This research aims to examine the influence of institutional environment in the entrepreneurial context of Oman. It draws on the burgeoning literature that links entrepreneurship and institutions. Previous entrepreneurship literature has largely focused on the developed world, and assumed transferable findings to emerging economies regardless of the significant institutional differences, which warrants scholarly attention. In response, this research produces three papers that examine three interrelated phenomena within the entrepreneurial context of Oman, using institutional lens. The first paper examines the emergence of hidden entrepreneurs, an understudied phenomenon in the informal entrepreneurship literature, and its effects on the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the wider economy. Calling upon the weaknesses in the institutional environment that led to the emergence of hidden entrepreneurs, the second paper examines the role these institutional dynamics play in shaping the efficacy of entrepreneurial learning (EL) programmes. As the second paper showed a dominance of unfavourable institutions that undermine formal EL programmes, the third paper was inclined to examine the informal collaborative EL approaches that entrepreneurs follow by utilising prevailing coexisting institutional logics, mainly digitisation and social capital logics. Embedded in interpretive paradigm, the three papers followed qualitative approach using in-depth interviews with 44 entrepreneurs and stakeholders within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The papers revealed an interplay between unique institutional elements that have given rise to different implications to entrepreneurship in Oman. These include: regulatory weaknesses despite the government’s momentous efforts to develop entrepreneurship sector; the undue influence of the family in shaping individual endeavour; limited entrepreneurial mindset in the society; the emergence of digital social networks; the normative influence of wasta; and an Islamic value to knowledge sharing. The overall research offers theoretical, methodological, and contextual contributions as well as practical implications by providing multi-layered understanding of entrepreneurship phenomenon within an understudied context (i.e. Oman), which generated new insights at the intersection of entrepreneurship and institutional theory.

Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) aims to achieve societally desirable outcomes and marketable products of innovative processes. In recent years RRI has become a key factor in national and international Research and Innovation (R&I) policy and funding. As a consequence, actors involved in R&I are required to implement it. However, while on a conceptual and theoretical level RRI has been discussed in depth, on a practical and empirical level it remains largely underdeveloped. To contribute to the bridging of this gap between policy/theory and practice, this research assesses how RRI can be conceptualised and implemented in research projects in a way that allows it to reach its objectives. To attain an in-depth understanding of the implementation of RRI, a qualitative research strategy is deployed using a case study approach. As cases, three research projects are selected from the Netherlands Responsible Innovation (MVI) programme, which is the first programme to fund dedicated RRI projects. Analysis within and across the cases is supported by an analytical model based on a relational conceptualisation of responsibility. The model enables describing and analysing how the overarching aims and requirements of RRI translate into responsibilities taken and ascribed by R&I actors involved in projects. Building on an in-depth review of eight accounts of RRI and deploying the analytical model, this research provides a better understanding of the relationships between RRI and the targeted R&I, RRI and further instances of RRI beyond it, and RRI and its academic context. Furthermore, it identifies a number of key components that affect the outcomes of RRI, namely: the status of researchers implementing RRI as societal stakeholders, the role of interdisciplinary collaboration as a strategic means to defend (societal) interests, and the role of authorities such as funders in incentivising and sanctioning RRI. Lastly, the research reflects novel barriers and enablers that are relevant to implementing RRI. On the one hand, meeting the aims of RRI may be problematic due to academic and societal aims of researchers being in tension with each other, and to the manner, researchers defend their societal interests, which also may negatively influence the implementation of RRI. On the other hand, consideration of the R&I stage in projecting an impact and involving R&I actors, as well as making RRI rewarding to researchers throughout academic careers enables effective implementation of RRI. Based on the insights gained, recommendations are made for policymakers, funding bodies and researchers concerning the current lack of alignment between societal and academic interests when implementing RRI, capacitating and motivating actors to implement RRI, and ensuring alignment of RRI activities over time.

No description available.

