International entrepreneurial orientation amidst post-colonial upheaval: entrepreneurs during the Hong Kong Umbrella Revolution

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Farzad Haider Alvi
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Entrepreneurial Orientation ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Ethnic Background ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Post Colonial ◽  
Colonial Theory ◽  
Inductive Methods ◽  
Internationalization Strategy

Purpose This paper examines the internationalization response of entrepreneurs in Hong Kong to the institutional upheaval of the Umbrella Revolution (UR), analyzed through the lens of post-colonial theory. Design/methodology/approach Inductive methods are applied to interview data on dimensions of ethnic background (local Chinese, regional Chinese and British expatriates) and geographical scope of business (Hong Kong only or global). The analysis consists of first-order concepts, second-order themes and aggregate dimensions which link the results to post-colonial theory and international entrepreneurial orientation (IEO). Findings Amongst informants with a high international entrepreneurial orientation (IEO), strategy response to upheaval is highly influenced by ethnic background and geographical flexibility in a post-colonial context. Applying Bhabhaian post-colonial theory, the Hong Kong UR is found to be a liminal space, where internationalization strategy in response to upheaval belies subconscious, ethics-laden constructions of post-colonial identity, manifesting in counterintuitive ways. Originality/value This paper addresses the paucity of studies on liminality and entrepreneurship and on how IEO responds to acute uncertainty in the business environment. Further, IEO is found to be an individual rather than a firm-level construct. Finally, a post-colonial theory is considered in a larger context of liminality and how the transitional self of entrepreneurs comes to terms with institutional upheaval.

The effect of effectuation and causation approach on entrepreneurial orientation in the presence of leader dominance and self-efficacy

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ma Jun ◽  
Fitri Rini Ariyesti ◽  
Sumran Ali ◽  
Peng Xiaobao
Keyword(s):  
Entrepreneurial Orientation ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Chief Executive ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Chinese Firms ◽  
Strategic Manoeuvring ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leader Traits

Purpose Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) has witnessed a daunting rise in firm-level practices; to some extent, it has been augmented by the factors such as globalization and technological shift. The wide variety of literature has explained the importance of EO for firm performance. However, it has not yet been explored at a firm-level the approaches of causation and effectuation through the prism of leader traits such as leader dominance and self-efficacy as administrative ability and EO as strategic manoeuvring with strategic decisions obliged as a spin of firms. Design/methodology/approach The authors used the quantitative method to analyse the proposed relationships. For this reason, the authors targeted the Chinese firms to collect the data through the semi-structured survey from December 2020 to March 2021 and contributed to the literature by investigating 480 valid responses of leaders from Chinese firms. Findings The findings support the incorporated view of causation and effectuation on EO, which serve as vital strategic manoeuvring along with leader traits for firm stability and growth. Practical implications This study assists the decision-makers (including the top management team, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Executive Officer choose the particular approach (effectual or causal) to create the new venture/new product/new process or scale up the existing firm on another level for optimal benefits by considering their existing resources. Originality/value EO is a unidirectional process with three dimensions: innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking that could directly favour the firm by considering the well-known approaches (effectuation and causation) in crisis circumstances (like Covid-19). These approaches help the executives enhance their firm’s performance and maintain its sustainability and stability in crisis conditions by effectively using the available resources within its boundaries.

