Stephen B. Preece

Explaining the international intensity and global diversity of early-stage technology-based firms

Abstract Early-stage technology-based firms are confronted with the complexity of foreign markets and global competition from their earliest stages of development. Not only must technology entrepreneurs keep pace with ever-changing technology-based product offerings, but they must also simultaneously stay abreast of competitors and industry trends in multiple countries. We surveyed 75 small technology-based firms in Ontario to evaluate their international activities and try to explain both the intensity of their foreign sales (the percent of total sales coming from foreign sources), as well as the global diversity of the markets in which they operate (the number of major regional areas from which they derive revenue). Our findings suggest that resources necessary to pursue international sales have an important impact on both foreign market intensity and diversity. In contrast, however, attitudes towards foreign markets helped to explain international intensity but not global diversity. Additionally, firm age was positively associated with global diversity but not international intensity. These findings support the notion of small technology firms being “instant internationals” but suggest that proceeding to the next step—achieving global diversity— requires significantly greater time and resources. In line with prior empirical research, these firms tended to increase their international intensity and diversity as they became larger. In contrast with what the literature suggests, however, firms utilizing strategic alliances were no more active internationally than those not using strategic alliances. Finally, government assistance helped to explain the international intensity of these firms, but not the global diversity. These results help managers, researchers and shapers of public policy better understand the international activities of early-stage technology firms. Given the relationship between attitudes and international intensity, there appears to be some opportunity associated with trying to influence the attitudes of CEOs regarding initial expansion into international markets. For firms to become globally diverse, however, there is a greater dependency on the availability of resources as well as accumulated business experience. Managers should recognize the pattern this suggests and perhaps be leery of becoming too globally diverse too quickly. Overall, the relationship between size and foreign activities suggests that growth opportunities are linked to international markets. Although some broad relationships are suggested regarding the need for collaboration and government support, further research is necessary to understand the use of strategic alliances as well as government assistance in both international market intensity and global diversity.

Evolution, extinction, or status quo? Canadian performing arts audiences in the 1990s

Abstract This paper contributes to the ‘culture of consumption’ [Poetics 28 (2000) 207] research stream. Specifically, we examine hypotheses laid out by Peterson [Poetics 21 (1992) 243] using Canadian musical concert audience data from the 1990s. Results show that while the number of those who attend only classical music concerts (‘snobs’) is in decline, those who attend both classical and other types of music concert (‘omnivores’) is up sharply. Overall, the classical music concert attendance is unchanged for the period. Multivariate regression analysis is used to identify sources of the changes in the incidence of snobs and omnivores. We find that shifts in individual behaviour, as opposed to demographic changes in the population, are primarily responsible for the decrease in snobs. In addition, snobs are increasingly more likely to be drawn from older age groups. Omnivores are younger and more likely to live in urban areas than snobs. Despite their more varied choices, omnivores display the same level of attendance frequency as snobs at classical music events and a greater attendance frequency than snobs at theatre and dance performances.

Performing Arts Entrepreneurship: Toward a Research Agenda

Starting from the position that performing arts entrepreneurship (PAE) deserves its own theoretical treatment in the literature, this article addresses fundamental questions within that subfield. The first step is to define PAE, necessarily incorporating the related concepts of “The Performing Arts Event Cycle” and the “Performing Arts Value Chain.” The question of why PAE takes place explores the motivations of performing arts entrepreneurs, looking beyond the traditional profit motive. Where PAE occurs is the next question, taking into account audiences, financial resources, available performance venues, and artistic inputs. The final two questions have to do with the timing of PAE, as well as who engages in this activity. Relevance to existing and future research is discussed, as are implications for practice.