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The research aims to investigate how digital transformation (DT), entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and socioemotional wealth (SEW) impact the financial performance of family firms in uncertain business environments. Drawing from existing literature, we propose that DT and EO drive firm performance. Additionally, we suggest a new role for SEW, which positively moderates this relationship in family firms, especially in terms of risk behavior and innovation for survival.

We used the STEP Consortium’s 2020–2021 database, derived from a global survey that explored how family businesses responded to environmental shocks. Following STEP’s definitions, we proposed three hypotheses and tested two models using structural equation modeling.

The findings show that EO significantly enhances the impact of DT on family firm performance. Family businesses exhibit a notable willingness to take strategic venture risks to protect their SEW. These findings align with conclusions drawn in related literature, supporting all hypothesized relationships proposed.

The study has made an applied contribution by challenging the misconception that family firms are outdated and provides insights into supporting their approach to entrepreneurship, innovation and transgenerational entrepreneurship. Furthermore, it provides business families and consultants with a new view of SEW as a strategic asset.

Our study adds to the literature by showing how entrepreneurial orientation catalyzes the positive impact of digital transformation on firm financial performance. We also highlight the contextual influence on family firm decision-makers' risk propensity, which affects SEW development and firm outcomes. This context dependency of SEW can hinder or enhance performance, offering new research and support avenues for family firms.

This study aims to squeeze some critical viewpoints from the shifting landscape of business research (she), that conceals her true personality. Today, she is relentlessly struggling to strike a good balance between science and creativity. Therefore, she resolves to pivot the scholarly attention towards “scientific creativity”.

Business research is personified in this viewpoint paper. By adopting the methodology of third-person omniscient, the author pens the introspections of contemporary business research, and how she would express herself in modern times if she were a living person.

Business research introspects that she is suffering from the phenomena of “existential crisis” and “popularity fallacy” in contemporary times. Though she believes that the science of business research is evolving significantly, worries about becoming scientifically monotonous grip her in the dark of the nights. She laments the grim reality of today; studies of a similar nature dominate the research literature while the philosopher in her is fading gradually. Therefore, she calls for more “scientific creativity”. She realises that solving societal problems must remain her foremost priority. However, she believes that her priorities towards society and world peace depend on whether she could revitalise the fading philosopher of personality.

The current viewpoint paper is an attempt to shed some light on the landscape of contemporary business research, which is undergoing unremitting changes. It also highlights the desirable changes in the context of business research.

The lean startup approach (LSA) is extensively utilized by early-stage entrepreneurs, with “pivot” serving as a key pillar. However, there is a research gap concerning the boundary conditions impacting LSA and pivot decisions, especially when addressing societal challenges, as in the context of transformational entrepreneurship. In this regard, the healthcare sector, further compounded by a lack of research on startups and scale-ups, presents an embraced opportunity to provide multiple contributions for both theory and practice.

The present investigation employs a grounded approach to explore the experiences of the co-founders of a fast-growing Italian e-health startup. A narrative strategy was employed to organize conditions and evolving strategic action/interactions into three different pivoting phases of the startup – before the pivot, its enactment and aftermath – with primary and secondary data collected over a period of one year.

Pivoting in digital healthcare unfolded as a liminal experience marked by factors such as high regulation, multiple stakeholders, technological and symbolic ambivalence, resource-intensive demands and institutional actors acting as pathway pioneers, leading to an information overload and unforeseeable uncertainty to manage. These factors challenge entrepreneurs' ability to attain optimal distinctiveness, presenting the paradoxical need for vertical flexibility for scaling up.

By uniquely illuminating the sector’s constraints on entrepreneurial phenomena, this study provides a valuable guide for entrepreneurs and institutional actors in addressing societal challenges.

This study introduces a process model of transformational information crafting when pivoting, highlighting the role of entrepreneurs' transformational stance and platform-mediated solutions as engines behind strategies involving information breaking and transition, preceding knowledge-driven integration strategies.

This study aims to address the effects of self-esteem and affective commitment on firm performance and whether these effects vary according to the gender and age of active entrepreneurial students.

This study uses a subsample from the Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Students’ Survey (GUESSS) of entrepreneur students running their own businesses to perform a structural equation model (SEM) analysis to test the relationship between self-esteem (SE), affective commitment (AC) and firm performance (FP) moderated by the gender and age of entrepreneur students.

The results confirm that higher levels of entrepreneur SE are related to a higher assessment of AC and FP. A major effect of SE on AC was also observed among male respondents. Age was not related to an increase in AC. The effect of SE on AC and FP was lower among older students.

