Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Commons^™

A Look Into The Industry Of Video Games Past, Present, And Yet To Come, Chad Hadzinsky

CMC Senior Theses

Since its inception, the video game industry has been both a new medium for art and innovation as well as a major driving force in the advancements of many technologies. The often overlooked video game industry has turned from a hobby to a multi-billion dollar industry in its short, forty year life. People of all ages and genders across the world are playing video games at a higher clip than ever before. With so many new gamers and emerging technologies, it is an exciting time for the industry. The landscape is constantly changing and successful business models of the past …

Philanthropic Innovation And Creative Capitalism: A Historical And Comparative Perspective On Social Entrepreneurship And Corporate Social Responsibility, Shruti Rana

Faculty Scholarship

Each generation creates its own philanthropic bodies, with novel structures promising both increased sustainability and efficiency. From the seventeenth-century financial imperialists to today’s internet entrepreneurs, innovation, wealth, and philanthropy have moved in tandem, shaping one another and resulting in new philanthropic forms.

The most recent of these emerging entities is the “for-profit charity,” which relies on market profits and market principles to replace donations and to maximize its impact. Current philanthropic literature praises these market-based structures as revolutionary innovations that enhance long-term sustainability, and the focus of legal reforms falls along these lines. Yet the legal literature fails to fully …

Beating Competitors To International Markets: The Value Of Geographically Balanced Networks For Innovation, Pankaj C. Patel, Stephanie A. Fernhaber, Patricia P. Mcdougall-Covin, Robert P. Van Der Have

Scholarship and Professional Work - Business

Being able to launch new products internationally is critical for technology-based ventures to recoup the high costs of R&D and to exploit their innovations fully. Despite the widely recognized importance of networks within the innovation development process, there appear to be contrasting viewpoints as to whether local or foreign network partners contribute more in the race to internationalize. Drawing on the theoretical underpinnings of comparative advantage, we propose and empirically confirm that ventures pursuing a balance of local and foreign network connections for the development of an innovation are able to bring the product more rapidly into the international marketplace. …

Slides: Meeting The Needs Of Women Through Clean Cooking Solutions, Corinne Hart

2012 Energy Justice Conference and Technology Exposition (September 17-18)

Presenter: Corinne Hart, Program Manager, Gender and Markets, Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves

20 slides

500 Year Documentation, Francis T. Marchese, Phd, Maninder Pal Kaur Shergill

Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship

Museum visitors today can regularly view 500 year old art by Renaissance masters. Will visitors to museums 500 years in the future be able to see the work of digital artists from the early 21st century? This paper considers the real problem of conserving interactive digital artwork for museum installation in the far distant future by exploring the requirements for creating documentation that will support an artwork's adaptation to future technology. In effect, this documentation must survive as long as the artwork itself -- effectively, in perpetuity. A proposal is made for the use of software engineering methodologies as solutions …

Open-Source It Support For Effective Social Entrepreneurship, Lixin Tao

Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship

To better support its mission, a non-profit organization needs to effectively reach out to the public, collect information and opinions form the public, support effective brainstorming and discussions, implement effective business processes for non-profit operations, and support effective governance of the organization. The latest information technologies have provided better alternative for non-profits to run smoother and more effectively.

In this paper we conduct a critical study of two popular open-source contents management systems, Drupal and WordPress, introduce Drupal to social entrepreneurs, and explain how it can support most of the tasks outlined above. Specific guidance is provided for setting up …

Measuring Entrepreneurship In The Academic Heartland, Jonathan Gagliardi

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

ABSTRACT

Employment Growth From Public Support Of Innovation In Small Firms, Albert N. Link, John T. Scott

Upjohn Press

Link and Scott provide a statistical assessment of the employment growth associated with public support of R&D in small, entrepreneurial firms through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

Kabloom!: Revolution In The Flower Industry, Gina Vega, Collette Dumas, Beverly Kahn, Jafar Mana

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

David Hartstein started KaBloom in 1998 with the goal of creating “the Starbucks of Flowers.” He successfully built brand recognition for the gardenlike shops, but problems plagued the young organization. Nearly three years and one recession later, KaBloom failed to live up to Hartstein’s forecast of exponential growth. This case has been designed for a graduate-level course in entrepreneurship/innovation. Students can compare franchising with other business models, examine the impact of organizational structure and leadership styles on business effectiveness, relate issues of supply chain management and logistics to environmental changes, and recognize the impact of innovation on business sustainability.

