries: Are sustainable development and entrepreneurship reciprocally reinforcing? Abstract PURPOSE: Entrepreneurship seen as an engine for economic development is especially desirable for emerging countries to support rapid growth. Moreover, entrepreneurs can support social transformation in favor of more sustainable products and services. Sustainable orientation of entrepreneurship contributes to sustainable development goals and prevents environmental deprivation. However, the sustainable development agenda can also influence entrepreneurship. METHODOLOGY: The conducted bibliometric analysis confirmed the growing interest among scholars in the correlation of entrepreneurship to sustainability in the last years. Furthermore, panel regression (static model) was used to explore the variables on entrepreneurship influencing the sustainable development goal (SDG) index in emerging countries, and Levin, Lin and Chu (LLC), W-Stat – IPS, ADF-Fisher Chi-Square, and PP-Fisher Chi-Square tests were applied to analyze the variables stationarity. In order to examine the existence of structural breaks, the robustness was checked on single cross-section units and on the whole panel dataset. In addition, the Hausmann test was used to select between random and fixed effects, and heteroskedasticity of residues, autocorrelation of residues and dependence of residues between the panels were conducted. Data was analyzed through Eviews 13. FINDINGS: This paper investigates the relationship between sustainability and entrepreneurship in emerging countries. It discusses the impact of sustainable development on entrepreneurship and the influence of entrepreneurship on sustainable development. IMPLICATIONS: The study results can be used by governments and policymakers to plan their strategies and policies concerning entrepreneurship and implementation of sustainable development goals. They should promote entrepreneurial activity and control the negative environmental impact of enterprises simultaneously. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: The research addresses the gap in the literature concerning the relationship between sustainable development and sustainable entrepreneurship. The paper examines the reciprocal relationship between sustainable development and entrepreneurship with an emphasis on emerging countries. Keywords: entrepreneurship, sustainability, sustainable development, sustainable entrepreneurship, emerging countries, entrepreneurs Is Team Entrepreneurial Orientation important in generating creative business ideas? The moderating role of team-perceived heterogeneity and the individual creative mindset Abstract PURPOSE: The study aims to unveil if Team Entrepreneurial Orientation (TEO) facilitates identification of creative market opportunities understood as novelty and quality business ideas. Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) has rarely been measured at a team level and few studies have attempted to examine the relationship between EO and actual creative outcomes. The proposed research model searches for new patterns that can foster creativity of entrepreneurial teams. In addition, the research adds the moderating effect of perceived team heterogeneity and individual creative mindset (Growth-Creative and Fixed-Creative Mindsets) as contingency variables to improve the understanding under which circumstances the entrepreneurial teams generate creative business ideas. METHODOLOGY: The research sample comprises entrepreneurial teams from the Mondragon Team Academy in the Basque Country, Spain. The survey data were collected after the entrepreneurial teams performed idea generation. The applied experiment of idea generation of entrepreneurial teams has not been generated for the purpose of the study but it formed part of the natural processes of the selected sample of teams. The novelty and quality of business ideas were evaluated by experts in the field. The data relationships were analyzed through partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). FINDINGS: Entrepreneurial Orientation of teams leads to product-market entries but not necessarily to novel product-market entries. Entrepreneurially oriented teams have a greater tendency to generate quality and slightly modified existing business ideas rather than to generate novel market opportunities. The applied moderators present different interaction results with the studied relationships. Specifically, individuals with a Fixed-Creative Mindset in a team have an antagonistic interaction on the TEO-Quality relationship. Team-Perceived Heterogeneity and Growth-Creative Mindset of individuals have no effect on either the TEO-Quality or the TEO-Novelty link. IMPLICATIONS: The research demonstrates the importance of contextualization of the nature of creativity in EO as a crucial antecedent of market innovations. Our study adds to the literature and practice by providing evidence that EO at a team level (TEO) plays a critical role in exploring product-market entries, given that TEO facilitates Quality outcomes only. Entrepreneurially oriented teams do not easily achieve Novel outcomes that allow them to enter new markets. Individuals with Fixed Creative Mindset in a team should be avoided as they block the relationship between Team Entrepreneurial Orientation and Quality. Likewise, our study supports the validity of Entrepreneurial Orientation at a team level, which can lead to more suitable practical implications for a team and its creativity management if applied. It could help in developing appropriate team formation and team management practices. