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Article
Publication date: 24 March 2021

Mei Chen, Peijie Ni, Torger Reve, Jing Huang and Ren Lu

Previous studies primarily focus on how to achieve better performance in the international markets, but few centers on whether internationalization is a promising strategy for new…

Abstract

Purpose

Previous studies primarily focus on how to achieve better performance in the international markets, but few centers on whether internationalization is a promising strategy for new ventures’ growth and development. Based on two pioneering frameworks Conservative, Predictable, and Pacemaker (CPP) model and the 7-P model, this paper fills this gap by analyzing how exporting exert heterogeneous effects on two types of growth, sales growth and employment growth. Accordingly, this paper aims to favor market-oriented new ventures to make a strategy on expanding international markets.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on firm-level data from the Chinese Industrial Enterprises Database. The year 2005 was used as the shock year. By conducting the propensity score matching method, 793 couples of matched new ventures were collected with sales growth and 686 couples with employment growth. The difference-in-differences method was applied to analyze the various influences that exporting has on new ventures’ sales growth and employment growth.

Findings

The main finding of this paper is that new ventures that exported can achieve better sales growth than their counterparts that only operated domestically, whereas new ventures that remain in the domestic market have no difference in employment growth from those that exported.

Research limitations/implications

This study shows that exporting is especially beneficial for market-seeking new ventures. Because the study is based on Chinese data, scholars of international business can conduct further research on other countries with different economic structures.

Originality/value

Theoretically, this paper contributes to both international business theory and entrepreneurship theory by combining the CPP model and the 7-P model. Practically, this paper shows that exports mainly benefit the sales growth of new ventures. This suggests that business practitioners should consider their growth goals before they choose to enter the global market.

Details

Review of International Business and Strategy, vol. 31 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-6014

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 June 2017

Lars Kolvereid and Espen John Isaksen

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the antecedents of business growth expectations and subsequent accumulated sales revenues and employment costs. Hypotheses are derived…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the antecedents of business growth expectations and subsequent accumulated sales revenues and employment costs. Hypotheses are derived guided by the theory of planned behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors followed a sample of 207 incorporated businesses started in May/June 2002 over a ten-year period. The hypotheses are tested using hierarchical regression analysis.

Findings

The results suggest that the entrepreneurs’ need for social cohesion, subjective norm with regard to business growth and perceived self-efficacy with regard to opportunity recognition are positively and significantly associated with business growth expectations. These expectations, reported at the time of business registration, accurately predict subsequent short-term as well as long-term accumulated sales revenues and labour costs, but this is not the case for entrepreneurs with novel business ideas.

Practical implications

Since entrepreneurs’ attitude, subjective norm and self-efficacy are possible to change, the findings should interest policy makers and educators. Measures aimed at enhancing the antecedents of entrepreneurs’ growth expectations should be considered. The findings that growth expectations have a long-lasting effect on sales and employment stress the importance of entrepreneurs’ subjective expectations for outcomes in new businesses.

Originality/value

There is a lack of studies using a longitudinal design when investigating the link between initial business growth expectations and subsequent firm outcomes. This study contributes to the entrepreneurship literature in this regard by using high-quality secondary data to examine firm achievements.

Details

Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, vol. 24 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1462-6004

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 June 2020

Ciro Troise, Diego Matricano, Elena Candelo and Mario Sorrentino

This paper aims to investigate whether and to what extent equity crowdfunding (ECF) is able to build enduring businesses. This research explores the post-campaign growth of…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate whether and to what extent equity crowdfunding (ECF) is able to build enduring businesses. This research explores the post-campaign growth of equity-crowdfunded companies and analyses the impact of intellectual capital (IC) on their growth. To achieve the above aim, we provide a theoretical framework that includes the three well-known dimensions of IC – i.e. human, structural and relational capital – as independent variables and company growth, meant as sales and employment growth, as dependent variable.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses a quantitative methodology based on two regression analyses. The authors use hand-collected data on 51 successful equity-crowdfunded projects listed on seven Italian platforms.

Findings

The authors find that three variables, namely prior industry experience (human-capital), product innovation (structural-capital) and equity offered (relational-capital) are significant and positively related to the growth of equity-crowdfunded companies. In particular, prior industry experience positively influences sales growth; product innovation positively influences employment growth. Equity offered, instead, has a strong positive impact on both sales and employment growth. Companies that offer a larger percentage of equity during the campaign disclose higher probabilities of growth.

Practical implications

The study has useful implications for several stakeholders, in particular, founders, platform managers, crowdfunders, policy makers and authorities.

