Theresa Lau

The Macro-Environment and Work-Family Conflict Development of a Cross Cultural Comparative Framework

Using data from focus groups in five countries (China, Hong Kong, Mexico, Singapore, and the United States), we identified macro-level influences on the work-family interface across the countries. Because macro-level influences are rarely investigated in work-family interface research, we sought to understand the nature of the influence and to guide future research in this area of inquiry. Using archival data, we viewed (changes in) economic, social, technological and legal factors across the five countries to explain differences and similarities associated with managing the work and family domains. Based on our integration of archival statistics and qualitative data grounded in the real experiences of employees in each of the five countries, we developed a general framework that can be applied to understanding work-family conflict across cultures. Our preliminary evidence indicates that changes in macro-level factors that are in greater conflict with cultural values lead to higher levels of stress and work-family conflict.

ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETENCIES OF SME OWNER/MANAGERS IN THE HONG KONG SERVICES SECTOR: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

Based on a theoretical framework linking entrepreneurial competencies and SME performance, we carried out an empirical study to investigate the entrepreneurial competencies of SME owner/managers in the Hong Kong services sector. Thirty-five clusters of behavioural competencies were identified under six competency areas, which are applied to three entrepreneurial tasks, together with seven supporting competencies which play supporting roles to these competency areas or focus personally on the entrepreneur rather than on the entrepreneurial tasks. Distinguishing supporting competencies from major competency areas allows us to be more focused on further investigation into the functions of different competencies. The results are also discussed with reference to the research context and the entrepreneurship in Hong Kong.

Entrepreneurial Competencies and the Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises: An Investigation through a Framework of Competitiveness

Abstract As an attempt to investigate the relationships between entrepreneurial characteristics and firm performance,we operationalized a theoretical framework of the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) and empirically tested the four hypotheses derived from it. The framework links together entrepreneurial competencies and SME performance with two further constructs: competitive scope and organizational capabilities. The empirical study consisted of a stage of instrument development specific to the research context, as well as a stage of hypothesis testing. The results of hypothesis testing, involving a sample of 153 owner/managers of SMEs, provided evidence for the direct and indirect contributions of the entrepreneurs opportunity, relationship, innovative, human and strategic competencies in affecting the long-term performance of an SME via competitive scope and organizational capabilities. This initial success, with the validated survey instrument of entrepreneurial competencies, may serve as the ground for further research in this area.

The context of entrepreneurship in Hong Kong: An investigation through the patterns of entrepreneurial competencies in contrasting industrial environments

Purpose – The context of Hong Kong has nurtured numerous small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in which the owner/managers have exhibited rather consistent set of characteristics over decades despite shifts in the industrial structure. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how such characteristics can sustain in different industrial environments.Design/methodology/approach – By using the competency approach on a sample of 153 SME owner/managers in the wholesale trade and IT services industries, we conducted hypothesis testing on comparing first, the overall rankings of ten competency areas for SME owner/managers, and second, the ratings of individual competency areas between the two industries.Findings – While there are consistent patterns of competencies across these two contrasting industries in Hong Kong, the owner/managers in IT services industry have significantly higher ratings in innovative, strategic and learning competencies than those in the wholesale trade industry.Research limitatio...

From customer relationship management to customer‐managed relationship: unraveling the paradox with a co‐creative perspective

Analyzing three perspectives on customer relationship management (CRM) developed by academics, numerous paradoxes are illustrated, as it can be an integrated corporate approach, a specific strategy to customer behavioral modification or differential customer treatment. The paper highlights that an evolutionary change in the concept of CRM is required. Three key findings have been made. First, customers should be the major focus, and companies are actually dealing with customer‐managed relationships (CMR). Second, it is not just a one‐to‐one relationship pattern. The linkages with other parties are the cores of the relationships between customers and companies. It should therefore be a one‐network‐one relationship. Third, a co‐creative approach should be used in order to integrate the CRM and CMR concepts to enable customers to participate in corporate strategy formulation and to encourage companies to cooperate with third parties in serving customers. The financial service sector is taken as a major example to illustrate the full concept of CRM and CMR. Managerial implications arising from the implementation of the co‐creative approach are explored, which include market share and mind share.