Engines Of Innovation: The Entrepreneurial University In The Twenty-First Century, Joseph R. Bell

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

Thorp, Holden and Buck Goldstein. Engines of Innovation: The Entrepreneurial University in the Twenty-First Century. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2010.

Engines of Innovation: The Entrepreneurial University in the Twenty-First Century is an exploration into the design of a collaborative academic institution where silos of discipline-specific competency and tradition disappear and innovation reigns supreme.

Trumbull Library System, Business Program: Patents & Business Intelligence, Amy Jansen, Robert Berry

Librarian Publications

A November 10, 2011 presentation by Amy Jansen, Business Librarian at Sacred Heart University and Robert Berry, Research Librarian and Patent and Trademark Resource Center representative for the Sacred Heart University Library.

Innovative Entrepreneurs' Workbook: A Guide For Innovators And Entrepreneurs, Arcot Desai Narasimhalu

Research Collection Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

This is a workbook for individuals who have decided to start their long winding entrepreneurial journey. It is organized into four parts. The first part introduces the aspiring entrepreneur to the process of identifying an innovation opportunity and refining for market readiness. The second part provides insights into a product or service development. The third part lays out the key steps involved in building a new company. This part includes IP strategy for a startups, a topic rarely discussed in many text books or workbooks. The last part will discuss the art of securing the early deals. This book was …

What's Your Pitch?, Connie I. Reimers-Hild

Kimmel Education and Research Center: Presentations and White Papers

We all need to have our "pitch" ready! This PowerPoint, when used with the corresponding worksheet of the same title (What's Your Pitch), walks people through the process of creating an Elevator Pitch or Quick Pitch for their idea, business or organization. In the global economy, it is important for all of us to be able to clearly communicate what we do so we can sell ourselves and help others understand the purpose of what we are working to accomplish. A great pitch has the power to help anyone...from a University employee to a new entrepreneur to a team working …

Coaching Leaders: Co-Creating Purpose Based Innovation, Connie I. Reimers-Hild

Kimmel Education and Research Center: Presentations and White Papers

The purpose of the presentation was to demonstrate the importance and effectiveness of coaching leaders in today's global economy. Leadership coaching has the potential to co-create innovation in organizations of all sizes. Three case studies were shared. In each example, Dr. Connie presented the effectiveness of her coaching program. Each case study demonstrated the power of leadership and innovation on the economy, society and individual.

Leadership And Innovation Program, Connie I. Reimers-Hild

Kimmel Education and Research Center: Presentations and White Papers

No abstract provided.

Economic Outlook 2010: Innovation, Connie I. Reimers-Hild

Kimmel Education and Research Center: Presentations and White Papers

This article discusses the importance of innovation to individuals and the overall economy.

Sustainability Through Profitability: The Triple Bottom Line, Connie I. Reimers-Hild

Kimmel Education and Research Center: Presentations and White Papers

Today’s highly competitive, globalized world requires organizations and businesses to think differently about how they are going to stay in business. Businesses can no longer afford to focus on profits as their sole purpose for existence. Organizations must instead think about the “Triple Bottom Line” and its implications for their ability to grow their brand, customer loyalty and profits.

Does Employee Ownership Increase Innovation?, Robert Garrett

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

One way that firms attempt to innovate is through investment in R&D activity. However, there is much heterogeneity in innovations among firms making comparable R&D investments. This article explores employee ownership’s moderating effect on the relationship between R&D intensity and innovative output. The basis for the moderation is that ownership increases motivation and commitment to the innovation agenda of the company, and retains employees’ entrepreneurial efforts for internal opportunities. Using hierarchical regression, the data support the hypothesis that employee stock ownership positively moderates the relationship between R&D intensity and innovative output. Implications for future research and practice are addressed.