An examination of strategies under the financial tsunami

2010 ◽  
Vol 110 (9) ◽  
pp. 1319-1336 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.T.S. Ho ◽  
K.L. Choy ◽  
S.H. Chung ◽  
C.H.Y. Lam
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Strategies ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the factors, such as the different strategies adopted and the size of the company, that have a significant determining impact on the financial performance of companies in extreme circumstances.Design/methodology/approachThe research target of this paper is the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong. This is quantitative research and it is done on a survey basis, which includes hypothesis setting and statistical analysis. In addition, constructive suggestions are given to companies after analyzing the current situation.FindingsIn total, ten factors from four dimensions are determined as the critical strategies for the company to adopt in an uncertain financial situation. The result shows the influence of different factors on return on investment for the companies with different backgrounds.Practical implicationsThe business environment today is full of turbulence and uncertainties; this, along with the fierce global competition, means that manufacturers are all struggling to survive. The financial tsunami that has swept across the global economy is believed to be the most catastrophic in living memory. Therefore, this research will be especially valuable and useful to companies which wish to achieve excellence in business performance in spite of such a global disaster.Originality/valueManufacturers worldwide have suffered badly from the impact of the financial tsunami. The SMEs in Hong Kong are certainly not an exception. However, under the same adverse conditions, some have been able to maintain their stability or even thrive. The findings suggest some specific corporate strategies which will enable companies to survive and remain competitive.

Antecedents to supply chain innovation

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-171
Author(s):  
Fatma Nur Karaman Kabadurmus
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Innovation Activity ◽  
Market Reforms ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Activities

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine organizational and environmental (competition, capital scarcity and organization of labor) factors that affect firms' innovation activities within the supply chain.Design/methodology/approachThis study empirically examines the factors that affect firms' innovation activities using firm-level data from the last round of Business Environment Enterprise Performance Surveys (BEEPS). The analysis covers major supply chain functions: production, delivery and support systems.FindingsThe study shows that drivers of innovation vary with the type of innovation activity; as such, innovation efforts across supply chain functions should prioritize strategic resources that will create competitive advantages. Our results also reveal that sustainability efforts in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region should prioritize labor market reforms over capital market reforms.Originality/valueCurrent research on innovation and supply chain issues does not explicitly analyze innovations that occur in different sustainable supply chain functions, and empirical studies that focus on the determinants of innovations in the supply chain network are very limited. The data used in this study cover 30 economies in EECA, many of which are low- and middle-income countries, and thus contribute to the implementation of sustainable practices in developing countries.

Entrepreneurial orientation and performance of SMEs in the services industry

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
María José Rodríguez-Gutiérrez ◽  
Pilar Moreno ◽  
Pilar Tejada
Keyword(s):  
Entrepreneurial Orientation ◽  
National Level ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Unit Of Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Competitive Success ◽  
Resources And Capabilities ◽  
Services Industry ◽  
And Performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine both the sources of competitiveness of small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) in the services industry measured by their capability to grow, and the relative importance of each of these sources. More specifically, the resources and capabilities of Spanish SMEs in the services industry that may become sources of competitive advantage are analysed. Design/methodology/approach – In order to achieve this objective, this paper is organized as follows. First, a concise overview of prior research on determinants of performance of SMES is provided, outlining the role of factors regarding resources and capabilities. Second, a set of lineal regression models are performed to test the hypothesis research. In line with several previous studies, competitive success and performance of the company are approached through the recent evolution of firms in terms of employment, turnover and productive investment. The data set comes from a survey on Spanish SMEs operating in the services industry that was carried out between the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011. Findings – The findings reveal that entrepreneur characteristics, firm features and managerial attributes have significant effect on the business performance. The results from the empirical analysis indicate that competitive success of the Spanish SMEs in the service industry is conditioned by macroeconomic and social factors related to the general business environment and especially by business factors concerning the entrepreneurial orientation of the firm, these findings are consistent with those of earlier research conducted at both an international level a national level. Originality/value – The fundamental contribution of SMEs to the overall performance of the economy constitutes a crucial motive for researchers to investigate and examine the key success factors behind these enterprises. This issue has been analysed exhaustively for the manufactured goods industry, but has scarcely been addressed for the services industry. Thus, further research is needed to clarify the variables explaining survival and success for services SMEs. Furthermore, since this research is focused on the microeconomic level, by considering the firm as the unit of analysis, it contributes towards complementing previous research on this topic that has been conducted from a macroeconomic approach. Thus it attempts to provide certain empirical evidences for support the traditional academic debate between economic and administrative disciplines concerning the appropriate unit of analysis for the understanding and explanation of businesses competitiveness.

