Effects of CEO humility and relationship conflict on entrepreneurial performance

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 489-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Li ◽  
Feng Wei ◽  
Siyue Chen ◽  
Yushan Yan

Purpose First, this paper aims to explore how CEO humility and relationship conflict in entrepreneurial teams affect the firm-level performance of new ventures. Second, it investigates the moderating effect of CEO political skills on the indirect association between CEO humility and entrepreneurial performance through relationship conflict in entrepreneurial teams. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was administered to CEOs and their entrepreneurial team members in 171 start-ups in Shanghai, China. The data obtained from the survey were subjected to multiple regression analysis using the SPSS PROCESS macro and confirmatory factor analysis using Mplus. Findings The findings are as follows. First, CEO humility can reduce relationship conflict in entrepreneurial teams. Second, CEO political skills moderate the link between CEO humility and relationship conflict in entrepreneurial teams. The weaker the CEO political skills, the stronger the effect of CEO humility on relationship conflict, and the stronger the CEO political skills, the weaker the effect of CEO humility on relationship conflict. Third, relationship conflict in entrepreneurial teams is negatively related to entrepreneurial performance. Finally, CEO political skills moderate the mediating effect of entrepreneurial team relationship conflict on the CEO humility – entrepreneurial performance link. Practical implications The findings of this study offer guidance for entrepreneurs seeking to improve firm performance. The findings suggest that entrepreneurs should adopt a humble leadership style that cultivates their strengths and minimizes their weaknesses. To improve the centripetal force and cohesion of the entrepreneurial team, they should focus on the team, affirm the contribution of subordinates and accept subordinates’ advice. Originality/value The study reveals that CEO humility has a positive effect on entrepreneurial performance, which enriches research on the effectiveness of humble leadership at the firm level. From the perspective of team relationship conflict, the study also explores the mechanism underlying the effect of CEO humility on entrepreneurial performance, opening the “black box” of CEO humility and entrepreneurial effectiveness. In addition, the study reveals the boundary conditions of the influence of CEO humility, enriching the theoretical literature on humble leadership, political skills and resource conservation.

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 2373-2384
Author(s):  
Shen Yuyan ◽  
Ke Limin ◽  
Yan Qian

In this paper, following the research logic of Emotion/Feature-Behavior-Result, the focus is put on how the entrepreneurial passion of interactive-oriented teams in the tobacco products entrepreneurial can improve corporate performance by affecting entrepreneurial learning. The multiple regression method is used to test 238 valid questionnaires of new ventures, and the Bootstrap model is used to verify the mediating effect of entrepreneurial learning according to the multiple mediating effect analysis method proposed by scholars. The results show that: (1) The entrepreneurial passion of the team will affect the tobacco products entrepreneurial process of the new venture team, and the team with high passion atmosphere is more likely to improve the performance of the new enterprise. As a strong positive emotion experienced by the entrepreneurial team in their entrepreneurial activities, can not only influence the entrepreneurial team to identify with their entrepreneurial identity sharing, but also promote the growth of enterprises. (2) There is a significant mediating effect of exploratory learning and exploitative learning in the process of the impact of team entrepreneurial passion on the performance of the innovator but no significant difference in the mediating effects of the two. Entrepreneurial passion drives the tobacco products entrepreneurs to make a strong emotional commitment to the new innovator and invest much effort, and entrepreneurial learning is an effective way to help solve the problem of the new innovator. The research results can help to further interpret the mechanism of the role of the tobacco products entrepreneurial enthusiasm on the performance of innovators, expand the mediating factors between the two from psychological to behavioral factors, enrich the research on the performance promotion mechanism of new innovators, promote the organization learning behavior combined with entrepreneurship research, and also provide references and suggestions for the tobacco products entrepreneurs to improve their entrepreneurial performance through learning behaviors.