There is growing concern about the sustainability of food production and marketing systems when measured against a set of sometimes conflicting economic, environmental and social criteria. In this context, this research aims to develop and apply a framework to assess the sustainability of fresh produce supply chains, from farm to retail outlet, using British fresh potato production and marketing as a case study. Following a review of relevant literature, in-depth interviews were carried out with farmers, merchants and retailers to explore perceptions of the sustainability of the fresh potato supply chain over the last decade. After this, the research adopted quantitative and qualitative methods of investigation. An attempt was made to measure the changes in the performance of the fresh potato supply chain between 1990 and 2000 in an objective manner, using thirteen sustainability (economic, environmental and social) indicators. However, the d egree of the sustainability of the supply chain was measured only for 2000, because of a considerable lack of available data for 1990. Thus it was not feasible to draw conclusions on the changes of supply chain sustainability over the last decade. It was shown that the farm stage was responsible for most of the emissions to the environment and water consumption in 2000. Most of the energy was consumed at the farm and merchant stages, while the merchant stage was the most labour intensive in the supply chain. A questionnaire survey of 240 farmers, 17 merchants and 4 retailers was carried out to elicit their perceptions of the importance of selected sustainability factors influencing supply chain performance, the changes in business sustainability during the last decade, and the future of the fresh potato supply chain. The participants perceived that their business profitability has either been stable or decreased, while cost efficiency and environmental and social performance have improved. During the last 10 years, economic factors have been the key drivers for change in the supply chain, however environmental and social issues have increased in importance and are likely to do so in the future. The participants perceived that major retailers, driven by the fierce competition at the retail stage where the power base for the supply chain appears to lie, have promoted actions to improve aspects of the sustainability of the whole fresh produce supply chain, such as farm assurance schemes. This study confirmed that it is feasible to develop an approach to assess the sustainability of fresh produce supply chains over time. These sustainability indicators could be further developed and applied in the fresh potato supply chain on a regular basis in the future to provide an ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the changes in the supply chain performance in an objective manner. The developed approach could also be applied on other fresh vegetables supply chains. The study concludes that it is in the collective interest of all participants in the fresh potato supply chain to find ways to improve its economic, social and environmental performance.

The present research project aims to contribute to the developmental literature on Mexico’s industrialisation. In pursuing this, it will deviate from previous studies of Mexico’s industrialisation where the state’s federal level is generally the main focus. In contrast, this thesis highlights multilevel characteristics with the objective of providing a new perspective regarding state-led industrialisation. The research questions for this project will thus be as follows: to what extent have subnational actors contributed to industrial transformation in Mexico? Then, as a following objective, this thesis will examine how these industrialising efforts have been consolidated at a subnational level. To address these objectives, two subnational case studies will be compared. The states of Nuevo Leon – Mexico’s early industrialiser and one of its bigger Northern states— and Queretaro –a catching-up state located in the centre, which is among the smallest in terms of territory and population. Using these case studies, it will be argued that in the case of Mexico, the state-society alliances necessary for industrial transformation have been formulated at the subnational, rather than national, level. As a result, these alliances have given way to parallel patterns of industrial policy and state-society relations enabling both subnational states to achieve rapid industrialisation. Overall, this thesis aims to make two main contributions to the existing literature on state-led industrialisation. First, by undertaking more of a long term approach, it aims to examine the institutional origins and evolution of industrial policy in Mexico. Secondly, due to Mexico’s more diffuse industrialisation, this research hopes to provide a testimony of the more multileveled characteristics that successful industrialisation has had in the Mexican case. Having undertaken this examination, the thesis also contributes to an agenda to broaden the explanatory scope of the literature on state-led industrialisation.