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: The study proposes rare and unique EO analysis at a team level and at young companies’ level (start-up). The study contributes to the original and overlooked in the literature conceptualization of EO within Schumpeter’s perspective of “creative destruction” in entrepreneurial activities. The examined theoretical foundations of EO led to clearer antecedents of behavioural effects of entrepreneurial teams towards product-market entries. The study initiates, identifies and calls for new further research lines to contribute to a greater and contingent understanding of how entrepreneurial teams generate creative business ideas, especially, novel business ideas, which are necessary for “creative destruction”, the EO construct itself and overall economic development. Keywords: entrepreneurship, creativity, team, entrepreneurial orientation, creative outcomes. Subjective norms and entrepreneurial intention: A moderated-serial mediation model Abstract PURPOSE: This study aims to clarify the effect mechanism of subjective norms on entrepreneurial intention. The results of how subjective norms contribute to forming start-up intention are inconsistent and unclear, which is notable in previous research. By integrating the theory of planned behavior and the theory of self-efficacy, we investigate whether entrepreneurial self-efficacy and attitude toward entrepreneurship serially mediate the relationship between subjective norms and intention to start a business. In addition, this study examines the moderate role of entrepreneurial education on the serial indirect effect of subjective norms on entrepreneurial intention via entrepreneurial self-efficacy and attitude toward entrepreneurship. METHODOLOGY: This study utilized a sample of 958 master’s students in Vietnam to investigate a moderated-serial mediation model of subjective norms on entrepreneurial intention. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out to check the reliability and validity of the scales. Then, the SPSS PROCESS macro developed by Hayes was employed to test the research model. Specifically, Model 6 was used to examine the serial indirect effect of subjective norms on start-up intention and Model 84 was implemented to investigate the moderate effect of entrepreneurial education. FINDINGS: The results of this study found that entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial attitude significantly mediate subjective norms’ effect on entrepreneurial intention. Especially, the results reveal that the serial mediation effect of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and attitude toward entrepreneurship was significant and entrepreneurial self-efficacy and attitude toward entrepreneurship played a fully mediating role in the relationship between subjective norms and start-up intention. In addition, this study found that the serial mediation effect of subjective norms on start-up intention via entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial attitude was negatively moderated by entrepreneurial education. IMPLICATIONS: The results of this study further clarify the relationship between subjective norms and entrepreneurial intention and the role of entrepreneurial education, therefore, contributing to narrowing the notable gap between this relationship. Besides, our study provides several implications for governments and policymakers to promote the intention to start a business. The finding of our study indicates that subjective norms are an important factor in promoting entrepreneurial intention. Therefore, policymakers should take some actions to promote entrepreneurial culture, such as strengthening propaganda activities to promote the image of successful entrepreneurs, praising businesses and entrepreneurs who contribute to society, and giving evidence of their contribution to the development of the country. Promoting an entrepreneurial culture may increase peer group pressure on potential entrepreneurs, thus enhancing the intention to start a business. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: This study expects to contribute to a better understanding of the effect mechanism of subjective norms on entrepreneurial intention and explain the role of entrepreneurial education in this relationship. This study explores the mediating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial attitude in the relationship between subjective norms and the intention to start a business. Additionally, this study demonstrates that entrepreneurial education weakens the serial mediation model of subjective norms on the intention to start a business. Keywords: subjective norm, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, attitude toward entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial intention, entrepreneurial education, the theory of planned behavior, the theory of self-efficacy, moderated-serial mediation model An overview of the empirical research on entrepreneurial alertness using a systematic literature review method Abstract PURPOSE: In the last two decades, the concept of entrepreneurial alertness (EA) has been considered a key element in investigating how individuals recognize entrepreneurial opportunities. Consequently, research on entrepreneurial alertness has grown considerably, attracting researchers’ attention from not only the field of entrepreneurship, but also other academic disciplines through which this concept has been studied from a variety of perspectives. Therefore, it is time to document researchers’ cumulative knowledge on entrepreneurial alertness. The present study aims to provide a comprehensive qualitative review and evaluation of the empirical entrepreneurial alertness research. METHODOLOGY: Based on a multi-step approach used in previous studies, which guarantees a systematic, transparent, and