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<p>Abstract</p><p>Background:</p><p>Goals and goal-setting are two aspects that occur everyday in business life however little is known about the effect of strategic goal-setting. To a cer-tain extent, this affects all of us either directly or indirectly, everyday through strategic decisions that are made by business managers all around the world. A company’s performance of a company can be measured in many ways. A firm’s performance can be financially successful if the com-pany’s strategy is well planned. Strategic planning consists of developing goal-strategies, which aim at contributing to the firm’s performance.</p><p>Problem:</p><p>A small business manager’s view on the goals-setting strategies is important since the manager in a small company can influence the business more than compared to a manager in a larger firm. As the personality differs among managers, the level of planning and proactiveness would differ as well. Sev-eral studies have focused on the relationship between goal-setting and per-formance but the level of proactiveness has not been has not been consid-ered to a larger extent.</p><p>Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate managers’ goal-setting strategies, focusing on goal-specificy, planning, proactiveness, and financial perform-ance in small businesses in the Jönköping region, Sweden.</p><p>Method:</p><p>To fulfill the purpose of this thesis both qualitative and quantitative re-search approaches have been used. As 173 interviews were already carried out in an earlier study, we created a strategy on how to use the collected in-terview data. Theories from different research areas were combined with hypotheses to create a framework for this paper. The theories and the hy-potheses were analyzed in light of the empirical evidence, the interview and we used the SPSS to test our hypotheses.</p><p>Result:</p><p>The results from the first three hypotheses were not found to be too unex-pected as we assumed that planning, the level of goal-specificy and proac-tiveness to a large extent, depend on a managers’ strategies and ambitions. The final two hypotheses have helped us discover new patterns and add to previous theories. We have made two main contributions by conducting this master thesis. The first one is that a high degree of planning does not imply a higher level of financial performance. The second one is that family businesses do not show a lesser degree of planning compared to non-family businesses.</p>

Abstract Background: Goals and goal-setting are two aspects that occur everyday in business life however little is known about the effect of strategic goal-setting. To a cer-tain extent, this affects all of us either directly or indirectly, everyday through strategic decisions that are made by business managers all around the world. A company’s performance of a company can be measured in many ways. A firm’s performance can be financially successful if the com-pany’s strategy is well planned. Strategic planning consists of developing goal-strategies, which aim at contributing to the firm’s performance. Problem: A small business manager’s view on the goals-setting strategies is important since the manager in a small company can influence the business more than compared to a manager in a larger firm. As the personality differs among managers, the level of planning and proactiveness would differ as well. Sev-eral studies have focused on the relationship between goal-setting and per-formance but the level of proactiveness has not been has not been consid-ered to a larger extent. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate managers’ goal-setting strategies, focusing on goal-specificy, planning, proactiveness, and financial perform-ance in small businesses in the Jönköping region, Sweden. Method: To fulfill the purpose of this thesis both qualitative and quantitative re-search approaches have been used. As 173 interviews were already carried out in an earlier study, we created a strategy on how to use the collected in-terview data. Theories from different research areas were combined with hypotheses to create a framework for this paper. The theories and the hy-potheses were analyzed in light of the empirical evidence, the interview and we used the SPSS to test our hypotheses. Result: The results from the first three hypotheses were not found to be too unex-pected as we assumed that planning, the level of goal-specificy and proac-tiveness to a large extent, depend on a managers’ strategies and ambitions. The final two hypotheses have helped us discover new patterns and add to previous theories. We have made two main contributions by conducting this master thesis. The first one is that a high degree of planning does not imply a higher level of financial performance. The second one is that family businesses do not show a lesser degree of planning compared to non-family businesses.

Background: There are different types of firms in the world. Those that lead change and those who follow change. In this thesis, the authors have chosen to see if a dynamic industry in a developing nation can be the leaders of change, or if they are stuck as the ones following developments in the west. Sri Lanka is a developing nation with a rapidly growing software industry. Like its neighbour, India, the country and region has been known for its cheap, yet highly skilled labour. This study thus aimed at seeing if something other than price, namely entrepreneurial strategy can play a meaningful role in explaining growth. Purpose: To study the importance of the relationships between resources, entrepre-neurial orientation, the perceived environment and growth in a developing nation perspective. Theoretical framework: Theory based on the Resource Based View, arguing that unique combinations of resources and capabilities are the creators of strategy and competitive advantage, together with theory on the Entrepreneurial Orien-tation of firms looking at innovativeness, proactiveness, risk-taking auton-omy of firms, was used to build a framework for analysing what drives growth in a dynamic market. Method: In order to fulfil the purpose of the thesis, a quantitative study was con-ducted. A web survey was sent out to 73 firms, while 41 responded. A smaller qualitative study was also conducted in order to exemplify and pro-vide deeper knowledge on the findings from the quantitative part. Conclusion: Several important knowledge-based resources and the EO components of proactiveness and autonomy showed significant relations to growth. Also, the findings indicated that certain resources contributed significantly to the EO of firms. However, it was proved that Sri Lanka’s software industry is not driven by innovation, but rather other factors.