The relationship between growth and volatility in small firms

2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 1516-1532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Maria Moreno ◽  
Jose A. Zarrias ◽  
Jose L. Barbero
Keyword(s):  
Small Firm ◽  
Entrepreneurial Orientation ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Similar Nature ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Environmental Hostility

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of predictors of growth (entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and environmental hostility) and growth itself on small-firm volatility. The objective is to find out: first, whether growth and volatility possess a similar nature; second, what are the predictors of small-firm volatility. Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaire data were collected from CEOs of 433 Spanish small firms (<500 employees) who provided qualitative as well as quantitative information. Findings – The authors find that some of the predictors on growth can also be used to predict firm volatility. Specifically, the authors find that firm volatility is influenced by EO and environmental hostility. Growth also influences firm volatility. The authors also find a strong interaction effect of growth and firm size on firm volatility. The authors conclude that although growth and firm volatility are related concepts, they are different. Originality/value – Growth has concentrated small-firm research during the last 20 years. However, during the last few years, the environment has become very dynamic and small firms need research helping them to deal with such dynamism. There are few studies on firm-level volatility. The research helps understand more the determinants of small-firm volatility.

The making of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-28
Author(s):  
Ka Wei Pang
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Institutional Context ◽  
Discursive Practice ◽  
Cultural Perspective ◽  
Colonial Era ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Post Colonial ◽  
Discursive Formation

Purpose This paper aims to examine the development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong and argues that Chinese medicine is not a mere healing practice but a discursive practice against its unique institutional context. Design/methodology/approach Reviewing the medical history in the colonial and post-colonial era, this paper delineates the dynamics between Chinese medicine and Western medicine, and the discursive shaping of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong. Findings While Chinese medicine in post-colonial Hong Kong is modernizing itself from a traditional medicine to the scientific Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), it partakes in the decolonization and nationalization project and is geared towards the standardized TCM. Originality/value This paper proposed a critical cultural perspective in studying the discursive formation of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong.

Human capital, service innovation advantage, and business performance

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (9) ◽  
pp. 974-994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel I. Prajogo ◽  
Adegoke Oke
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Service Innovation ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of human capital (HC) on service innovation advantage (SIA) and business performance (BP) in service sector firms, and how external environmental factors influence these relationships. Design/methodology/approach This study utilized a cross-sectional mail survey of a random sample of Australian service firms with the unit of analysis being at the firm level. In total, 228 usable responses were received. Findings The overall findings of this study show that HC is positively related to the creation of value or SIA which in turn results in rent generation for firms. The results further show that the effect of SIA on BP is influenced by environmental dynamism and competitiveness with dynamic environments enhancing the effect while competitive environments weakening it. Research limitations/implications The findings demonstrate the complementarity between the resource based theory and contingency theory as they clearly shows that the value of innovation as a firm’s capability is enhanced or weakened within a business environment that is more dynamic or competitive. Practical implications The findings demonstrate the importance of HC, and, thus, encourage managers to seek ways to harness and leverage HC for improving innovation and BP. In addition, the study also helps managers to understand the contingency effect of business environment on the effectiveness of innovation, hence, helping them in deliberating firms’ strategy in different business environments. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study which examines the effectiveness of HC as organizational resource for building SIA as a source of organizational competitive advantage.

scholarly journals Improving productivity through strategic alignment of competitive capabilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 644-668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Hutton ◽  
Stephen Eldridge
Keyword(s):  
Capital Investment ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Manufacturing Strategy ◽  
Capability Development ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Market Requirements

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the productivity performance at the firm level from the perspective of manufacturing capability development at the process level. Moreover, it reveals how alignment of manufacturing capabilities with market requirements has influenced a firm’s productivity over a period that includes the 2008 global recession. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual framework was derived from established theories and employed as part of a case study design encompassing a multiple methods research approach. The case of a UK SME was selected to reflect some of the issues associated with the wider productivity stagnation experienced by the UK economy in recent years. Findings The firm’s manufacturing strategy had become incrementally misaligned with market requirements due to external changes in its business environment. The complex relationships between capabilities such as quality, speed and cost were characterised. Realigning the firm’s manufacturing strategy to regain productivity performance required a range of prioritised actions including capital investment and changes in management practices concerning bottom-up process improvement and regular, top-down strategy review. Research limitations/implications The findings of the case study cannot be generalised and the outcomes are specific to just one firm. However, the approach lends itself to replication, particularly within SMEs. Originality/value Prior studies have focussed on capability development at higher levels of abstraction. The study operationalized established theoretical perspectives at the firm level to derive context-based outcomes that can be used to improve manufacturing strategy alignment and productivity. Furthermore, the study contributes empirical evidence from the SME sector to the ongoing debate regarding the UK’s productivity puzzle.

Configurations and entrepreneurial orientation of young firms

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 1004-1019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna Chandra Balodi
Keyword(s):  
Entrepreneurial Orientation ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Model Specification ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Core Element ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Young Firms ◽  
The Core ◽  
Leadership Strategy ◽  
Additional Domain

Purpose – Extant literature highlights the inadequacy of using just four domains – leadership, strategy, structure, and environment – for identifying firms’ configurations. The purpose of this paper is to answer the questions – what firm-level and external elements should be used to identify young firms’ configurations? Which among these is the core element? Design/methodology/approach – This paper relies on literatures on configuration approach and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) to build the assertions concerning the issue of theoretical specification used for generating young firms’ configurations, and its core element. Crisp-set qualitative comparative analysis (CS-QCA) of the data collected from 70 young firms supports the arguments. Various robustness analyses reaffirm these assertions. Findings – Literature review reveals that EO represents a firm’s decision-making proclivity concerning new entry and proactive risk-taking. CS-QCA supports the assertions that: inclusion of EO improves the configurational explanation of young firms’ performance; EO is the core element of young firms’ configurations; and market orientation or social capital cannot substitute EO in configurational studies of young firms’ performance. CS-QCA serves as a tool to support an alternative theoretical stance that questions the adequacy of extant domains used to identify configurations. Originality/value – This paper theorizes for inclusion of EO as an additional domain for identifying young firms’ configurations, and exploits novel capability of set theoretic methods of CS-QCA to explore the issues of model specification and conjunctural causation, and ascertain the core element of configurations.

The use of I3F in assessing facilities management industry maturity

Facilities ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (11/12) ◽  
pp. 793-808
Author(s):  
Maulidi A. Banyani ◽  
Danny S. S. Then
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Education Professional ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – This paper aims to present and discuss the results of the assessment of maturity of facilities management (FM) industries (FMi) in five countries, namely, Denmark, Hong Kong, Norway, Tanzania and the UK. The analysis is based on the “Integrated Feeder Factors Framework (I3F)”. I3F analyses maturity by assessing the progression and integration of the key factors essential for the maturity of the FMi, which are organisations practice, supply market, education, professional bodies, research and business environment. Design/methodology/approach – FM experts in respective countries were interviewed. Data were also gathered from official documents and websites. The collected evidences were analysed using pattern matching. Findings – The FM industry in the five case study countries are found at various levels of maturity. The UK exhibited high levels of maturity compared to other countries. Norway, Hong Kong and Denmark were at the same level with some notable differences, while Tanzania was at the lowest level. Practical implications – The research successfully tested the I3F. This sets foundation for assessing maturity of the FM industry at a country level. The assessment of maturity at a country level is important to FM stakeholders in charting out plans for its development and longevity. Originality/value – This is the first research which has assessed the maturity of FMi in five countries using an I3F. The results show the strength and weaknesses of the FMi in the five countries and point out areas which require stakeholders’ efforts to be improved or maintained.

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