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The growing interest in food safety has led to food‐testing services becoming an issue of increasing importance. The demand for outsourced food‐testing services is growing. One of the results of these developments has been the internationalisation of such firms. This paper analyses the internationalisation of food‐testing services in the light of developments in the Nordic food‐testing market. The focus is on the external elements. These include development of the market to allow food‐testing firms to overcome problems and exploit opportunities arising from the fundamental changes in the nature of the market. The adopted internationalisation strategies of the Nordic food‐testing companies are studied. The key driver for internationalisation of firms is growth. Successful firms also need to maintain high levels of quality, speed of delivery, and competitive pricing.

Entrepreneurship-related research in management and organizational journals has experienced rapid growth, particularly in the last several years. The purpose of this study is to identify the researchers and universities that have had the greatest influence on entrepreneurship research since the turn of the century. Using a systematic and comprehensive study identification protocol, the authors delve into the individual and institutional actors contributing to scholarship in entrepreneurial studies for the period from 2000 to 2015. Examination of top-tier management and organizational journals revealed that a total of 371 entrepreneurship-related articles were published during this period by 618 authors from 303 different institutions. Rankings for the most prolific individuals as well as institutions, adjusted and unadjusted for journal quality, are presented. The article concludes with a discussion of the limitations and implications of the research undertaken here.

This chapter explores how hybrid organizations navigate the challenges (and opportunities) associated with advancing unconventional logic combinations. It draws from a study of the 180-year history of sheltered workshops in the United States. Sheltered workshops are hybrids that combine social and commercial logics to provide gainful employment to individuals with disabilities. This chapter theorizes a connection between the governance system – that is, country-based social norms and regulatory settlements – framing hybrids and the agency that allows them the discretion required to advance unconventional combinations. It introduces the term hybrid agency to describe this connection and identifies four types: upstream, midstream, downstream, and crosscurrent. Upstream agency draws from the entrepreneurial vision of charismatic founders. It allows hybrids the discretion to advance unconventional logic combinations in unsupportive times, but it also requires them to observe certain dominant cultural norms. Midstream agency draws from hybrids’ adaptation and advocacy skills and resources in periods of historical change. It allows access to resources and legitimacy for unconventional combinations. Downstream agency draws from organizational slack possible in supportive times. Slack eases tensions and tradeoffs between conflicting logics but may also fuel mission drift. Finally, crosscurrent agency also draws from hybrids’ adaptation and advocacy skills and resources. It provides hybrids with the opportunity to grapple with challenges in periods of contestation.

The purpose of this paper is to address a theoretical and methodological framework to validate a model for explaining social responsibility in cooperative societies.

A qualitative methodology based on the assessment and agreement of an expert panel has been used. More exactly, a Delphi technique will help achieve agreement about the set of indicators previously defined and to get a single and agreed definition.

The results consist of a consensus scale for each variable of the proposed model. This unanimity in the opinions about the final result will be the basis for further quantitative treatment of the proposed conceptual model.

Limitations derive from the initial state of the study and the need to practical analysis.

Cooperative societies could have a way to analyze their position related to social responsibility. In general, contributions to social responsibility have improved, in particular, in the field of these entities.

The paper contributes to properly measure the variables of the conceptual model. The main variable of analysis, called Orientation to Social Responsibility in Cooperatives (OSRCOOP), is not directly observable, and it is necessary to measure it through a set of indicators. Likewise, with the other strategic variables with which OSRCOOP is related to the model proposed (member satisfaction, innovation, quality of service and cooperative outcome or performance).

New ventures contribute to the competitiveness of the United States in global markets, creating jobs and wealth. Understandably, public policy makers and researchers alike have shown an interest in understanding the factors that spur these ventures’ growth, which is also an important research issue in the field of entrepreneurship. Researchers have highlighted the role of owners’ needs and aspirations and industry conditions as determinants of new ventures’ growth. This study proposes that new ventures’ resource endowments influence their growth in domestic and international markets. Using the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm, the study examines the effect of select technological resources on the domestic and international sales growth of 419 new ventures. Start-ups (5 years or younger) benefit from using a different set of technological resources in achieving growth than those of adolescent firms (6–8 years old). These differences persist in low vs. high technology industries, reflecting the maturation of these ventures.

The purpose of this paper was to investigate gender differences in entrepreneurship development.

A quantitative study consisted of an on-line questionnaire administered to a random sample of 206 owner-manager CEOs across Bosnia and Herzegovina. Various statistical tools were used in the analysis.

Empirical results revealed significant differences in entrepreneurial performance between women and men. It was found that gender significantly affects entrepreneurial activities in firms with regards to innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking. Overall, female respondents scored better in entrepreneurial dimensions than did males.

