The role of export promotion programs in the internationalisation of female-owned enterprises

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gitte Ohrt Rosenbaum
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Export Promotion ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Women Business Owners ◽  
Qualitative Research Design

Purpose While the role of government-funded export promotion programs (EPPs) on the international activities of small ventures has been previously documented, they do not appear to have been hitherto studied in a gendered context. This is unfortunate given the evidence suggesting growing numbers of female entrepreneurs with strong international orientation. Thus, this study aims to provide a better understanding of the experiences and practices of women entrepreneurs with regard to EPPs. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on personal interviews with eight female-owned international entrepreneurial ventures in the fashion design industry in Denmark. A qualitative research design was used to explore the experiences of the women entrepreneurs regarding different types of EPPs and their various providers, and the data were analysed and interpreted using the NVivo software program. Findings The results show that while the level of awareness of EPPs was generally high, the programs were overwhelmingly perceived to be overly expensive, excessively time-consuming, insufficiently specific and largely irrelevant. When the women business owners had availed themselves of their services, the usefulness of the EPPs was deemed to be largely imperceptible. Plausible explanations for these results may be found in the gendered entrepreneurial literature. The study’s findings provide important gendered insights to government support agencies charged with promoting the internationalisation of female-owned small businesses. Originality/value This study presents novel gendered findings of the experiences of female entrepreneurs regarding the role played by EPPs in the growth of their firms on international markets. It contributes to the literature on the growing phenomenon of female international entrepreneurs.

Vietnamese Women Entrepreneurs’ Motivations, Challenges, and Success Factors

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-226
Author(s):  
Hoang Anh Nguyen ◽  
Tam To Phuong ◽  
Thuy Thi Bich Le ◽  
Linh Phuong Vo
Keyword(s):  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Female Entrepreneurship ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Women Business Owners ◽  
Business Context ◽  
Qualitative Research Study ◽  
Vietnamese Women

The Problem According to the Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs, 31.3% of businesses in Vietnam are owned by women, placing Vietnam at the sixth out of the 53 surveyed economies. Despite the prevalence of female entrepreneurship in Vietnam, little is known about the motivations, challenges, and success factors of those occupying this vibrant sector of the Vietnamese economy. Greater knowledge of how women entrepreneurs perceive themselves and the Vietnamese business environment could stimulate greater support for their personal and career development. The Solution This study aims to explore Vietnamese women entrepreneurs’ motivations, challenges, and success factors. This qualitative research study provides (a) a brief introduction to the business context and the role of women entrepreneurs in Vietnam; (b) findings on Vietnamese women motivation for to starting and running business, as well as the challenges they face, and factors contributing to their success; and (c) recommendations for government policies, business communities, and the development of female entrepreneurs in Vietnam. As few research studies on women business owners in Vietnam are available, this empirical study can contribute to more effective practice and further research on this cohort in Vietnam. The Stakeholders Recommendations provided in this study will help governmental policymakers, business communities, and female entrepreneurs in Vietnam.

Green innovation and Sustainable Development Goals in SMEs: the moderating role of government incentives

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rizwan Ullah ◽  
Habib Ahmad ◽  
Fazal Ur Rehman ◽  
Arshad Fawad
Keyword(s):  
Government Support ◽  
Green Innovation ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Incentives ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Moderating Role

PurposeThe aim of this research is to understand how government incentives (financial and non-financial) influence the relationship between green innovation and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in SMEs.Design/methodology/approachTo contribute to the literature, this research uses empirical evidence of 204 Pakistani small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and tests the moderating role of government support between green innovation and SDGs.FindingsThe findings indicate that green innovation has a significant influence on SDGs, community development and environmental activities. The government support significantly strengthens the relationship between green innovation and environmental practices, while it does not moderate the path between green innovation and community development.Practical implicationsThe research recommends SMEs focus on the adoption of green innovation and green technology to protect the environment and facilitate the community. Moreover, the research advises the government to assist SMEs financially and nonfinancially, so they will in turn help in the attainment of SDGs.Originality/valueThis research is the first attempt to assess the importance of green innovation in SDGs with a moderating role of government incentives in emerging SMEs. It provides several useful implications for policymaking.