replicable literature review, this study identified a final sample of 84 articles published in scientific journals between 2005 and 2021 that empirically tested the concept of EA. The publications were sourced from the Web of Science database. Their analysis involved the evolution of published articles, the journals that have published the most articles, the countries where the research was undertaken, the measurement scales that have been used, and the research models in which entrepreneurial alertness has been hypothesized and examined through empirical research. FINDINGS: The results show that empirical research on entrepreneurial alertness grew significantly from 2016 to 2021, during which period almost 11 articles per year were published. Seven of the journals that published the articles contributed 28 percent of the total publications. Also, the results confirm that most of the empirical research on alertness has been carried out in developing economies, from which China stands out with 14 publications, representing 16 percent of the total. Additionally, the results confirm the growing consensus regarding the conceptualization and measurement of entrepreneurial alertness. Finally, the review resulted in the identification of five broad research models in which EA has been hypothesized and examined through empirical research: antecedents, consequences, mediation, moderation, and moderated mediation. The model examining the consequences or outcomes of entrepreneurial alertness has received the most attention, with 59 articles in this context. IMPLICATIONS FOR THEORY AND PRACTICE: The identification of concepts and the type of relationship they have with entrepreneurial alertness help evaluate the advances of empirical research as well as the areas of opportunity. In this way, future studies can strengthen research and thus advance the general knowledge of alertness. The most studied topics are also a reflection of the contribution of entrepreneurial alertness toward practice, both at the individual and organizational levels. In addition, researchers interested in entrepreneurial alertness are encouraged to consider the progress made in the measurement of this aspect, which offers alternatives for investigation. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: Based on the review of the literature, this study organizes the empirical research of entrepreneurial alertness in different research models, which provide important insights into its process. Moreover, this study uncovers potential areas to be addressed and thereby contributes to the study of entrepreneurial alertness. Keywords: entrepreneurial alertness, systematic literature review, entrepreneurial opportunity, research models, opportunity recognition, alertness, entrepreneurship The linkage between economic literacy and students’ intention of starting business: The mediating role of entrepreneurial alertness Abstract PURPOSE: Enhancing the number of entrepreneurs is a major study to combat economic and social problems. Psychological factors considered as effective stimulants for entrepreneurial behavior have attracted many researchers in the last decade. The purpose of this research attempts to examine how the influence of economic literacy can promote the intention of starting a new business among students and explore the role of entrepreneurial alertness in mediating this relationship. METHODOLOGY: The research adopted a quantitative approach in which hypotheses were statistically estimated using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) based on survey data using a self-administered questionnaire (n=450) from several universities in Indonesia. FINDINGS: The analysis indicates that economic literacy has a significant effect on students’ entrepreneurial alertness and intention to start a new business. Indeed, entrepreneurial alertness can mediate the relationship between economic literacy and the intention of starting a new business. However, among entrepreneurial alertness dimensions, scanning and search failed in determining the students’ intention of starting a new business. IMPLICATIONS: The result of this research can provide insight into the literature on the entrepreneurship theme and policymakers concerned with delivering new business creation. Besides, educational institutions can consider the matter of economic literacy to be part of their curricula in order to foster the students’ intention of starting a business. In addition, economic literacy also needs to be associated with examples relevant to entrepreneurial activities, especially in production, distribution, and online marketing. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: The interesting findings of this paper serve as a reminder that entrepreneurial alertness is one of the predictor variables and mediators for raising the students’ intention. This implies that entrepreneurial alertness can be enhanced by economic literacy, as well as how they need to be used to improve course curriculum and the teaching pedagogy. Furthermore, educational institutions could provide business internship programs and entrepreneurship incubators to raise the students’ intention of starting business. Keywords: economic literacy, entrepreneurial alertness, intention, starting business
