Manjula S. Salimath

Outsourcing and Performance in Entrepreneurial Firms: Contingent Relationships with Entrepreneurial Configurations*

This article develops and examines an empirical typology of entrepreneurial firms, based on organizational and life cycle characteristics. Results indicate five entrepreneurial configurations representing the essential contingent features of age, size, innovation, and governance structure (Elders, Giants, Innovators, and Owners) and one configuration representing a mix of all features (Balanced). We found that (i) outsourcing affected financial performance in entrepreneurial firms and (ii) configurations moderated this relationship. Results support the use of salient contingent features of age, size, innovation, and governance structure to predict outsourcing effectiveness in the entrepreneurial configurations. That is, entrepreneurial firms that aligned their configurational characteristics with outsourcing tended to have greater gains in financial performance. From a resource dependency perspective, managing these alignments has important implications for entrepreneurial firm performance.

Formal and informal institutional effects on entrepreneurship: a synthesis of nation‐level research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview and synthesis of the extant literature in entrepreneurship by utilizing an uncommon and unique lens. The lens focuses on studies that explore the effects of formal (social institutions) and informal (national culture) institutional factors on entrepreneurship at the national level.Design/methodology/approach – The design is a narrative literature overview of research published in peer reviewed journals in business and related fields from 1980 to 2009. Norths classification of formal and informal institutions provides the structural framework. The overview includes salient published articles that empirically assessed the effect of at least one variable of the institutional context on entrepreneurship. The paper is organized as follows. After setting the context, legitimacy, and validity of contextual research in the entrepreneurship field in general, it reviews relevant research, focusing on the formal and informal institutional factors that af...

Population ecology theory: implications for sustainability

Purpose – The paper has dual objectives. First, the paper aims to consolidate prior research in the area of population ecology theory and provide a review and critique of this influential organizational theory. The review is both broad and extensive, covering all major theoretical streams in population ecology. Second, the paper aims to highlight a new and hitherto unexplored area for future research, which lies at the intersection of population ecology and sustainability.Design/methodology/approach – The extensive and broad review included all salient published scholarly work on the topic of population ecology from 1996‐2010. Findings are reported in nine separate tables, classified by primary research focus, chronology, author, etc. Additionally, a brief summary of prior research on sustainability is provided.Findings – Population ecology continues as a valuable and influential perspective for organizational scholars. In comparison, sustainability is a relatively new entrant in the organizational litera...

Sustainable consumption and growth: Examining complementary perspectives

Purpose By drawing attention to the finite rather than unlimited nature of physical resources, the purpose of this paper is to: examine the implications of the (near absolute) emphasis placed on firm growth on sustainable consumption; and discuss complementary perspectives spanning individual, firm and societal levels that allow for both firm growth and sustainable consumption. Design/methodology/approach The authors integrate multidisciplinary insights from marketing, sociology, environmental sciences, management and economics, to understand the inherent tensions between unchecked firm growth, consumption and sustainability. Five propositions link production, consumption and marketing from a resource standpoint. Findings A ceaseless economic growth paradigm and overconsumption causes an unwarranted depletion of resources and is at odds with sustainability. Firms can play an important role by guiding future marketing and production toward sustainable ends. Several alternate perspectives support the case that growth may coexist and align with sustainable consumption. Consequently the authors consolidate and reflect on seven approaches (voluntary simplicity, humane consumption, CSR 2.0, social marketing, marketing 3.0, anti-positional economy and degrowth) that hold promise for achieving sustainability via responsible growth and consumption. Originality/value The authors consider the complex triad of growth, consumption and sustainability that spans multiple levels. A focus on the pattern and nature of growth and consumption helps to identify its effects on sustainability. Specifically, two value chain activities – production and marketing may be leveraged as firm level initiatives to achieve sustainable goals. In addition, the authors present seven heterogeneous perspectives that complement firm attempts to achieve growth with sustainable consumption. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.