Juha Kansikas

Opportunity Recognition in Social Entrepreneurship A Thematic Meta Analysis

Opportunity recognition (OR) is at the very heart of entrepreneurship. However, research on OR in the context of social entrepreneurship is still in its early stages. First, this article identifies, codifies and analyses OR-relevant articles on social entrepreneurship (SE) through the lens of Sarasvathy’s three views of entrepreneurial opportunity recognition. In the second step, statistical methods are applied on the results to indicate possible correlations among different schools of thought in SE and views on OR. OR in social ventures is found to be a prevalent topic in SE literature and differences in OR between social and commercial ventures are found.

Entrepreneurial leadership and familiness as resources for strategic entrepreneurship

Purpose – This paper seeks to investigate how familiness and entrepreneurial leadership are related to each other in family firms. Familiness and entrepreneurial leadership are viewed as resources for strategic entrepreneurship. The aim of the paper is to shed light on familiness in three family firms and contribute to the fields growing body of work.Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs a case study method. The interviewees were interviewed by theme questions and secondary information was gathered to strengthen the empirical section. Qualitative interpretation of empirical data was used.Findings – The findings demonstrate the variety of familiness and entrepreneurial leadership within family firms. The degree of familiness varies between firms and the nature of entrepreneurial leadership also differs. The findings suggest that familiness is related to entrepreneurial leadership. It is a resource for strategic entrepreneurship in family firms.Research limitations/implications – The limitation o...

Pre-Paradigmatic Status of Social Entrepreneurship Research: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract Social entrepreneurship (SE) research has been presented in the literature as a field of action in a pre-paradigmatic state, a field that lacks an established epistemology. Despite that impediment, several qualitative and quantitative studies have already been undertaken on the sole base of some institutions’ worldview and without previous solidification of theory. Consequently, critics and social constructivists have found much ambivalence in these and owing to the resulting mess, even question SEs legitimization as a distinctive item of research. Articles on the topic of SE make use of a variety of frameworks, borrowing from neo-institutional or dialectic theory, bringing with them different research methods and views from other disciplines. Instead of proposing another conceptual approach and yet contributing to the ongoing discussion, the authors enact on a deductive journey by examining and clustering underlying paradigmatic assumptions found in a large-scale sample (>300) of current articles. In comparison to results from the management (entrepreneurship) literature, the study finds statistical evidence to the hypotheses that SE differs in researchers’ paradigms, that seminal SE research transcends the foci on either detached structures or individuals, and that research in SE is often led by advocacy worldviews of the researchers themselves.

Evolutionary selection and variation in family businesses

Purpose – This qualitative study attempts to understand what kinds of evolutionary selection and variation occur in family businesses during the preparation of a managerial and ownership succession.Design/methodology/approach – The study was conducted by interviewing members of one family business in Louisiana, USA and one in Finland in order to contribute to the understanding of succession preparation in small family businesses with two generations. Evolutionary economics was adapted for this interdisciplinary study to explain evolutionary changes in a family business succession.Findings – The findings indicate that both selection and variation can take place through different routes during the preparatory phase of a family business succession. Selection is influenced both by the founder and next generations. However, it does not occur in company A due to the reluctance of the younger generation. In company B selection is processed through joint thinking and visioning. This will lead to variation which i...

Non-family employees in small family business succession: the case of psychological ownership

This study is analysing non-family employees perceptions on psychological ownership during the family business succession process. Three small family companies were chosen for the multiple case studies. The results of this study show that non-family employees are participating on the small family business succession and they do possess a strong psychological ownership towards the family business, their own work, and the founder generation. Non-family employees recognise the changing management and leadership in successions. Non-family employees psychological ownership increases in succession. This has got influence on commitment and well being in unique way according to personal characteristics of a non-family employee.

Bonding family social capital and firm performance

This study aims to empirically investigate the effect of bonding family social capital on financial firm performance. The data collection mechanism was a survey sent to all Finnish large and medium-sized FBs (staff >50) in the spring of 2008. In total, 167 questionnaires were collected indicating a response rate of 22.3%. The results are based on structural equation modelling. The results suggest that bonding family social capital has both a direct and indirect positive influence on family firm financial performance.

The business elite in Finland: a prosopographical study of family firm executives 1762–2010

This study presents a prosopographical analysis of the Finnish business elite. The longitudinal panel dataset includes 456 members of family firms from 1762–2010 who have received the honorary title of counsellor in Finland. Counsellor biographies have been written by an economic history association network of 130 historians. Most family firms are no longer elite after the third generation of the family business or the second counsellor generation; therefore, the same core families rarely remain part of the economic elite for more than 100 years.

Students' Perceptions on Intrapreneurship Education--Prerequisites for Learning Organisations.

The aim of this qualitative study is to understand the prerequisites for learning organisations (LO) as perceived by university students. Intrapreneurship education offers possibilities to increase students adaptation of learning organisations climate and behaviour. By analysing students perceptions, more information about learning organisation creation was achieved. Content analysis was used to interpret the results. In total, 310 first year university masters degree students in Finland answered a series open-ended questions. The results show that for intrapreneurship education to result in an increase in learning organisations it should be based on individual motivation and the self-management skills of the students. Both practical and theoretical skills are needed to achieve the aims of intrapreneurship education. Participation, openness and flexibility direct students to achieve the aims of learning organisations. The pursuit of and the use of knowledge are both needed in intrapreneurship education. Students critical thinking and evaluation among other intrapreneurial skills should be developed and upgraded.

Family firm prerequisites for international business operations: a production and marketing capabilities approach

The purpose of this study is to compare SME family firms and non-family firms organisational prerequisites for international business operations. The main focus lies in the production and marketing capabilities needed for conducting international business. A quantitative study was conducted in Finland. A random sampling was done by utilising the database of the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK). A sample of 2,000 firms was gathered from the target population, EK database, which consisted of 16,000 firms. The answer rate for the study was 28%. All together, 555 firms answered the mail survey. Three hundred thirty three respondents were coming from family firms and 222 replies represented non-family firms. Logistic regression model together with t-tests and chi-square-tests were performed to test the hypotheses. As regards their organisational capabilities, family firms, in comparison to non-family firms, tended to internationalise their business operations by focusing their efforts on product and service quality as well as on competitive delivery times.

In search of family business continuity: the case of transgenerational family entrepreneurship

This qualitative case study analyses continuity of transgenerational entrepreneurship in the family business. Transgenerational entrepreneurship is based on multigenerational, and in this particular firm, on the founder and next generation, business activities in the same family business. Methodologically, the data was collected by interviewing members of two generations of Imagon Ltd.; the founder, and his sons. Imagon Ltd. shows signs of transgenerational continuity. It did not start off that way in the founders mind; his desire was just to work for himself and fulfil his own visions. It was only much later that the prospect of defining his company as a family business entered the picture during which time the succession process started naturally. The potential constraint for transgenerational value creation is the possible loss of next generation interest and therefore having no one to take over at that time.