Organizational Ambidexterity And Synergistic Effects Of Plural Organizational Forms : A Search For Balance Between Standardization And Innovation, Jaeyoung Kang

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation was motivated to answer the following questions: (1) Why are the plural organizational forms (company-owned units and franchised units) used in a chain, what is the effect of the plural organizational form on chain performance, and what factors influence the optimal combination of the plural organizational forms? Drawing on the organizational ambidexterity theory, I argue the plural organizational forms enable chains to maintain standardization across multiple units and facilitate innovation for the adaptation to changing environment simultaneously. Thus, the plural organizational forms can contribute to chain performance by reconciling and harnessing these conflicting demands. I suggest that there …

Smes, Open Innovation And Ip Management: Advancing Global Development, Stanley P. Kowalski

Law Faculty Scholarship

[Excerpt] Micro-Small-Medium Enterprises (abbreviated herein henceforth as “SMEs”) are global drivers of technological innovation and economic development. Perhaps their importance has been somewhat eclipsed by the mega-multinational corporate entities. However, whereas the corporations might be conceptualized as towering sequoia trees, SMEs represent the deep, broad, fertile forest floor that nourishes, sustains and regenerates the global economic ecosystem.

[. . .]

Broadly recognized as engines of economic and global development, SMEs account for a substantial proportion of entrepreneurial activity in both industrialized and developing countries. Indeed, their role as dynamos for technological and economic progress in developing countries is critical and …

Entrepreneurial Leadership And Teamwork: The Key To Innovation In The 21st Century, Connie I. Reimers-Hild, Susan N. Williams

Kimmel Education and Research Center: Presentations and White Papers

Entrepreneurial leadership and continuous innovation are vital components of 21st century communities and organizations. Entrepreneurial leaders must realize the importance of environmental, social and global issues while creating an atmosphere of innovation designed to help followers become more entrepreneurial themselves.

Entrepreneurial individuals and teams have the ability to recognize and capitalize on opportunities, innovate, take risks, adapt to rapid change and marshal resources to achieve their goals. When individuals come together as an effective team, they can produce a synergy to meet the demands of a rapidly changing and competitive work environment. Therefore, entrepreneurial leaders must develop entrepreneurial individuals and …

Reinventing An Innovation Ecology With New Models For Research And Research Parks, Robert G. Wilhelm, Barry L. Burks

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

A novel effort to reinvent the innovation ecology of the Charlotte region is described. The methods and approaches are particularly relevant for restarting both local and global economies. Addressing requirements for faster innovation and more diverse innovation cycles, the research enterprise of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the Charlotte Research Institute, the University Research Park, and a diverse collection of partners are working together to recast university research models and research park paradigms. Best practices are discussed for technology transfer based on interdisciplinary applied research. A novel collaboration model developed by the Charlotte Research Institute is described. Guiding …

A Mapping Of Entrepreneurship And Innovation Policy In Ireland., Thomas Cooney

Reports

The objective at the centre of the IPREG (Innovative Policy Research for Economic Growth) project is the facilitation of a " network of networks" needed to address one of Europe's critical issues-empirically relevant research on growth policy. IPREG is an established "network of networks" encompassing researchers, policy makers and business people in twelve countries: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden and UK. The initial stage of the project was to map out the current policies and actors in each country and to develop a comprehensiveness index based upon interviews and survey feedback. This work …

Giving It Away : Free Technology Transfer To The Irish Sme Sector, Peter Kavanagh, Andy Maguire, James J. Casey

Articles

One of Europe’s major weaknesses lies in its inferiority in terms of transforming the results of technological research and skills into innovations and competitive advantages. (European Commission, 1995, p. 8.)

