Business Commons^™

Gender, Role Models, Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy And Career Intentions: Implications For Entrepreneurial Education, Ciara Marie Lavelle - O Brien

Theses

This thesis explores gender, role models, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and career intentions of secondary school students in Ireland. Most prior research includes entrepreneurial education as an important factor in the decision to start a business. Few studies include the importance of entrepreneurial perceptions, role models, self-efficacy, and career intentions combined and what implications this may have for entrepreneurial education. Previous studies cite the importance of role models for potential entrepreneurs but ignore how the role model is perceived or who the role models of this generation (Gen Z) are. This study used a semistructured questionnaire and the Repertory Grid Technique (RGT) …

Smart Ageing And Renewal Through Entrepreneurial Skills Training, Sarah Davis

Theses

Globally, while the population is ageing, only 3% of older (≥65 years) adults are engaged in entrepreneurship. The Healthy Ageing agenda is responding to the population trends by increasing its focus on elements of active or productive ageing (incorporating older working) with quality of life as a primary outcome. Alignment and exploitation of the synergies between healthy ageing and older entrepreneurial engagement are lacking. Entrepreneurship education is broadening its focus and targeting inclusivity, albeit with as yet little focus on the older population. Older entrepreneurship, while tentatively linked with increased quality of life, has yet to receive direct attention in …

An Investigation Into The Management Of Branding In Irish Artisan Food Businesses, Daniel David Hickey

Theses

A consumer’s lifestyle is busier now then in the past and is moving towards products that reduce preparation and cooking times (Bia, 2015). The demand for value added convenience products has created opportunity for the Artisan food sector. This has lead to the expansion of food Small Medium Enterprises (SME’s) in Ireland. There were 235 specialty food producers in Ireland in 2018, a 2.7% increase on the previous year. SME’s are growing in popularity among consumers but there is very little research been completed into Irish SME’s. A 2016 study by Kennedy and Wright identified that the area is scant …

Developing A Model Of Post Incubation Support For New And Growing Ventures, Miriam Adair

Theses

Business incubators offer physical and virtual services for their new and growing start up clients. In Ireland, once companies exit an incubator, they do not have access to services similar to an incubator. In other countries there are post incubation services available.

There is a limited literature on post incubation in Ireland, however there is literature focusing on different programmes available to companies once they have left an incubator.

This thesis explores the post incubation support needs of new' and growing ventures.

Specifically, the research focused on three primary objectives:

1. To gain a deeper understanding of the specific needs …

Ballymaloe Cookery School: A Study Of The Business And Its Local Impact, Keelin Tobin

Theses

The focus of this research is Ballymaloe Cookery School situated in East Cork, Ireland. This study seeks to understand the emergence of the cookery school, how this business has evolved over time and to investigate the impact it has had on the local area. Ballymaloe Cookery School was officially founded by brother and sister, Darina Allen (nee O’Connell) and Rory O’Connell in Shanagarry, Co. Cork in 1983. The findings examine the establishment of the cookery school as a family business and its attributes. Set amongst a rural landscape, close to the sea and surrounded by agricultural land, the school is …

Suitable Financing: A High-Tech Semiconductor (Photonics) Start-Up Context, Sarkar Mahbub Akhter

Theses

This research investigates the financing options available to a "High-Tech Start-up" when a technical person seeks to start a business from innovations emerging from his or her daily work. In seeking to understand the different factors which might influence the choice of a particular type of financial source, firstly a thorough literature survey has been performed. In the main part of the study, a qualitative research approach was considered to be the most appropriate one and as part of it, a number of interviews with entrepreneurs, CEOs and CTOs have been conducted. Findings from these people with financial experiences are …

Which Craft? An Investigation Into The Irish Craft Brewing Industry - Exploration And Co-Operative Context, Oliver Blackwell

Theses

This study investigates and explores the Irish craft brewing industry with a specific focus on the attitudes, experiences and perceptions of Irish craft brewers to exportation and cooperation. This rapidly growing, niche sector could be considered a microcosm or subset of the Irish brewing industry and it is a valuable contributor of diversity, innovation, creativity, employment and revenue to the Irish economy as an indigenous industry. A quantitative and qualitative mixed methods approach was adopted to triangulate data from various sources. The research comprised of a survey questionnaire to Irish craft brewers, seven semi structured one-to-one interviews and one focus …

Becoming An Entrepreneur: Researching The Role Of Mentors In Identity Construction, Monika Dukarska

Theses

This study examines the role of the mentor on the identity construction of the Nascent Entrepreneur. It aims to answer the questions on how the mentor supports the creation and growth of their business, encourages them to experiment, stimulates their reflexivity and opens and encourages the network opportunity for them. This is examined through a formal mentoring programme known as the New Frontiers Entrepreneur Development programme, designed by Enterprise Ireland and managed by the local Institutes of Technology. This thesis researches the relationship that develops between the mentor and the mentee, the mentoring life cycle and the tools and techniques …

An Evaluation Of Entrepreneurial Difficulties In Ireland Since The Economic Downturn Of 2008, Edward Keogh

Theses

This Research Study looks at the Irish entrepreneurial landscape in the aftermath of the collapse of the Celtic Tiger, particularly at the small businesses sector. This study also looks at what entrepreneurs think of the effectiveness of the current policies in Ireland in helping entrepreneurs and businesses to cope and survive the current recession. The study looks at people who lost their businesses during the collapse of the Celtic Tiger and asks the question 'Can these people be supported to start-up back into business again?’