The integrated meta-model for organizational resource audit is a consistent and comprehensive instrument for auditing intangible resources and their relations and associations from the network perspective. This book undertakes a critically important problem of management sciences, poorly recognized in literature although determining the current and future competitiveness of enterprises, sectors and economies. The author notes the need to introduce a theoretical input, which is manifested by the meta-model. An expression of this treatment is the inclusion of the network as a structure of activities, further knowledge as an activity, and intangible assets as intellectual capital characterized by a structure of connections. The case study presented is an illustration of the use of network analysis tools and other instruments to identify not only the most important resources, tasks or actors, as well as their effectiveness, but also to connect the identified networks with each other. The author opens the field for applying her methodology, revealing the structural and dynamic features of the intangible resources of the organization. The novelty of the proposed meta-model shows the way to in-depth applications of network analysis techniques in an intra-organizational environment. Organizational Network Analysis makes a significant contribution to the development of management sciences, in terms of strategic management and more strictly resource approach to the company through structural definition of knowledge; application of the concept of improvement-oriented audit abandoning a narrow understanding of this technique in terms of compliance; reliable presentation of audits available in the literature; rigorous reasoning leading to the development of a meta-model; close linking of knowledge and resources with the strategy at the design stage of the developed audit model, including the analysis of link dynamics and networks together with an extensive metrics proposal; an interesting illustration of the application with the use of metrics, tables and charts. It will be of value to researchers, academics, managers, and students in the fields of strategic management, organizational studies, social network analysis in management, knowledge management, and auditing knowledge resources in organizations.
Transnational water resource management in the Karawanken/Karavanke UNESCO Global Geopark; From transition management towards just transition and place-based governance. Τhe case of Western Macedonia in Greece; University students’ entrepreneurial intentions during COVID-19: The perspective of social cognitive career theory; An innovative approach to support interests' alignment in the context of transport management using semantic differential; Technological innovation and the labor market: The two-way non-reciprocal relationships with a focus on the confectionery industry in Poland
Expatriation-enhanced competencies: A multiple case study of technology-based entrepreneurs Abstract PURPOSE: Facing the research gap of entrepreneurial learning by self-expatriated technology-based entrepreneurs, the purpose of this research is to explore those entrepreneurs’ beliefs and experiences across expatriation to identify the enhancement of their competencies. METHODOLOGY: Within a qualitative and exploratory multiple case theory-building approach, data was collected from twelve technology entrepreneurs from Brazil, Mexico, Germany, and Israel that went to the following destination countries: Spain, United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Ireland, Turkey, and the Netherlands. With interview data as the primary source, the data analysis rests on a qualitative content analysis. FINDINGS: Data allows structuring techpreneurs’ experience of expatriation along the following steps: (a) arrival in the destination country and initial process of socialization, (b) engaging in activities to get familiar with the culture of the destination country, (c) the gradual comprehensive understanding of the new context, and (d) comparisons between the home and destination country. Expatriation had an evident impact on the technology-based entrepreneurs that materializes in three groups of competencies: entrepreneurial competencies, knowledge and innovative competencies, and international competencies. Entrepreneurial competencies relate to relational and behavioral skills and the learning of doing business in different contexts. Concerning knowledge and innovative competencies, creativity, learning new techniques and international innovation environment stand at the fore. Finally, international competencies relate to the acceptance of different cultures (multicultural learning and perception of cultural differences), developing a sense of an international community and an international innovation culture. IMPLICATIONS: This study evidenced the influence of expatriation experiences on the training of skills of technology-based entrepreneurs, in a specific approach to entrepreneurial, innovative, and intercultural competencies. The research portrays self-expatriation as an opportunity for technology-based entrepreneurs to develop different competencies being helpful to innovate, to manage business and to operate in international markets. Universities and innovators may recognize their discretion to develop programs for people like former students who want to self-expatriate. In the same vein, government can design policy to attract self-expatriate in innovations hubs, considering that local inhabitants can benefit from the cultural exchange. