Ayman El Tarabishy

Understanding and Measuring Entrepreneurial Leadership Style

Although entrepreneurial leadership is embraced in the popular press and in classrooms, academic knowledge remains underdeveloped. We develop the construct of entrepreneurial leadership and argue that it involves influencing and directing the performance of group members toward achieving those organizational goals that involve recognizing and exploiting entrepreneurial opportunities. We discuss environmental, organizational, and follower‐specific contingencies that may influence the success of entrepreneurial leadership, and we test the reliability and validity of an empirical measure for this construct (the scale). Using this novel measurement tool, we find that entrepreneurial leadership is more prevalent among founder‐leaders than nonfounder leaders, which indicates construct validity.

The Changing Nature of “Workspace” and “Workplace:” What It Means for SMEs

As the virtual pipelines are laid to extend the reach of broadband connectivity to remote locations and to increase capacity on already available locations, connectivity and availability with those previously unreachable is increasing as well. The connectivity barriers are constantly being reduced as the broadband reach extends. The breakdown of connectivity barriers causes a dramatic change in the “work-space” and “work-place.” In an information age, where the work output is mostly digital and easily transmitted in the broadband medium, the pressing need for physical interaction in the workplace is diminishing. Add to that the growing technology that digitizes the human senses (auditory and visual), virtual communication methods allow for increased remote interaction. In this chapter, we discuss the evolving nature of the “work-space” and “work-place.” In the past few years, the digitization of work along with the increasingly expanding and accelerating rate of connectivity resulted in the evolution (or revolution) currently underway.

SME Opportunities with Broadband-Driven Information Technologies: Supporting SME Business Needs

In the broadband economy, SMEs enjoy technology-supported opportunities to interact with customers in ways that were neither possible nor thinkable until recently. However, to effectively sustain SMEs’ competitive position, technology must first meet the business needs of small enterprises. In this chapter, we discuss how broadband-driven mobile technologies can actually support SME business needs. In the first part of the chapter, we present examples from multi-year research focused on identifying SME business needs by mapping the technological evolution and investments of small enterprises that are at the forefront of IT adoption. In the second part of the chapter, we specifically introduce mobile applications and discuss how they can play a role in SMEs’ competitive evolution. Finally, we cannot discuss an emerging topic such as broadband-driven mobile technologies without acknowledging issues related to security and privacy protection in the “anytime/anywhere” environment. Hence, the chapter concludes with a discussion of privacy principles that all professionals, and particularly the nomadic SME professionals, need to take into account when utilizing mobile apps.

SMEs and Information Technologies in the Broadband Economy

Today’s broadband-supported tools are enabling small and medium enterprises (SMEs) access to and easier management of information technologies (IT). These tools are offering new ways to communicate and reach customers. Although large corporations have resources and money to invest in emerging information technologies, they also have a major disadvantage: their size may cause complexities (and sometimes inertia) that may slow down new technology adoption. The size and dynamic nature of SMEs can enable such businesses to quickly take advantage of technological progress while minimizing risks. The key, however, is for SMEs not only to adopt, but also to effectively plan, implement, maintain, and manage the broadband-supported technological evolution.

Cases on SMEs Digital Innovations

To help explain some of the concepts addressed throughout the book, in this chapter, we present four case studies. Each case concerns a small entrepreneurial company that has innovatively used information technology (IT) to achieve success. These cases were all developed as one part of a collaborative research project between the International Council of Small Business (ICSB) and Dell, Inc. While the four companies are quite different, representing a variety of industries, they have important commonalities in the way they used IT for innovation.

The IT Entrepreneur in SMEs

Throughout the book, we have referred to the leaders of SMEs without actually saying much about such individuals. There is, of course, much more to understanding leadership in SMEs who engage in IT innovation. In this conclusion, we explore the key characteristics of IT entrepreneurs who have created successful SMEs. For example, entrepreneurs usually have a high need for achievement as well as a great deal of self-confidence. Successful entrepreneurs are also quite knowledgeable with regard to the technical content of their organization’s product or service. But entrepreneurs whose organizations are successful over the long run also share a set of characteristics that define exceptional organizational leaders. So what sort of person is the “IT entrepreneur?”

Selecting, Planning, and Deploying SME Broadband-based Information Services, Applications, and Technologies

The existing and emerging information technologies discussed in Chap. 4 demonstrate how information technologies can be used to provide a competitive advantage and add value to SME businesses. This chapter describes what SMEs should consider and what they need to know once they decide to use information technologies. It is not a “how to” step-by-step manual, but a guide to what questions SMEs should ask and which decisions they need to make as they first select the right information technologies for their business and then plan and deploy them.

Managing & Maintaining SMEs Information Services and Applications

The SME owner’s understanding of the role of information technology (IT) in organizations may be sophisticated, yet the resources and staff dedicated to IT are rarely up to the tasks. In this chapter, we present a comprehensive model of the enterprise IT organization highlighting the process areas that are essential to promote SMEs competitive positions through IT. Of particular importance, even with outsourced IT work, is the focus on employee training to increase productivity and returns of IT investments. Equally vital, if not more important, is the ability to sustain a knowledge-sharing culture that will support the long-term survival and competitiveness of the enterprise.

Existing and Emerging Information Technologies for SMEs

Every enterprise has the challenge of establishing a stable and competitive environment. In most enterprises, information plays a key (if not critical) role. Establishing the best fitting information technology could break or catapult an enterprise to the next level.