This study makes valuable contributions to the fields of entrepreneurship, psychology, gender and organizational behavior. This study presents empirical support for the theoretical framework using SEM, presenting initial insights into the mechanisms that shape AC in entrepreneurial students and its implications for FP.

Esta investigación tiene como objetivo analizar la influencia del género, la edad y la autoestima (SE) de los emprendedores en el compromiso afectivo (AC) de los estudiantes universitarios con sus emprendimientos y cómo se relacionan con el desempeño subjetivo de la empresa (FP).

Utilizamos los datos de la encuesta GUESSS de 2018 para realizar un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales (SEM) para determinar los efectos directos del género, la edad y la SE en el AC, sus efectos directos e indirectos en el FP y los efectos directos y papel mediador del AC hacia el FP, para estudiantes emprendedores.

Los resultados confirman que niveles más altos de SE están relacionados con niveles más altos de AC de los emprendedores a sus emprendimientos y una mayor evaluación de FP. Además, los hombres reportan niveles más altos de AC y FP que sus contrapartes femeninas, al tiempo que el género tiene un efecto importante en la relación del SE en el AC. La edad no está relacionada con el aumento del AC, pero el efecto de la SE sobre el AC disminuye con el incremento de la edad, y los valores de FP también se reducen para los estudiantes mayores en comparación con los estudiantes más jóvenes. Los niveles más altos de AC están relacionados con valores más altos de FP, y existe un efecto de mediación de AC para el género y SE sobre FP.

este estudio proporciona valiosas contribuciones a los campos del emprendimiento, la psicología, el género y el comportamiento organizacional. Primero, presentamos un marco teórico que integra postulados de emprendimiento FP, AC, SE, edad y género. Luego, probamos empíricamente nuestro marco teórico utilizando SEM y presentamos resultados iniciales sobre los mecanismos que dan forma al AC en estudiantes emprendedores y sus implicaciones para el FP.

Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar a influência do gênero, da idade e da autoestima (SE) dos empreendedores no comprometimento afetivo (AC) dos universitários com seus empreendimentos e como eles se relacionam com o desempenho subjetivo da empresa (FP).

Utilizamos dados da pesquisa GUESSS de 2018 para realizar uma modelagem de equações estruturais (SEM) para determinar os efeitos diretos de gênero, idade e SE na AC, seus efeitos diretos e indiretos no FP e os efeitos diretos e papel mediador do AC na FP, para estudantes empreendedores.

Os resultados confirmam que níveis mais elevados de SE estão relacionados com níveis mais elevados de AC dos empreendedores para os seus empreendimentos e uma maior avaliação do FP. Além disso, os homens relatam níveis mais elevados de AC e FP do que as mulheres, embora tenham um efeito importante da SE na AC. A idade não está relacionada com o aumento da AC, mas o efeito do SE na AC diminui com o aumento da idade, e os valores de FP também diminuem para os alunos mais velhos em comparação com os alunos mais jovens. Níveis mais elevados de AC estão relacionados a valores mais elevados de FP, e há efeito mediador da AC para gênero e SE sobre FP.

Este estudo fornece contribuições valiosas para as áreas de empreendedorismo, psicologia, gênero e comportamento organizacional. Primeiro, apresentamos um quadro teórico que integra postulados de empreendedorismo em FP, AC, SE, idade e género. Em seguida, testamos empiricamente o nosso enquadramento teórico utilizando SEM e apresentamos resultados iniciais sobre os mecanismos que moldam o AC em estudantes empreendedores e as suas implicações para o FP.

This paper examines the relationship between entrepreneurs' internality of causal attributions and firm growth during an economic crisis. We propose a U-shaped relationship between the two variables, arguing that the highest-growth entrepreneurs are those with either the highest or lowest levels of internal attribution (IA) during such periods.

To test our hypothesis, we analyze a database of 804 interviews with entrepreneurs in Brazil during a period of economic stress. Due to the existence of endogeneity, we estimate a model of simultaneous equations in two stages.

We find evidence of a U-shaped relationship. This means that during economic stress, the fastest-growing entrepreneurs are those who rely more on their own effort (high IA) and those who attribute their success to the economic crisis (low IA).

Tailoring interventions based on attribution patterns and recognizing the U-shaped relationship ensures effective support during economic stress. Entrepreneurial support programs should align with internality levels, emphasizing external awareness or skill development accordingly. Policymakers should take attributions into account when promoting financial resilience. Entrepreneurs would benefit from awareness programs on attributions for reflective decision-making. Ecosystems should foster collaboration by recognizing diverse attributions, enhancing a collective understanding of entrepreneurial responses in crises.