<p>Background: There are different types of firms in the world. Those that lead change and those who follow change. In this thesis, the authors have chosen to see if a dynamic industry in a developing nation can be the leaders of change, or if they are stuck as the ones following developments in the west.</p><p>Sri Lanka is a developing nation with a rapidly growing software industry. Like its neighbour, India, the country and region has been known for its cheap, yet highly skilled labour. This study thus aimed at seeing if something other than price, namely entrepreneurial strategy can play a meaningful role in explaining growth.</p><p>Purpose: To study the importance of the relationships between resources, entrepre-neurial orientation, the perceived environment and growth in a developing nation perspective.</p><p>Theoretical framework: Theory based on the Resource Based View, arguing that unique combinations of resources and capabilities are the creators of strategy and competitive advantage, together with theory on the Entrepreneurial Orien-tation of firms looking at innovativeness, proactiveness, risk-taking auton-omy of firms, was used to build a framework for analysing what drives growth in a dynamic market.</p><p>Method: In order to fulfil the purpose of the thesis, a quantitative study was con-ducted. A web survey was sent out to 73 firms, while 41 responded. A smaller qualitative study was also conducted in order to exemplify and pro-vide deeper knowledge on the findings from the quantitative part.</p><p>Conclusion: Several important knowledge-based resources and the EO components of proactiveness and autonomy showed significant relations to growth. Also, the findings indicated that certain resources contributed significantly to the EO of firms. However, it was proved that Sri Lanka’s software industry is not driven by innovation, but rather other factors.</p>

Esta tese aborda o tema da proatividade de mercado, enfocando sua formulação e implementação. De forma específica, engloba a construção de um modelo teórico exibindo os antecedentes, ações e consequências relacionados a uma lógica de negócio proativa. A busca desse objetivo conduziu à realização de duas etapas de pesquisa distintas: uma exploratória qualitativa - abrangendo a revisão bibliográfica sobre o tema e a realização de 50 entrevistas em profundidade no contexto empresarial - e outra descritiva quantitativa, traduzida pela realização de pesquisa junto a 260 empresas atuantes no Brasil. A técnica de modelagem de equações estruturais foi utilizada para testar e ajustar o modelo, buscando reconhecer o comportamento das hipóteses a ele atreladas. Os resultados apontaram para a necessidade de reespecificação do modelo original. O ajuste aceitável do modelo foi possível somente após uma simplificação acentuada de sua estrutura, denotando a falta de evidências empíricas para a sustentação de cinco antecedentes dos onze originalmente idealizados. Dezessete hipóteses permaneceram vinculadas ao modelo reespecificado, das quais dezesseis foram confirmadas. Foi rejeitada a hipótese de que a proatividade na dimensão dos clientes influencia de forma positiva a performance do negócio. Considerações finais analisam os resultados da pesquisa e suas implicações em relação ao modelo proposto. / The following thesis deals with Market Proactiveness, focusing your formulation and implementation. Specifically, denotes the construction of a theoretical model with the antecedents, actions and consequences related to a proactive business logic. In order to achieve this objective, it has been formulated a research in two steps: the first, exploratory and qualitative - formed by the bibliographic review about the theme and 50 in-depth interviews realized in the business context. The other, quantitative descriptive, was made through research in 260 Brazilian companies. The Structural Equation Modeling technique was applied to test and adjust the model, looking for the identification of your hypothesis' behavior. The results showed the need of model reespecification. An acceptable adjust was only possible after an accentuated simplification of the original model structure, showing a lack of empirical evidence related to five antecedents on the eleven related to the model in the first draft. Seventeen hypotheses were related to the final model; sixteen was confirmed. The hypothesis about the positive impact of customer proactiveness on business performance was rejected. Final considerations analyze the results and your implications to the proposed model.

