Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Commons^™

Improving Entrepreneurial Competencies In The Classroom: An Extension And In-Study Replication, Caroline E. W. Glackin, Steven E. Phelan

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

Purpose – A recent paper by Morris et al. (2013b) presented evidence that students can develop entrepreneurial competencies through international fieldwork. This paper explores whether the same results can be developed in a traditional classroom setting. Design/methodology/approach – The study is a systematic replication of the Morris study with the addition of a matched pair, quasi-experimental design, with a self-replication. Data were collected on 13 self-reported competencies at the start of a semester from two groups using the Morris instrument. The treatment group was exposed to a curriculum designed to teach entrepreneurial competencies, and both groups were resurveyed at the …

Tailormade : Fine Art Merchandise, Mirabelle Alan

MA Projects

This Master’s Thesis Project proposes a three-year business plan for establishing TAILORMADE, an online platform that develops fine art merchandise through accessible means to combat intellectual property theft from emerging artists. It analyzes how merchandise is used as a method in transforming the ways we create, buy and sell art. It also addresses how fast-fashion stores use their mass-produced merchandise as to copy artworks from emerging artists without consent or compensation. Through this analysis, TAILORMADE proposes a company that sells merchandise made by the artist, for the art lover, and that maintains artistic integrity.

TAILORMADE also taps into an emerging …

Intelligent Art, Lindsay Covington

MA Projects

This proposal outlines the development of software, composed of a network of machine learning algorithms, which aims to eliminate risk associated with investment in Post-War and Contemporary art.

While art funds employ specialists to inform decision-making, there still remains an unsettling level of volatility in the art market, especially in the Contemporary art sector. This program will inform art fund specialists on what to buy and sell based on a variety of factors. These factors, which the program include economic predictors, changes in political climate, art news, celebrity sales and social media trends. Sentiment analysis of articles will be used …

Connecting Art And The Public Through Digital Marketing And Brand Collaboration – Co-Art, A New Art Marketing Agency, Qing Su

MA Projects

Traditional art marketing often focuses on physical exhibitions, in-person networking, and the endorsement of the art world “gatekeepers.” The making of a “star” artist relies not only on the quality of the art itself, but also on how galleries (the art marketers) orchestrate the complex power dynamics in the art industry – critics, curators, institutions, and collectors. This long-lasting mechanism leads to the elitization of the art world and disconnection with the mass public as it targets only a niche number of audiences that might make an influence on an artist’s career, price, and portfolio. COART is an agency that …

Community Engagement At Technological University Dublin: Report On Piloting The Tefce Toolbox., Emma O'Brien, Thomas M. Cooney, Ninoslav Šćukanec Schmidt

Reports

Traditionally, the three central roles identified for higher education are frequently listed as learning and teaching, research and scholarship and engagement with society. Within Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) we have recognised that these roles are interconnected and should not be approached in isolation and should not remain in silos. Rather, these areas should be integrated and embedded across core university activities. In doing so, community engagement becomes a real way of engaging students, faculty and community partners in areas of mutual interest and concern. For the student, it develops understanding, an opportunity for application, and a range of learning …

Supporting People From Marginalised Communities Into Employment, Thomas M. Cooney

Reports

Diversity means hiring difference rather than choosing the people whom you find ‘comfortable’ and who mirror your own experience and background. It means working against conscious and unconscious bias, educating yourself and proactively finding merit in people different to you. Inclusion means recognising intersectional identities – the sum of the whole person – that greatly improve the workplace with the different perspectives they bring to an organisation. You recognise the value of that person, equal to all others who work for and with you, and you treat them as equal in all respects. This is all more than box ticking …

The Invisible Hand Of Evolutionary Psychology: The Importance Of Kinship In First-Generation Family Firms, Xiaodong Yu, Laura Stanley, Yuping Li, Kimberly A. Eddleston, Franz W. Kellermanns

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

While previous studies focus on differences between family and nonfamily firms regarding CEO selection and executive compensation, this study investigates differences among family firms with different types of kinship ties. We find that, compared with family firms with close kinship ties, those with distant kinship ties are more likely to appoint a nonfamily CEO and to pay nonfamily executives lower salaries. This relationship is moderated by firm performance and family ownership. Based on evolutionary psychology, we propose that family firms with close versus distant kinships have different motivation levels to preserve socioemotional wealth.

Hot Or Not – Which Features Make Fintechs Attractive For Investors?, Johannes Klein, Leonard Stuckenborg, Jens Leker

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

Attracting investors and generating funding is a key issue for all start-ups. The information asymmetries between investor and start-up need to be reduced. Despite the overwhelming literature on venture capital financing and different signals reflecting venture quality, pinpointing the signals which impact funding decisions remains an open issue. This study presents an empirical examination of the effectiveness of different signals to convince investors and generate funding. We examine the impact of signals concerning venture quality (classic ones such as human capital, intellectual capital and social alliance/network capital as well as the strategic orientation in terms of business model patterns. Based …

The Practice Of Waqf Land Development In Malaysia: A Social Enterprise Business Perspective, Mohd Ali Norinah

Student Works (2020-2029)

A large percentage (92.8 percent) of waqf lands in Malaysia are undeveloped due to inefficiency of waqf management and financing by the State Islamic Religious Councils (henceforth referred to as the Councils) that function as waqf trustees responsible for generating income from the current waqf to fulfill the needs of the beneficiaries and societies. In view of this issue, the objectives of this thesis are fourfold: (1) To examine the current waqf land development models employed by the Councils as social enterprises in Malaysia; (2) To examine the organizational strengths and weaknesses of the Councils in developing waqf lands; (3) …

Nebraska Ppe Partnership Project Receives Excalibur Award At Aurp 2020 International Conference, Nebraska Innovation Campus

Nebraska Innovation Campus Materials

The Association of University Research Parks (AURP) announced recipients of the Awards of Excellence during the 2020 virtual international conference. The Nebraska PPE Partnership Project, a partnership between Nebraska Innovation Studio (NIS), the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food Processing Center and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, received the Excalibur Award.

