Luciano Ciravegna

Networks, Entrepreneurial Orientation and Internationalization Scope: Evidence from Chilean Small and Medium Enterprises

During the last 20 years, the literature on internationalized small firms discussed at length the speed of internationalization, illustrating the importance of born globals. The geographic scope of small firm internationalization and its implications for international business and entrepreneurship theories has however been overlooked, especially with regard to firms based in atin merica. This study expands the research agenda on the effects of networks and entrepreneurship orientation for the internationalization strategy of small firms by examining their effects on internationalization scope. It uses survey data from small firms based in hile. The findings suggest that the greater the number of networks utilized, the more entrepreneurs are likely to target markets based in diverse regions of the world. The study has managerial and policy implications, suggesting that nurturing diverse international networks can help entrepreneurs reach a broader number of markets.

FDI, Social Ties and Technological Learning in New Silicon Valley Clones. Evidence from the Costa Rican ICT Cluster

Abstract  This study, based on qualitative evidence collected through 150 interviews with local entrepreneurs, multinational corporations (MNC) directors, and other actors, contributes to the understanding of the effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) by showing that the social ties of local entrepreneurs and MNC directors affect technological learning in the Costa Rican information and communication technologies (ICT) cluster in ways that are often overlooked by the literature on technological capabilities. It illustrates that the social disembeddedness of MNC directors and the low endowment of transnational social ties of local entrepreneurs contribute to explain the limited effect of FDI on technological learning in the Costa Rican Silicon Valley clone.

Outsourcing practices in automotive supply networks: an exploratory study of full service vehicle suppliers

Most automotive companies outsource the design, manufacturing and assembly of some complete cars to independent suppliers or full service vehicle companies (FSVs). FSVs represent a relatively unexplored form of outsourcing which combines joint efforts in developing a modular product with the externalisation of specific niche manufacturing processes. On the basis of comparative cases and of qualitative information collected within three FSVs and three OEMs, this study aims to investigate the associated advantages and risks for FSVs, commonalities/differences from the practices of outsourcing to component/module specialists that can be found in other industries and why and for what kind of products FSVs can be appropriate in automotive supply networks. The study contributes to the debate on outsourcing in the automotive industry by providing an original interpretation on why FSVs have recently seen a shakeout with some growing whilst others have faltered.

Pollo Campero in the USA

Purpose – This case illustrates the challenges that Pollo Campero, a Guatemalan fast food company, faces when expanding in the US market. The purpose of this paper is to stimulate a discussion about consumer segmentation, competitive strategy and the internationalization of emerging market multinationals. Design/methodology/approach – The case study is based on primary research conducted in conjunction with the company, including interviews with senior management and an ample review of documents. Secondary sources have been used to gather information about the industry, the US market and consumer segments. Findings – The case illustrates that Pollo Campero was initially very successful in the US market because it appealed to consumers of Central American origin. It found it harder to appeal to a broader range of US consumers, who had no emotional attachment to the brand. Originality/value – This is a complex, in-depth case study suitable for use with advanced MBA students and practitioners. Depending on t...

Linkages in the New ICT Clusters of Latin America: Evidence from Costa Rica

This paper studies the obstacles that hinder the formation of linkages among local firms, multinational corporations and universities in the Costa Rican information and communication technologies cluster. It examines both the social and the economic reasons for forming or participating in linkages, ranging from the capabilities of potential partners to compliance with customs. The research is based on qualitative information collected over four years through more than 150 direct and detailed interviews with different stakeholders in the cluster. Costa Rica is often used as a positive benchmark of cluster policy in Latin America, but it is argued here that linkages among firms in the sector have developed much more slowly than anticipated.

Academia?private sector collaborations in the Costa Rican Information and Communication Technology (ICT) cluster

Costa Rica has two large public universities. They educate the workforce of the Costa Rican Information and Communication Technology (ICT) cluster, which transformed a small coffee-exporting country into the first Latin American ICT producer per capita. They also created the engineers and technicians that have attracted investments from several knowledge-intensive Multinational Corporations (MNCs), including Intel, and account for a far larger share of Research and Development (R&D) expenditure than the Latin American average. Yet, there are only three cases of collaboration between universities and the private sector. This study discusses how they emerged, their developmental effects, and questions why such collaborations are so uncommon.

International Entrepreneurship in Latin America: Lessons from Theory and Practice

The integration of the world economy has been one of the most important economic events of the last decades. Globalization has been driven by technological changes, policies of commercial openness, support of international trade at governmental and institutional levels, and an increase in international competitiveness. These processes have caused a higher degree of integration and interdependence between countries, with a clear increase in the amount of international business.

Examining the strategy-performance link of Latin American businesses – a configurational approach

This study examines the sales performance of agribusinesses based in the humid tropics of Latin America. Its focus is on strategic positioning and specific functional areas, ranging from marketing to human resources and purchasing. This paper contributes to the literature through a novel methodological approach, a configurational angle, which allows for the identification of multiple causal explanations for consistently good sales performance. It also advances the research agenda on Latin American businesses by studying the strategic recipes of agribusinesses. The findings have both theoretical and managerial implications.

Taking the Complexity Turn in Strategic Management Theory and Research

This study advances the proposition that applying core tenets of complexity theory is useful for solving the “crucial problem” in strategic management—describing, explaining, and predicting firm heterogeneity. The study describes the core tenets (e.g., the necessity of constructing models for cases with relationship reversals to a significant main effect—cases occur whereby both high and low scores of an antecedent condition indicate high scores in an outcome condition; asymmetric models are necessary because the causes of successful outcomes are not the mirror opposite of the causes of unsuccessful outcomes). Constructing “somewhat precise outcomes tests” (SPOT) rather than null hypothesis statistical testing (NHST) is the principal analytic tool. The study describes asymmetric models of implemented strategy and competitive advantage for ROE, negation of ROE, and complex outcome statements for agribusiness firms (n = 247) across seven Latin America national as well as tests the predictive validities of models across specific nations for the models of sampled firms within Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. The findings support the propositions that constructing complex antecedent statements (i.e., algorithms/configurations/recipes/screens) are useful for indicating high performance or the negation of high performance consistently. Configural implemented strategy models have direct influences on both high and low performance outcomes, while competitive advantage models impact low, but not, high performance outcomes. Complex competitive advantage conditions contribute indirectly to high performance outcomes.

Necessity or Opportunity? The Effects of State Fragility and Economic Development on Entrepreneurial Efforts:

This paper studies the effects of state fragility and economic development on necessity and opportunity-based individual entrepreneurial efforts. We contribute to the literature on the contextual determinants of entrepreneurship by examining multilevel data on 956,925 individuals from 51 countries for the period of 2005–2013. We show that state fragility has a positive effect on necessity-based entrepreneurial efforts while hindering opportunity-based efforts. Our findings illustrate that the level of economic development moderates the relationship between state fragility and necessity-driven entrepreneurial efforts reducing the likelihood of the latter. We discuss the implications for theory and for proentrepreneurship policy.