Growth aspirations among women entrepreneurs in high growth firms

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oxana Bulanova ◽  
Espen John Isaksen ◽  
Lars Kolvereid
Keyword(s):  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Research Question ◽  
High Growth ◽  
Business Growth ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Growth Firms ◽  
Event Model ◽  
Post Hoc ◽  
Perceived Desirability

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between perceived desirability (attitude towards growth) and feasibility (entrepreneurial self-efficacy) of business growth and women entrepreneurs’ continued business growth aspirations. Hypotheses are derived guided by the Entrepreneurial Event Model (EEM). The authors also address the following research question: what reasons do women entrepreneurs state for wanting or not wanting continued business growth? Design/methodology/approach – The sample consists of 93 of the largest independent businesses in Norway started by women entrepreneurs in 2004, 2005 or 2006 (response rate 57.5 per cent). The hypotheses are tested using logistic regression. The authors carry out a post hoc analysis of open-ended questions, containing a qualitative analysis of the reasons for not wanting or wanting the business to grow. Findings – The results support the hypotheses. Controlling for industry, location and the women entrepreneurs’ age, perceived desirability and feasibility of business growth predict growth aspirations. Thus, the findings suggests that the EEM is an appropriate and useful model. Reasons are grouped in reasons relating to considerations for the entrepreneur, the business and the environment. The most common reason for not wanting the business to grow relates to business considerations, including that growth would jeopardize the quality of services offered by the business. Important reasons for wanting the business to grow include fun and excitement. Research limitations/implications – Policy makers and educators can encourage business growth by efforts aiming to increase the desirability and feasibility of growth. Practitioners as well as scholars should be aware of the inducements and costs associated with business growth. The study contributes to the entrepreneurship literature by exploring and identifying areas that both encourage and hinder further business growth among high-growth women entrepreneurs. Originality/value – Research on women-owned businesses is still scarce, and few if any previous studies have surveyed growth aspiration in new high-growth women-owned businesses. The combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques is also a novel contribution of this survey.

scholarly journals High-growth firms and scale-ups: a review and research agenda

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-111
Author(s):  
Guilherme Fowler A. Monteiro
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
High Growth ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Growth Firms ◽  
Different Levels

Purpose This paper aims to conduct an extensive review and advances a framework for the literature of high-growth firms (HGFs) and scale-ups. Design/methodology/approach This paper takes the form of a literature review. Findings The author makes three specific contributions. First, he presents a broad review of high growth in firms, shedding light on the different levels of analysis. Second, he advances a characterization of scale-up companies to enable a better basis for discussion. Finally, he identifies gaps in the existing literature and suggest paths for future research. Originality/value The interest in HGFs and those referred to as scale-ups has increased considerably in recent years. Despite this trend, existing studies still have conceptual divergences and a gap separating theoretical inputs from the actual experiences of entrepreneurs.

Performance of Ghanaian women businesses community: the moderating role of social competence

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Ayorkor Sallah ◽  
Livingstone Divine Caesar
Keyword(s):  
Social Competence ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Business Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Intangible Resources ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Moderating Role

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the moderating dynamics of social competence in the relationship between intangible resources and the performance of women businesses from an emerging market context. Developed economy literature provides ample evidence of a positive relationship between intangible resources and the performance of women business ventures. Little is known of the complexity of this orthodoxy in developing markets such as Ghana. In particular, this paper investigates the moderating role of social competence in the relationship between intangible resources available to women entrepreneurs and performance. Design methodology approach An exploratory sequential mixed method research design was used. First phase involved qualitative data collected through interviews, and the second phase was quantitative data collected from 264 participants. Content analysis and multiple regression analysis were used. Findings Social competence is important to the success of women businesses as it influences the outcome of entrepreneurial interactions and communications. Also, it positively moderated the relationship between organisational reputational capital (RC) and women business growth. On the flip side, it negatively moderated the relationship between human capital, social capital, individual RC and women business growth. Practical implications To sustainably grow their businesses, women entrepreneurs must ascertain the right level of social competence needed. The utilization of social competence at higher rather than lower levels could mean more costs and more training for which the business may not have immediate use. Originality value This paper advocates the need to improve the content of entrepreneurial training packages to include the reinforcement of social competency skills in terms of relationship management as this may be the key to the facilitation of access to resources for innovation and growth.