Technology transfer is a key aspect of economic development and research administration. These concerns are shared equally between academia and industry on both sides of the Atlantic. As technology is developed at a greater rate, concerns about the technology transfer will heighten. This article focuses on technology transfer in Ireland, particularly in the SME (Small and Medium size Enterprises, under 250 employees) sector. As the main Lisbon Objective has not …

Adequacy Of The 1995 Antitrust Guidelines For Ip Licensing: Commentaries From The 2002 Ftc And Doj Hearings, Clovia Hamilton

Winthrop Faculty and Staff Publications

In 1995, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) adopted new guidelines for the licensing of intellectual property rights without violating antitrust laws. The 1995 Antitrust Guidelines for the Licensing of Intellectual Property (IP Guidelines) state the antitrust enforcement policy of the DOJ and the FTC.1 The IP Guidelines drafted by the DOJ and FTC (the agencies) does not provide practitioners with a sufficient level of comfort as they attempt to predict the enforcement initiatives relative to intellectual property licensing.2 The IP Guidelines are inadequate because they misunderstand the nature of intellectual property markets and provide …

Collaboration Among Smes As A Mechanism For Innovation: An Empirical Study, Mario J. B. Franco

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

The interest for collaboration among small and mediumsized enterprises and innovation has been highlighted, in recent times, due to the acceleration of technological changes and to increasing international competitiveness. Many small firms, with rigid structures and weak entrepreneurial dynamics, experienced difficulties in becoming innovators. Some of these firms can adopt collaborative agreements because these relationships enable them to get the necessary innovative activities, know-how, and exploit opportunities, which they cannot achieve alone. This study examines the motives for the formation of collaborative agreements in industrial Portuguese SMEs and presents some empirical evidence concerning collaboration as an important vehicle for the …

University Technology Transfer And Economic Development: Proposed Cooperative Economic Development Agreements Under The Bayh Dole Act, Clovia Hamilton

Winthrop Faculty and Staff Publications

Technology transfer enables private industry and academia to make practical use of advanced research, development, and technical expertise. Indeed, universities are a rich source of science and technology that can support local government and business development as well as economic growth. Thus, it is essential for research universities to transfer their wisdom to the public for its use and benefit. Today, universities operate in an economic climate that requires both capital and knowledge; takes advantage of government technology initiatives (namely the Bayh- Dole Act);' and serves as a catalyst for the creation of a large number of new, incubated companies. …

High-Tech Transportation Corridors Are In Vogue: Proposed Federal Transportation Policy Amendments, Clovia Hamilton

Winthrop Faculty and Staff Publications

When there is an economic downturn, cities are forced to develop a strategy to revitalize. Increasing the transfer of high technology into the marketplace stimulates the economy. High tech industries are industries that include relatively high percentages of scientific and technical workers, or industries that make relatively large expenditures in research and development. "[I]n difficult economic times, political stakeholders in the technology transfer process usually view success in economic impact terms, and often from short-term and parochial perspectives-how many jobs in my state next year?" Examples include the expansion of the suburban space economy in the 1980s that produced new …

Developmental Financial Institutions As Technology Policy Instruments: Implications For Innovation And Entrepreneurship In Emerging Economies, Gerard George, Ganesh N. Prabhu

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Developmental financial institutions (DFIs) in emerging economies regularly assess new technology platforms to support their investments in new ventures, established firms, and technology institutions (TIs). Their financing decisions are guided by national priorities such as achieving technological self-reliance. By providing attractive financing options and related support, DFIs are well placed to consciously channel finance into designated priority technology areas. To better understand DFI roles, we conducted multiple interviews with participants affiliated with DFIs, firms and TIs in India. From data gathered from these interviews and secondary data on DFIs in emerging economies, we develop a preliminary framework to suggest that …

Adequacy Of The 1995 Antitrust Guidelines For The Licensing Of Intellectual Property In Complex High Tech Markets, Clovia Hamilton

Winthrop Faculty and Staff Publications

In 1995, the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission adopted new guidelines for those wishing to license intellectual property rights without violating antitrust laws. Designed to provide clarity, these guidelines instead breed confusion because they misunderstand the nature of intellectual property markets and provide insufficient guidance in the most difficult areas. Section I of this article will discuss the basic provisions of the guidelines, especially their treatment of "innovation markets." It argues that government enforcers should focus primarily on activity that creates entry barriers. Understanding the use and misuse of licensing is the key to analyzing barriers in …