Entrepreneurial legitimacy and strategies employed to generate legitimacy are topical and pertinent to entrepreneurship. This study sought to understand the impact of formative stage strategic legitimisation employment on entrepreneurial success. Through a review of the literature, the study built a strategic legitimacy scale offering that allowed for historical empirical testing. Using non probability sampling, entrepreneurs were surveyed through a face-to-face questionnaire in an attempt to attain closed response data regarding their historical strategic legitimisation activities and growth indicators. The study provided empirical evidence for a positive relationship between formative stage strategic legitimisation employment and venture development. Furthermore the presence of exponential value returns against strategic legitimacy activities was exposed at low and moderate levels of legitimacy engagement. While volatile value returns were shown at high levels strategic legitimacy employment. Furthermore the effectiveness of formative stage strategic legitimacy activities was shown to not be effected by the maturity of the industry in which a venture started. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This thesis aims to challenge the conventional assumption about the irreversibility of the decline of the textile industry in developed countries. It is argued that the decline can be reversed if mature textile firms can break away from their traditional routines and practices and radically and continuously change their technologies, markets and organisational structure to adapt to the rapidly changing business environment. Using the European textile industry as a case study, this thesis shows that a number of European countries, including Germany and The Netherlands, have managed to bypass the maturity-trap -a phenomenon commonly found in large mature firms because of an inability to adapt to changing external conditions- through industrial reconfiguration from the 1960s onwards. The majority of the industry, however, has been in relative decline over the past decade as the market has become much more competitive and consequently made their old strategies obsolete. Under such circumstances there is an urgent need to turn the industry around. Learning from the failure of the Courtaulds (UK) and the success of Ten Cate (NL) and Freudenberg (DE), the thesis illustrates how the maturity-trap can take hold and how the process of de-maturity can be initiated at the firm level. The case study of Marzotto highlights how the danger of the maturity-trap is now no longer just a British phenomenon. This once highly successful firm is now in great danger of falling into the maturity-trap. The issue at stake is the long-term survival of the European textile industry and how rapidly its long-term competitiveness can be restored.

Submitted by Henrique Campos (henriquedecamposjunior@gmail.com) on 2014-03-17T15:33:48Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Percepção de Adoção de Instrumentos de Mensuração de Resultados de Marketing e Maturidade da Indústria 20140310 - escalas de cinza.pdf: 2361856 bytes, checksum: 9c9fe2d336591f53d373cf288b704cbe (MD5) / Rejected by PAMELA BELTRAN TONSA (pamela.tonsa@fgv.br), reason: Prezado Henrique, Segundo as normas da ABNT não teria a quinta pagina Por gentileza retirar. A dedicatória precisa ser no meio da folha no cabeçario e não no rodapé. Qualquer duvida estou a disposição. Pâmela Tonsa - 3799-7852 on 2014-03-17T16:54:06Z (GMT) / Submitted by Henrique Campos (henriquedecamposjunior@gmail.com) on 2014-03-17T17:08:51Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Percepção de Adoção de Instrumentos de Mensuração de Resultados de Marketing e Maturidade da Indústria 20140317 - escalas de cinza.pdf: 2366488 bytes, checksum: cd060d2b3a76476c02d78f3e1d7d39e2 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by PAMELA BELTRAN TONSA (pamela.tonsa@fgv.br) on 2014-03-17T17:09:47Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Percepção de Adoção