Empowering Jordanian women through entrepreneurship

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muntaha Banihani
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Social Perceptions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Family Responsibilities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Physical Mobility ◽  
The Impact

Purpose A strong correlation has been found across several countries between women’s positions in society and economic development, suggesting that there is a relationship between women’s empowerment and countries’ economic development. Despite the impact women have in terms of economic activity and job creation, however, the role of women entrepreneurs is often underplayed and undervalued. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the challenges women entrepreneurs face in Jordan to uncover ways to empower them. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative research used in-depth interviews with 15 women to investigate their perceptions regarding the challenges affecting their businesses. Semi-structured interviews were used to allow participants flexibility in expressing their views and experiences. The results from the interviews were analysed using NVIVO software to identify themes and categories. Findings It was found that women entrepreneurs in Jordan still face many challenges, primarily related to family responsibilities, networking and physical mobility. Research limitations/implications Recommendations for scholars and decision makers are presented to reduce the impact of the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Jordan. Originality/value This research contributes to the current entrepreneurial literature as it provides a deeper understanding of the experiences of women entrepreneurs in Jordan. Thus, it heeds the call for more research on women entrepreneurs in developing countries. In shedding light on the experiences of female entrepreneurs in Jordan, this paper provides strong arguments for challenging the traditional social perceptions regarding the roles of women.

scholarly journals The role of government and the international competitiveness of SMEs

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 296-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Appiah ◽  
Collins Osei ◽  
Habte Selassie ◽  
Ellis Osabutey
Keyword(s):  
International Competitiveness ◽  
Export Promotion ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Exporting Firms ◽  
Horticultural Products ◽  
Policymaking And Implementation

Purpose The nature of international markets and the challenges with respect to the competitiveness of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) makes it imperative to examine government support. This study aims to assess the role and effectiveness of government and the export promotion agencies in supporting exports by non-traditional horticultural SMEs in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach The study used a qualitative research design, which involved semi-structured interviews with senior managers of six export facilitating institutions to gain an understanding of the services offered to SMEs with respect to exports of non-traditional horticultural products. Findings The findings reveal inadequate cost-efficient sources of non-traditional horticultural export financing for SMEs. This is a hindrance to the international competitiveness of exporting SMEs in developing countries such as Ghana. In addition, effective and coordinated support from export promotion agencies was found to be critical. Originality/value The study highlights the importance of government’s role in policymaking and implementation of export-led programmes for horticultural exporting firms in Ghana. Despite their strategic importance, this area of research has not attracted the attention of researchers, with little or no information on the horticultural international competitiveness of non-traditional horticultural products.

Motivations and challenges of women entrepreneurs

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 338-355
Author(s):  
Swati Shastri ◽  
Shruti Shastri ◽  
Abhishek Pareek
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Institutional Perspective ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Gender Specific

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the motivations and key challenges women entrepreneurs experience in running small businesses in the Jaipur city of Rajasthan. Design/methodology/approach A purposive sample of 13 women entrepreneurs from a cross-section of enterprises is selected. A qualitative methodology based upon semi-structured, in-depth, exploratory interviews with female entrepreneurs is used which enables the respondents to give voice to their individual experiences. Findings The study reveals that pull factors including the urge for creativity, innovation, self-identity and independence, and to serve the society are the main motivations for female entrepreneurs to start their venture. From the institutional theory perspective, the challenges of female entrepreneurs originate mainly from informal institutions. A significant challenge is that their ability as a professional entrepreneur is not recognized and acknowledged by the society. Furthermore, the cultural norms reflected in the gender-specific role distribution result in the problem of work–life balance. The challenges emerging from the formal institutions do not appear to be pervasive and gender specific. Originality/value The unique contribution of the study is to provide evidences on the motivations and challenges of women entrepreneurs in Rajasthan based on qualitative data derived from in-depth interviews. Furthermore, the study is the first attempt to view the motivations and challenges of female entrepreneurs from an institutional perspective for India in general and Rajasthan in particular.