The state should support female entrepreneurship in the long term; aspirations exist, and this study’s results reveal this potential. Furthermore, it is recommended that women take a part in entrepreneurship development – a key to economic development. Also, it is suggested that education in entrepreneurship should be at a higher level than is currently the case.

This paper is the first empirical study that examines gender issues in entrepreneurship in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study draws practical implications for current business owners, CEOs and potential entrepreneurs of either gender. This research removes stereotypes about female aspirations, competencies and skills in creating new start-ups and ventures, which in the long term will contribute to the economic development.

The phenomenon of fear and anxiety can cause a decline in entrepreneurship. However, the validity of this assertion remains debatable, as opportunity-driven entrepreneurs may benefit from elevated uncertainty during a crisis. This study aims to examine entrepreneurial fear of failure and the well-being of opportunity-driven entrepreneurs in their startup stage during the COVID-19 outbreak. Opportunity-driven startups are oriented toward business growth but may need assistance from incubators.

The study used a qualitative method, where ten participants from incubated and non-incubated startups in Indonesia were interviewed. Thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo 12 software to analyze the data.

This study shows that the interviewees subjected to incubation tended to derive motivation from fear of failure. In contrast, nonincubated interviewees showed a propensity to experience fear of failure as repression and inhibition. Furthermore, the study highlights the correlation between entrepreneurial fear of failure and eudaimonic well-being.

This study contributes to the literature with empirical results on fear of failure capturing the essence of entrepreneurial behavior during crises/pandemic in the context of business startups. It provides valuable insights into the policy implications for promoting innovation among startups in specific contexts.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the growth-profitability nexus among small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The data comprise 106,884 observations covering 26,721 Swedish SMEs in six industry sectors over the 2008-2011 period. The data were analysed using several statistical techniques, including two-stage least squares regression, fixed-effects and random regressions, and bootstrapped quantile regression.

Consistent with the hypotheses derived from the resource-based approach, the results indicate that current profitability significantly and positively affects firm growth. The firm-level control variable size significantly and positively affects firm growth, though firm age significantly and negatively affects growth. Firm industry affiliation also affects firm growth.

Since SME performance is commonly equated with access to knowledge, consultancy services or business training programmes sponsored by governmental organizations can help SMEs improve their management skills and thereby their performance. Moreover, adopting advanced financial management practices can improve the use of financial resources, leading to higher profitability and thereby sustainable growth. This implies that managers should change their strategy from “growth now, profitability later” to “profitable growth now”.

Unlike most previous studies, this study employs several multivariate methods to analyse a comprehensive, cross-sectoral sample comprising non-financial, independent, and active SMEs in several industries. This study focuses explicitly on SMEs, which play a fundamental role in the Swedish economy.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the moderating effect of adaptability on the relationship between cognitive social capital and innovation capacity in companies in the tourism sector. The study aims to contribute to a better understanding of the direct and indirect linkage generated between these variables.

The research was designed under the quantitative approach, and an empirical study was carried out by applying a questionnaire to 300 companies located in Arequipa, Perú. Data processing was conducted using partial least squares structural equation modeling using Smart PLS software.

The results demonstrate the existence of a positive and significant direct relationship between cognitive social capital and innovation capacity. Furthermore, it was found that adaptability moderates this relationship, improving the results. The study shows that shared goals and culture facilitate the transfer of knowledge, which allows the exploration of new opportunities, and that the accommodation of business resources enables companies to respond quickly to new market requirements, promoting the capacity for innovation.

Organizations operate in an environment of intense competition. Therefore, developing the capacity for innovation is essential to stay competitive. Managers must strengthen cognitive relationships by sharing objectives and culture with their contacts, in addition to developing the ability to respond to market changes. This will stimulate the creation of new products and services.

This document adds value to the literature on social capital and innovation, demonstrating the importance of adaptability and its moderating effect on the relationship between cognitive social capital and innovation capacity. This has not been explored before. The research shows how these three variables act synergistically in a model, improving results, which is essential to achieve the competitiveness of companies in the tourism sector of an emerging country.

This study aims to examine the determinants of the growth of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The resource-based view theory is adopted in the analysis of the study.

The descriptive and multivariate regression analysis was used to analyze the data. A stratified sampling technique is adopted with a sample size of 119 managers from SMEs. There are variables delineated from theories (human capital, social capital, strategy and organization), which are associated with the firm’s growth that include; the size of the firm, firm age, manager’s education, training, experience, financing and network relationship.

The results found that the size of the firm, the experience of the manager, training, financing and the network relationship have a significant relationship with the firm’s growth. However, other variables such as the education and firm’s age do not have a significant relationship with the firm’s growth.

This study could be considered as an exposure to the SMEs in Saudi Arabia on the specific factors by the owner–managers who intend to develop their business.