Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Commons^™

Being Green And Social Responsibility: Basic Concepts And Multiple Case Studies In Business Excellence, Alan D. Smith, Steven R. Clinton, William T. Rupp

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

Through a qualitative business case approach, three major manufacturing firms in Pittsburgh, PA were reviewed for their eco-friendly sustainability strategic initiatives and products/services. Undoubtedly, use of green best practices are value adding steps for a company may be initially difficult to justify to spend the time and resources developing such a process. This is especially true when other core business needs are present, such as driving revenue, product development and meeting governmental or consumer expectations. However, green and sustainability initiatives may not be currently dictated needs, but many companies feel strongly that charting such a course would be to their …

An Exploratory Investigation Of The Public's Attitude On The Effects Of Global Warming: The Media's Role In Influencing Opinions As Moderated By Having Lived Through A Major Storm, George W. Stone, Percy Willians, Britney Hamilton

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

While the debate over changing global weather patterns and the negative role mankind plays in altering the earth’s climate continues to rage, there appears to be no real movement in the views of entrenched participants on either side of the argument, or, for that matter, in the culture at large (Whitmarsh 2011). Even though global warming advocates claim the debate is now “settled science” and that a consensus of climatologists has emerged indicting mankind as one of the prime culprits in changing global climate patterns, an equally compelling argument has been made that naturally occurring phenomenon (e.g., such as volcanic …

The Clothing Swap: Social, Sustainable, And Sacred, Mary M. Long, Deborah Fain

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

While there is much focus on recycling household waste such as paper, plastic, and metal, there is less focused attention on the waste produced by clothing and textiles. As noted by Joung (2013), consumers dispose of clothes by recycling, donating to charities, or giving to friends and family. But when individuals are not motivated to do this or are unaware of recycling options, they simply discard unwanted clothing where it ends up in landfill sites.

Motives for recycling clothes can range from altruistic (e.g., donating to a clothing drive for the poor or victims of a natural disaster) to economic …

What Drives Conspicuous Consumption? - The Case Of Chinese Consumers, Y. Henry Xie

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

Conspicuous consumption refers to a type of consumer behavior that people display wealth by spending a large proportion of their incomes on luxury products and services (Trigg, 2001). Different from other goods, the satisfaction that conspicuous goods provide buyers often comes from audience’s reaction, as opposed to product’s actual use (Wong, 1997). In other words, consumers exhibit certain conspicuous consumption behaviors due to their hopes to be seen more favorably in the greater social hierarchy (Podoshen, Li, & Zhang, 2011).

Can Scalability Be A Marketing Liability For Sustainability?, Dennis F. X. Mathaisel, Clare L. Comm

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

A common principle of modern business marketing is that growth is good. It is usually thought that all businesses should market themselves with the goal of increasing their revenues and gaining market share. Scalability is developing products or services that people want and figuring out how to produce and promote many of them for lower costs while selling more of them (Dudnik 2010). It is the purpose of this paper to show that some businesses, especially small ventures with unique value propositions, should not necessarily seek to grow or scale up. There are numerous examples of new ventures failing for …

The Role Of Corporate Social Responsibility Information In The Consumer-Brand Relationship, Lei Huang

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

Given the increased interest and empirical research in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and irresponsibility (CSI), the interest of this paper is given to the impacts of corporate operational performance (COP) and corporate social performance (CSP) on consumer brand advocacy and brand trust. In this consumer-brand continuum, customers evaluate brand trustworthiness by two scopes: (1) the product or service the firm offers (i.e., product brand) that is usually associated with COP (Rust, Moorman, & Dickson 2002); and (2) the firm which provides the products and services (i.e., corporate brand) that is connected with CSP (Korschun, Bhattacharya, & Swain 2014). In addition, …

Chinese Consumers' Involvement In Wine Consumption And Their Willingness To Visit Wineries In California, Mahmood Hussain, Roblyn Simeon, Lutfus Sayeed

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

This research fills a gap in wine tourism literature, taking into account the effects of consumers’ involvement in the pre-purchase stages on their willingness to visit wineries in California or in a foreign country. The theoretical framework presented in this paper provides support for a strong linkage between product involvement, consumption, and eventual propensity to visit a wine destination. As of this writing this paper constitutes the first of its kind econometric study of these effects.

Fitting Consumer Needs To Perceived Product Value: The Example Of Apple Versus Samsung Products, Yi-Chia Wu, Arturo Vasquez-Parraga

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

This study explores the fitting of consumer needs to product perceived value using the example of two lines of competitive products in the area of communication electronics, Apple products versus Samsung products. Five types of needs regarding digital communication and three types of related product value are evaluated for these two brands in order to know if product value differences have a distinctive effect on consumer needs.

