Causal recipes for high performance: An exploratory comparative study of young high-technology firms from India and the UK
International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research
ISSN: 1355-2554
Article publication date: 26 August 2014
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore and compare causal recipes for high performance among young Indian and UK firms in high-tech industries.
Design/methodology/approach
The traditional configuration approach suggests using the leadership, strategy, structure, and environment domains to identify configurations. In response to calls to improve causal linkages, and drawing on work on start-ups’ configurations, entrepreneurial orientation is used with these four domains to identify configurations. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis is used to analyze data collected via questionnaires from 70 Indian and 21 UK young firms.
Findings
In all five configurations identified in UK context, firms adopt high external integration, and employ inorganic development strategies, exhibit high internal integration, or do not operate in a highly competitive industry. These firms carve out niches, enjoy strong linkages with supply chain partners, and have strong enough reputations that their environment is not highly competitive. Although employees are told what to do, autonomy is provided on how to do it. Among the nine Indian configurations, a large number of managers with high-growth experience is absent in eight, high internal integration is lacking in six, and high external integration is missing in five. These firms employ alternative recipes for success, as discussed in the paper.
Originality/value
Comparing configurations in the Indian and UK contexts, the paper highlights similarities and differences across configurations, and that founders devise alternate pathways to achieve high performance. It also notes changes in relationships among variables across configurations.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Professor(s) Kulwant Singh, Paul Kattuman, C.R. (Bob) Hinings, Axel Marx, seminar participants at Cambridge Judge Business School Winter Doctoral Conference 2012, Martina Battisti, and anonymous reviewers for their inputs on previous drafts of this paper. Krishna would also like to thank Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, UK for the scholarship that enabled him to visit Judge Business School and collect firm-level data from UK.
Citation
Chandra Balodi, K. and Prabhu, J. (2014), "Causal recipes for high performance: An exploratory comparative study of young high-technology firms from India and the UK", International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, Vol. 20 No. 6, pp. 542-561. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-10-2013-0168
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited