Tanto as incubadoras como as aceleradoras são organizações especializadas no suporte de empreendimentos em fases iniciais, em especial, aqueles intensivos em inovação conhecidos como startups. Apesar da grande disseminação dessas organizações, há poucas informações na literatura que evidenciem as suas diferenças e as contribuições na jornada do empreendedorismo inovador. Assim, o objetivo principal deste estudo é comparar a diferença entre as propostas de valor das aceleradoras e das incubadoras a partir da percepção das startups que tenham sido tanto incubadas como aceleradas. Entre os objetivos específicos temos: discutir possíveis relações entre as aceleradoras e as incubadoras de negócios; apresentar a evolução das incubadoras e os fatores que induziram o surgimento das aceleradoras, descrevendo os diferentes arquétipos e as implicações que essas organizações têm no ecossistema de empreendedorismo; apresentar o cenário nacional do fenômeno de aceleração e de incubação. O levantamento de dados contará com duas etapas: análise documental de fontes de dados secundárias e estudos de caso com uso de técnica de entrevista e questionário semiestruturado. A análise documental foi feita a partir de banco de dados de artigos científicos, dados oficiais de governos, fundações, revistas e páginas web especializadas e editais de chamamento das próprias organizações. A análise documental fornecerá o retrato de como as incubadoras e as aceleradoras se promovem no ecossistema como organizações importantes no apoio às startups. Em seguida, através de abordagem exploratória descritiva e qualitativa, foram realizadas entrevistas com roteiros semiestruturados com fundadores de startups que foram incubadas e aceleradas, para compreender o valor que cada um desses processos forneceu ao desenvolvimento dessas empresas. Concluiu-se que existe uma dissonância entre o valor percebido pelas startups e o que as incubadoras e as aceleradoras promovem. Também foi possível identificar que a busca por recursos pelas startups tende a não seguir um processo linear, capturando as melhores oportunidades que estejam disponíveis no momento. Por fim, esta pesquisa é um passo exploratório para trazer novas evidências do fenômeno das startups e dos diferentes instrumentos que as constroem. Sugerem-se encaminhamentos que possam preencher lacunas na literatura a respeito dos fenômenos citados, indicando a necessidade de estudos futuros que adensem o conhecimento desse fenômeno. / Both incubators and acelerators are specialized organizations to support early-stage ventures, especially innovation-intensive ones known as startups. Despite the great spread of these organizations, there is a few information in the literature that show their differences and contributions in the journey of innovative entrepreneurship. The main objective of this study is comparing the difference between value porposition of accelerators and incubators from the perception of startups that have been both incubated and accelerated. The specific objectives are: to discuss possible relationships between accelerators and incubators; to present the evolution of the incubators and the factors that led to the emergence of the accelerators, describing the different accelerators archetypes and the implications in entrepreneurship ecosystem; to present the national scenario of acceleration and incubation. The data collection stage had two stages: documentary analysis of secondary data sources; and the case study using interview technique through semi-structured questionnaire. The documentary analysis was made from a database of scientific articles, official data from governments, foundations, journals and specialized web pages and incubators and accelerators calls for proposals. Documentary analysis provided a picture of how incubators and accelerators are promoted to the ecosystem and startups. Then, through a descriptive and qualitative exploratory approach, interviews were conducted with semistructured scripts with founders of startups that were incubated and accelerated to understand the value that each of these processes provided to the development of these companies. It was concluded that there is a dissonance between what the incubators and the accelerators promote and the value perceived by the startups, they are not being able to identify enough characteristics that distinguish them. The reason for it is the diversity of the needs and demands of the startups, different models of accelerators and incubators are formulated that, in many cases, overlap in the benefits offered. It was also possible to identify that the search for resources by startups, whether radical or disruptive startups, does not follow a linear process, capturing the best opportunities available in the ecosystem through a minimally tactical and selective approach. In order to contribute to the understanding of the growing formation of organizations supporting startups, such as incubators and accelerators, and considering the findings of this research, a tool was suggested to define the types of these organizations, loosely termed \"startup guiders\". This tool analyzes three basic dimensions: business model, value proposition and stage of intervention in the development of early-stages ventures. Finally, this research is an exploratory step in bringing new evidence of the phenomenon of startups and of the different instruments that construct them. It is suggested that there be gaps in the literature regarding the mentioned phenomena, indicating the need for future studies that increase the knowledge of this phenomenon.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-11T13:54:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Francisca Rosivana.pdf: 26157451 bytes, checksum: 07c13b7b7336fa5d9865b5327429d00f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-10-23 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The Ecotourism as expressive activity in development policies for rural communities, currently is an alternative social and cultural environment facing various problems such as the urban stress, the constant pressure of invasions, the thermal discomfort, destruction of green areas and pollution the sources of springs and streams, making it more and more citizens of our cities from different social classes seek forms of physical and mental recovery in rural and wild environments. Ecotourism can be completely feasible in the Amazon, can serve as an instrument of environmental awareness of the farmers and agents for the dissemination of technology, creating economic alternatives for rural communities, and contribute to the preservation of endangered species. In order to investigate the Ecotourism in the state of Amazonas, research, raised the legal situation and the environmental licensing of ecotourism ventures in the city Autazes of Careiro, also known as Careiro Brown, of the ventures were set Juma Lodge, Inn Mamoré Recanto and Fisheries were chosen for excellent environmental characteristics, environment and tourist attraction to be located close to indigenous communities and caboclos. The research was descriptive, qualitative and quantitative approach to the infrastructure and the services offered by businesses. The quantitative approach was in relation to the physical nature of the area covered with the project development and implementation of structured questionnaires, using statistical techniques that allowed the implementation of aspects in the exploration of quantitative analysis in the form of graphs to better interpretation of results. In the qualitative approach, the questions used were based on the instruments for environmental management of enterprises, through technical survey (script of interviews and observation forms) in the community, ecotourists and managers of the enterprise, and assess, through the technique of survey questionnaires with application of environmental perception of the community involvement in protecting these areas. The results show that the enterprises surveyed fall under the state requirements, but it is necessary qualification, improve the structure of the Budget, the community and educational guidance to visitors. Shows the need for more investment in tourism marketing, making clear what is offered by the Inn. The study revealed that ecotourism is a position of experience and integration are not at a time or in space, it must be experienced as a constant experience, powered by the interpretation by the light of discovery and the internalization of what is discovered in a tireless search. / O Ecoturismo como atividade expressiva nas políticas de desenvolvimento de comunidades rurais, atualmente constituise numa alternativa sócio ambiental e cultural frente a diversos problemas como: o stress urbano, as constantes pressões de invasões, o desconforto térmico, a destruição das áreas verdes e a poluição das nascentes de mananciais e igarapés, fazendo que cada vez mais, os cidadãos de nossas cidades, das mais variadas classes sociais, procurem formas de recomposição física e mental em ambientes rurais e silvestres. O ecoturismo pode ser completamente viável na Amazônia, podendo servir como instrumento de conscientização ambiental dos próprios agricultores e agentes de difusão de tecnologias, gerando alternativas econômicas para as comunidades rurais, além de contribuir na preservação de espécies ameaçadas de extinção. No intuito de investigar o ecoturismo no Estado do Amazonas, este trabalho levantou a situação legal e o licenciamento ambiental dos empreendimentos ecoturísticos no município de Autazes e do Careiro, também conhecido como Careiro Castanho. Foram definidos os empreendimentos de Juma Lodge, Pousada Mamori e Recanto da Pesca, por apresentar excelentes características ambientais, atração turística favorável e por estarem localizados próximos a comunidades indígenas e caboclas. O trabalho foi descritivo, com abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa da infraestrutura e dos serviços oferecidos pelos empreendimentos. A abordagem quantitativa deuse em relação aos aspectos de natureza física da área de abrangência do projeto com a elaboração e aplicação de questionários estruturados, usando as técnicas estatísticas que permitiram a aplicação desses aspectos na prospecção quantitativa da análise, sob a forma de gráficos e tabelas para uma melhor interpretação dos resultados. Na abordagem qualitativa, os aspectos utilizados tiveram como base os instrumentos de gestão ambiental dos empreendimentos, através de técnicas de sondagem (roteiro de entrevistas e formulários de observação) junto a comunidade, ecoturistas e gestores do empreendimento, além de avaliar, com aplicação de questionários de percepção ambiental o comprometimento comunitário na proteção dessas áreas. Os resultados indicam que os empreendimentos pesquisados enquadramse nos requisitos do Estado, porem fazse necessária qualificação profissional, melhoria da estrutura das pousadas, orientação educacional a comunidade e aos visitantes. Revelou ainda a necessidade de mais investimento no produto turístico, deixando claro o que é oferecido pela pousada. O estudo revelou que o ecoturismo é uma postura de vivência e de inserção que não se enquadrada num tempo ou num espaço; precisa ser vivenciado constantemente como uma experiência, alimentada pela interpretação, pela iluminação da descoberta e da internalização do que se descobre, numa incansável busca.