Esta tese aborda o tema da proatividade de mercado, enfocando sua formulação e implementação. De forma específica, engloba a construção de um modelo teórico exibindo os antecedentes, ações e consequências relacionados a uma lógica de negócio proativa. A busca desse objetivo conduziu à realização de duas etapas de pesquisa distintas: uma exploratória qualitativa - abrangendo a revisão bibliográfica sobre o tema e a realização de 50 entrevistas em profundidade no contexto empresarial - e outra descritiva quantitativa, traduzida pela realização de pesquisa junto a 260 empresas atuantes no Brasil. A técnica de modelagem de equações estruturais foi utilizada para testar e ajustar o modelo, buscando reconhecer o comportamento das hipóteses a ele atreladas. Os resultados apontaram para a necessidade de reespecificação do modelo original. O ajuste aceitável do modelo foi possível somente após uma simplificação acentuada de sua estrutura, denotando a falta de evidências empíricas para a sustentação de cinco antecedentes dos onze originalmente idealizados. Dezessete hipóteses permaneceram vinculadas ao modelo reespecificado, das quais dezesseis foram confirmadas. Foi rejeitada a hipótese de que a proatividade na dimensão dos clientes influencia de forma positiva a performance do negócio. Considerações finais analisam os resultados da pesquisa e suas implicações em relação ao modelo proposto. / The following thesis deals with Market Proactiveness, focusing your formulation and implementation. Specifically, denotes the construction of a theoretical model with the antecedents, actions and consequences related to a proactive business logic. In order to achieve this objective, it has been formulated a research in two steps: the first, exploratory and qualitative - formed by the bibliographic review about the theme and 50 in-depth interviews realized in the business context. The other, quantitative descriptive, was made through research in 260 Brazilian companies. The Structural Equation Modeling technique was applied to test and adjust the model, looking for the identification of your hypothesis' behavior. The results showed the need of model reespecification. An acceptable adjust was only possible after an accentuated simplification of the original model structure, showing a lack of empirical evidence related to five antecedents on the eleven related to the model in the first draft. Seventeen hypotheses were related to the final model; sixteen was confirmed. The hypothesis about the positive impact of customer proactiveness on business performance was rejected. Final considerations analyze the results and your implications to the proposed model.

Esta tese aborda o tema da proatividade de mercado, enfocando sua formulação e implementação. De forma específica, engloba a construção de um modelo teórico exibindo os antecedentes, ações e consequências relacionados a uma lógica de negócio proativa. A busca desse objetivo conduziu à realização de duas etapas de pesquisa distintas: uma exploratória qualitativa - abrangendo a revisão bibliográfica sobre o tema e a realização de 50 entrevistas em profundidade no contexto empresarial - e outra descritiva quantitativa, traduzida pela realização de pesquisa junto a 260 empresas atuantes no Brasil. A técnica de modelagem de equações estruturais foi utilizada para testar e ajustar o modelo, buscando reconhecer o comportamento das hipóteses a ele atreladas. Os resultados apontaram para a necessidade de reespecificação do modelo original. O ajuste aceitável do modelo foi possível somente após uma simplificação acentuada de sua estrutura, denotando a falta de evidências empíricas para a sustentação de cinco antecedentes dos onze originalmente idealizados. Dezessete hipóteses permaneceram vinculadas ao modelo reespecificado, das quais dezesseis foram confirmadas. Foi rejeitada a hipótese de que a proatividade na dimensão dos clientes influencia de forma positiva a performance do negócio. Considerações finais analisam os resultados da pesquisa e suas implicações em relação ao modelo proposto. / The following thesis deals with Market Proactiveness, focusing your formulation and implementation. Specifically, denotes the construction of a theoretical model with the antecedents, actions and consequences related to a proactive business logic. In order to achieve this objective, it has been formulated a research in two steps: the first, exploratory and qualitative - formed by the bibliographic review about the theme and 50 in-depth interviews realized in the business context. The other, quantitative descriptive, was made through research in 260 Brazilian companies. The Structural Equation Modeling technique was applied to test and adjust the model, looking for the identification of your hypothesis' behavior. The results showed the need of model reespecification. An acceptable adjust was only possible after an accentuated simplification of the original model structure, showing a lack of empirical evidence related to five antecedents on the eleven related to the model in the first draft. Seventeen hypotheses were related to the final model; sixteen was confirmed. The hypothesis about the positive impact of customer proactiveness on business performance was rejected. Final considerations analyze the results and your implications to the proposed model.

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