Håkan Boter

Industry characteristics and internationalization processes in small firms

The purpose of this study of small firms is to compare the process of internationalization in traditional manufacturing companies with corresponding processes in companies oriented toward innovatio ...

Integrating the Internet and Marketing Operations A Study of Antecedents in Firms of Different Size

Adopting the Internet for advanced marketing operations opens up challenging opportunities for firms of all sizes. However, such adoption might destroy investments in present market channels and thus has the characteristics of radical innovation. In this article, we draw on the literature on innovation to investigate what differentiates adopters of advanced Internet-based marketing operations from non-adopters in firms of different sizes. The conceptual model for this study is centred on the set of internal and external factors size, willingness to cannibalize, entrepreneurial drivers, management support, and market pressure. Our analysis is built on survey data from 379 Swedish manufacturing firms. The results of analysis show that composition of factors on which firms base their decision to adopt advanced Internet-based marketing operations varies signifi cantly with fi rm size. A number of implications for further research as well as for managers and educators are discussed.

SME perspectives on business support services : The role of company size, industry and location

Purpose – From a literature review and a comprehensive survey aims to analyze how small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) use existing support systems. The analysis is specifically on focusing dif ...

SME perspectives on business support services

Purpose – From a literature review and a comprehensive survey aims to analyze how small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) use existing support systems. The analysis is specifically on focusing different size groups within the SME category, the role of industrial sector, and regional location.Design/methodology/approach – The combination of macro‐economic theory and entrepreneurial perspectives constitutes the theoretical framework for this study. Empirical data are collected via a survey to over 1,000 Swedish SMEs with one to 49 employees, from both manufacturing and service industries, and from three different regions. Descriptive as well as multivariate statistical techniques are used in the analysis.Findings – The results indicate low participation rates of available support services and the largest manufacturing companies with a location in sparsely populated areas are the most frequent users. Vague arguments from neo‐classical theory and lack of clarity in definitions of small firms pose an obstacle...

Identifying Cultural Bases in Different Organizational Contexts : Case studies of three Swedish multinational companies

In this article we discuss how culture is perceived by managers in three Swedish multinational companies. The cases show that empirical notions of culture build on perceived differences in organizational, national and technical characteristics. Theory that applies to the different bases of cultural perceptions generated in the case studies is presented and discussed. We conclude with a framework describing culture as a system of meanings, carried by individuals, that interprets a group’s situation to itself. This system has functional, social and spatial bases simultaneously, although one base may dominate.

Ecosystems Perspective on Entrepreneurship

Ahokangas, Boter, and Iivari address larger contextual and interaction-based issues in framing, developing, and supporting entrepreneurial activity and processes. With strong roots in ecology, innovation, sociology, strategy, and regional/cluster research, the entrepreneurial ecosystem literature has provided new, fresh insight into entrepreneurship research. In this context, Ahokangas et al. provide an overview and critical discussion on key issues of research on entrepreneurial ecosystems, their characteristics, and definitions. The authors pursue a number of questions, for example, how entrepreneurial ecosystems differ from other contextual concepts such as networks and clusters; what is required to create, foster, support, and orchestrate entrepreneurial resource base, potential, activity, start-ups/spin-offs, and entire entrepreneurial ecosystems in practice; how entrepreneurial ecosystems evolve; and what is the future of entrepreneurial ecosystems. The chapter concludes with avenues for further research.

Perceptions of financial sources among women entrepreneurs in Tanzania

Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate how women entrepreneurs in Tanzania assess their accessibility to different external financial sources. The aim is further to discuss financial preferences among this group of entrepreneurs. Design/methodology/approach - – The study is based on a unique database consisting of 114 firms, obtained by a questionnaire during 2009-2010. Differences between mean values on perceptions of financial sources were tested via a paired samples Findings - – Overall, the empirical results provide support for the hypothesis that the sampled women entrepreneurs perceive semi-formal capital, such as loans from MFIs, SACCOS, ROSCAS and VICOBA, as the most accessible external capital. Governmental subsidies are ranked second, followed by informal capital, such as loans from family, friends and investors. As expected, loans from formal banks are ranked as the least accessible financing alternative. However, there are strong indications that the entrepreneurs in our study, if given a choice, would prefer external capital from formal sources, rather than semi-formal or informal capital. Practical implications - – The authors suggest that the formal banks work to find ways to lower agency costs and thereby work for an inclusion of women entrepreneurs, and for the semi-formal financial actors to improve financial services in ways that better serve the entrepreneurs. Originality/value - – The knowledge about attitudes and preferences concerning financial solutions among women entrepreneurs in developing countries is very limited. Results from this study is therefore important, as it adds to previous understanding, especially as this particular group of entrepreneurs have the potential to play an important role in the development of their regions.

Continuing Corporate Growth and Inter-organizational Collaboration of International New Ventures in Sweden

Much of the discussion about globalization has been held at a rather superficial macro-economic level. Discussions about globalization dealing with the meso- and micro-economic level, i.e. the level of regions and companies, have been much less common. Many of the discussions of globalization at the meso- and micro-economic level have also been biased in the sense that they have only given a partial picture. One obvious example is that discus¬sions of the role of innovation and entrepreneur¬ship have tended to use a narrow definition of entrepreneurship equal to the start-up of new companies and as a result ignored the high degree of innovation and entrepreneurship within many incumbent companies. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the meso- and micro-economic literature on innovation and entrepreneurship in the global economy.

Integrating Multidimensional Business Knowledge Using A Non-Computerised Business Game

The purpose of this paper is to describe a specific business game and how to integrate it as a pedagogical method into study programmes and certain types of courses and finally to discuss the author’s experience of using the game over the last decade. The paper begins with a brief presentation of the structure and organisation of the Swedish educational system followed by a description of the process of developing a business game in Sweden. In the third section we combine the framework of the game with the educational system and give numerous examples of how these two parts fit together and the efforts taken to change the design and organisation in order to produce the best pedagogical output. The experiences gained from ten years of working with the game are described not only from the standpoint of student reactions but also from the responses of company representatives. Finally this pedagogical tool is considered as a complement and comparison to other traditional teaching methods such as lectures, case-studies and problem-based learning.