This study focuses on the impact of perceived product values on certain consumer needs. We use Apple products and Samsung products to accomplish this.

The Relationships Between Entrepreneurs' Gender, Attitudes Toward Seeking Assistance From Entrepreneurship Centers, Utilization Of Centers, And Entrepreneurial Success, Scott C. Manley

Doctor of Business Administration Dissertations

Despite the proliferation of entrepreneurship centers, little is known about the reasons entrepreneurs appear reluctant to utilize their services. Although women are more likely than men to seek help in most settings, some research appears to suggest that this tendency may not apply to entrepreneurs. This is interesting given the financial underperformance of female-owned firms and research showing that entrepreneurship centers are effective and thereby lead to economic development. To better understand these issues, I propose and test a new conceptual framework of entrepreneurial help seeking that considers how entrepreneurs vary in their attitudes towards seeking professional help. In addition, …

Measuring Family Business Performance: A Holistic, Idiosyncratic Approach, Ralph I. Williams Jr

Doctor of Business Administration Dissertations

For any type of organization, performance represents the measure of outcomes, goals, and aspirations vital to various organization stakeholders; thus performance is an important research variable (Seijts, Latham, Tasa, & Latham, 2004, Simon, 1964). Family businesses are different from non-family businesses in that the family subsystem and the business subsystem overlap and interact to form the family business system. The desired outcomes, goals, and aspirations of each family business are a product of its particular family and business sub-systems. Thus, in family business, especially privately owned entities, performance is of particular interest since families can set their goals in their …

Multi-Stakeholder Assessment Of A Mobile And Temporarily Interconnected Systems Prototype: People-First Tourism, Fay Cobb Payton, Duarte Morais, Ernie Heath

The African Journal of Information Systems

While tourism has often been proposed as a mechanism for equitable and sustainable development in developing countries, most destination communities remain relegated to the role of passive “tourees” who are unable to participate in economic opportunities often controlled by tourism retail monopolies. Guided by information systems (IS) research on mobile and temporarily interconnected systems (MTIS), this work examines the ubiquitous nature of information services for users on the move. That is, users that are largely dependent on mobile telephones and temporary tourism services. Stakeholder interviews included local South African micro-entrepreneurs from under-resourced rural and peri-urban communities and other national and …

Absorptive Capacity And Ict Adoption Strategies For Smes: A Case Study In Kenya, Joshua R A Ndiege, Marlien E. Herselman, Stephen V. Flowerday

The African Journal of Information Systems

Many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries continue to be challenged by their information technology (IT) adoption process, which is often characterized by a number of deficiencies. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of absorptive capacity (AC) in SMEs’ performance, as well as establish the correlation between SMEs’ AC and their IT adoption process. The findings of this study, obtained by measuring different dimensions of AC using Jimenez-Barrionuevo, Garcia-Morales, and Molina’s scale of 18 items, suggest that AC plays a critical role in the performance of SMEs in Kenya and that SMEs with strong …

Improving Career Development In Students By Developing Job Analysis Skills, Robin Cheramie

Faculty Articles

One of the main goals of business school education is to prepare graduates for employment after graduation. However, many managers complain about the lack of communication skills developed in many graduates seeking employment in the job market (Abraham & Karns, 2009). This paper describes the experiential exercise designed to help students complete the process of job analysis to be used for hiring or other Human Resource functions. Besides learning the process for describing jobs, students discover external resources that can help them develop more effective resumes and interview skills. Results from a student satisfaction survey of this exercise and pre-test/post-test …

Forecasting Demand: Sensitivity Analysis Of Financial Assumptions Using Ms Excel, Gary B. Roberts, Kirk C. Heriot

Atlantic Marketing Journal

According to research on entrepreneurship education, the creation of a business plan is the most popular teaching method (Solomon, 2007). Textbooks in the field will often have a chapter devoted to the contents of the business plan and separate chapters about important elements of a business plan such as marketing, finance, and operations. Instructors must prepare their students for arduous task of writing all of the parts of the business plan within a team.