Originality/value

The results shed some light on the nascent research field related to post-campaign scenarios of equity-crowdfunded companies. This paper is the first to explore the impact of IC on the growth of companies funded through ECF.

Details

Measuring Business Excellence, vol. 24 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1368-3047

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 4 August 2015

Josh Siepel, Marc Cowling and Alex Coad

Despite the importance of high-technology firms to the global economy, relatively little is known about factors contributing to these firms’ long-run growth. We examine these…

Abstract

Despite the importance of high-technology firms to the global economy, relatively little is known about factors contributing to these firms’ long-run growth. We examine these factors using a unique longitudinal dataset combining two waves of detailed surveys of 345 UK high-tech firms with performance data from UK official datasets. Overall we conclude that the early strategic decisions made by firms have long-run impacts on their subsequent growth, and we suggest that policy measures targeted at shortfalls faced by these firms may have positive long-term consequences.

Details

Entrepreneurial Growth: Individual, Firm, and Region
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78560-047-0

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 April 2018

Darush Yazdanfar and Peter Öhman

The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between firm sales growth and employment level as a proxy for job creation among small and medium-sized enterprises…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between firm sales growth and employment level as a proxy for job creation among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

The hypotheses were empirically examined by performing several univariate and multivariate regressions to investigate a large panel data set of 13,548 Swedish SMEs in four industry sectors in the four-year period from 2009 to 2012.

Findings

The results indicate that growth, in terms of sales, as a competitive advantage is positively related to the number of employees hired by the sampled firms. In addition, the size and age variables are also positively associated with the number of employees hired. The results support the suitability of implementing the resource-based view to explain job creation by SMEs.

Originality/value

While previous studies have mostly ignored the impact of these firm-level variables on job creation, the current study highlights the effect of firm-specific characteristics such as sales growth, size, age and industry. The authors use a combination of models to analyse a large cross-sectoral data set regarding the association, in SMEs, between the firms’ sales growth and job creation.

Details

Management Research Review, vol. 41 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8269

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 March 2020

KonShik Kim

The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which R&D subsidy can affect the innovation process of manufacturing venture firms by examining the output additionality…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which R&D subsidy can affect the innovation process of manufacturing venture firms by examining the output additionality measured as both proximal indicators of innovation and distal indicators of growth. Further, the differences in output additionality between the clusters in the subcontracting regime were examined to investigate whether the effect of R&D subsidy can vary depending on subcontracting practices and structure among large enterprises and venture firms.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses survey data of the Korea Venture Business Association conducted in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 respectively, which selects a random sample from venture firms by stratified random sampling method based on the industry sector, size and location for each survey year. This study analyzed the data using an endogenous treatment effects model to estimate the average treatment effect of R&D subsidy, yielding more accurate estimates than a traditional treatment effects model by controlling the unobserved endogenous components.

Findings

This research found that R&D subsidy may not facilitate the process of transformation of innovation into financial growth even though R&D subsidy can facilitate the innovation process and contribute to producing new and improved products. This research also reveals that the relationship between R&D subsidy and innovation performance for firms heavily dependent on subcontracting is generally much weaker than those for independent subcontractors. Further, the present study exhibits that public R&D subsidy for independently subcontracting venture firms is more effective for the growth in both employment and sales than those for subcontracting with large enterprises or other subcontractors.

Research limitations/implications

R&D subsidy for venture firms does not relieve the burden of liability of newness and smallness of venture firms, especially the disadvantage in market penetration and competition. In addition, venture firms subcontracting with large enterprises or other prime subcontractors tend to achieve incremental innovation with the help of the technology and competence of large companies and run stable businesses through a predetermined market.

Practical implications

R&D subsidy for venture firms does not relieve the burden of liability of newness and smallness of venture firms, especially the disadvantage in market penetration and competition. Further policy measures should be implemented so as to identify and eliminate barriers to market acceptance for new products of venture firms.

Originality/value

This research verifies that the effect of R&D subsidy may harmful to the sales growth of venture firms and the output additionality differs with the degree of dependency on subcontracting practices and structure.

Details

European Journal of Innovation Management, vol. 24 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1460-1060

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 4 August 2015

Fabiana Moreno and Alex Coad

High-growth firms (HGFs) make a considerable contribution to economic growth, and in recent years they have received increasing interest from entrepreneurship scholars. By…

Abstract

High-growth firms (HGFs) make a considerable contribution to economic growth, and in recent years they have received increasing interest from entrepreneurship scholars. By analysing recent findings in the literature of high-growth firms, this study identifies some Stylized Facts, as well as contradictory findings, and also some unknowns regarding the determinants and internal strategies of HGFs, particularly on the persistence of their superior growth performance and the implications of recent findings for economic policy.

