Outsourcing in startups

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Kalil Steinbruch ◽  
Bernardo Soares Fernandes ◽  
Leandro da Silva Nascimento ◽  
Paulo Antônio Zawislak
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Development Stage ◽  
Attractive Alternative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Core Business ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
The Core ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
Structure Knowledge

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the main activities that startups outsource and the elements involved in outsourcing decisions. Design/methodology/approach A multi-case study composed of Brazilian startups was conducted. Data through interviews and secondary sources were obtained. Two groups of startups were considered and analyzed comparatively: startups in the development stage and in the sales stage. Findings The findings show that even though the literature suggests that the core business should not be outsourced, some startups do have to outsource this kind of activity. That was the main difference found between startups in the sales stage and in the development stage: the former group has a solid structure, knowledge and resources, so they can keep the core business inside the firm; whereas the latter group has little experience, scarce knowledge and resources, making outsourcing a more attractive alternative. Originality/value Theoretically, this paper approaches a perspective underexplored in the innovation and management literature: outsourcing in startups. It highlights how outsourcing, as a decision between making and buying, can help startups to improve success potential. In practice, this paper discusses and demonstrates why and what can be outsourced by startups in the development and in the sales stages to overcome their limitations and, consequently, achieve better innovative results.

Analyzing the formation of a paradoxical organizational identity

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 1227-1241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Felix
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Identity ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Single Case Study ◽  
Construction Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Core ◽  
Optimal Distinctiveness ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose This study aims to understand the construction process of an organizational identity in a hybrid organization. Design/methodology/approach The author developed a single case study based on in-depth interviews, non-participant observations and document analysis in a credit cooperative. Findings After periods of changes in organizational identity (from idealism to pragmatism), the formation of a paradoxical organizational identity was observed in which the core value became a central polarity between idealism and pragmatism; after periods when members engaged in actions that promoted resistance or change, they framed past events in a story of stable dynamics between idealism and pragmatism; and pro-distinctiveness and -similarity forces in relation to other organizations were reconciled in a quest for optimal distinctiveness that simultaneously enabled the development of uniqueness and adequacy. Originality/value This is the first study to adopt a paradox perspective to analyze the identity of a cooperative.

“For a colleen's complexion”: soap and the politicization of a brand personality, 1888-1916

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Philip O'Connor
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Brand Personality ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Home Rule ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to examine how the “colleen” archetype was used in the creation of a successful brand personality for a range of soap manufactured in Ireland during the early twentieth century. It reveals the commercial and political agendas behind this move and the colleen's later application to Ulster unionist graphic propaganda against Home Rule between 1914 and 1916. Design/methodology/approach – This case study is based on an analysis of primary and secondary sources; the former encompassing both graphic advertising material and ephemera. Findings – This paper demonstrates how contemporary pictorial advertising for colleen soap was suffused with text and imagery propounding Ulster's preservation within the UK. It also suggests that the popularity of this brand personality may have been a factor in the colleen's appropriation for propaganda purposes by certain strands within Ulster unionism. Originality/value – This paper is based on original research that expands the historical corpus of Irish visual representation, while also adding notably to discourses within the History of Marketing and Women's History.

Reputation on the line: the Starbucks cases

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger W. Hutt
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reference Points ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Core Business ◽  
Reputational Risk ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The paper aims to increase the understanding of reputational-risk management by examining company responses to potentially reputation-damaging incidents. Design/methodology/approach – Incidents with potential for damaging Starbucks Corporation’s reputation were described and summarized as were the company’s responses to those incidents. Findings – It was observed that the complexity of resolving a reputation-damaging incident was inversely related to its closeness to the company’s core business. Also, the longevity of incidents suggests the persistent influence of past events. Research limitations/implications – Limitations are that findings are not generalizable beyond this case study and that the bulk of the information collected pertained to one of the five incidents examined. Potential hypotheses for future research are suggested. Practical implications – Findings provide reference points and a context for managers responding to reputation-damaging incidents. Originality/value – The paper illustrates how reputation-damaging incidents can be complex and difficult to resolve the more removed they are from the company’s core business.

scholarly journals Experiential sponsorship activation at a sports mega-event: the case of Cisco at London 2012