One of the most challenging aspects of a business plan is the financial projections. Clearly, if an entrepreneurial team intends to present their plan to a …

The Impact Of Post-Acquisition Autonomy Upon Small To Medium Enterprise Integration Success, Robert Weichel Reich

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Most theories in merger and acquisition (M&A) research use an individual or group level of analysis and address behavioral issues in M&A integration and adaptation. Relatively few studies apply a firm level analysis to investigate strategic issues pertaining to autonomy and decision-making authority. This study used neo-institutional theory to investigate the relationship between acquired firm autonomy and integration success at the firm level. It also sought to identify possible moderating impacts of an acquired firm’s pre-acquisition organizational archetype, e.g. professionally managed private, or founder owned and operated, as well as the acquired firm’s leadership experience with previous M&A integration. Furthermore, …

Multi-Family Businesses — An Exploratory Study Of Trust And Intergroup Relations, Jerry Kudlats

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Multi-family businesses represent a rare phenomenon in the family business environment. With limited research to draw upon and intergroup theory suggesting multiple families that are in business together should be in constant conflict, this dissertation sets out to examine why some multi-family businesses are able to avoid or manage intergroup conflicts, and how multi-family businesses can work harmoniously. Utilizing a qualitative, grounded theory-influenced approach, the thesis develops a theoretical understanding that started with the data and then intertwined the empirically derived observations with the extant literature to formulate a model focusing on trust within and between families. The dissertation is …

The Role Of Family Ownership In International Entrepreneurship: Exploring Nonlinear Effects, Salvatore Sciascia, Pietro Mazzola, Joseph H. Astrachan, Torsten M. Pieper

Faculty Articles

Empirical research on international entrepreneurship is growing, but results on the role of family ownership in this phenomenon are inconsistent. We believe these inconsistencies owe to prior researchers having not yet investigated nonlinear relationships. Drawing on opposing perspectives of stewardship and stagnation, we explore potential benefits and drawbacks of family ownership for international entrepreneurship and explore nonlinear relationships among these two variables. Using a sample of 1,035 US family businesses and applying ordinal regression analysis, we find an inverted U-shaped relationship between family ownership and international entrepreneurship: International entrepreneurship is maximized when family ownership stands at moderate levels. We discuss …

The North American Consortium For Entrepreneurship: Lessons Learned And Best Practices On Hosting International Students, Stella Sixing Xu, Gary B. Roberts, Dorothy Brawley, Bob Desman, Kamal Fatehi

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

In 2004, Kennesaw State University became a part of the North American Consortium for Entrepreneurship (NACE). Its mission is to advance the study and practice of entrepreneurship in the North American business community and develop successful entrepreneurial careers in the expanding markets fostered by the implementation of the North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA). In spring 2006, KSU hosted students from Canada, Mexico, and the United States as part of the NACE global initiative. Volunteers from an on-campus student organization, Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), coordinated the project. This paper presents a descriptive case study of the semester-long exchange, along …

International Trade And Women Merchants At Gbagi Textile Market, Ibadan, Mutiat Titilope Kareem-Ojo

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

This paper examines the historical background of Gbagi textile market in Ibadan and the response to international trade among women merchants at the market. It discusses the relationship between Lebanese traders in Nigeria and Yoruba women merchants at the market. In this connection, the paper explains how the presence of the Lebanese influenced textile trade. It also examines how women merchants adapted to the changes associated with international trade relations. The paper concludes by analyzing the changes that occurred in the market via the trading activities of women merchants.

A Psychological Perspective On Cultural Difference: Epistemological Heterogeneity And Individual Heterogeneity Across Cultures, Kamal Fatehi, Uday S. Tate

Faculty Articles

Most cross-cultural studies of management have been sociological type. Conventional view of cultures and sociological perspective has resulted in the assumption that within each culture members are homogeneous in their psychological make-up, logic, and perspective. Although researchers have reminded us that people vary on pivotal psychological dimensions, both on a between-country and within-country basis, these reminders were not heeded. Maruyama’s theories and research on epistemological heterogeneity, and individual heterogeneity across cultures, or as it is called, mindscape, were the exception. This paper elaborates on epistemological heterogeneity and individual heterogeneity across cultures. It suggests that researchers in international management could use …

Organizational Financial Performance: Identifying And Testing Multiple Dimensions, Robert B. Carton, Charles W. Hofer

Faculty Articles

This research addresses the measurement of organizational financial performance. Its primary purpose is to provide researchers and managers a better understanding of the implications of selecting the dependent variables that should be used in empirical studies and management practice where organizational financial performance is the criterion of interest. This is the first study that has undertaken to empirically identify both the different distinct dimensions of organizational financial performance and the measures that represent those dimensions. Since no prior research has empirically established the domain of organizational financial performance, this research is by necessity exploratory in nature. A two-part approach was …

Ict Usage In Microfinance Institutions In Uganda, Joseph Kaumba Ssewanyana

The African Journal of Information Systems

Microfinance institutions (MFIs) are always often faced with high operating costs to provide financial services to the poor people and Small and Medium Enterprises. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has been found to promote the dual objective of microfinance - sustainability and outreach to the poor people. Using a quantitative survey and descriptive research approach, this paper has established the extent to which ICT has been used in the microfinance institutions in Uganda. Despite the barriers, ICT usage in MFIs has been on the rise; and different applications and technologies have been adopted by some MFIs to control costs, create …

Doing It Write: Professionalizing The Write Room, Joellen Kubiak-Woodall

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

No abstract provided.