2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 1344-1361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frédéric Dufays

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify tensions that are emerging in the invention and implementation of social innovation by social entrepreneurial teams and highlights elements that influence the type of tension encountered. Design/methodology/approach Four cases are selected theoretically, studied individually, and compared to one another to identify tensions and patterns of tensions. Findings The findings reveal the predominant tensions related to goals and identity during social innovation invention and those related to time and knowledge during social innovation implementation. The size of the entrepreneurial team, the nature of the social innovation, and the interest orientation – that is, the overlap between entrepreneurial team members and beneficiaries – are found to play a role in the type of tensions encountered and their content. Research limitations/implications The chosen research approach limits the generalizability of the research results. Replication in other settings and with other types of social innovation is therefore encouraged. Originality/value In contrast to most existing studies, this research focuses on nascent social innovation projects borne by teams. It proposes that social-business tensions are not necessarily predominant in social innovation management. It suggests the importance of interest orientation as an underestimated factor in the study of social entrepreneurship.


2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Bashokuh-E-Ajirloo ◽  
Bahman Khodapanah ◽  
Mehdi Alizadeh ◽  
Mehdi Ebrahimzadeh

PurposeThe main objective of this study is to explain the relationship between members' cultural values on structure and performance of the entrepreneurial teams that located in Tehran.Design/methodology/approachData used in this study are collected by a questionnaire distributed among managers and other executive members of SMEs located in Tehran. One hundred and thirty-nine participants completed the questionnaires, and their responses were analyzed using partial least squares technique. Measures showed good convergent and discriminant validity. Furthermore, Cronbach's alpha, as reliability indicator for all measures, is at the acceptable level.FindingsResearch finding shows that all hypothesis supported in Iran contex. Entrepreneurial team members' cultural values have positive and significant effect on the entrepreneurial team structure. Entrepreneurial team members' cultural values have significant effect on the entrepreneurial team performance and also, the structure of the entrepreneurial team has a positive and significant effect on the entrepreneurial team performance.Originality/valueThese studies mostly focused on technical dimensions of entrepreneurial teams and overlooked the cultural values of their members.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 727-747
Author(s):  
Wenqing Wu ◽  
Hongxin Wang ◽  
Fu-Sheng Tsai

PurposeThis study analyses the relationship between the networks of business incubators (BIs) and new venture performance. It proposes an integrated model for identifying the influence of BIs' internal and external networks on new venture performance through the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and environmental dynamism.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses multiple regression analysis on a sample of 205 new ventures in Chinese BIs.FindingsBoth the internal and external networks of BIs positively affect new venture performance and EO has a mediating effect in this relationship. Environmental dynamism plays a positive moderating role in the relationship between BIs' internal and external networks and EO.Practical implicationsBased on the results of this study, incubator managers should focus on creating internal and external networks and leveraging network embeddedness to influence new venture performance. Further, new ventures should focus on strengthening their EO and fully consider the impact of environmental dynamism on EO implementation.Originality/valueTo address the research gaps in understanding how BI networks can support new venture growth, this study integrates BIs' internal and external networks and explores their impacts on new venture performance using co-production theory and the resource-based view. It thus opens the black box on how BI's networks affect performance from the EO perspective. Moreover, this study fully clarifies chain relationships by identifying and analysing the moderating role of environmental dynamism.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 637-656
Author(s):  
Ahmad Adeel ◽  
Zhang Pengcheng ◽  
Farida Saleem ◽  
Rizwan Ali ◽  
Samreen Batool