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 404-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah Gillooly ◽  
Philip Crowther ◽  
Dominic Medway
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Design Principles ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
London 2012 ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
Mega Event ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the application of event design principles in the creation and execution of effective experiential sponsorship activations (ESAs) by B2B brands and examine the challenges posed by the sponsorship context to sponsors seeking to create ESAs, with proposed potential solutions. Design/methodology/approach A case study of Cisco’s ESA activities as part of its London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games sponsorship activation is developed, drawing on interviews with key Cisco employees and secondary sources of data, both internal and external to Cisco. Findings Blending the event design principles typically associated with B2B events with those more commonly found in corporate hospitality or B2C events enables sponsors to address the cognitive needs of attendees as business representatives, while also satisfying their needs as individuals seeking more sensorial experiences. Effective use of event design principles, creative marketing and promotion, and collaboration with other sponsors allow brands to overcome constraints placed on them by the unpredictable nature of sponsorship, sponsorship rights agreements and the increased clutter in the sponsorship environment. Research limitations/implications Existing knowledge on sponsorship activation is extended, drawing on principles of event design to offer a sponsor-focused perspective on the creation and execution of effective ESAs for B2B brands. Existing thinking around B2B event design is challenged and augmented when considering its application to ESA design. Practical implications Inter-sponsor collaboration and the blending of cognitive and sensorial elements of event design are important for sponsors seeking to create and deliver effective ESAs. Originality/value The paper draws on the event design literature to appraise the execution of ESA by B2B brands within the context of event sponsorship.

scholarly journals Family members as hybrid owner-managers in family-owned newspaper companies: handling multiple institutional logics

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Börje Boers ◽  
Thomas Andersson
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Institutional Logics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Empirical Material

PurposeThis article aims to increase the understanding of the role of individual actors and arenas in dealing with multiple institutional logics in family firms.Design/methodology/approachThis study follows a case-study approach of two family-owned newspaper companies. Based on interviews and secondary sources, the empirical material was analysed focussing on three institutional logics, that is, family logic, management logic and journalistic logic.FindingsFirst, the authors show how and in which arenas competing logics are balanced in family-owned newspaper companies. Second, the authors highlight that family owners are central actors in the process of balancing different institutional logics. Further, they analyse how family members can become hybrid owner-managers, meaning that they have access to all institutional logics and become central actors in the balancing process.Originality/valueThe authors reveal how multiple institutional logics are balanced in family firms by including formal actors and arenas as additional lenses. Therefore, owning family members, especially hybrid owner-managers, are the best-suited individual actors to balance competing logics. Hybrid owner-managers are members of the owner families who are also skilled in one or several professions.

Implementation Science

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee E. Nordstrum ◽  
Paul G. LeMahieu ◽  
Elaine Berrena
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Implementation Science ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
University Partnerships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Core ◽  
Potential Value ◽  
Science Approach ◽  
Theoretical Foundations

Purpose This paper is one of seven in this volume elaborating upon different approaches to quality improvement in education. This paper aims to delineate a methodology called Implementation Science, focusing on methods to enhance the reach, adoption, use and maintenance of innovations and discoveries in diverse education contexts. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents the origins, theoretical foundations, core principles and a case study showing an application of Implementation Science in education, namely, in promoting school–community–university partnerships to enhance resilience (PROSPER). Findings Implementation Science is concerned with understanding and finding solutions to the causes of variation in a program’s outcomes relating to its implementation. The core phases are: initial considerations about the host context; creating an implementation structure; sustaining the structure during implementation; and improving future applications. Originality/value Few theoretical treatments and demonstration cases are currently available on commonly used models of quality improvement in other fields that might have potential value in improving education systems internationally. This paper fills this gap by elucidating one promising approach. The paper also derives value, as it permits a comparison of the Implementation Science approach with other quality improvement approaches treated in this volume.

A Data-driven project categorization process for portfolio selection

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghizlane El bok ◽  
Abdelaziz Berrado
Keyword(s):  
Portfolio Selection ◽  
Automotive Industry ◽  
Clustering Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Computing Technology ◽  
Suggested Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Literature

Purpose Categorizing projects allows for better alignment of a portfolio with the organizational strategy and goals. An appropriate project categorization helps understand portfolio’s structure and enables proper project portfolio selection (PPS). In practice, project categorization is, however, conducted in intuitive approaches. Furthermore, little attention has been given to project categorization methods in the project management literature. The purpose of this paper is to provide researchers and practitioners with a data-driven project categorization process designed for PPS. Design/methodology/approach The suggested process was modeled considering the main characteristics of project categorization systems revealed from the literature. The clustering analysis is used as the core-computing technology, allowing for an empirically based categorization. This study also presents a real-world case study in the automotive industry to illustrate the proposed approach. Findings This study confirmed the potential of clustering analysis for a consistent project categorization. The most important attributes that influenced the project grouping have been identified including strategic and intrinsic features. The proposed approach helps increase the visibility of the portfolio’s structure and the comparability of its components. Originality/value There is a lack of research regarding project categorization methods, particularly for the purpose of PPS. A novel data-driven process is proposed to help mitigate the issues raised by prior researchers including the inconsistencies, ambiguities and multiple interpretations related to the taken-for-granted categories. The suggested approach is also expected to facilitate projects evaluation and prioritization within appropriate categories and contribute in PPS effectiveness.

