Jacques Baronet

Toward a new entrepreneurial skills and competencies framework: a qualitative and quantitative study

This paper develops and tests a new framework for addressing entrepreneurial skills. We first used a qualitative research methodology and interviewed entrepreneurs from France, Canada, and Algeria in order to figure out the relevant skills. Then we used a quantitative research methodology to validate our findings. Our framework relies on 44 skills and abilities. Using a principal component analysis (PCA) they were clustered into eight key categories that are making the backbone of our framework: 1) opportunity recognition and exploitation; 2) financial management; 3) human resources management; 4) marketing and commercial activities; 5) leadership; 6) self-discipline; 7) marketing and monitoring; 8) intuition and vision.

The impact of regional innovation systems on the level of corporate entrepreneurship activity

Among the many factors that can influence intrapreneurship or corporate entrepreneurship, the impact of regions and regional innovation systems has never been tested. This paper tries to fill this gap. Based on data from the 2005 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) for corporate entrepreneurship and the 2007 report on Quebec regional innovation systems providing data for 2002 to 2004, we study the corporate entrepreneurship levels in 16 regions of Quebec and establish that several aspects of the regional environment affect these levels. We observe that aspects of regional knowledge resulting from regional innovation systems have a positive impact on a regions level of corporate entrepreneurship. Specifically, the regional innovation level – as represented by research and development investments and the acquisition of licences – positively impacts the levels of corporate entrepreneurship. In addition, access to extraregional innovation also indirectly impacts the levels of corporate entrepreneurship.

Sustainable development and social responsibility (SDSR)

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate large Canadian companies’ communication behaviour about SDSR on their websites, the authors’ goal being to analyse the evolution of what they communicate about those issues on their websites, over a period of eight years. Design/methodology/approach – A longitudinal content analysis of the top 100 Canadian firms’ web-based communication practices was performed over a period of eight years, between 2006 and 2013. A conceptual method was applied to establish the presence/absence of SDSR concepts and related questions in the communication data available on corporations’ websites. Findings – Data analysis showed that over this period, an increasing number of firms had: a dedicated section on their website about SDSR, a more accurate definition of SDSR, an enhanced accessibility and an eagerness to improve their information by adding complimentary SDSR documents. Research limitations/implications – The results in this study are representative of very large and...