The centrality of organisational factors in the growth of new technology-based firms

PurposeNew technology-based firms (NTBFs) are a great potential source of job creation and economic growth. In France, strong heterogeneity of their growth trajectories is observed yet many of them remain small. A better understanding of these trajectories is thus necessary. The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of individual and organisational factors on 253 growth trajectories of NTBFs.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use a Heckman ordered probit model to study explanatory factors of growth trajectories in NTBFs created between 1999 and 2012. This method allows them to study the determinants of the presence of a growth dynamics at the same time as the determinants of growth intensity.FindingsThe model shows that entrepreneurs play a weak role in understanding the growth trajectories of their company. Rather, it is organisational factors – such as the level of innovation and the governance structure – that explain initiation of a growth trajectory and the intensity of the growth.Originality/valueBy using an original methodology, the authors highlight the importance of organisational factors and encourage entrepreneurs to develop a governance structure focused on internal stakeholders to support growth.

Competence at technology entrepreneurship: an interpretive view

PurposeTechnology entrepreneur' competence is one of the main domains of study in the field of technology entrepreneurship. In the dominant rationalistic view, competence is seen as constituted by a set of components used in performing particular functions. This study aims to expand this field of study by using an interpretive view.Design/methodology/approachPhenomenology is proposed and explored as an interpretive methodology that is more compatible with technology entrepreneurship. The empirical material is based on interviews with 19 technology entrepreneurs who have established new technology-based firms in Iran.FindingsFindings show that the nature of the technology entrepreneurship's competence is emergent, holistic and relational. Also, the entrepreneurs' perception of entrepreneurship specifies which competence's components they develop and what meaning these components take.Originality/valueBy examining how technology entrepreneurs experience competence in the context of business creation, this study moves beyond the lists or categories of competencies, and it contributes to a broader understanding of competence at technology entrepreneurship.

Relationship between Organizational Climate and Innovation Capability in New Technology-Based Firms

Successfully developing a new product, service, or production process for commercial purposes involves complex and dynamic changes, and therefore requires an organizational climate that fosters innovation. In this sense, the means by which knowledge is created and exploited in the firm constitute its key competence and the source of its innovation capabilities. The research objective was to establish the relationship between organizational climate and innovation capability. The sample consisted of 102 Colombian new technology-based firms. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and PLSpredict were used for the statistical analysis. The results indicate that the organizational climate positively and directly influences the innovation capability (organizational ambidexterity, exploration, and exploitation). The findings obtained will help firms, especially those that require a lot of knowledge and carry out their activities in dynamic environments, to understand how organizational climate influences innovation capability, which is understood through the dimensions of exploration, exploitation, and organizational ambidexterity. This will provide new technology-based firms with a higher capacity to adapt to the conditions of uncertainty and complexity of the environment.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONDITIONS OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND INNOVATION CAPABILITY IN NEW TECHNOLOGY-BASED FIRMS

Successfully developing a new product, service or production process for commercial purposes involves complex and dynamic changes, and therefore requires conditions of knowledge management that fosters innovation. In this sense, processes by which knowledge is created and exploited in the firm constitute key competence and source of innovation capabilities. The objective of the study is to examine the relationship between conditions of knowledge management and innovation capability. The sample consists of 102 Colombian new technology-based firms. According to results, conditions of knowledge management has a positive effect on innovation capability, specifically flexible structure, information and communications technology, strategic purpose, and competitive environment. The results help firms, especially those that require a lot of knowledge and carry out their activities in uncertain and dynamic environments, to management and understand how the processes of innovation capability are influenced by the conditions of knowledge management.

Studying the content characteristics of New Technology-Based Firms

New technology-based firms (NTBFs) have a significant contribution to economic growth, and in particular to the promotion of innovation and job creation. For this reason, many countries are seeking to establish and grow such institutions using incentive policies. Despite their economic importance, there is no single definition of these companies and several definitions for these types of companies are tailored to the purpose of each study. As for the nature of study, it is important to produce a coherent framework of NTBFs’ characteristics; therefore, the purpose of the present study is to identify the characteristics of NTBFs. For this purpose, the researches that covered the nature of this concept from 1990 to 2011 were analyzed using content analysis. In the first phase, definitions of these companies were compiled; subsequently, effective characteristics were identified to provide a clear nature of these companies. The results of this research led to the identification, confirmation and prioritization of five characteristics, i.e. newness, possessing high-technology, independence, small size in terms of employees and volume of sales, and capital funding by company founders, all of which were prioritized according to the most frequent characteristics in the studied articles. The final result of this study is to guide and streamline future research by achieving theoretical coherence in defining this concept.