Our results have important implications for understanding the role of entrepreneurs in economic crises. Our results are relevant because they challenge the usual claim that entrepreneurs with high IA are the ones who perform better in situations where external economic conditions are adverse.

The context of a long-standing research tradition, discrimination has emerged as a critical factor contributing to inequalities within the labor market. While existing studies have primarily focused on overt discrimination during the recruitment and selection process, influenced by biases, attitudes, or stereotypes, there remains a significant knowledge gap regarding discrimination within the workplace and its underlying structural dimensions. This article aims to address this gap by examining the impact of organizational culture, structure and policies on workplace discrimination, with a particular emphasis on women and ethnic minorities.

Utilizing a case study strategy centered around a Belgian branch of a multinational professional service agency, data was gathered through ten semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with employees representing various organizational levels.

The findings reveal that organizational culture, structure and policies may pose inherent risks in perpetuating discrimination throughout individuals' professional trajectories. Furthermore, it becomes apparent that, albeit often unconscious, these elements exhibit biases against women and ethnic minorities.

Given the unintentional nature of structural discrimination, it is crucial to foster increased awareness and understanding of these dynamics.

The originality of this research article lies in its focus on addressing a critical knowledge gap in the existing research tradition on discrimination in the labor market. While previous studies have primarily concentrated on overt discrimination during recruitment and selection, this article delves into the often overlooked area of discrimination within the workplace itself. It explores the intricate interplay of organizational culture, structure and policies in perpetuating discrimination, particularly against women and ethnic minorities. By utilizing a case study approach within a multinational professional service agency in Belgium, the research uncovers hidden biases and unconscious elements contributing to structural discrimination. This emphasis on understanding unintentional discrimination adds a novel dimension to the discourse on workplace inequalities.

This study aims to understand the relationship between entrepreneurial competencies (self-efficacy and social capital) and sustainable entrepreneurship and its incidence through entrepreneurial motivations (opportunity and necessity entrepreneurship).

The authors adopt a quantitative approach and use ordinary least squares regressions and bootstrapping analysis to test the hypotheses about the relationship between entrepreneurial competencies and sustainable entrepreneurship mediated by entrepreneurial motivations using a cross-sectional sample of 2,356 nascent entrepreneurs from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2021–2022 report.

Evidence suggests that sustainable entrepreneurship is positively influenced by both opportunity- and necessity-driven entrepreneurship. Additionally, the results show that both entrepreneurial motivations positively mediate the relationship between self-efficacy and sustainable entrepreneurship.

The approach departs from the traditional unidimensional perspective on entrepreneurial motivations, recognizing that an entrepreneur can simultaneously embody varying degrees of both motivations. By integrating the study of entrepreneurial competencies and motivations into sustainable entrepreneurship, we can gain a holistic understanding of the dynamics at play.

El objetivo de este estudio es comprender la relación entre las competencias emprendedoras (autoeficacia y capital social) con el emprendimiento sostenible y su incidencia a través de las motivaciones emprendedoras (emprendimiento por oportunidad y por necesidad).

Adoptamos un enfoque cuantitativo y utilizamos regresiones de mínimos cuadrados ordinarios (MCO) y análisis de bootstrapping para probar nuestras hipótesis sobre la relación entre las competencias emprendedoras y el emprendimiento sostenible mediado por las motivaciones emprendedoras utilizando una muestra transversal de 2.356 emprendedores nacientes del informe Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2021–2022.

La evidencia sugiere que tanto el emprendimiento de oportunidad como el de necesidad tienen un impacto positivo en el emprendimiento sostenible. Además, encontramos que ambas motivaciones emprendedoras median positivamente la relación entre la autoeficacia y el emprendimiento sostenible.

Nuestro enfoque se aleja de la tradicional perspectiva unidimensional de las motivaciones emprendedoras, reconociendo que un emprendedor puede encarnar simultáneamente diversos grados de ambas motivaciones. Al integrar el estudio de las competencias y motivaciones emprendedoras en el emprendimiento sostenible, obtenemos una comprensión holística de la dinámica en juego.

Este artigo tem como objetivo compreender a relação entre as competências empreendedoras (autoeficácia e capital social), e o empreendedorismo sustentável e sua incidência por meio de motivações empreendedoras (empreendedorismo de oportunidade e necessidade).