scholarly journals Professional sports teams: going beyond the core

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 554-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Pritchard ◽  
David Cook ◽  
Andrew Jones ◽  
Tom Bason ◽  
Paul Salisbury ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Professional Sports ◽  
Internal Marketing ◽  
Sporting Events ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sports Teams ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
The Core

Purpose The addition of products to the core of matches by professional sports teams (PSTs) has received much coverage. However, there has been limited work as to how their stadiums are used to stage non-sporting events. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how clubs in the English Football League (EFL) use their venues to diversify into other markets. Design/methodology/approach Secondary sources were used to categorise the teams who played in the EFL by: average division turnover, stadium capacity and stadium age. Semi-structured interviews were held with a member of the commercial teams of 21 clubs. Findings Clubs use their stadiums to supply a range of products and working with partners is commonplace. These products are targeted at a range of stakeholders, such as supporters, the local community and regionally based organisations. In addition to their own efforts, increased geographical coverage for clubs usually develops in three ways: via internal marketing by local organisations who use the facilities, agents who market the stadium for the club and the EFL who market the league/clubs holistically. Research limitations/implications The use of a stadium allows PSTs to diversify by providing new products for new markets. In this instance it has led to the development of capabilities in areas such as conferencing, funerals and weddings. Originality/value This is one of the first papers to examine the capabilities developed by PSTs that lie outside the staging of matches.

Reassessing Elton Mayo: clarifying contradictions and context

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff Muldoon ◽  
Joshua Bendickson ◽  
Antonina Bauman ◽  
Eric W. Liguori
Keyword(s):  
Critical Review ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Monetary Incentives ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
Elton Mayo

Purpose Elton Mayo was a professor at a prestigious university, but not a researcher; a scholar, but more concerned with executives; a capitalist, but someone who downplayed monetary incentives; an insider, but someone whose own background was more of an outsider. These contradictions have resulted in scholars questioning Mayo’s impact on the field of management. Thus, this paper aims to critically review Mayo and his contributions to management through a lens calibrated to the context of his time, providing a more contextually accurate view of Mayo and his work and offering a clearer view of his meaningful impact on the field. Design/methodology/approach Using a combination of primary and secondary sources, the authors connect otherwise disparate information to critically review Mayo’s work within the context of its era. Findings The authors’ critical review of Mayo identified nine topical areas where Mayo and/or his work have been misunderstood or misinterpreted. For each area, the authors offer a more contextualized and appropriate interpretation of Mayo and his viewpoints, and thus more accurately informing the management literature. Originality/value This paper is the first to thoroughly revisit Mayo and his work through a contextualized lens, offering a more informed view of why Mayo’s seemingly controversial behaviors were actually quite standard behaviors given his context.

scholarly journals Exercising library and information literacies through alternate reality gaming

2017 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 230-254
Author(s):  
Adam Jerrett ◽  
Theo J.D. Bothma ◽  
Koos de Beer
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Literacy Learning ◽  
First Century ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Core ◽  
Alternate Reality Game ◽  
Twenty First Century ◽  
Alternate Reality

Purpose Teaching students/library patrons twenty-first century literacies (such as information and library literacies) is important within a library setting. As such, finding an appropriate manner to teach these skills in a practical manner at tertiary level is important. As vehicles for constructivist learning, games provide a unique opportunity to teach these twenty-first century literacies in an engaging, practical, format. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the implementation of an alternate reality game (ARG) to teach these literacies through gameplay. Design/methodology/approach An ARG was designed and developed where the core gameplay tasks taught and exercised twenty-first century literacies. The game, once completed, was then analysed as a case study to determine the effectiveness of the game-based approach to literacy learning. Findings Throughout the play of the game, players spent increasingly more time in the library, often using it as a common meeting point during play. Players reported that they learnt or exercised the skills that each game task focussed on, additionally noting that the game-based context made the process of learning and exercising these skills more enjoyable. Originality/value The findings suggest that the creation of games, whether real world or digital, may be useful in engaging students/patrons with twenty-first century literacies as well as with their local library. The documentation of a successful ARG to teach twenty-first century literacies provides a model for future research to follow when designing engaging library-oriented games.

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