scholarly journals Leverage and firm investment: the role of information asymmetry and growth

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Danso ◽  
Theophilus Lartey ◽  
Samuel Fosu ◽  
Samuel Owusu-Agyei ◽  
Moshfique Uddin
Keyword(s):  
Information Asymmetry ◽  
High Growth ◽  
Firm Investment ◽  
Financial Leverage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Growth Firms ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Role Of Information

PurposeThis paper aims to demonstrate how financial leverage impacts firm investment and the extent to which this relationship is conditional on the level of information asymmetry as well as growth.Design/methodology/approachThe paper relies on data from 2,403 Indian firms during the period 1995-2014, generating a total of 19,544 firm-year observations. Analysis is conducted by using various panel econometric techniques.FindingsDrawing insights from agency theories, the paper uncovers that financial leverage is negatively and significantly related to firm investment. It is also observed that the impact of financial leverage on firm investment is significant for high information asymmetric firms. Finally, the paper shows that the relationship between leverage and firm investment is significant for low-growth firms. However, no significant relationship is found between leverage and investment for high-growth firms.Originality/valueThis paper provides fresh evidence on the leverage–investment nexus and, to the authors’ knowledge, it the first paper to examine the extent to which this leverage–investment relationship is driven by the level of information asymmetry.

scholarly journals A commentary on the impacts of ‘Great Lockdown’ and its aftermath on scaling firms: What are the implications for entrepreneurial research?

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 583-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis J Greene ◽  
Alessandro Rosiello
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Fast Growth ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Business Growth ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Scholarly Community ◽  
Growth Firms ◽  
The Face ◽  
Support Policy ◽  
Recessionary Periods

This commentary argues that scaling fast growth firms drive economic development, even in recessionary periods. While the coronavirus induced the ‘Great Lockdown’ and its aftermath poses particular challenges, we argue that the crisis presents the entrepreneurial scholarly community with an opportunity to re-orientate our research. Rather than more narratives of business success in the face of adversity, the Great Lockdown presents us with a fresh opportunity to examine how scaling is affected by context, by luck and by the porous nature of business growth. In so doing, our hope is that it will encourage our community to adopt a more proactive agenda to support policy makers and entrepreneurs.

How does cluster location and intellectual capital impact entrepreneurial success within high-growth firms?

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yama Temouri ◽  
Vijay Pereira ◽  
Glenn W. Muschert ◽  
Vikash Ramiah ◽  
Michael Babula
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
High Growth ◽  
Probit Model ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Research Model ◽  
Entrepreneurial Success ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cluster Membership ◽  
Growth Firms

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the role of intellectual capital and knowledge management in the entrepreneurial success of firms through a research model which is subsequently tested empirically.Design/methodology/approachThe paper utilises the knowledge-based perspective to formulate three sets of hypotheses which the authors subsequently test in the empirical analysis on data derived from the Orbis database, which includes over 1-million data points from approximately 240,000 firms across 174 geographic subdivisions of economic regions in 14 European countries, from 2010 to 2013. The analysis utilises probit model regressions on the likelihood of becoming a high-growth firms (HGF), in the presence of a number of control factors including firm age, firm size, tangible assets, foreign ownership, competitiveness (via Herfindahl index), return on assets, industry sector and country location.FindingsFindings from our analysis suggest that investments in intangible assets and generating patents from research and development (R&D) efforts is positively related to the likelihood of becoming a HGF. In addition, cluster membership seems to be a positive influence on becoming a HGF, however the moderating impact of intangible investments and patents is less clear in clusters.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors highlight the mixed effects from cluster membership and the beneficial impact from intellectual capital and knowledge management in achieving high growth firm status.Originality/valueThe authors derive and test our research model, which outlines the interrelationship of the various factors leading to firms becoming high-growth firms. The results suggest that there may be further fruitful ground for future investigation in the intersections of knowledge management and intellectual capital concepts within entrepreneurial contexts.

