Isabella Hatak

Relational Competence-Based Knowledge Transfer Within Intrafamily Succession An Experimental Study

This article discusses the challenges of knowledge management within intrafamily succession against the background of the knowledge-based view. As a knowledge transfer is crucial for a successful business continuation, factors that promote the interpersonal knowledge transfer are identified. Since the quality of the relationship between successor and predecessor is considered a key determinant of knowledge transfer, the role of relational competence in the knowledge transfer process is analyzed. A laboratory experiment (N = 107) was conducted to test the derived hypotheses. In its conclusion, the article presents the empirically confirmed strong relationship between relational competence and knowledge transfer within intrafamily succession.

Age, job identification, and entrepreneurial intention

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how age and job identification affect entrepreneurial intention. Design/methodology/approach – The researchers draw on a representative sample of the Austrian adult workforce and apply binary logistic regression on entrepreneurial intention. Findings – The findings reveal that as employees age they are less inclined to act entrepreneurially, and that their entrepreneurial intention is lower the more they identify with their job. Whereas gender, education, and previous entrepreneurial experience matter, leadership and having entrepreneurial parents seem to have no impact on the entrepreneurial intention of employees. Research limitations/implications – Implications relate to a contingency perspective on entrepreneurial intention where the impact of age is exacerbated by stronger identification with the job. Practical implications – Practical implications include the need to account for different motivational backgrounds when addressing entrepreneurial employees of different ages. Societal implications include the need to adopt an age perspective to foster entrepreneurial intentions within established organizations. Originality/value – While the study corroborates and extends findings from entrepreneurial intention research, it contributes new empirical insights to the age and job-dependent contingency perspective on entrepreneurial intention

Technologies That Support Marketing and Market Development in SMEs—Evidence from Social Networks

This study builds on previous research on information technology implementation and usage in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) and applies a special focus on social networks. Specifically, this research investigates antecedents of social network usage in SMEs and respective performance outcomes. The results show that entrepreneurial orientation is positively related to social network usage in SMEs, whereas responsive market orientation shows no effect. Social network usage is not directly related to SME growth; yet it mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and SME growth. Interestingly, large firms show the opposite effects regarding antecedents and performance‐related consequences of social network usage.

Customer perceived value - Conceptualization and avenues for future research

Abstract Given the present dynamic consumption environment due to technological innovations as well as interlinked economic developments on the macro-, micro-, and societal-level, researchers and managers have been increasingly showing interest in the concept of customer perceived value. However, especially given its vast empirical application, surprisingly little effort has been paid to synthesize various perspectives on the dimensionality, abstraction, and model taxonomy of customer perceived value. Therefore, based on a comprehensive literature review, this article identifies the predominant conceptualization of customer perceived value, thus also providing a sound basis for future empirical assessments of this concept, and discusses avenues for future research. In addition to contributing to research, this study also contributes to practice by comprehensively positioning customer perceived value as a key source of competitive advantage in the context of relationship marketing, management, and business models.

Verträge, Vertrauen und Unternehmenserfolg in Automobilclustern

ZusammenfassungInnerhalb von Clustern verbinden sich Unternehmen zu Kooperationen unterschiedlicher Intensitat — von loser sporadischer Zusammenarbeit bis zur Integration des Leistungserstellungsprozesses. Diese Kooperationen basieren auf der Bereitschaft, sich aufeinander einzulassen und zugunsten langerfristiger gemeinsamer Vorteile auf kurzfristige eigene Vorteile zu verzichten. Wir argumentieren, dass mit steigender Intensitat der Kooperationen der Erfolg der beteiligten Clusterunternehmen steigt und untersuchen, ob diese Wirkung durch Vertrauen bzw. Schriftliche Vertrage beeinflusst wird. Die Ergebnisse einer Befragung von 150 Unternehmen der Automobilbranche aus vier deutschen und osterreichischen Clustern zeigen fur den positiven Zusammenhang zwischen dem Grad der Integration und dem Unternehmenserfolg eine vollstandige Mediation durch das vom Kooperateur wahrgenommene interpersonelle Vertrauen. Zudem verlieren schriftliche Vertrage mit steigendem Integrationsgrad durch die Entstehung von Vertrauen zwischen den Kooperationspartnern an Bedeutung.AbstractCompany networks play an important role for SMEs. This is particularly the case for regional networks that are organized into specific clusters focusing on one particular industry. Within these clusters, companies join together to form co-operations that have varying intensities ranging from loose, sporadic co-operations to the complete integration of manufacturing and/or company processes. These co-operations are founded upon the willingness to trust and rely on one another, as well as refrain from short-term gain for the own company in order to achieve long-term, shared benefits for all partners. We argue that increasing intensity within these co-operations enhances the success of the participating cluster companies. Further, we argue that trust and written contracts mediate this relationship. The results of an empirical survey of 150 companies in the automotive industry that are part of four SME networks organized into clusters, indicate that the interpersonal trust perceived and experienced by the cooperating partners fully mediates the positive effect of the degree of integration and company success. In addition, greater interpersonal trust between cooperating partners is combined with less important written contracts, because trust evolves with the relationship.

