Sophie Reboud

Strategic Planning in Growth Oriented Small Firms

Purpose – The paper aims to examine the management practices of owner‐managers of small businesses seeking to grow their firms. It seeks to better understand their strategic thinking in relation to internal and external environmental issues.Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 204 owner‐managers who had indicated their desire for growth was surveyed using a questionnaire developed from earlier research that examined their strategic and operational behaviour. Follow‐up discussions over their results were conducted face‐to‐face. Data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and discriminant analysis.Findings – Firms that possessed formal written business plans were found to be more likely to have stronger support network partnerships, formal quality assurance and the ability to lead change among employees. A relationship was found between an above average level of annual sales turnover and the personal vision of the owner‐managers.Research limitations/implications – Although the sample was atyp...

The Role of Complementary Actors in the Development of Innovation in Small Firms

This study examines the findings of a survey of small, high innovator firms and their assessment of the risks and benefits of forming strategic alliances with third party complementors. The study found that the entrepreneurs of these small innovator firms were willing to form strategic alliances where such collaboration would assist in reducing customer perceptions of risk in the adoption of their innovation, while also enhancing the customers understanding of the innovation. However, the entrepreneur of the small firm also needed to be confident that the alliance would allow him or her to retain control over the quality of the final outcome to their customer. These findings suggest that education of the entrepreneur in the development and management of strategic networks may be a useful enhancement to the process of innovation in small firms.

Customers as predictors of rent returns to innovation in small firms: an exploratory study

Small to medium enterprises (SME) are frequently associated with high levels of innovation. However, it is difficult for such firms to fully assess the merits of a particular innovation. This study examined the risk-return profile of future investment in innovation by SME with respect to anticipated rent or financial returns. A survey of highly innovative SME was undertaken that examined management perceptions of the key strategic influences on rent returns. Regression analysis suggests that the firms assessment of the rent returns from their innovation may be influenced by the value it is likely to deliver to the customer, the customers expected use of the innovation to generate new sales and the ease of integrating the new innovation into existing technologies. The findings have implications for how entrepreneurs from early stage ventures are assisted.

The influence of size, age and growth on innovation management in small firms

This study examines the innovation management practices of small firms in Australia, France and Switzerland. The focus was on how firm size, age and growth influence the commercialisation process. A sample of 143 firms was surveyed across the three countries. Findings from the study suggest that the size of the firm, its age and pace of growth are important determinants in influencing how firms behave. Consistent with the findings from earlier studies the need for greater formalisation and external assistance as firms grow, and the need for customer research and independent testing when innovations are in their early stages were found.