Intangible resources and the growth of women businesses

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 329-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Ayorkor Sallah ◽  
Livingstone Divine Caesar
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Human Capital ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Intangible Assets ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Business Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Intangible Resources ◽  
Reputational Capital

Purpose Intangible assets are widely considered as key success factors for the growth of businesses in various economies. While the relationship between intangible assets or resources and business growth or performance have been extensively researched in advanced economies, there is limited understanding of the complexity of the phenomenon in developing/emerging markets. In Ghana specifically, there is a dearth of research on the impact of intangible assets on the growth of women businesses. Consequently, this paper aims to investigate how intangible assets available to women entrepreneurs contribute to the performance of their businesses. Design/methodology/approach Using an exploratory sequential research design (a type of mixed methods design), the data collection was organized into two main phases. The first phase was the qualitative phase where nine respondents were interviewed, and the responses were analysed using thematic analysis. The second phase was the quantitative phase where some 264 questionnaires were collected and analysed using multiple regression analysis. Findings Specifically, the findings focused on three intangible resources: social capital, human capital and reputational capital. The study found that, social, human and reputational capital all significantly contributed to the growth of women businesses. The study also showed a positive and significant effect of social capital, reputational capital and human capital on business growth. Practical implications These findings have implications for women entrepreneurs in Ghana. If they must grow their businesses, then using intangible assets alone may not be able to deliver growth in the required proportions. Serious consideration must be given to the significant impact of intra and extra industry networking and the social competency skills of the entrepreneur. The rationality of this assertion hinges on the findings made from this study that social competence can be effectively used to further enhance the effects of the value of one’s intangible assets. Originality/value Policymakers in Sub-Saharan Africa and specifically Ghana have accorded high priority to private sector entrepreneurship towards reduction in the dependence of the citizenry on government for jobs. Perhaps, this paper adds to the growing body of knowledge on female entrepreneurship in Ghana to understand how intangible assets available to women entrepreneurs contribute to the performance of their businesses.

scholarly journals Distinguishing entrepreneurial approaches to opportunity perception

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 296-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stern Neill ◽  
Lynn E. Metcalf ◽  
Jonathan L. York
Keyword(s):  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
New Ventures ◽  
High Growth ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cognitive Resources ◽  
Multiple Discriminant Analysis ◽  
Educational Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Repeated Calls

Purpose Whether opportunities are discovered or created by entrepreneurs is a foundational question in entrepreneurship research. The purpose of this paper is to examine women entrepreneurs in high-growth new ventures and explore the cognitive resources that distinguish between three approaches to opportunity perception: opportunity discovery; opportunity creation; and a combined discover-create (ambidextrous) approach. Design/methodology/approach Using questionnaire responses from 165 women entrepreneurs in high-growth new ventures, K-means clustering was used to determine three approaches to opportunity perception. The cognitive resources associated with each approach were then identified using multiple discriminant analysis. Finally, multivariate analysis of variance was conducted to examine the relationship between opportunity perception and growth expectations. Findings These results demonstrate different approaches to opportunity perception among entrepreneurs in high-growth new ventures, the cognitive resources that reinforce each approach, and the expected new venture growth outcomes. Research limitations/implications The findings offer insight on the cognitive origins of opportunity perception by empirically identifying distinct approaches to opportunity perception and the cognitive resources that underlie each. The study relies on a unique sample of entrepreneurs to understand complex cognitive phenomenon. Practical implications Understanding the effects that cognitive factors have on opportunity perception provides direction for current and aspiring entrepreneurs. The findings and instrument may be used for professional development and to inform educational strategies. Originality/value The findings offer important contributions to entrepreneurial theory and practice by addressing repeated calls for research that examines the cognitive antecedents enabling opportunity formation (discovery, creation or both). This manuscript empirically does so, while opening up possibilities for future research.