de Instrumentos de Mensuração de Resultados de Marketing e Maturidade da Indústria 20140317 - escalas de cinza.pdf: 2366488 bytes, checksum: cd060d2b3a76476c02d78f3e1d7d39e2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-03-17T18:10:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Percepção de Adoção de Instrumentos de Mensuração de Resultados de Marketing e Maturidade da Indústria 20140317 - escalas de cinza.pdf: 2366488 bytes, checksum: cd060d2b3a76476c02d78f3e1d7d39e2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-24 / This thesis studies the Perceived Adoption of Marketing Results Measuring Instruments (PAIMRM) and its relation to Industry Maturity (MI) to which companies belong. Its main objectives are (1) to develop and validate a scale of PAIMRM, and (2) to test a theoretical model that relates PAIMRM with MI. These objectives also unfold into secondary objectives, which are: (A) discuss the implications of this theoretical model in different stages of MI and (B) test a similar theoretical model that relates PAIMRM and Company Maturity (ME). For this 385 questionnaires were collected from Marketing executives in various companies and different waves of collection. First a scale of PAIMRM with 16 items and 6 dimensions was developed and validated by a procedure that included seven steps: (1) Conceptual Definition of the Construct, (2) Generation of Items, (3) Content Validation, (4) Definition Dimensions, (5) Data Analysis, (6) nomological validity, (7) Known Groups Validity . In step 6, two hypotheses were tested and supported by two structural equation models. The first model supported the relationship between PAIMRM and MI (H1), with good model fit to the data, while the latter supported the relationship between PAIMRM and ME (H1.b) with reasonable model fit to the data. In step 7, three hypotheses were tested using analysis of differences between means and analysis of categorical variables, to three known groups: low MI , medium MI and high MI. It is common in industries with low MI concerns for the lack of infrastructure, technology and market definition, explaining the expectation that PAIMRM in nonmature industries is low. At intermediate MI stages, the companies in an industry underwent ‘natural selection’ and some of the issues that define the business model 12 were answered, but not systematic nor assimilated by managers, so that the time and effort taken to evaluate corporate performance is greater, resulting in increased PAIMRM, explaining the expectation that PAIMRM is higher in mature industries. Finally, in subsequent stages of MI, consolidation of business models, assimilation of knowledge gained from previously acquired information and the relative decline of changes in the industry environment, reduce the effort to track the business, it is supposed that PAIMRM is low in mature industry. The hypothesis that PAIMRM is low when MI is low (H2.a) was supported by both tests, while the hypothesis that PAIMRM is high when MI is medium (H2.b) and PAIMRM is low when MI is high (H2.c) were not supported. Managerial implications include specific decisions to adopt instruments for measuring marketing results for each MI stage, since such decisions are influenced by both the maturity of the industry in which the company operates and the company's own maturity. / Nesta tese estuda-se a Percepção de Adoção de Instrumentos de Mensuração de Resultados de Marketing (PAIMRM) e a sua relação com a Maturidade da Indústria (MI) à qual as empresas pertencem. Seus objetivos gerais são (1) desenvolver e validar uma escala de PAIMRM, e (2) testar um modelo teórico que relacione PAIMRM com MI. Estes objetivos também se desdobram em objetivos secundários: (A) discutir as implicações deste modelo teórico em diferentes estágios de MI e (B) testar um modelo teórico semelhante que relacione PAIMRM e Maturidade da Empresa (ME). Para isto foram utilizados 419 questionários coletados junto a executivos de Marketing de diversas empresas e em diferentes ondas de coleta. Primeiramente uma