Rudy Martens

Real versus Sample-Based Differences in Comparative Family Business Research

This article analyzes the impact of not controlling for “demographic sample” differences on research results in the area of comparative family/nonfamily business research. Using different statistical methods with and without control for “demographic sample” differences, the results show that controlling for these firm demographics in a bivariate as well as a multivariate framework is very important to discover “real” differences between family and nonfamily firms. We found “real” differences for export, budgeting, variable reward systems, profitability and gender, educational degree, and tenure of the CEO. Strategy, networking, long-term planning and control systems, perceived environmental uncertainty, growth, and management training, classified by prior empirical research as different between family and nonfamily firms, do not differ.

The impact of trust on strategic resource acquisition through interorganizational networks:Towards a conceptual model:

In this article, we build a conceptual framework that models the influence of social capital as a multidimensional concept on strategic resource acquisition through interorganizational networks. Interorganizational networks are considered as effective when they allow for the acquisition of strategicresources. Our conceptual framework reflects that network effectiveness is dependent on the structural and the relational dimension of social capital. The main focus is on how the relational dimension of social capital – in this article conceptualized as trust – in interorganizational networks can directly and indirectly influence the acquisition of strategic resources through those networks. Based on the network literature, social capital literature and the literature on trust, we seek to develop propositions that detail the relationships among trust, interorganizational network characteristics, strategic resource acquisition/network effectiveness and performance. Basically, we argue 1) that different types of trust will have a different impact on network effectiveness, 2) that the level of trust will influence network effectiveness, and 3) that the interaction between trust and other variables, such as structural dimension variables, are fundamental for analyzing network effectiveness.

Increasing technological innovation competence through intra-organizational communication networks

Innovation competence has become an essential requirement for technology-based organizations to survive in the new economy. Commitment to long-term objectives and learning are considered as indispensable for building innovation competence. Communication networks play a crucial role in both these aspects. In this context management faces the question of how the characteristics as well as the contents of communication present in the network will influence the innovation competence. In this paper a literature study is done to present an understanding of the relationships between communication networks and innovation competence. The paper proposes that the characteristics of communication (frequency, diversity, and centrality) along with the content of communication (shared vision, shared task knowledge, and shared social knowledge) significantly affect the elements necessary to build technological innovation.

Top management team advice-seeking and environmental competitiveness impacts on technological innovation

Technological innovation is seen to be critical for an organisations competitiveness and its success. This study focuses on technological innovation, which comprises the introduction and implementation of new or improved products, services and production processes, at the firm level. The study examines the impact of top management team advice seeking on technological innovation. Advice seeking, with its important role in organisations, will have significant impact upon technological innovation. In this study a clear distinction is made between external and internal advice seeking. Also this study examines the moderating role of environmental competitiveness. The study has used data comprising organisations based in the USA in different sectors. Results of multiple regression analyses are consistent with the priori hypotheses. The empirical findings indicate that external and internal advice seeking positively influence technological innovation. In the presence of higher competitive environment, organisations benefit from external advice seeking.

Growth persistence and profile robustness of high-growth firms

This paper analyses the persistence of high business growth and the robustness of the profile characteristics of high-growth firms (HGFs). By having company information for all firms that are active in Flanders (i.e., the northern part of Belgium) for a ten-year period (i.e., from 2000 to 2009), different subsets of HGFs were identified for different time periods. Several questions arise, such as whether the firms that were qualified as an HGF in a certain period were able to maintain the high growth rates for multiple (consecutive) periods and whether the profile characteristics of the HGF-subsets are stable over time. It appeared that the majority of the firms that were identified as an HGF in the period 2000–2009 were ‘one-shot HGFs’. Notwithstanding the rapidly changing composition of the subsets, the profile features of the HGFs in the subset remained relatively constant over time.

A Strategic Perspective on IT Outsourcing

In the current business environment IT outsourcing has gained prominence. Many firms in Europe outsource their IT requirements to Asia. This study analyzes the factors which favor this trend in which clients are based in Europe and vendors are based in Asia. From a strategic perspective, this study identifies the characteristics that IT activities must possess for them to be outsourced from Europe to Asia. In addition to contributing to academic literature this study will put forward the implications for organization adopting IT outsourcing.