Using the eurostat-OECD definition of high-growth firms: a cautionary note

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven-Olov Daunfeldt ◽  
Dan Johansson ◽  
Daniel Halvarsson
Keyword(s):  
Small Firms ◽  
High Growth ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Growth Firms ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – High-growth firms (HGFs) have attracted an increasing amount of attention from researchers and policymakers, and the Eurostat-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) definition of HGFs has become increasingly popular. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use a longitudinal firm-level data set to analyze the implications of using the Eurostat-OECD definition. Findings – The results indicate that this definition excluded almost 95 percent of surviving firms in Sweden, and about 40 percent of new private jobs during 2005-2008. Research limitations/implications – The proportion of small firms and their growth patterns differ across countries, and the authors therefore advise caution in using this definition in future studies. Practical implications – Policy based on the Eurostat-OECD definition of HGFs might be misleading or even counterproductive. Originality/value – No previous studies have analyzed the implications of using the Eurostat-OECD definition of HGFs.

An examination of ecopreneurs’ incentives through a combination between institutional and resource-based approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioannis E. Nikolaou ◽  
Konstantinos P. Tsagarakis ◽  
Kyriaki Tasopoulou
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Sample Selection ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Selection Of

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address two research questions: which are the key factors that stimulate entrepreneurs to invest in ecopreneurship, and how ecopreneurhsip contributes to environmental sustainability. Design/methodology/approach To answer these questions, a framework has been developed to identify the incentives that lead entrepreneurs to invest in firms in the ecopreneurship through institutional and resource-based thinking. Findings From a survey of 91 Greek firms from the green service sector, it is shown that some specific institutional and resource-based view factors play a critical role in green entrepreneurs’ decisions, as well as some certain environmental practices that are frequently used by entrepreneurs to address environmental issues. Research limitations/implications First, the answer of the second research question through data collected by a questionnaire survey may be faced with skepticism by some authors, as it could be seen that entrepreneurs and managers of firms could have overstated their company's environmental activities. Second, although the sample selection of 91 firms is a representative sample (response rate 12.35 percent) of the total population of Greek green firms (761) and equal to other relative studies, a higher number of firms and a wider variety of green entrepreneurship ventures is necessary in future research. Practical implications The findings are useful for scholars, practitioners and policy makers since it provide information regarding the behavior of green entrepreneurs. Originality/value The paper analyze the types of green entrepreneurs in relation to the different features and strategies which are emerged from two theories, such as institutional and resource-based theory.

Targeting for Growth: A Critical Examination

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Smallbone ◽  
Claire Massey
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
High Growth ◽  
Critical Examination ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Self Selection ◽  
Growth Firms ◽  
Profile Characteristics ◽  
And Training

The targeting debate has been around for more than 20 years, and yet we are still discussing how best to identify high-growth SMEs. Following a discussion of targeting issues and a review of some of the key literature on SME growth, the paper focuses on an empirical analysis of the performance of a panel of SMEs in New Zealand over a three-year period. The results show that, even when growth occurs in SMEs, it is typically discontinuous. In addition, most of the easily verifiable profile characteristics that are often used for targeting, such as size, sector, age, whether or not the firm is exporting and/or innovating, did not consistently distinguish growth firms from others. Possible conclusions are that policy makers need more effective long-term assessment of government programmes and/or that the heterogeneity of those enterprises able to achieve growth points towards the principle of self-selection. However, the authors suggest a more radical response based on investing more in education and training and aiming to make more explicit the implications of actions and non-actions by entrepreneurs with regard to growth.

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