Purpose This paper aims to investigate relationship conflicts and creative idea endorsement to develop the understanding of managerial reactions towards ideas of those who develop relationship conflicts with managers/supervisors at work. Taking a contingency perspective, the authors also investigated role subordinates’ political skills and implementation instrumentality play in determining supervisors’ endorsement of subordinates’ creative ideas. Design/methodology/approach The authors used two sources of data collected from 243 subordinates and their respective 41 supervisors of a multinational software company operating in an emerging economy (Pakistan) and analyzed the hypothesized model with Mplus using random coefficient modeling. Findings With this research, the authors contributed to management literature by investigating how the effects of relationship conflicts on creative idea endorsement depend on subordinates’ political skills and implementation instrumentality. They postulate a negative relationship between relationship conflict and creative ideas endorsement and predict that this negative relationship is augmented by subordinates’ implementation instrumentality but attenuated by subordinates’ political skills. They also give directions to decision makers in organizations that they must inform the managers/supervisors about negative effects of their relationship conflict with their subordinates and train supervisors and subordinates about reducing their relationship conflicts with each other for mutual benefits. Originality/value Organizations should take a relationship perspective when creating an environment for creativity: an environment based on mutual trust and respect so that exchange relationships can foster. With this research, the authors extended the list of potential detriment associated with relationship conflicts, that is the endorsement of creative ideas by supervisors. The authors also extended creativity literature by investigating social relationships for selection-focused creativity (idea endorsement) instead of variance-focused creativity (idea generation).


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suming Wu ◽  
Xiuhao Ding ◽  
Ruihong Liu ◽  
Hui Gao

Purpose Open innovation and information systems have been key topics in the theoretical domain, but little empirical research thoroughly examines how information technology (IT) capability affects open innovation performance. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between IT capability and open innovation performance and to expose the inner mechanism at the firm level. Design/methodology/approach This paper collected firm-level data in China; 232 usable questionnaires from different firms were collected. Then, the study used a structural equation model by AMOS for hypothesis testing. Findings The results indicate that both internal IT capability and external IT capability have positive impacts on open innovation performance; potential absorptive capacity and realized absorptive capacity mediate the relationship between external IT capability and open innovation performance. Additionally, realized absorptive capacity plays a mediating role in the relationship between internal IT capability and open innovation performance. Practical implications These findings indicate that practitioners should pay attention to the important relationship between absorptive capacity and IT capability and open innovation performance in Chinese businesses. Originality/value Existing research has emphasized the influence of IT on open innovation, but empirical studies have not thoroughly focused on the inner mechanisms of the effect of IT capability on open innovation performance. Drawing on firm capability theory, this paper classifies IT capability as internal and external IT capability and absorptive capacity as potential and realized absorptive capacity. Then, this paper confirms the mediating role of absorptive capacity between IT capability and open innovation performance.


2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carin Nordström ◽  
Charlotta Agneta Sirén ◽  
Sara Thorgren ◽  
Joakim Wincent

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to draw on the theory of choice overload to examine how entrepreneurial tenure and involvement in entrepreneurial teams influence passion for engaging in entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was administered to 262 Swedish hybrid entrepreneurs, which refers to individuals who engage in entrepreneurship while also maintaining wage work; this arrangement is becoming more and more common in the Nordic economies. Hypotheses proposed associations between the entrepreneurial tenure (the length of engagement in the side business) and entrepreneurial teams (leading the business with one or more team members) with passion for entrepreneurship. Logistic regression was used to test the hypotheses. Findings – Results from logistic regression support the hypotheses with three findings: the longer the individual has had the side business, the less likely passion to be the main motive behind entrepreneurship; passion is less likely to be the main motive behind entrepreneurship among those who are part of an entrepreneurial team; and, involvement in an entrepreneurial team strengthens the negative association between entrepreneurial tenure and passion for entrepreneurship. Research limitations/implications – The data are limited to the creative sector in Sweden and to the hybrid entrepreneurship context. Practical implications – The results support the impact of choice overload and the notions that entrepreneurship passion will decrease the longer the business is up running and if the venturing occurs with another team member. In practice, this means that interventions for re-kindling passion in entrepreneurship should focus on dealing with choice overload under conditions of long-term tenure and team-funded ventures. If entrepreneurs want to maintain high levels of passion, quick and isolated entrepreneurial processes reduce the choice overload that may threaten maintaining a high passion for entrepreneurship. Originality/value – This study is the first to apply choice theory to an entrepreneurship context and to find support for possible negative effects of choice overload on passion for entrepreneurship.