Details

Entrepreneurial Growth: Individual, Firm, and Region
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78560-047-0

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 September 2015

Nsubili Isaga, Enno Masurel and Kees Van Montfort

This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the motives of individuals in Tanzania to start their own businesses on the one hand and the growth of their firms on the…

1356

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the motives of individuals in Tanzania to start their own businesses on the one hand and the growth of their firms on the other hand.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey method was used to gather data from 300 small business owners and managers located in selected cities in Tanzania. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to analyse the relationship between the motivation to start an own business on the one hand and firm growth on the other hand. Three indicators for growth, namely, employment, sales and assets, were used to measure growth.

Findings

The results suggest that that pull factors are more important to start the businesses than push factors. This contradicts the common opinion and previous research that push factors are more important than pull factors in developing countries. Furthermore, the study found that pull factors are positively related to firm, whereas push factors are negatively related to firm growth.

Research limitations/implications

It should be noted that while this paper makes a number of contributions, there are some limitations that should be considered when interpreting the results. For instance, the data for this study were collected from only one type of business, i.e. the furniture industry (in Tanzania). Accordingly, we do not know the applicability of these findings to other businesses in other sectors. Therefore, future research should include businesses in other sectors to ascertain if the present findings are specific to the furniture business only or are applicable to other businesses as well.

Practical implications

Our findings indicate that there are differences in motivations among owner-managers in starting the business and subsequent firm performance. Therefore, individuals need different forms of support depending on the level of development of their business, as well as their motivation. For example, we have seen that the presence of role models has a significant effect on business growth. Therefore, the government might consider using the media and other mechanisms to feature stories about successful entrepreneurs.

Originality/value

The authors extend the findings of previous studies that investigate the owner-manager motives and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) growth in developed economy settings, but neglected emerging economies. The study also contradicts the common opinion and previous research that push factors are more important than pull factors in developing countries.

Details

Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, vol. 7 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-4604

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 April 2009

Gülruh Gürbüz and Sinem Aykol

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and entrepreneurial management (EM) and their impact on small firm growth. EO…

2660

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and entrepreneurial management (EM) and their impact on small firm growth. EO is regarded as the strategic dimension and it is assumed that EO will determine the extent of EM practices which will eventually affect firm growth.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was used as a research instrument and was applied to the owner managers of small Turkish enterprises. Data were collected from 221 independently owned and operated small manufacturing firms that employ less than 150 employees in Istanbul.

Findings

Results confirm also that in this study EO affects firm growth. The explanatory power of our model increases when EO is accompanied by EM. Therefore, it can be concluded that EO achieves better results when it is supported by the appropriate management activities.

Implications

For researchers, the application of these scales in a different setting has important implications. The factor analysis results showed that some factors were eliminated. The risk taking dimension of EO revealed negative results with growth. Therefore, some dimensions of these concepts have to be defined in accordance with culture.

Originality/value

There is limited knowledge about the relationship between EO, EM and firm growth. This paper examines the interaction between EO and EM and provides evidence on their combined impact on small firm growth.

Details

Management Research News, vol. 32 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0140-9174

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 January 2024

Alejandra Parrao, Tomás Reyes, Alfonso Cruz and Kristel Schön Molina

Previous evidence has shown a generally positive relationship between continuously developed innovation, known as innovation persistence and employment growth in firms. This study…

Abstract

Purpose

Previous evidence has shown a generally positive relationship between continuously developed innovation, known as innovation persistence and employment growth in firms. This study investigates whether firm size moderates this relationship and how, considering persistent product and process innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors studied the influence of firm size on the relationship between innovation persistence and employment using a 10-year panel database of firms based on national innovation surveys. The authors consider firm size as sales and measure innovation persistence through the hazard rate of innovation spells. To assess the main model, they use a system generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator.

Findings

The authors' main findings indicate that firm size negatively moderates the relationship between persistent innovation and employment growth. These results suggest that the positive effects of product and process persistent innovation on employment growth decrease as firm size increases. The authors also find evidence indicating that the moderator role of firm size is greater when firms innovate more persistently. Robustness tests with different specifications confirm the results.

Originality/value

The authors show that firm size negatively affects the strength of the relationship between innovation persistence and employment growth in product and process innovations. The authors also show that the moderator role of firm size is greater when firms are more persistent in generating product and process innovation. Additionally, using a panel dataset, they provide evidence from a sample of firms in a developing country where no studies on this matter have previously been conducted.

Details

International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-8809

Keywords

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