The influence of anticipated regret on business start-up behaviour: A research note

This research note aims to develop the emotional underpinning of early-stage entrepreneurship by examining the influence of anticipated regret, a negative emotion, on the transformation of latent entrepreneurs into nascent entrepreneurs. Drawing on regret regulation theory and two waves of survey data, the analysis demonstrates that anticipated regret manifests as a, feeling for doing, by pushing latent entrepreneurs towards engaging in business start-up behaviour. We conclude that negative emotions exert an important influence on behavioural regulation in early-stage entrepreneurship, fostering the transition from latent to nascent entrepreneurship.

Correlating Relational Competence with Trust

Empirical evidence has consistently shown that trust facilitates coordination, reduces conflicts and enhances longevity within cooperative relationships. Conditions leading to trust have been considered repeatedly in research papers. Whereas the link between reputation and trust, for example, has been extensively researched, the study of relational competence as a determinant of trust has largely been ignored. Although some academic articles naming the impact of competence on trust exist, the study of the mode of action of relational competence in the trust-developing process is underdeveloped. Therefore, the main purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between relational competence and trust. For this reason, a laboratory experiment was conducted. In its conclusion, the paper presents the empirically confirmed strong correlation between relational competence and trust within cooperative relationships by taking into account situational and personal factors.

Succession in the Family Business: Challenges for Successors from an Entrepreneurial Perspective

Kronmann Wholesale and Retail is an outstanding family business with more than 300 years of history. This teaching case tells the story of two cousins who follow their fathers into a business full of tradition. The case gives students the opportunity to gain insights into the complex succession process of family businesses, as well as the challenges with which successors are confronted in the course of family business succession.

Problematizing Socioemotional Wealth in Family Firms: A Systems-Theoretical Reframing

Abstract The concept of socioemotional wealth (SEW) seeks to present an independent paradigmatic basis for family-firm research, and in doing so aims to establish a sound basis for the scientific legitimacy of family-firm research. Establishing that legitimacy requires scholars to demonstrate that SEW is based on coherent assumptions on several theoretical levels. This paper uses the problematization methodology to challenge the coherence of the theoretical assumptions underpinning SEW and to advance theory development. The results of this problematization show that SEW is built on a theoretical level close to the object of research (in-house assumptions), but that more deeply-rooted theoretical levels (e.g. paradigmatic assumptions) are not sufficiently elaborated. Moreover, the original conceptualization is based on a positivist-mechanistic view, which hinders SEW reflecting the complex reality of family firms. Based on the results of this problematization, new systems theory is applied to reframe SEW’s theoretical grounding. Thereby the main contribution of the paper is a critical reflection on the theoretical underpinnings of SEW (in particular root-metaphor and paradigmatic assumptions), serving as the basis for advancing a coherent theoretical understanding of this important concept in family business research.

Innovation Offshoring, Institutional Context and Innovation Performance : A Meta-Analysis

Innovation offshoring (IO) has become a widespread management practice. Yet, evidence on the performance implications is inconsistent, and scattered across disciplines and contexts. We argue that the benefits firms can derive from IO depend on the institutional environment at home. Drawing on recent work on institutional theory in international business, we explore institutions that facilitate reverse knowledge transfer and/or institutional arbitrage with respect to innovation-related activities. The results of our meta-analysis that synthesizes evidence from 48 samples show that IO is related positively to innovation performance. As predicted, this relationship is moderated by differences in the institutional environments across countries. Specifically, when national innovation systems are weak at home, IO appears to enable institutional arbitrage strategy whereas Confucian cultures enable more effective reverse knowledge transfer. However, contrary to our expectations, the beneficial effects of IO appear to have diminished over time.