escala de PAIMRM com 16 itens e 6 dimensões foi desenvolvida e validada utilizando um procedimento que incluiu sete passos: (1) Definição Conceitual do Construto; (2) Geração dos Itens; (3) Validação de Conteúdo; (4) Definição de Dimensões; (5) Análise de Dados; (6) Validade Nomológica; (7) Validade de Grupos Conhecidos. No passo 6, duas hipóteses foram testadas e suportadas por dois modelos de equação estrutural. O primeiro modelo suportou a relação entre PAIMRM e MI (H1), com boa adequação do modelo aos dados, enquanto o segundo suportou a relação entre PAIMRM e ME (H1.b), com razoável adequação do modelo aos dados. No passo 7, três hipóteses foram testadas pela análise de diferenças entre médias e análise de variáveis categorizadas, para três grupos conhecidos: MI baixo, MI médio e MI alto. É comum em indústrias com MI baixo a preocupação pela falta de estrutura, tecnologia e definição de mercado, explicando a expectativa de que a PAIMRM em indústrias não maduras seja baixa. Em estágios intermediários, as empresas que compõem uma indústria passaram por uma ‘seleção natural’ e algumas das questões que definem o modelo de negócios foram respondidas, mas não sistematizada e nem assimilada pelos gestores, fazendo com que o esforço dispendido para avaliar o desempenho empresarial seja maior, o que resultaria em aumento da PAIMRM, explicando a expectativa de que a PAIMRM seja alta em indústrias medianamente maduras. Finalmente, em estágios subsequentes de MI, a consolidação dos modelos de negócios, assimilação de conhecimento advindo de informações anteriormente adquiridas e a relativa diminuição de alterações no ambiente da indústria, reduzem a necessidade de esforço para acompanhar os negócios, supõe-se que PAIMRM seja baixo em indústria maduras. A hipótese de PAIMRM baixo quando MI for baixo (H2.a) foi suportada pelos dois testes, enquanto a hipótese de PAIMRM alto quando MI for médio (H2.b) e PAIMRM baixo quando MI for alto (H2.c) não foram suportadas. Implicações gerenciais incluem específicas decisões de adoção de instrumentos de mensuração de resultados de marketing para cada estágio de MI, uma vez que tais decisões são influenciadas tanto pela maturidade da indústria na qual a empresa está inserida quanto pela própria maturidade da empresa.

No description available.

本研究主要在探討台灣貨櫃航商之競爭策略，首先聚焦在全球整體海運業之定期船業務，因其運送約七成貨物價值之貨載，而貨櫃航運業運輸量則佔定期船運量超過九成，重要性不言可喻。台灣貨櫃船公司更在世界航運舞台，扮演重要角色成效斐然，因此以台灣貨櫃航運業為研究對象，專注於研究台灣貨櫃船公司所面臨的環境壓力衝擊、分析產業競爭問題、產業風險及成本結構、以歸納建議因應當代變局的關鍵競爭策略。 透過與業界深具實務經驗的資深專家訪談，並以進行面對面深度訪談及勾選問卷聚焦填答方式，對於研究問題經由具決策權之高階管理專家，得到更深遠寬廣的義涵與解答。本研究歸納受訪專家的結論認為：要改善貨櫃海運產業的激烈競爭態勢，當務之急是航商之間應擇優策略聯盟，不該盲目跟進大量訂造新船，宜審慎避免過度投資及過量增加船舶艙位，造成產業運能供給與需求失衡。 規劃產業的競爭策略最重要的是要把公司放入「環境」中考量。貨櫃航運業歷經逾五十年的發展，已逐步過渡到溫和成長的「成熟期產業」階段。這個階段伴隨技術成熟與極度標準化的國際競爭加劇，而使產業獲利走低，業者必須格外著重降低成本與提升服務品質，執行風險管理，並兼顧產品組合之合理化及正確訂價，且要積極穩固忠誠的老客戶，才足以因應嚴峻情勢變化與挑戰，同時必須實施流程創新與再造，及加強管控產業的各項「不確定性」風險。 業者應積極整合組織中外顯與內隱的競爭優勢，以科學管理方式實踐合理化，創新性與競合式發展策略，並強調知識經濟與核心能力為主的差異化策略，實質確保永續優勢的「競爭策略」。 / This study explored the competitive strategies of Taiwanese container shipping companies. I focus on the impact of the environmental pressures on these companies, and highlighted their key competitive strategies. Based on depth interviews and questionnaire with industrial senior executive experts, this study suggests that Taiwanese container shipping companies consider to reduce their risk exposure by forming strategic alliances and to avoid making excessive new vessels building and investment, in facing increasing imbalance of worldwide fleet loading capacity in container shipping industry. Global container shipping industry has developed over than 50 years and is now toward “Industry maturity period”. Competitors in such an industry should focus on lowering cost and strengthening the quality of service to secure customer loyalty. At same time, competitors in the industry should also strive for process innovation and better risk management. They should also develop the core competence and try to differentiate themselves from other competitors in order to ensure their sustainable advantages.