Veterans In Recovery, David Martin

Nebraska Innovation Studio

Flyer about the Veterans in recovery Program at Nebraska Innovation Studio, 2020.

Veterans in Recovery is a program at Nebraska Innovation Studio designed to provide basic woodturning skills and other creative outlets that will have therapeutic value for veterans. The program provides instruction, materials, and safety equipment to veterans at no cost.

Strategies To Implement Organizational Changes In Middle East And North Africa, Ilham Hiyari

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational change initiatives often fail in the implementation phase resulting in decreased productivity affecting the net profitability of the organization. Grounded in Kotter’s 8-step change model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies used by business leaders to implement organizational change initiatives successfully. A purposeful sample of 10 business leaders from 2 organizations located in the region of the Middle East and North Africa participated in the study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and secondary sources including strategic business plan presentations, change tracking tools, meeting minutes, financial statements, and archival records. Data were analyzed …

Corporate Social Responsibility And Organizational Performance Of Oil Companies In Southern Nigeria, Powei Martin Daubry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this study, the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and organizational performance (OP) of international oil companies (IOCs) operating within the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria was investigated. Grounded on the stakeholder theory, the problem being investigated involved the extent to which dimensions of CSR in terms of centrality, visibility, and voluntary contributions impact measures of OP (relational capital and employees’ commitment) specifically within the oil industry in Nigeria. Data for the study were obtained through a quantitative survey instrument from a sample of a population of individuals (N=270) living in host communities who are impacted by IOC …

Modern Costing Strategies For Improved Profitability In Small- And Medium-Sized Businesses, Jennifer Kelly Demoras

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) accounting managers use little to no modern costing strategies which can negatively impact profitability. Advances in technology, innovations in product design, and increases in globalization mean SMEs could benefit from modernizing their internal costing systems. This study is important to SME accounting managers because of offering new information and practical methods that SMEs might use for improved profitability. Grounded in the contingency theory of management accounting, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the modern costing strategies SME accounting managers used to improve profitability. Seven SME owners, CFOs, and administrators who …

Relationship Between Corporate Social Responsibility And Social Performance Of Small Businesses, Melva Steps

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business leaders affected by negative social performance may also experience a diminishing customer base and minimized profits. Grounded in the strategic success paradigm framework, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between four elements of corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategic posture (workplace, marketplace, community, and environment) and social performance. The participants consisted of retail trade small business owners in the United States. The Survey of CSR in Small Business was conducted via SurveyMonkey and provided the data for analysis (N = 85). Results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the regression model significantly …

Human Resource Management Practices For Sustainability Of Ghanaian Small And Medium Enterprises, Charles Bandari

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2018, the failure rate of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana was approximately 75%. SME owners and managers who refuse to recognize HRM strategies as a way for business sustainability risk closure. Grounded in Blau's social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore human resource strategies leaders of SMEs use to sustain their businesses. Participants were 4 SME leaders in the Tamale metropolitan area of Ghana who successfully used human resource management strategies to promote the sustainability of their businesses. Data were collected from semistructured face-to-face interviews, focus group discussions, and company …

Effective Marketing Strategies Of Profitable Small Businesses, Xoriunstance T. Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The inability to achieve profitability can negatively impact business operations. Small independent insurance agency owners who fail to maintain profitability are at a higher risk of failure. Grounded in the dynamic capabilities model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore effective marketing strategies leaders of small independent insurance agencies use to achieve and maintain profitability. The participants comprised 3 independent insurance agents in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who effectively used marketing strategies to achieve and maintain profitability. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, company websites, and company documents. Yin’s 5-step thematic analysis, which included compiling, disassembling, interpreting …

African American Women Bloggers’ Lived Experiences With Digital Entrepreneurship: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Melissa Mcdowell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The professionalization of blogs has elevated blogging to an organizational field whereby bloggers develop a legitimate career path. For many minority women bloggers, the transition from being traditionally employed to managing a one-person digital enterprise is often met with racial and gender imbalances created by nontraditional modes of work. The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to gain a deeper understanding of how African American women bloggers described their lived experiences with managing a one-person digital enterprise and the implications of their racial and gender identity within this nontraditional mode of work. To address this gap, a transcendental …

Development Strategies For Privately Owned Fashion Boutiques, Tommy White Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Many privately owned brick-and-mortar fashion boutiques in the United States fail to succeed beyond the first 5 years of business. The knowledge of the factors responsible for the decline in the survival rate of traditional or brick-and-mortar fashion boutiques may be essential to these entrepreneurs’ survival. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies used by successful brick-and-mortar fashion boutique owners to negate the threat of online retailers. Data were collected through interviews with 5 brick-and-mortar fashion boutique owners, who operated businesses in the southeast region of the United …

Overcoming Barriers To Sustainability Of Female Entrepreneurship In Nigeria, Ndudi Bowei

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAfrica has the highest rate of women entrepreneurs worldwide, and women in Nigeria outnumber men in entrepreneurial endeavors and make contributions to economic growth. Yet, women entrepreneurs in Africa and Nigeria face barriers that restrict business growth and hinder opportunities for sustaining profitable businesses. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the strategies female entrepreneurs in Nigeria use to overcome barriers to sustaining profitable entrepreneurial business ventures. The conceptual framework for the study was based on integration of the 5M gender-aware entrepreneurship theory–market, money, management, motherhood, meso, and macro environment–and women empowerment framework. Data was collected by …