Organizational Capabilities and Performance of SMEs in Dynamic and Stable Environments

This study examines the correlation between the organizational capabilities and firm performance of SMEs in both dynamic and stable environments in Hong Kong. Organizational capabilities are measured in terms of innovative ability, quality-enhancing capability, cost-reduction capability and ‘organicity’. Organizational capabilities are hypothesized to correlate positively with firm performance and to be moderated by environmental dynamism. A sample of 71 SMEs was drawn from the chemical and computer industries, which represent stable and dynamic industrial environments respectively. The findings suggest that organizational capabilities can significantly explain the level of SME performance and the impacts of environmental dynamism on these relationships.

Disruptions to women's social identity: a comparative study of workplace stress experienced by women in three geographic regions.

Drawing on social identity theory (P. J. Burke, 1991) and the current status of women and equal opportunity legislation, the authors tested several factors associated with distress in working women in the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), Hong Kong, and the United States. Women in Hong Kong experienced significantly greater levels of life stress than PRC and U.S. women. Reports of negative attitudes toward women, gender evaluation, and avoidance coping were greater for Hong Kong and PRC women than for U.S. women. Hong Kong women reported more use of positive/confrontational coping mechanisms. Negative attitudes toward women had an important influence on life stress across regions. Moderator tests resulted in 2 significant findings: The effect of negative attitudes toward women on life stress was stronger for PRC and Hong Kong women, and the relationship between nervous/self-destructive coping and life stress was stronger for U.S. women.

The entrepreneurial behaviour inventory

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report the development and validation of the entrepreneurial behaviour inventory (EBI), an instrument for measuring the entrepreneurial behaviours of corporate managers.Design/methodology/approach – Through actual consulting experience, interviews and discussions with business owners and company managers, 40 incidents were written to describe ten of the most commonly identified entrepreneurial attributes. The response options were developed using behaviourally anchored rating scales and were validated by rank‐order correlation analysis and t‐tests. The authors then conducted a study to examine the dimensionality of the EBI via principal component analysis and to reduce the number of situations from 40 to 12. A confirmatory factory analysis was further conducted using the data from a second sample of corporate managers.Findings – Through an integrated series of studies, the authors identified a reliable and valid four‐factor structure of the EBI. The dimensions are...

CROSS-BORDER ENTREPRENEURS – A STUDY OF THE CHANGING STRATEGIES AND COMPETENCIES OF HONG KONG ENTREPRENEURS UPON EXPOSURE TO THE EMERGING MARKET OF CHINA

In a study of five entrepreneurs operating their business first in Hong Kong and later in the PRC, we examine the modes of entrepreneurship from the Kirznerian and Schumpeterian perspectives. The results showed that these entrepreneurs appeared basically Kirznerian in their strategy when their business focuses were in Hong Kong, and shifted toward a blend of the Kirznerian and Schumpterian modes when operating their businesses in the PRC. Such a shift can be explained by the adaptation of their competencies to the PRC context.

HOME-GROWN AND ABROAD-BRED ENTREPRENEURS IN CHINA: A STUDY OF THE INFLUENCES OF EXTERNAL CONTEXT ON ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETENCIES

As an attempt to explore the influence of external context on entrepreneurial competencies, we conducted a comparative analysis using a sample of 16 home-grown and abroad-bred entrepreneurs in China. Through a content analysis of the critical incidents during their business development, we found that both groups demonstrated a similar set of entrepreneurial competencies, with strategic, relationship, conceptual, organizing and opportunity competencies being the most predominant types. However, the orders of relationship and organizing competencies between the two groups were different due to the different behavioural elements, attributes, skills and knowledge domains constituting them. We concluded that the context is a critical yet complex dimension of entrepreneurial competencies, as the early context from which the entrepreneurs grow up has significant impacts on the formation of some competencies, whereas the current context in which they operate their businesses will determine their uses and will shape the development of other competencies.