Stephen K. Callaway

Doing well and happy about it? Explaining variance in entrepreneurs’ stated satisfaction with performance

The importance of performance measurement is largely undisputed. There is debate, however, regarding the equivalency of objective and subjective performance measures.This debate has not considered a frequently used subjective measure, satisfaction with performance, to be an important measure independent of its equivalency with objective measures. Using a sample of 368 manufacturing firms, this study found that objective measures explained only a modest amount of variance in satisfaction with performance and that other variables added significantly to the explained variance.These factors included perceived environmental hostility, vulnerability, perceived competitive advantage, and commitment.

Internet banking and performance: The relationship of web site traffic rank and bank performance

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide an empirical study demonstrating the impact of internet banking, specifically the traffic rank and reach of the web site, on bank performance. Design/methodology/approach - The current study measures the impact of web site rank, percent of total internet users, and number of external links, using data from Alexa.com on bank performance, measured by deposits per branch, net income, return on assets, noninterest income to earning assets, and noninterest expense to earning assets, using data reported from the FDIC. Findings - Results show some support for the importance of web site traffic rank and reach. Specifically, the percent of total internet users and the number of external links were related to both domestic deposits and total global deposits per branch. Moreover, traffic rank and reach were related to net income and noninterest income to earning assets. Research limitations/implications - One limitation of this study is that it did not examine web site quality or e-service quality directly. Originality/value - The paper demonstrates that greater web site traffic is associated with a greater ability to find new, alternative sources of revenue beyond traditional loans, but that spending more on developing the web site does not necessarily mean the ability to spend less on traditional branch overhead. As such, this paper has value for bank managers and researchers alike.

Examining Pathways from Innovation Orientation to Patient Satisfaction: A Relational View of Healthcare Delivery*

The federal government and industry leaders view innovation as a potentially fruitful way to improve hospital performance, specifically patient satisfaction. However, translating a hospitals innovation orientation into improved performance is challenging given that important network participants—namely physicians—may possess different aims. Grounded in Relational RBV, this study tests a model linking innovation orientation to patient satisfaction through a pathway of knowledge-sharing routines (physician partnering and customer relationship management) and complementary capabilities (hospital responsiveness). Further, this study investigates the moderating role of physician employment (a form of governance) by examining hospitals with high and low levels of employed physicians. Structural Equation Modeling results from a paired sample of primary survey and secondary data from 173 acute care hospitals in the USA reveal the following. Hospitals with high levels of employed physicians translate innovation orientation into patient satisfaction by using customer relationship management (CRM) programs to influence hospital responsiveness directly, ultimately leading to patient satisfaction. Hospitals with low levels of physician employment use CRM programs in a fully mediated fashion to inform physician partnering activities, which influence hospital responsiveness, driving patient satisfaction

Global Corporate Ventures: A New Trend of International Corporate Entrepreneurship

Two hot topics today in the popular press as well as academic literature are international entrepreneurship and corporate entrepreneurship. These topics challenge two traditional notions within those fields: the difficulty of established corporations to be entrepreneurial and the difficulty of entrepreneurs to go global. The current study introduces the concept global corporate ventures, which merges the concepts internal corporate ventures and “born globals.” This concept is developed and illustrated by two examples of global corporate ventures, ING Direct and HSBC Direct, two financial services e‐commerce ventures that have been launched on a global scale.

Understanding Critical Distance Learning Issues: Toward a Comprehensive Model Predicting Student Satisfaction

Distance education has been the topic of a substantial amount of research. However, prior studies have shown mixed results when trying to determine if a difference exists in student satisfaction between students in distance courses versus traditional courses. Prior empirical studies have been too narrow in scope, and a more comprehensive model is needed to better explain the factors influencing student satisfaction. Therefore, the current study includes student demographic factors, comprehensive measures of student motivation, and course format, as well as specific course features included, to fully explain student satisfaction. Structural equation modeling is used to test the model. Results indicate a positive association between demographics and motivation, between motivation and course format, between one demographic factor and course format, between course format and preferred features, between course format and satisfaction, and between course features and satisfaction.

Strategic flexibility and SMEs: The role of information technology for managing internal and external relations

The purpose of the current study was to assess the impact of information technology on strategic flexibility for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Results of the study show that under conditions of low environmental dynamism, IT capabilities are associated with greater reactive strategic flexibility. Specifically, IT capabilities enabling the management of internal activities was significant. Under conditions of high environmental dynamism, IT capabilities are associated with greater proactive strategic flexibility. Specifically, IT capabilities enabling the management of competitor information was significant. Managerial as well as future research implications are discussed.

The impact of banks’ entrepreneurial orientation on strategic control systems

Purpose - – An organization’s entrepreneurial orientation will relate directly to its efficiency strategies, market development strategies (growth), and its product development strategies (innovation). A firm will develop appropriate strategic control systems according to these chosen strategies. In order to be competitive and balance efficiency, growth and innovation strategies, the purpose of this paper is to discuss the most appropriate strategic controls to implement these strategies. Design/methodology/approach - – The eight variables under study were measured using 22 psychometric survey items obtained from responses of 101 FDIC-registered banks. Findings - – The results show a more entrepreneurial orientation is associated with an efficiency strategy, a market development strategy, and a product development strategy. The efficiency strategy was not associated with formal controls, contrary to expectations. A market development strategy was associated with formal rules, but was not found to be associated with formal targets. Finally, product development strategies was associated with all four strategic control archetypes. Research limitations/implications - – The limitation of this study is that, it only examined banking institutions, and did not consider long-term financial performance implications. This paper supports and extends current research pertaining to company key success factors. Success requires effectively balancing cost reduction objectives, growth objectives, and innovation objectives, in order to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. A more entrepreneurial orientation necessitates a focus on innovation, traditional growth patterns, as well as cost cutting. Originality/value - – This paper demonstrates that an organization’s entrepreneurial orientation will relate directly to its efficiency, growth, and innovation strategies. Also, it finds the most effective strategic controls to implement these strategies.

Internet marketing strategies for music companies: understanding the demographics of an emerging customer segment

The focus for this paper is how the music industry can market to the internet generation, specifically current college students. This paper addresses whether college students represent the emerging customer demographic that can bring about a disruption to the traditional music industry. This empirical study examines the demographic characteristics of college students compared to non-college students, what value propositions they regard, and why. Results indicate that college students are more likely to download from home, to download at traditional music stores, and to value convenience and speed, whereas, non-college students are more likely to frequent traditional music stores and to value full customer service. Implications are discussed.

Homeowner associations and sharing economy innovations: Empowering taxpayers while fostering citizen participation

Abstract This paper examines organizations that deliver “club goods,” which demonstrate aspects of both private and public goods. One such organization is the homeowner association (HOA), which has been termed “private government.” The HOA has a paradigm that may balance strengths of the private sector with those of the public sector. Yet if the dominant paradigm of the HOA were to be redefined, there may be a potential source of innovation proving beneficial to society, a research focus termed social innovation. Further, technology and lessons from the sharing economy may be pertinent to this redefinition of HOAs. The sharing economy, and the dissemination of club goods, by blurring the distinction between provider and consumer, may be an understudied way to promote innovation in society. A statistical analysis of HOAs in the United States was undertaken, and using SPSS, simple linear regression demonstrated that HOA amenities and elementary schools significantly affect neighborhood desirability, measured by home sales prices. Finally, based on the theoretical and empirical contributions of this study, a brief proposal on how to revamp HOAs is described.