Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
Articles 1 - 5 of 5
Full-Text Articles in Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
Conflict Management, Value Making And Value Taking In Small Firm Manufacturing Networks, Martin Mathews
Conflict Management, Value Making And Value Taking In Small Firm Manufacturing Networks, Martin Mathews
Martin Mathews
The purpose of this paper is to examine conflict management in exchanges in small firm networks which are embedded in the dense socio-economic exchanges that typify industrial districts. Informal conflict management strategies used by managers in vertical and horizontal, symmetrical and asymmetrical relationships are identified and analysed. The methodology chosen is that of in-depth semi-structured interviews with 22 small company owner/managers in an industrial district in the south-east of France. Interviews were conducted with a highly homogenous group of company managers of firms smaller than 50 employees. Results point to managers adopting accommodating behaviours in conflicts with larger clients and …
The Creation Of Trust - The Interplay Of Rationality, Institutions And Exchange, Martin Mathews, Peter Stokes
The Creation Of Trust - The Interplay Of Rationality, Institutions And Exchange, Martin Mathews, Peter Stokes
Martin Mathews
Relationships based on notions of trust represent a central aspect of the communitarian model of industrial districts. Examination of trust has generated a substantial literature; nevertheless, there have been relatively few studies that have empirically considered the sources of trust that operate in local ties and connections. The paper aims to redress this imbalance by investigating relationships in the Arve Valley industrial district near Geneva. It considers sources of trust by engaging the theoretical framework of Möllering’s (2006a) model of trust which is predicated on the concepts of reason, routine and reflexivity. In conjunction with this, the field research employs …
Thesis Overview Submitted To The University Of Chester, Martin Mathews
Thesis Overview Submitted To The University Of Chester, Martin Mathews
Martin Mathews
A short overview of thesis submitted in 2012 to the University of Chester Business School, under the supervision of Professor Peter Stokes
When We Trust Too Much, Martin Mathews
When We Trust Too Much, Martin Mathews
Martin Mathews
This paper examines questions concerning the creation of trust in mature industrial district in south-east France; notably the quality of intra-district exchanges when compared with extra-district exchanges. The consequences of trusting habits learnt and reinforced in a highly socialised environment are highlighted. Finally, a suspension mechanism, that of identity and role, that SME managers employ in order to reduce uncertainty will be discussed. Results demonstrate that managers have solid foundations on which they may base their local trust decisions. However, they frequently transfer their trusting attitudes to external partners in the absence of such solid foundations. The consequences of this …
Gift Giving And The Creation Of Trust, Martin Mathews
Gift Giving And The Creation Of Trust, Martin Mathews
Martin Mathews
We examine the role that gift giving plays in industrial districts and in particular the role of gift giving in the creation of inter-organisational trust. Inter-organisational exchanges in a mature industrial district are analyzed using Mauss’ theoretical framework of gift-giving, receiving and counter-giving. Actors in embedded network relationships frequently exchange gifts and favours. This gift giving is a fundamental part of the relationship. Gift giving is found to be instrumental in creating and maintaining relationships, defining group and individual identity and resolving conflicts. The originality of our findings lies in the fact that despite the ideology of the purely altruistic …