Technological Innovation Outcomes: Does the Internal Ecosystem Play a Key Role?

Business Perspectives and Research, Ahead of Print.
This study empirically investigates the causal relationship that exist between innovators and internal ecosystem factors driving technological innovation among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the European region using the linear equation model. Our analysis is based on firm-level panel data from the European Innovation Survey conducted by the European Union from 2011–2018 with 296 SMEs across Europe. The results show that, human resources, research systems, financial support, firm investments, linkages, and employment impact was positively related to technological innovation performance. However, the outcome of an innovation-free environment and sales impacts as contextual factors had an insignificant influence on SMEs’ innovation performance. The results imply that effective human resource approach coupled with good governmental policies are important factors that can increase SMEs’ innovation performance. Based on this study results, SMEs’ managers can provide effective and sustainable policies that would provide both direct and support roles on the main drivers of regional and economic development. The outcome of this research indicates that firms need to pay greater attention to external factors such as governmental policies governing SMEs, considering customers’ needs, product specification and ensuring that they deliver quality product to satisfy consumers.

Farmer Producer Organisations in North India: Potentials and Challenges

International Journal of Rural Management, Ahead of Print.
This article seeks to analyse the current business model of FPOs to understand socio-economic consequences for individual members. The study selected 10 farmer producer organisations from Uttar Pradesh, India considering diversity along with geographical location, the field of operation and business model. In total, 10% of the villages covered by each chosen FPO and 5 members from each selected village were randomly selected for data collection. Two separate schedules for FPOs and members were administered for data collection. The study found that FPO members, particularly small and marginal farmers, experienced a positive socio-economic impact on their lives due to exposure to new techniques and enhanced bargaining power due to collectivisation. However, lack of capital due to constraints in accessing finance from banks was found to be a major challenge. The article concludes by underlining what needs to be done to make FPOs sustainable.

Effect of COVID-19 Stimulus Packages on Nations’ Competitive Advantage

Business Perspectives and Research, Ahead of Print.
The study examines the country’s competitive advantage variations due to fiscal stimulus allocated for COVID-19 by the G-20 governments. It predicts that G-20 countries that are more likely to attract future investments from global firms will improve their trade share in the post-COVID-19 scenario. The study uses the growth-share matrix and 4E (entrenching, empowering, enterprising, enriching) framework. Findings indicate that Japan, the USA, India, Australia, and Canada have allocated significantly large stimulus as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) compared to their world trade share. It is likely to provide them with a competitive advantage in the future. The findings further reveal that the Governments have significantly allocated the stimulus to four sectors, that is, health, social security, industry and construction, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In the post-COVID-19 scenario, global firms may seek market entry or expansion strategies in these sectors in the nations mentioned above.

Are migrant-owned firms different from native-owned ones?

The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Ahead of Print.
In most of the literature, immigrant-owned firms are perceived as being “different” from those owned by natives. Some recent evidence suggests that this distinction is not always clear-cut. This paper aims to analyze the similarities and differences between immigrant-owned SMEs and native-owned firms by comparing the economic, financial, and organizational variables at the firm level. The research is based on a large database of partnerships and private limited companies (micro and very small enterprises are excluded). A matched-pair analysis was performed to assess the presence of significant differences between entrepreneurial ventures owned by immigrants and those owned by natives. This approach makes it possible to obtain a suitable sample for a “controlled” comparison between the firms in our sample. Unlike the previous results obtained for firm size, industry, and geography, we found that proxy values for efficiency, capital intensity, and profitability for immigrant-owned SMEs are not significantly different (or lower) from those owned by natives. Migrant ventures have demonstrated the ability to leverage bridging skills to enter foreign markets. In addition, more advanced migrant companies have narrowed the gap with native firms and show similar characteristics in terms of financial structure and performance.

Career Satisfaction in Maximising Professionals of Indian IT Industry: Mediating Roles of Contrasting Responses Based on Counterfactual Reasoning

South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, Ahead of Print.
This study conceptualises career maximisation and its consequences in the Indian Information Technology (IT) workforce, a globally significant non-Western talent pool. It examined how maximising tendency in career decision-making (MT-CD) mediated career satisfaction through two contrasting responses based on counterfactual reasoning―career regret (dysfunctional) and career adaptability (functional). The study comprised of two parts. In Study 1, scales for MT-CD and career regret were developed and initially validated using a 172 respondents’ dataset. In Study 2, data from 434 respondents were analysed for psychometric evaluation and further validation of scales along with determining hypothesised relationships. Two dimensions of MT-CD were identified―‘state of internal career ambiguity’ and ‘striving for career excellence’. Both attributes produced career regret (an aggregated measure of ‘corporate regrets’, ‘career choice regrets’ and ‘developmental regrets’ dimensions), decreasing career satisfaction. Only ‘striving for career excellence’ led to career adaptability, which subsequently increased career satisfaction. Altogether, career regret competed with career adaptability, supressing its positive indirect effect on maximising ITPs’ career satisfaction. This study expands the current empirical research on career maximisation into non-Western contexts, adding unique knowledge to the Indian IT workforce’s vocational literature.