Thesis (M.B.A.)—Boston University

There are four parts to the thesis: Part I presents a review of the literature, a discussion and finally proposes a definition of the main concepts studied: entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, small business owner-manager and small-medium sized manufacturing enterprise. Part 2 presents an overview of organisation theory and explains our selection of content as well as of container approaches to study the phenomenon of the small business and its growth. It leads us to introduce the field of strategy, to go over a review of the essential literature on small business strategy and to discuss it. It also leads us to introduce systems approaches and to discuss the strategy behind the evolution of the systems approach we identify as best to study small business: soft systems methodology, as developed by Peter Checkland. Part 3 presents the way we have looked at the small business as well as at the entrepreneurs and/or small business owner-managers we have studied in four different countries. It explains the choice of the research methodology, a qualitative one: interviews. It also presents some findings, essentially that entrepreneurs project a vision, they build a relations system to realise it, and successful ones show a capacity to engage in anticipatory learning to make the projected vision become reality. Part 4 discusses these findings and their use in understanding what makes entrepreneurs successful. We propose a model that incorporates the research findings. It is based on the relationship between the vision, the relations with people who will help make it happen, and the anticipatory learning which the entrepreneur does to be prepared and able to realise the vision. Our main contribution seems to be the model. Many of the other findings relate to things which already exist in the literature. What is new is the way these concepts are linked and integrated in a model that could be called a "strategic entrepreneurial model".

This thesis examines micro-enterprises (firms with under ten employees) pursuing some degree of gradual growth. While very little research specifically targets the growth of micro-enterprises, there was a host of possible influencing factors suggested by the rather broader small business literature. Less literature was found on how the complex interaction of these factors might stimulate a firm's development. A framework was derived which suggested how the factors identified might interact with four key growth drivers, namely; management expertise for growth, owner's growth motivation, resource access and demand. The framework contributed a clear agenda for analyzing a firm's growth, while allowing the specific issues of any particular firm to be investigated within its environmental context. Sixteen case studies were investigated to allow sufficient comparison across a number of firms for some generalisations to be made with a degree of conviction, while retaining adequate quality in the detailed analysis of each firm to allow the intricate configuration of factors to be understood. Two dimensions of comparison were followed. Firstly, comparison between firms that achieved different levels of growth (no attempted growth, attempted but not achieved growth and achieved growth) and secondly comparison between different sectors (retailing, service, wholesale and manufacturing). Patterns were discovered in the interaction of these factors which allowed the original framework to be empirically authenticated and improved. The quality of the data encouraged deep consideration of the process by which factors influence the growth of the firm. The analysis suggests that for a firm to grow through the micro-enterprise phase, the combined influence of factors on all four sets of growth drivers proposed in the framework needs to be positive. The possibility of a number of different factors influencing any particular set of growth drivers suggests that no factor, however strongly motivating, will itself be essential to the growth of the firm. The framework provides a useful structure to help micro-enterprise ownermanagers and their advisors formulate growth strategies by highlighting areas which require attention. It may also afford some degree of qualitative prediction of the likelihood of a firm achieving successful growth. These results reinforce the need for researchers to accept the complexity of growth factors and not to search for simplistic solutions.

This thesis is concerned with the topic of the strategic management of technology as a source of competitive advantage in small high tech firms. The main objectives of this thesis were: to examine the corporate and technology strategy formulation processes within small high tech firms; to identify any change in these processes as the business and its core technologies mature; and to explore the role of the technical entrepreneur in initiating a strategic orientation within such firms. Empirical research proceeded in two phases. Phase One involved a postal survey based upon 519 small high tech firms located in UK science parks. 30 respondent firms were selected for Phase Two of empirical research, where in-depth company interviews were employed to investigate further the phenomena under scrutiny. Successful small high tech firms exhibit a strategic transformation over their life cycle. More formalised strategic management processes are implemented within such firms to support the organisation's evolution from an inward-looking orientation at inception focusing upon technological possibilities generated through R&D efforts, towards an outward orientation as core technologies mature, emphasising the need more closely to identify market opportunities in order to guide R&D activity. This research has confirmed that the professional orientation of company directors will determine whether technological considerations are subsumed within strategic planning processes, or whether they implicitly drive business activities. The required strategic reorientation of the business is unlikely to be achieved where management skills remain focused within narrow technical spheres and thus technological considerations dominate the strategy formulation process throughout each life cycle stage. Ultimately, the key determinant of success in the small high tech firm will be the ability of the technical entrepreneur to initiate a strategic orientation within the firm; this will require that he adapts philosphically and managerially as the firm grows, as core technologies mature and as marketing imperatives become the predominant force within the firm's chosen industry.

This thesis investigates small employment growth businesses and their use of accountancy support in the Northern region of England. Two separate and independent surveys of accountants and small business in the region are used to explore this issue. The thesis also uses three robust measures of growth. The thesis finds that small firms that experience fast employment growth are more likely to use government sponsored support rather than the support provided by accountants or other sources. This is a surprising finding, particularly as accountancy support is often identified as being the most common source of support for small firms. The thesis then goes onto to investigate if this is due to a demand side failure. The thesis finds little evidence of this. It also finds that the supply of accountancy services is constrained and accountants adopt a reactive rather than proactive approach to their clients. The implication of these findings is that there is evidence to suggest that there is a supply-side failure in the provision of accountancy services to fast growth businesses. This suggests that publicly funded provision of support to small firms who have experienced employment growth is important. It also suggests that accountancy practitioners may have to re-orientate their support they offer to such clients.

There is percieved to be an increasing role for private actors in education in different sectors and locations. This is seen as an effect of the increasing role of markets, competition and choice in policy activity. This study explores this from two perspectives: firstly, as an intrinsic case study that aims to shed light on the behaviour of a specific organization. The case examined is that of Pearson which is the largest education company globally. The global reach and extensive nature of Pearson’s diverse activities suggest it may play an important role in education and is of value as an object of study. Secondly, the study examines business behaviour in relation to social policy theory and education policy. Theory suggests that businesses are models and vehicles for efficient service provision. One aim of this research was to discover how this might happen in practice. How might a business actually behave and how does this relate to what theory and policy assumes? The issue is approached through three core aspects of Pearson’s business: globalization, digitization and higher education as they evidence policy themes of markets, competition and choice. The research was framed as a case study using two data types: documentary research and interviews with subjects connected to Pearson. It uses the lens of business practices to examine strategies as they are assumed to relate to other companies, to products, as involvement in education policy emanating from the UK and as practices at subject level. The research finds that Pearson seeks opportunities to manipulate neoliberal policy themes to its advantage. The fact of being a publicly traded company has a significant impact on the organization’s behaviour, which exhibits a monopolizing tendency, and is key to understanding Pearson’s involvement in education.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-01

Thesis (B.Sc)--University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 150-162)

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