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: This study contributes to better understanding the influence of self-expatriation experiences on the development of skills of technology-based entrepreneurs. Compared to previous studies, it advances research through providing a wider range of learning from expatriation experiences beyond the effect of internationalization on market knowledge and cultural aspects. Furthermore, this study focuses the process, not the results of self-expatriation to understand entrepreneurs’ learning. Keywords: technology-based entrepreneurs, innovation, entrepreneurs, skills, competencies, expatriation A phenomenological exploration of technology start-up failure in Sri Lanka PURPOSE: The main purpose of this qualitative study was to explore tech start-up failures in Sri Lanka to emerge themes that explain the critical factors that are impacting failures of Sri Lankan tech start-ups and also to identify recommendations that could help evade those factors. The paper also presents the finding to enrich tech entrepreneurs to build their strategies with an understanding of factors that leads to failure and to make well-educated decisions. METHODOLOGY: The study is based on a qualitative research approach that helps to present findings in a theoretical way. A phenomenological analysis has been used to identify, understand, and analyze the phenomena of tech start-up failures. Twelve start-up leaders participated in this study and shared their lived experiences of tech start-up failures in Sri Lanka. Interviews were conducted with them based on twelve interview questions and twelve core themes emerged based on the participants’ lived experiences. In analyzing data, the modified Van Kaam approach was used, utilizing a seven-step framework that considers the structural and textual aspects of experiences, as well as the perceptual characteristics of the phenomenon. FINDINGS: The themes answered the key research question of the study: What are the critical factors that are impacting on failures of tech start-ups in Sri Lanka? The cause of tech start-up failures according to the current study varied including, financial uncertainty, no market research, no product–market fit, paranoid behaviors of innovators, lack of timely response to changing conditions, and location of the venture. IMPLICATIONS: The paper concisely presents twelve critical reasons for tech start-up failures. The results of the research will enable Sri Lankan tech start-ups to identify key factors of failure for the growth of their surviving strategies. Identifying secret obstacles in the industry helps entrepreneurs prepare for pitfalls and provides guidelines for policymakers to make informed choices when implementing national policies. More importantly, it has been discovered that the major areas that require more attention are leadership, funding, marketing, and innovation. Finally, four groups of recommendations have been discussed under financing, market research, leadership, and inventors. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: The comparison of the current study themes with the findings of related studies is inconclusive because the literature on tech start-up failures in other countries and in Sri Lanka is minimal. Some of the themes align with the findings of research conducted in other countries, although there were some themes that were explored uniquely. Keywords: entrepreneurship, tech entrepreneur, start-up failure, critical success factors, software start-up, survival strategies, technology start-up Going green to keep talent: Exploring the relationship between sustainable business practices and turnover intention PURPOSE: This study explores the association between sustainable business practices (SBP) and turnover intention (TI) to understand the role of sustainability initiatives in influencing employee retention and organizational commitment. METHODOLOGY: The present study conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement. From an initial selection of 326 articles, a rigorous double-blind screening process identified 31 key papers for in-depth analysis. FINDINGS: The systematic review provides compelling evidence that SBP have a robust positive association with employee outcomes, especially in reducing TI. This relationship is notably mediated by job satisfaction and organizational commitment and moderated by psychological safety and ethical leadership elements. Further, key gaps were discerned, including the necessity to explore the varied impact of SBP across industries, the enduring effects of SBP on TI, the influence of cultural and contextual facets, and the urgency for methodological advancements in cross-cultural research. In response to these gaps, four hypotheses were conceptualized to provide deeper insights into the complex interplay between SBP, TI, and overarching cultural/contextual variables. IMPLICATIONS: Theoretically, this research adds to the existing literature by empirically validating the relationship between SBP and TI, highlighting critical mediators and moderators, and suggesting avenues for future research. Incorporating the identified gaps and proposed hypotheses provides a structured direction for subsequent investigations. The findings emphasize the importance of integrating SBP into organizational strategies to promote sustainability while enhancing workforce well-being and retention. Organizations can align with sustainability goals and boost employee satisfaction by focusing on organizational commitment, open communication, and leadership grounded in ethical and sustainable principles. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: This research provides a comprehensive overview of the interplay between SBP and TI, integrating insights from various studies. By emphasizing understudied mediators and moderators, identifying research gaps, and outlining derived hypotheses, the study sets the stage for future inquiries. Its practical recommendations are essential for organizations that balance sustainability goals with workforce stability, benefiting organizational performance and employee satisfaction. Keywords: sustainable business practices, turnover intention, TI, job satisfaction, employee engagement, organizational commitment, employee involvement, employee empowerment, systematic literature review, PRISMA, future research directions, hypotheses, research gaps, green HRM What are the real motivations and experiences of silver entrepreneurs? Empirical evidence from Poland PURPOSE: Along with demographic changes, it is increasingly frequent that many mature people resign from their full-time jobs and decide to start their own businesses at a later age. Entrepreneurial activity among this group of so-called silver entrepreneurs can be caused by many motives, but these factors usually remain unknown to current employers or do not constitute a valid reason for understanding and keeping a mature person in the workplace. The purpose of this paper is to present new scientific results concerning entrepreneurial motivations, both internal and external, and the previous experiences of silver entrepreneurs from Eastern Europe based on an example from Poland. METHODOLOGY: We analyzed a unique sample of 1,003 owners of micro and small enterprises from Poland. The sample included only people over fifty. Our empirical study used a survey to explore the motivations and experiences of silver entrepreneurs that influenced their decision to start a business later in life. We linked attitude toward the behavior with motivation and utilized the “pull” and “push” factors. We utilized logistic regression to determine the factors related to starting a business above fifty. We also used the ordinary least square regression to determine the relationship between the explanatory variables and the age of starting a business by the respondents. FINDINGS: We found that the main “pull” factor positively influencing the start of business activity by silver entrepreneurs is the fulfillment of dreams as a broadly understood need for self-realization. However, the “push” factors (such as the occurrence of ageism in the workplace, as well as the loss of employment and lack of other opportunities on the labor market) significantly reduced the probability of starting a company at the age of over fifty. On the basis of the positive impact of a “pull” factor, it can be concluded that entrepreneurial activity at a later age is the result of opportunity-based entrepreneurship. Due to the negative impact of the job-loss factor, people made redundant started their business activity at an earlier age, before the age of fifty. Regarding external entrepreneurial motivations, the support received from family is the most important factor related to the individual’s environment affecting starting a business by silver entrepreneurs. However, the support from friends and the support from government bodies were not significant factors influencing starting a business at a later age.IMPLICATIONS: Findings from our study have implications for both employers and groups who support entrepreneurship. First, from the point of view of employers, the occurrence of ageism in the previous workplace could have resulted in resignation from full-time employment at an earlier age and a faster start of business activity. It is surprising that negative behavior towards older employees may also be associated with resignation from work by younger people. From the point of view of government bodies and other stakeholder groups related to the development of entrepreneurship, it is interesting that the support received from government bodies in conducting business activities was statistically insignificant for each group of respondents. This suggests the need to identify effective support and to design a comprehensive strategy for the development of silver entrepreneurship. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: The vast majority of previous studies used secondary data or focused mainly on Western Europe, in particular the United Kingdom, Finland, and France. Our contribution is to provide empirical evidence about the silver entrepreneurs from Eastern Europe, especially Poland. Our research included individuals who actually run their own businesses, opposite to previous studies that take into account people who are just considering starting a business. This is particularly important in relation to research on the entrepreneurial intentions of mature people to undertake entrepreneurial activities at a later age, and the real motivations of silver entrepreneurs. Keywords: silver entrepreneurs, ageing, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial motivations, push/pull factors Team members’ direct participation in decision-making processes and the quality of decisions PURPOSE: Do teams manage to reach better decisions than those made by individuals? Numerous studies have delivered inconclusive results. Meanwhile, participation in decision-making can take various forms and is not limited to consensus group decisions, and the influence of the various forms of participation on the quality of decisions has been less frequently examined. The aim of the research was to determine the effect on decision quality of changing the form of direct participation in the decision-making process in the case of complex, multi-stage problems. METHODOLOGY: The article presents the results of a long-term experiment in which 598 teams of 2,673 people took part. The participants were asked to solve a decision problem using three decision-making styles: autocratic, consultative, and group. The participants played the role of members of a newly established project team that must plan its own work. The task concerned a problem that requires the analysis of a number of dependencies between sub-problems, in contrast to eureka-type problems. The decision problem was new to the participants, making it impossible to apply known solutions; a creative approach was therefore