Entrepreneurship: Venture Initiation, Management, And Development, George S. Vozikis, Timothy Mescon, Howard Feldman

KSU Press Legacy Project

Twenty years ago, Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. hired over seventy percent of college graduates. Today, Fortune 500 companies hire less than seven percent of college graduates and the entrepreneurial enterprises hire over 80 percent. More than forty percent of students start a business within one year of graduation. These businesses employ 55% of the total American work force. When we think of the entrepreneur, we often visualize the small business. While most, if not all, business ideas begin "small," a great deal of focus in placed upon entrepreneurial ideas that have grown into sizable corporations. In examining the …

Building An Inclusive Entrepreneurial Culture: Effects Of Employee Involvement On Venture Performance And Innovation, Tim Blumentritt, Jill Kickul, Lisa K. Gundry

Faculty Articles

The process through which entrepreneurial firms plan and achieve strategic growth and innovation often reflects a complex set of internal organizational challenges and opportunities. This paper specifically focuses on how entrepreneurs build internal cultures in order to stimulate and drive innovation and improve organizational effectiveness. Drawing upon both strategic-management and entrepreneurial-dynamics perspectives, the authors argue that sustained innovation requires moving beyond the characteristics of the entrepreneur towards an organization that will support a firm's growth by eliciting and directing additive contributions from the individuals working for these ventures. Results revealed that entrepreneurs were more likely to create high-performance and innovative …

Family Businesses' Contribution To The U.S. Economy: A Closer Look, Joseph H. Astrachan, Melissa Carey Shanker

Faculty Articles

In 1995, we were commissioned to conduct research on the impact of family businesses on the U.S. economy. A search of all relevant research led to the conclusion that the majority of existing data relating to family businesses' economic contributions were not grounded in empirical research, and the definitions used to distinguish family businesses from other enterprises were ambiguous or nonexistent. In 1996, we published a paper providing a framework for assessing the economic impact of family businesses across three ranges, defined by the degree of family involvement in the businesses. This paper revisits that research and updates and improves …

Are The Common Myths Of Entrepreneurship All That Common? A Test Of Entrepreneurs And Non-Entrepreneurs, Kevin W. Sightler

Faculty Articles

It has been suggested that there is general misunderstanding in the business and academic communities as to the definition, form, and substance of entrepreneurship. Common myths of entrepreneurship have been advanced such as "Entrepreneurship involves starting and running a small business" and "Entrepreneurship requires a lot of money." A sample of 163 subjects revealed overall disagreement with the stated myths. Evidence supported a hypothesized divergence of opinion about entrepreneurship myths between entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs, but there was no difference of opinion between less successful and more successful entrepreneurs. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Franchisor Environmental Liability For Previously Contaminated Property, Patrick J. Kaufmann, William S. Vincent

Faculty Articles

Environmental legislation has created potential liability for retailing franchisees that purchase previously contaminated land. Faced with a decision to distance itself from the site selection process or incur the added costs and potential pricing impacts of greater involvement in the process, franchisors have strong incentives to reduce franchisee support. This reduction in support has detrimental implications for both franchise policy and environmental policy. A paper reports the results of an empirical study that links franchisors' concerns about potential environmental liability to actions to distance themselves from the site selection process or, alternatively, formally to require franchisee environmental investigation of all …

Research Note Perceptions Are Reality: How Family Meetings Lead To Collective Action, Timothy G. Habbershon, Joseph H. Astrachan

Faculty Articles

Family meetings develop family unity through the creation of perceived shared beliefs. The article presents a model with strategic implications showing how shared beliefs lead to collective action, which leads to outcomes and then the reassessment of the shared beliefs. Finally, the article reports on initial research on the reliability of instruments developed to explore one aspect of this model: The creation of shared beliefs through family meetings. The initial results suggest that perceptions of shared beliefs may be an important stimulant of collective family activity.

The Effect Of Estate Taxes On Family Business: Survey Results, Joseph H. Astrachan, Roger Tutterow

Faculty Articles

A survey of 1,003 businesses examined the effect of estate taxes on family business behavior, including investment, employment, and strategic decisions. The results strongly suggest that estate taxes have marked effects on business behavior. These effects are more pronounced in larger firms where their potential impact is of a greater magnitude.