Rotem Shneor

On Congruence between Brand and Human Personalities

Purpose – The purpose of this research paper is to uncover the relations between brand and human personality by identifying brand preferences of consumers with different personality types.Design/methodology/approach – Based on the existing literature, 15 propositions are suggested linking Ekelunds DI types as parsimonious proxies of human personality and brand personality dimensions as suggested by Aaker. Propositions were tested through statistical analysis of survey data collected in two stages.Findings – It was found that consumers prefer brands with personalities that match their own. For example, consumers with Blue DI type exhibit clear aversion from the excitement dimension of brand personality, whereas consumers with Red DI type exhibit clear preference for the sincerity dimension of brand personality. No clear findings emerged concerning the Green DI type, mostly likely linked to the individualistic, non‐conformist and innovative orientations of such individuals. In addition data revealed a poss...

The interaction between culture and sex in the formation of entrepreneurial intentions

This study aims to reveal the effect of an interaction between culture and sex on the formation of entrepreneurial intentions, while building on notions of a cultural construction of gender. The study adopts the theory of planned behaviour as the setting for such exploration, as it has been proven to be robust across national contexts. The analysis is based on survey data collected from business students in Norway and Turkey. Both countries were selected as two distinct and opposite cultural constellations in accordance with the dissatisfaction approach to entrepreneurship. Turkey representing a relatively masculine, high power distance, uncertainty avoiding and collectivistic society; while Norway representing the opposite. Results show that Turkish students, regardless of sex, exhibit significantly higher levels of entrepreneurial intentions and self-efficacy. Male students, regardless of national background, exhibit higher levels of entrepreneurial intentions, self-efficacy and social norms. Finally, our study shows that the extent to which males differ from females in terms of their entrepreneurial intentions is contingent on the national cultural context from which they originate.

Analyzing the Impact of Culture on Average Time Spent on Social Networking Sites

The study examines the influence of national culture on national averages of time spent (ATS) visiting the largest social networking sites (SNSs): Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The analysis uses cultural dimensions adopted from both the works of Hofstede and Schwartz, while controlling for country e-readiness and median population age. The findings suggest that cultures influence may be moderated by the media richness and type of network focus of each SNS. Overall, in rich-media SNSs, egalitarianism positively impacts ATS. Individualism and masculinity only impact ATS on friendship-oriented SNSs. Additionally, uncertainty avoidance and intellectual autonomy only impact ATS on professional-oriented SNSs.

Born Global Firms, Internet and New Forms of Internationalization

Although Internet is widely acknowledged to facilitate the rapid internationalization of born global firms (BGs), it is less known how such firms actually go about it. The current chapter specifically explores Internet-enabled internationalization (IEI) in the context of BGs. Based on e-adoption, international marketing and internationalization literatures, a conceptualization of IEI modes is suggested along three key dilemmas, assumed to underlie IEI mode configurations, including - functionality, localization and service directness. Three cases of Internet-enabled internationalizing born global firms (IEI BGs) from small open economies are then presented, as part of an effort towards conceptual refinement and fine tuning. The analysis culminates in the formulation of six propositions uniquely characterizing the Internet-enabled internationalization of BGs. The study’s main contributions are in highlighting the critical role of online communities in IEI, and in suggesting a role for randomness in website localization decisions. Overall, it is here suggested that IEI BGs tend to opt for communication-oriented, language-differentiated and direct service websites. Finally, conclusions are provided, limitations acknowledged and future research venues are outlined.

Introduction to the special issue: Current challenges and future prospects of entrepreneurship in Nordic and Baltic Europe

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to set the papers included in the special issue into their unique contextual stage of entrepreneurial eco-systems in Nordic and Baltic countries. Design/methodology/approach – The editorial first presents the current status of entrepreneurship in the Nordic and Baltic regions. It then provides an overview of the papers included in this special issue, while highlighting their contributions. Finally, it concludes with suggestions for further research, while pointing out promising areas for future investigations. Findings – The papers included in this special issue help advance the understanding of important aspects of entrepreneurship in general, and within the context of Nordic and Baltic countries in particular. The first two papers focus on antecedents of entrepreneurial behaviour, namely – education and passion, while the last two papers address entrepreneurial behaviour and its outcome in terms of both growth aspiration and actual growth. Finally, the editorial identifies three important themes for future research, namely – the roles of Web 2.0 and online communities, crowdfunding and alternative finance, as well as current immigration trends on entrepreneurship development and dynamics in Nordic and Baltic Europe. Originality/value – This editorial and special issue are in tune with current calls for better understanding of entrepreneurship-related phenomena within their social context, and some of the linkages between social settings and manifestations of entrepreneurship. And while most papers concentrate on themes that may be associated with mainstream entrepreneurship research, each introduces new angles and/or conceptual combinations surrounding such themes and variables, which are unique and inspirational.

Opportunities for Entrepreneurial Development and Growth through Online Communities, Collaboration, and Value Creating and Co-Creating Activities

Thanks to exponential growth in computing power, network capability and reach, parallel to the declining costs of communications and storage, the internet has evolved from a network of websites (Hamill, 1997) presenting information into a thriving global giant computer everyone can program in a participatory way (Tapscott and Williams, 2008). This evolution underlines the transition from what was labeled as the Web 1.0 era into the Web 2.0 era, with the resulting emergence of social media. While the two terms (Web 2.0 and social media) are often used interchangeably, according to Kaplan and Haenlein (2010), Web 2.0 reflects the ideological and technological foundations for using the Web as “a platform whereby content and applications are continuously modified by users in a participatory and collaborative way” (p. 61), and social media as the “group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that allow the creation of User Generated Content” (p. 61).