2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 434-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Zhang ◽  
Wanhong Zhang

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between team heterogeneity and team performance in entrepreneurial team and is also of significance in guiding the management practice of an entrepreneurial team. Design/methodology/approach The study is carried out based on an experiment, in which a 2×2 experimental group is devised to collect data concerned with the heterogeneity of entrepreneurial team’s expertise and the attitude toward heterogeneity. Findings The entrepreneurial team’s heterogeneity has a significant effect on entrepreneurial performance; the entrepreneurial team’s heterogeneity influences entrepreneurial performance through team task conflict; attitudes toward heterogeneity play a mediating role in the above process. Originality/value This paper is carried out based on an experiment which can be used to determine the mediating effects of team conflict on the relationship between team expertise heterogeneity and the entrepreneurial performance.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei Chen ◽  
Peijie Ni ◽  
Torger Reve ◽  
Jing Huang ◽  
Ren Lu

Purpose Previous studies primarily focus on how to achieve better performance in the international markets, but few centers on whether internationalization is a promising strategy for new ventures’ growth and development. Based on two pioneering frameworks Conservative, Predictable, and Pacemaker (CPP) model and the 7-P model, this paper fills this gap by analyzing how exporting exert heterogeneous effects on two types of growth, sales growth and employment growth. Accordingly, this paper aims to favor market-oriented new ventures to make a strategy on expanding international markets. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on firm-level data from the Chinese Industrial Enterprises Database. The year 2005 was used as the shock year. By conducting the propensity score matching method, 793 couples of matched new ventures were collected with sales growth and 686 couples with employment growth. The difference-in-differences method was applied to analyze the various influences that exporting has on new ventures’ sales growth and employment growth. Findings The main finding of this paper is that new ventures that exported can achieve better sales growth than their counterparts that only operated domestically, whereas new ventures that remain in the domestic market have no difference in employment growth from those that exported. Research limitations/implications This study shows that exporting is especially beneficial for market-seeking new ventures. Because the study is based on Chinese data, scholars of international business can conduct further research on other countries with different economic structures. Originality/value Theoretically, this paper contributes to both international business theory and entrepreneurship theory by combining the CPP model and the 7-P model. Practically, this paper shows that exports mainly benefit the sales growth of new ventures. This suggests that business practitioners should consider their growth goals before they choose to enter the global market.


2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 426-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wencang Zhou ◽  
Yanli Zhang ◽  
Yali Shen

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to explore the contingency effects of personality composition on the shard leadership and entrepreneurial team performance relationship and second, to examine different contingency effects that team personality mean score and team personality diversity have on the shared leadership – entrepreneurial team performance relationship, using the person-team fit theory and the Big-5 framework. Design/methodology/approach The sample consisted of 200 entrepreneurial teams in a technology incubator founded in 2009 in eastern China. Data were collected through an online survey. Findings Team conscientiousness level and team openness to experience diversity were found to interact with shared leadership to influence team effectiveness in a supplementary way, such that the relationship between shared leadership and team effectiveness will be stronger when the team’s mean score on conscientiousness level is high and diversity score on openness to experience is low. Another finding from this study is that team diversity scores on emotional stability and agreeableness interact with shared leadership in a complementary way; that is, the higher the diversity score, the better influence shared leadership has on team effectiveness. Practical implications First, this study provides policy implications for government agencies, foundations, and universities who provide support for start-ups in incubators. These institutions should know the importance of entrepreneurial team composition and team process to start-up performance and should provide entrepreneurial teams support in team development. Second, the study provides entrepreneurs with implications regarding team member selection. Originality/value This is one of the first papers to study the interaction between personality composition and shared leadership and its impact on new venture performance. These findings advance the literature on moderators of shared leadership by demonstrating that team personality composition on conscientiousness, openness to experience, emotional stability, and agreeableness moderates the relationship between shared leadership and entrepreneurial team performance.


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