Adotamos uma abordagem quantitativa e usamos regressões de mínimos quadrados ordinários (OLS) e análise de bootstrapping para testar nossas hipóteses sobre a relação entre competências empresariais e empreendedorismo sustentável mediada por motivações empresariais usando uma amostra transversal de 2.356 empreendedores nascentes do relatório Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2021–2022.

As evidências sugerem que o empreendedorismo sustentável é influenciado positivamente pelo empreendedorismo orientado pela oportunidade e pela necessidade. Além disso, os resultados mostram que ambas as motivações empresariais mediam positivamente a relação entre a autoeficácia e o empreendedorismo sustentável.

Nossa abordagem se afasta da perspectiva unidimensional tradicional sobre as motivações empresariais, reconhecendo que um empreendedor pode incorporar simultaneamente vários graus de ambos os ases motivações. Ao integrar o estudo das competências e motivações empresariais ao empreendedorismo sustentável, obtemos uma compreensão holística da dinâmica em jogo.

The paper draws extensively from Aristotle’s Poetics, a classical work on the aesthetics of drama. Drawing from symbolic and thematic elements from folklore and mythology, this paper aims to illustrate how the Poetics can be referenced as an allegorical device in the design of culture-building strategies and interventions.

This exploratory paper examines Aristotle’s “Poetics” and the range of creative expression this literature provides as a conceptual design framework for the development of a culture map in creating a distinctive organisational mythology. The Poetics articulates an Aristotelian perspective on theatre which infuses itself as a new language in offering structural and archetypical plot devices in the development of an organisational narrative.

Findings from this explorative study can provide a creative roadmap to culture practitioners and leaders, to be used as a determining reference point in developing culture maps and change management interventions.

Poetics has its detractors, notably Bertolt Brecht and Augusto Boal. Boal examines how Poetics promotes a narrative that suppresses free thinking and encourages a cult of feudal personality, therefore encouraging industrial and cultural oppression, which he rebelled against through the development of his “Theatre of the Oppressed”. This new kind of theatre discarded the Aristotelian model of thinking. Ideas proposed in the Poetics may also lend verisimilitude to the propagation of obsessive consumerism through the definitive symbolism it offers in the development of institutionalised personality cults.

The Poetics as a creatively driven reflexive study provides a forward movement in the study of culture design templates. Its definitive allegorical devices and metaphors act as action principles through which an enterprise culture and its value system can be examined and developed.

There is a gap in understanding with regards to the discrimination and prejudice experienced by gay entrepreneurs. To address this, an intersectional perspective is adopted to facilitate a better understanding of how lesbian and gay entrepreneurs may experience heterosexism.

This qualitative study uses semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences of 14 lesbian and gay entrepreneurs as they navigate homophobia and heterosexism.

The study contributes novel insights to the field of entrepreneurship, extending the study of lesbian and gay entrepreneurs to include gender and a fine-grained analysis of the experience of heterosexism. Its inclusion of an intersectional perspective of the lesbian-female entrepreneur expands the emerging body of literature examining intersectional identities of minority entrepreneurs.

The authors provide a more nuanced understanding of the impact of heterosexism on LGBT+ entrepreneurial activities. This is facilitated by the authors' adoption of an intersectional perspective which shows how the different axes of identity influenced gender identity performance in relation to the model of perceived neutrality in LGBT+ entrepreneurship. The authors also make an original contribution to minority stress literature through the authors' exploration of one facet of minority entrepreneurship, namely the impact of heterosexism on LGBT+ entrepreneurial activities.

This study aims to outline the research field of initial public offerings (IPOs) pricing and performance by combining bibliometric analysis with a systematic literature review process.

The study uses over three decades of IPO publication records (1989–2020) from Scopus and Web of Science databases. An analysis of keyword co-occurrence and bibliometric coupling was used to gain insights into the evolution of IPO literature.

The study categorized the IPO research field into four primary clusters: IPO pricing and short-run behaviour, IPO performance and influence of intermediaries, venture capital financing and top management and political affiliations and litigation risks. The results offer a framework for delineating research advancements at different stages of IPOs and illustrate the growing interest of researchers in IPOs in recent years. The study identified future research potential in the areas of corporate governance, earning management and investor sentiments related to IPO performance. Similarly, the study highlighted the opportunity to test multiple theoretical frameworks on alternative investment platforms (SME IPO platforms) operating under distinct regulatory environments.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper represents the first instance of using both bibliometric and systematic review to quantitatively and qualitatively review the articles published in the area of IPO pricing and performance from 1989 to 2020.