Can halal certification influence logistics performance?

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Syazwan Ab Talib ◽  
Abu Bakar Abdul Hamid ◽  
Thoo Ai Chin
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
Resource Based View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to establish the halal certification–logistics performance relationship by means of developing a theoretical model and to suggest areas for future research undertakings. The relationship between various forms of certification and logistics performance has been reported in many logistics literature. However, there is paucity in research concerning the relationship between halal certification and logistics performance. Design/methodology/approach The literature representing the concept of halal, halal logistics, institutional support and logistics performance are synthesised to develop a framework. Two distinguished management theories, namely, the resource-based view (RBV) and institutional theory, set the foundation of the proposed theoretical framework. Findings The paper suggests that proper application of resources, in this case halal certification, could positively influence logistics performance. The paper asserts that governmental factors act as the moderator between the halal certification–logistics performance relationship, or could directly influence logistics performance. Research limitations/implications The paper presents a synthesis of previously unconnected variables of halal certification and logistics performance, and integrates the RBV and institutional theories as the basis for a theoretical framework. However, the proposed theoretical framework requires further validation through the supports of additional empirical research. Practical implications Apart from implementing halal certification as a tool to gain business legitimacy, the paper offers insights to logistics service provider as to how halal certification can be used as a mechanism to improve organisational performance, particularly logistics performance. Originality/value This paper is one of the first to establish the relation between halal certification and logistics performance and highlights the prominent role of government support as an independent and moderating factor. It constitutes a preliminary argument that entices research within the halal certification and halal logistics spectrum.

Do female and male entrepreneurs differ in their proneness to heuristics and biases?

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 357-375
Author(s):  
Pouria Nouri ◽  
Abdollah AhmadiKafeshani
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
The Body ◽  
Escalation Of Commitment ◽  
Heuristics And Biases ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Representativeness Heuristic ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Strong Body

Purpose Although heuristics and biases seal the fate of entrepreneurial enterprises by directly influencing entrepreneurs’ decisions, previous studies have ignored the role of gender in this regard by considering female and male entrepreneurs homogeneous in their susceptibility to heuristics and biases. Thus, this paper aims to advance the existing body of knowledge on heuristics and biases in the field of entrepreneurship by exploring two heuristics of affect and representativeness as well as three biases of overconfidence, escalation of commitment and illusion of control in female and male entrepreneurs’ entry and opportunity-related decisions. Design/methodology/approach The data were gathered through semi-structured and in-depth interviews with ten male and nine female Iranian techno-entrepreneurs active in advanced medicine and biotechnology. The gathered data were analyzed by thematic and narrative data analysis. Findings According to the results, while both male and female entrepreneurs show certain heuristics and biases, there are some noteworthy distinctions. More precisely, contrary to their male counterparts, the female entrepreneurs neither rely on the representativeness heuristic nor show any signs of the escalation of commitment in their decisions. Practical implications There are some valuable implications emanated from this study which could be of use for not only future researchers but also entrepreneurs, especially the ones founding and running small businesses themselves. Originality/value While there is a strong body of literature on heuristics and biases in the field of entrepreneurship, previous studies have considered female and male entrepreneurs homogeneous in their proneness to heuristics and biases. Thus, the current study enriches the body of knowledge by being the first comparative study of heuristics and biases in female and male entrepreneurs’ decisions.

scholarly journals Innovation Capabilities and the Performance of Start-Ups in Korea: The Role of Government Support Policies

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6009
Author(s):  
Se-Kyoung Choi ◽  
Sangyun Han ◽  
Kyu-Tae Kwak
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Financial Support ◽  
Political Support ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Start Ups