IT outsourcing partnerships and cultural differences: an analysis of European-Asian projects

This study examines the influence of cultural values on the partnership performance of outsourced projects. A survey of information technology outsourced projects of five countries in Europe on the client side and four countries in Asia on the vendor side, indicates that the cultural values of the vendors and the clients influence the partnership performance of the projects differently. The results of multiple regression analyses are mostly consistent with a priori hypotheses regarding cross-cultural differences in meeting the expectations of the working relationship. The study reveals that higher individualism, lower uncertainty avoidance, lower masculinity, lower power distance and short-term orientation from client side were found to support the partnership performance of the outsourced projects. From the vendor side, lower individualism, lower uncertainty avoidance, higher masculinity, higher power distance and short-term orientation were found to support the partnership performance of the outsourced projects. The results of this study further corroborate that cultural values significantly affect the partnership performance of IT outsourcing activities, and that the established cultural identities in the client-vendor relationship matter a great deal.

Managerial Practices for Increasing Perceived Fairness in Interorganizational Projects

The aim of this paper is to identify which managerial practices are required to achieve perceived fairness. The paper is based on a literature review and a dyadic case study on an innovative development project. The analysis shows how perceived fairness can be stimulated by managerial practices. It emphasizes the importance of attending to the multi- ple dimensions of perceived fairness in the concesption and execution of these managerial practices. The paper contributes to the literature on fairness and organization by offering a testable framework in which the concept of perceived fairness is refined.

From “manager” to “strategist”: An examination of the evolving role of persistent high-growth entrepreneurs

Purpose n n n n nFew high-growth firms (HGFs) are able to maintain high-growth over time. The purpose of this paper is to find out why only a small number of firms become persistent HGFs, explicitly focusing on the role of the founding entrepreneur in this process. n n n n nDesign/methodology/approach n n n n nInitially, 28 semi-structured interviews were performed with high-growth entrepreneurs to discover why so few founders could become persistent high-growth entrepreneurs. In a second phase, four case studies were conducted to uncover the factors that facilitate a swift evolution from the “managerial” role to the “strategic” role. n n n n nFindings n n n n nHigh-growth entrepreneurs, who quickly make a transition from a managerial role into a strategic role are more likely to keep their firm on its high-growth trajectory. This transition is made possible by: the early development of strategic skills; the presence of a high quality human capital base; and an organizational structure with characteristics from Mintzberg’s “machine bureaucracy.” n n n n nPractical implications n n n n nThe results are vital for entrepreneurs of “one-shot” HGFs with the ambition to make their firm a “persistent” HGF. If high-growth rates are to be sustained, the three factors that emerged from the authors’ analysis should foster the delegation of managerial tasks, resulting in an easier transition toward a “strategic role.” n n n n nOriginality/value n n n n nInsights are valuable as both founders and governmental institutions can benefit from knowing which factors contribute to a successful phase transition from “manager” to “strategist.”

From “manager” to “strategist”

Purpose n n n n nFew high-growth firms (HGFs) are able to maintain high-growth over time. The purpose of this paper is to find out why only a small number of firms become persistent HGFs, explicitly focusing on the role of the founding entrepreneur in this process. n n n n nDesign/methodology/approach n n n n nInitially, 28 semi-structured interviews were performed with high-growth entrepreneurs to discover why so few founders could become persistent high-growth entrepreneurs. In a second phase, four case studies were conducted to uncover the factors that facilitate a swift evolution from the “managerial” role to the “strategic” role. n n n n nFindings n n n n nHigh-growth entrepreneurs, who quickly make a transition from a managerial role into a strategic role are more likely to keep their firm on its high-growth trajectory. This transition is made possible by: the early development of strategic skills; the presence of a high quality human capital base; and an organizational structure with characteristics from Mintzberg’s “machine bureaucracy.” n n n n nPractical implications n n n n nThe results are vital for entrepreneurs of “one-shot” HGFs with the ambition to make their firm a “persistent” HGF. If high-growth rates are to be sustained, the three factors that emerged from the authors’ analysis should foster the delegation of managerial tasks, resulting in an easier transition toward a “strategic role.” n n n n nOriginality/value n n n n nInsights are valuable as both founders and governmental institutions can benefit from knowing which factors contribute to a successful phase transition from “manager” to “strategist.”