Philip D. Olson

Entrepreneurial start-up and growth: a classification of problems

The purpose of this study was to develop a classification scheme for the types of problems encountered by emerging organizations using an open-ended approach to generating the Initial response data. The CEOs of 121 Inc. 500 firms were asked to state the most significant problem during their firms’ first year and during a later growth stage. The open-ended responses were systematically sorted Into classes of problems, and the resulting classification schemes appeared to be more comprehensive and exhaustive than some previously developed schemes that relied on closed-ended response categories to develop their problem classes. Once developed, the classification schemes were used to examine the relative frequencies of types of problems at both the start-up and later growth stage. The findings indicated mixed support for previous research linking types of dominant problems to different stages of organizational development.

Entrepreneurship: Process and Abilities

This study provides information about important entrepreneurial abilities. Initially, the activities that entrepreneurs undertake when starting new ventures are organized into a process. It is proposed that a useful framework for examining entrepreneurial abilities could be developed through two thinking modes that can be linked to these activities. One mode is characterized by intuitive, holistic and simultaneous thinking; the other, by rational, analytic and sequential processing.

Organizational Structural Changes: Life‐cycle Stage Influences and Managers′ and Interventionists′ Challenges

The focus of this study was on successful, small, rapidly growing firms and on people who manage (entrepreneurs/ CEOs) or help manage (interventionists/consultants) these firms. Investigates the structural (complexity, formalization and centralization) changes that occur in firms as they move from the start‐up stage to the growth stage of development. One reason these structural changes were examined was that rapid growth often strains organizations′ existing structures and, in turn, threatens their very existence. Further, little empirical information exists about structural changes in small, growing firms. Using a sample of Inc. 500 firms, finds support for the hypotheses that organizations in their growth stage will exhibit greater complexity, greater formalization, and less centralization than in their start‐up stage.

The Effects of MBO on Levels of Performance and Satisfaction among University Faculty.

The present study investigated the impact of an MBO application in a university setting. It was hypothesized that faculty performance levels would be positively affected, while satisfaction levels would not be influenced. A total of 23 faculty from the College of Business and Economics at the University of Idaho completed a questionnaire regarding their perceptions of performance and satisfaction both prior to and after the MBO application. Additionally, data were gathered through archival, nonobtrusive methods (performance records) and interviews with department heads. The results suggest that performance increased as a result of the MBO application, while satisfaction generally declined. Possible reasons for the findings are offered, and implications are discussed.

Export planning and performance: An organizational culture perspective on small firms

Sample results indicate that significant relationships exist between export planning values and practices, and between the planning practice of using advisors and export performance.

Building Effective Successful Teams: An Interactive Teaming Model for Inservice Education.

While methods for developing and delivering quality inservice education currently are receiving attention, few researchers or practitioners have focused on delivering inservice education to teams rather than individuals. The interactive teaming model for inservice education described in this article builds upon the essential components of quality inservice education and was designed for use by teams of early childhood personnel (e.g., Head Starts, public preschools). A description of the inservice model, its critical features, how these features are linked with an interactive teaming format, and results of preliminary participant evaluations are also presented.

EXPORTING BY SMALL BUSINESSES: START-UP EFFECTIVENESS ISSUES

As a growth strategy, small businesses are increasingly seeking customers in foreign countries. Our knowledge about certain small business export concepts and relationships, however, is still fragmented. The purpose of this study is to empirically examine export start-up effectiveness issues for a set of small firms. Results indicate that sales measures, such as export intensity (export sales as a percent of total sales), were the most frequently used effectiveness criteria for the first year of exporting. This finding is important because in the literature export intensity has been criticised as an export effectiveness measure.