required. The decision was then compared with the optimal solution established by experts. Decision quality was based on the deviation of the proposed solution from the optimal solution. FINDINGS: The results of the experiment confirm the significant synergistic potential of increasing direct participation in decision-making for complex, multi-stage problems. A significant proportion of teams made better decisions as a result of increasing direct participation – replacing autocratic decisions with consultative and group decisions. The quality of consultative decisions was roughly in the middle of autocratic and group decisions. By using group decision-making, teams made better decisions than the average individual decision and came closer to the decision quality achieved by the best team members. This effect was universal, observed both in the strongest and weakest teams. It should be remembered that, while group decision-making has the potential for synergy, it is not always achieved. Group decision-making markedly reduced the risk of making highly misguided decisions, and it can be reasoned that direct participation protects against serious mistakes more than it guarantees the best possible results. IMPLICATIONS: Team leaders should be familiar with different decision-making styles, their advantages and disadvantages, and the scope of their application. This research suggests that increasing team members’ participation to a consultative role and even better, a full participatory role, increases the quality of the decision. With the growing complexity of organizations that have to deal with accelerating change, technology development and increased competition, creating structures that can flexibly respond to the challenges of the environment requires the participation of team members at all managerial levels. The use of consultative and group decision-making styles for complex and multi-stage problems supports this process. The group decision-making style can bring better quality, but it has its limitations and it is not always possible to use it. It requires a team of highly competent people who identify themselves with the interests of the organization. Otherwise, the consultative form will bring better results. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: For the first time, an empirical study analyses the case of consultative decision-making, in which the team leader consults the individual opinions independently to finally come up with a final “team” decision. This approach is widely used by team leaders and managers in the field. This study shows that this approach constitutes an improvement over the individual (autocratic) one but still falls short of the group decision-making approach. Finally, this study which has been done with the largest number of participant teams (598 teams, 2,673 individuals), professionally active post-graduate students and over a 24-year period allows a sound statistical confirmation of the proposed decision quality improvement when moving from individual to consultative and group decision-making styles. Keywords: participation in decision-making (PDM), decision quality, consultative decision-making, group decision-making Bankers' job stress, job performance, and job commitment trajectories during the COVID-19 pandemic PURPOSE: The global COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted multiple sectors across industries and regions, including medical services, financial institutions, and others. The escalating global pandemic in both emerging and developed nations has resulted in the implementation of stringent lockdown measures and unparalleled disruptions to economic activities. Consequently, individuals have become accustomed to relying on banking operations as a routine aspect of their lives, regardless of the circumstances. Learning how bankers engage with customers in response to the given circumstances would be intriguing. Hence, the study aimed to unearth the relationship between bankers’ job stress, job performance, and job commitment, as well as the stress-based job performance and its impact on job commitment during the second to third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in an emerging market. METHODOLOGY: A number of 287 data (response rate 71.75 percent) were collected by online platforms due to the COVID-19 pandemic through the simple random sampling technique. The exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling were run to test the proposed research framework with the help of MS Excel 2007, SPSS 22.0, and AMOS 23.0. FINDINGS: The findings showed that bankers’ work-related stress has a positive impact on job performance but no relationship with job commitment; acute stress has a negative impact on job commitment but no significant relationship with job performance; and stress-based job performance has a significant positive impact on job commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic. IMPLICATIONS: The outcomes of this study provide value to the field of behavioral science by introducing the phenomena of COVID-19 in the context of bankers and emerging economies. The demographic variables and the revealed relationships of bankers’ job stress, job performance, and job commitment trajectories would help policymakers rethink stress management practices and policy building in the bank job and the long-term relationship building with their existing employees. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: The novelty of the research is the COVID-19 phenomenon and an emerging economy’s bankers’ context. Keywords: work-related stress, acute stress, job performance, job commitment, bankers, COVID-19 pandemic Entrepreneurship education for women through project-based flipped learning: The impact of innovativeness and risk-taking on course satisfaction PURPOSE: The primary aim of this research is to explore the correlation between learners’ characteristics and the perceived value and satisfaction associated with Project-Based Flipped Learning (PBFL) methodologies. A secondary objective involves investigating how these PBFL methodologies can be employed to enhance the quality of entrepreneurship education for women. METHODOLOGY: During the first semester of 2018, a total of 80 students enrolled in the Communication Society class were engaged in a longitudinal study, involving bi-weekly online surveys prior to the semester’s conclusion. The survey instruments utilized Likert-scale measurements, with a 5-point scoring system. The data acquired was subsequently analyzed using structural equation modeling, which facilitated the examination of both the pre- and post-change scores and the structural properties of their relationships with overall course satisfaction. In terms of statistical evaluation, the study employed Generalized Structured Component Analysis (GSCA), a powerful component-based SEM technique, thus ensuring a robust and academically rigorous interpretation of the data. FINDINGS: Our research sought to understand the effects of learners’ characteristics, specifically innovativeness and risk-taking, on course satisfaction in Project-Based Flipped Learning (PBFL). We found that female learners’ innovativeness positively influenced their perception of the project’s entertainment and educational value, which in turn increased preference for PBFL and course satisfaction. Interestingly, risk-taking did not significantly influence perceived project value, which provides insights into the role of personality traits in learning outcomes. IMPLICATIONS: Our study invigorates entrepreneurship education theory by highlighting the key role of learner innovativeness in PBFL course satisfaction, urging a nuanced examination of personality traits in educational contexts. Further, we question the established importance of risk-taking, necessitating a critical reassessment in this domain. These pivotal theoretical contributions challenge prevailing assumptions, enrich scholarly discourse, and open new avenues for research. On the practical side, our findings emphasize the imperative of fostering innovativeness in women’s entrepreneurship education. These insights underscore the need for a strategically tailored, creative learning environment, with the potential to enhance learner engagement and satisfaction significantly. In sum, our research generates transformative theoretical insights and provides actionable strategies for improving the practice of entrepreneurship education. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: Our research presents a novel approach to fostering women entrepreneurs in the media sector through PBFL. This unique focus on the intersection of gender, media entrepreneurship, and PBFL distinguishes our study from existing literature. Furthermore, our findings offer educators invaluable guidance for enhancing female entrepreneurship education, thereby enriching the pedagogical landscape of this domain. Keywords: entrepreneurship education, women entrepreneurship, project-based flipped learning, innovativeness, risk-taking, course satisfaction
The integrated meta-model for organizational resource audit is a consistent and comprehensive instrument for auditing intangible resources and their relations and associations from the network perspective. This book undertakes a critically important problem of management sciences, poorly recognized in literature although determining the current and future competitiveness of enterprises, sectors and economies. The author notes the need to introduce a theoretical input, which is manifested by the meta-model. An expression of this treatment is the inclusion of the network as a structure of activities, further knowledge as an activity, and intangible assets as intellectual capital characterized by a structure of connections. The case study presented is an illustration of the use of network analysis tools and other instruments to identify not only the most important resources, tasks or actors, as well as their effectiveness, but also to connect the identified networks with each other. The author opens the field for applying her methodology, revealing the structural and dynamic features of the intangible resources of the organization. The novelty of the proposed meta-model shows the way to in-depth applications of network analysis techniques in an intra-organizational environment. Organizational Network Analysis makes a significant contribution to the development of management sciences, in terms of strategic management and more strictly resource approach to the company through structural definition of knowledge; application of the concept of improvement-oriented audit abandoning a narrow understanding of this technique in terms of compliance; reliable presentation of audits available in the literature; rigorous reasoning leading to the development of a meta-model; close linking of knowledge and resources with the strategy at the design stage of the developed audit model, including the analysis of link dynamics and networks together with an extensive metrics proposal; an interesting illustration of the application with the use of metrics, tables and charts. It will be of value to researchers, academics, managers, and students in the fields of strategic management, organizational studies, social network analysis in management, knowledge management, and auditing knowledge resources in organizations.
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