The main concern of this thesis is to examine how the Mubarak authoritarian regime survived for three decades, especially after the introduction of economic liberalization. I argue that the Mubarak regime created a new constituency of businessmen who benefited from economic reform and in return provided support to the regime. Based on interviews with Egyptian businessmen and political activists, this thesis examines the different institutional mechanisms used by the regime to co-opt businessmen and based on predation of public and private resources. Extending the literature on clientelism, I create a typology of regime-businessmen relations in terms of authoritarian clientelism, semi-clientelism, patron-broker client relationships, and mutual dependency. The thesis further examines how the regime dealt with an opposition that refused to enter into its clientelisitic chain. I demonstrate how the regime weakened this opposition by creating among them a divided political environment on different levels (i.e., among the legal and illegal opposition, inside the legal opposition, and among the illegal opposition). This thesis demonstrates that there are businessmen who are supportive of authoritarianism; however, they may also oppose authoritarian regimes, not for their own business interests but rather for their own political/ideological stance. This thesis concludes that the 25th of January Revolution showed the failure of Mubarak‘s political economy of authoritarianism based on predation and co-opting businessmen.

No description available.

This study provides insights into the influences of government intervention on the business survival of Bumiputera women entrepreneurs in the handicraft industry in Malaysia in which Bumiputera refers to the indigenous people and the largest population group in the country. The Malaysian handicraft industry is largely made up of Bumiputera women entrepreneurs (BWEs). While very little is known about how BWEs in the handicraft industry in Malaysia manage the survival of their businesses, the impact of the government’s initiatives on BWEs’ business survival process remains largely unexplored. To explore these arguments, this study investigates the business survival experiences of BWEs in the handicraft industry in Sabah, Malaysia: the leading state in the country in terms of handicraft producers. This study adopts an interpretative approach and uses semi-structured interviews as the main data collection technique in exploring the perceptions and views of 21 BWEs and five government officials (GOs) on government entrepreneurial support programmes (GESPs). All interviews were recorded but with participant’s permission. Two additional data collection methods: documentary analysis and observations were utilised; thus, improving the triangulation of the findings. The findings show that BWEs’ business survival is a complex process that is influenced by endogenous and exogenous factors which stem from three different aspects: personal, organisational and institutional. While endogenous factors relate to BWEs’ personal and organisational aspects, exogenous factors refer to four institutional environments: family, social, political and GESPs. The important dimensions that emerged are the significance of the collectivist culture of Malaysia in influencing BWEs’ business survival and the political privileges that influence BWEs’ access to GESPs. This study revealed that government organisations appear to be the dominant source of external support for BWEs in the handicraft industry in Malaysia. However, the way the GESPs are designed, implemented and evaluated do not reflect the business needs of BWEs. This study adds to the body of knowledge on women’s business survival by providing empirical evidence from a Malaysian perspective. The findings demonstrate how the Malaysian collectivist culture is relevant in minimising BWEs’ patriarchal pressures, thus bringing further insights to the gender and women’s entrepreneurship literature. Finally, this study highlights the significance of the political privileges that hinder BWEs access to GESPs whilst also encouraging the establishment of women-only entrepreneurial support programmes, contributing to the literature on institutional influences on women’s entrepreneurship research.

No description available.

Social entrepreneurship has received increasing attention over the past few decades. This thesis examines social enterprises within one particular context, namely the community-led renewable energy sector. Despite the importance placed on these initiatives, little is known about the way in which they are developed and managed. Utilising theories of social entrepreneurship and innovation, it examines the challenges and key success factors that impact on their development and evaluates the role social enterprises play in the adoption and diffusion of renewable energy. Using a qualitative, case study approach the study presents and discusses findings drawn from 13 social enterprises across Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland. Evidence is derived from 37 semi­structured interviews, observational notes and a range of secondary information. A number of important conclusions can be drawn. Significantly the research contributes to the understanding of community energy in Northern Ireland and Ireland. To date these regions have been virtually ignored within the literature. The study also provides evidence of the many differing approaches that exist in the operation and management of community energy schemes. Alongside this a number of interlinking factors have been uncovered that impact on their development, in particular the importance of social and cultural aspects on this process. As a result, the study recommends that consideration be shown to the uniqueness of each area and context before attempting to replicate these schemes. Practitioners and policy makers alike can benefit from these insights. Theoretically the study confirms and extends theories relating to social entrepreneurship and innovation. It has shown how within the context of renewable energy, social enterprises can be viewed as significant actors in the adoption and diffusion process. Furthermore it provides insight into areas that have to date been underexplored, notably development of community energy business models.