A qualitative research approach was undertaken in this study using the semi-structured interview method to …

A Comparative Study Of How Social Media And Web 2.0 Tools, Such As Facebook, Twitter And Viral Marketing, Can Be Used By Small Businesses, To Integrate A Business Strategy Of Augmenting The Company Profile And Awareness With Their Publics, Robyn Foley

Theses

The object of this dissertation was to explore the public relations techniques implemented by small businesses located in Cork.

Little To Large: Critical Success Factors & Implications For Sme's In Kerry And Rural Ireland., Noelle Foley

Theses

This research is unique in that it profiles the growth trajectories of three global knowledge based companies in rural Ireland. The chosen companies were start-up small businesses that became international global leaders in their selected fields. The selected companies range from different industries but share similar growth trajectories and factors which have enabled high growth. There was a gap in research regarding the growth factors which have allowed small to medium-sized enterprises develop into large corporations. This study took an in-depth look at how each company has managed the vital factors in their growth transition in the hope of applying …

Do Campus Incubation Centres Provide A Successful Linkage Between Early-Stage Entrepreneurial Ventures And The Irish Institutes Of Technology?, Fiona Fox

Theses

This study is an examination of the issues that are pertinent to the development of linkages, which campus incubation centres provide between their host Institutes of Technology (loT) and their tenant firms. This research incorporates the views, opinions and recommendations of new firm entrepreneurs, campus incubation centre management, senior academic staff and researchers. This study responds to the lacuna of research on campus incubators hosted by the Institutes of Technology. This study confirms that campus business incubators that are affiliated to the loTs are still in their infancy. The research acknowledges that these campus incubators are in a ‘startup’ phase …

"Assessing The Attitudes Of Regional Business Toward Research And Development (R&D) And Networking Activities In The South West Of Ireland", Denis O'Flaherty

Theses

This project seeks to understand and measure the levels of Research and Development (R&D) and Networking Activity amongst regional business in the South West of Ireland. The South West region of Ireland is a unique and beautiful place, but presents challenges and obstacles in terms of running a business within the region.

It is now generally accepted by policy-makers that Ireland is going to become increasingly dependent upon its indigenous businesses, most of which can be classified as Small-to- Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The question of R&D and networking was framed within the context of location, given the physical characteristics of …

Non-Eea (European Economic Area) Entrepreneurs Face No Additional Barriers Than Their Eu Counterparts, When Starting A Business In Ireland., Anthony Garvey

Theses

Do ethnic minority entrepreneurs (EMEs) seeking to start up a business in Ireland operate on a level playing field with their EU counterparts? Or are there unique barriers that EMEs face and if so, what are they and how do we tackle them?

This dissertation examines all of these questions and reveals whether racism or red tape, lack of finance or language skills is suffocating ethnic entrepreneurship more.

It explores the very latest research papers, and reports and combines both qualitative and quantitative data, with a series of semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire aimed squarely at entrepreneurs.

The dissertation discovers …

Towards A Best Practice Framework : The Case Of Institutes Of Technology Campus Incubators, Mary Fenton

Theses

Campus incubators catalyse campus enterprise development by encouraging Third Level “spin offs”, commercialisation of research and facilitating “spin-in” enterprises. They provide academic staff, graduates and “spin-in” entrepreneurs with a range of support services including space, advice, training, mentoring and networking opportunities. The real value of a campus incubator location for clients is their association with a reputable Third level Institute and access to the Institute’s resources namely academic staff, embedded knowledge, manager’s expertise and enterprise netvyorks. The researcher explored literature on campus and business incubators and identified a lacuna of research on campus incubation, particularly within Irish Higher Education Institutes. …

Brand Development By Small Firms, Aoife Hackett

Theses

The thesis explores the process of developing and managing brands. Particular emphasis is placed on how small enterprises gain recognition and acceptance for brands, the obstacles they encounter and how they surmount these obstacles.

In a review of the literature, brand management strategies and the value of brand loyalty to a business were discussed. Brand equity and measurement and measures of brand equity were also reviewed.

Interviews were conducted with large successful firms to discover arrangements and processes they employ to maintain market support, to extend the coverage or application of their brands to new product versions or new segments, …

From Unemployment To Self-Employment, An Investigation Into The Profile Of ‘This’ Entrepreneur, Nora Mary O'Mahony

Theses

Richard Cantillon, who in 1734 introduced the term ‘entrepreneur’ into economic literature, described entrepreneurship as

‘‘Self-employment of any and every sort" (Long 1983 P 48)

Self-employment is entrepreneurship at its simplest form. According to O’Kane (1997) entrepreneurship is

“The dynamic process of creating wealth, undertaken hy people who assume a risk in terms of money, energy, time and/or career commitment, and creating value through the provision of some product or service. ” (O’Kane 1997 P 6)

Entrepreneurship is nothing new. Men without wealth have always been attracted by the prospect of attaining it and the opportunities, which it affords. (Bruce …

Business Success In Small And Medium Sized Enterprises Through The Implementation Of The Techniques Of World Class Business And Benchmarking, Dónal Ó Liatháin

Theses

‘ Europe is losing its competitiveness ‘ was the underlying message in the Tanaiste’s, Ms Mary Harney, opening address, at the 3^^ annual Benchmarking Conference held in the O’Reilly Hall, Dublin, on the 28^^ of February 2001. According to the latest figures from the European Commission, the European GDP lags its Japanese and American rivals by 17% and 33% respectively. Small and medium sized enterprises provide over 66% of the European Community employment and 65% of the turnover, which indicate the vital role played by small and medium sized enterprises in Europe’s economy. The objective of this thesis was to …