What kind of capacity is needed to improve the performance of start-ups? How effective are government support policies in improving start-up performance? Start-ups are critical firm group for ensuring the prospective and sustainable growth of an economy, and thus many countries’ governments have established support policies and they are likely to engage more widely in forward-looking political support activities to ensure further growth and expansion. In this paper, the effect of innovation capabilities and government support policies on start-up performance is examined. We used an unbalanced panel data analysis with a random effect generalized least squares. We investigated the effect of government support policies on 4368 Korean start-ups. The findings indicated that technology and knowledge capabilities had positive effects on the sales performance of start-ups, and government financial support positively affected the relationship between knowledge capability and firm performance. However, when government financial support increased, marketing capability was negatively associated with firm performance. These results demonstrate the significant role of government financial support, including its crowding in but also its crowding out effect. Practical implications: To be more effective, governments should employ innovation-driven entrepreneurship policy approaches to support start-ups. To improve their performance, start-ups need to increase their technology and knowledge capabilities. This study extends recent efforts to understand more fully the effect of government support policies on start-ups differing in their technology, knowledge, and marketing capabilities.

An investigation of the control role and effectiveness of independent non-executive directors in Malaysian public listed companies

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 582-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hairul Azlan Annuar ◽  
Hafiz Majdi Abdul Rashid
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Executive Directors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Company Directors

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to ascertain the control role of independent non-executive directors (INEDs) in Malaysian public listed companies (PLCs), as prescribed in the Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance (MCCG).The MCCG (2000) requires substantive involvement of INEDs on the audit, nomination and remuneration board sub-committees. The study also examines the effectiveness of INEDs in discharging their monitoring roles in these sub-committees. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research design consisting of a series of interviews with board members of Malaysian-owned PLCs on the board of Bursa Malaysia was used. Findings – Interviews with 27 company directors reveal that, due to their independence, INEDs are crucial in safeguarding the interests of smaller investors if situations arise in which shareholders’ interests may be threatened. The interviews also disclose that the audit committee possesses the most authority among the sub-committees, as it derives its power not only from the Listing Requirements but also from statute, as well as being involved in areas of the company not traditionally associated with the committee. The study also reveals the differences in opinion between executive directors and INEDs with regard to the extent of INEDs’ effectiveness. Research limitations/implications – This research utilises interviews. Generalisation may be an issue when interviews are used as the method of inquiry. In addition, the sample is not random, as access to many directors is dependent on recommendations. In addition, the respondents have been consciously selected to cover various board positions, including independent and non-independent directors. Practical implications – The findings from this research suggest that INEDs are able to discharge their responsibilities in overseeing the conduct of executives and protecting the interests of investors. In addition, the interviews disclose that the effectiveness of INEDs depends on how non-executive directors view INEDs being on the board. Rather than focusing solely on their control role, INEDS are expected to have a more proactive and progressive role in ensuring sustainable growth and the expansion of the business entity. Originality/value – There are limited studies using qualitative research design in investigating the effectiveness of INEDs in the control role of the board in developing countries. Prior studies were predominantly based upon the experience of Western economies.

A strategy tripod perspective on merger effectiveness in the higher education industry: the mediating role of future foresight

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahraa Sameer Sajwani ◽  
Joe Hazzam ◽  
Abdelmounaim Lahrech ◽  
Muna Alnuaimi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Education Industry ◽  
Higher Education Industry

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to investigate the role of the strategy tripod premises, mediated by future foresight and its effect on merger effectiveness in the higher education industry.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative survey method was implemented, with the data provided by senior managers of 14 universities that went through a merger from the years 2013–2016. The proposed model was tested using partial least squares (PLS) of structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThe results indicate that government support, competitive intensity and knowledge creation capability relate positivity to merger effectiveness, and these relationships are mediated by future foresight competence.Originality/valueThe study provides a better understanding of merger effectiveness in the higher education industry by identifying the role of future foresight competence in the application of strategy tripod and its contribution on merger effectiveness. Results indicate that future foresight competence contributes to the merger effectiveness and enables the effective implementation of the strategy tripod dimensions in higher education mergers.

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