O trabalho trata do interesse público nas sociedades de economia mista enquanto tipo societário que agrega participação estatal e privada em seu capital social, e que se constitui em instrumento do Estado para a implementação de políticas públicas. Analisa os elementos que as caracterizam e os problemas internos e externos que delas decorrem, buscando demonstrar que toda sua estrutura gravita em torno do interesse público que lhes dá causa. Em um segundo momento, percorre os meandros da expressão interesse público, investigando seus aspectos ideológicos e a compreensão do conceito no decorrer da evolução histórico-cultural do pensamento jurídico-político. Assegura que sua essência de conceito jurídico indeterminado não retira a possibilidade de sua melhor aplicação a cada caso concreto, tendo em vista que seu núcleo permanece aberto à realidade. Entende que, com a instituição do Estado Democrático de Direito pela Constituição Federal de 1988, que erigiu a dignidade da pessoa humana como princípio fundamental da ordem econômicasocial, o interesse público passou a constituir uma forma de garantir a satisfação dos interesses privados, pelo que não se pode incorrer no erro de afirmar que o interesse público coloca em risco os direitos fundamentais, conferindo à expressão um caráter autoritário que, em verdade, ela não contém. Aduz sobre a propalada idéia de supremacia do interesse público sobre o interesse privado, não contemplada explicitamente pelo texto constitucional, mas amplamente admitida pelo Direito Administrativo como princípio que consagra uma finalidade imperativa e indisponível da Administração e de seus agentes. Apresenta o embate atual na doutrina brasileira entre a corrente de juristas que propugna pela reconstrução do princípio da supremacia do interesse público, com base na nova roupagem que lhe foi conferida pela Constituição Federal, de garantidor dos direitos fundamentais, frente à corrente que defende a desconstrução do princípio que, a seu ver, colocaria em risco os interesses privados, o que demandaria um juízo de ponderação entre os interesses conflitantes. Em seguida, passa a analisar o interesse público como elemento fundamental da atividade estatal e combate que a participação do Estado na exploração direta de atividade econômica tenha caráter subsidiário; o Estado não só pode, como deve intervir no domínio econômico, visando assegurar o melhor interesse público a ser realizado. Em sua parte final, o trabalho traz, especificamente, a compreensão do interesse público nas sociedades de economia mista com base nas questões clássicas que derivam da atuação do Estado em um contexto macroeconômico, sob a perspectiva do poder de controle, da função social da empresa, do lucro e da concorrência. Conclui que o interesse público nas sociedades de economia mista se confunde com sua própria finalidade e deve ser compreendido tanto como elemento que norteia todos os aspectos de sua constituição, tanto como elemento que direciona a atuação estatal na atividade econômica. / The paper discusses the public interest in joint ventures as a type of company that combines state and private participation in its capital stock, and that it constitutes in an instrument of the State for the implementation of public policies. It analyzes the elements that characterize them and the internal and external problems resulting thereon, seeking to demonstrate that their whole structure revolves around the public interest that gives them rise. Then it goes through the intricacies of the term public interest by investigating its ideological aspects and understanding the concept in the course of historical and cultural evolution of the legal and political thought. It ensures that its essence of indeterminate legal concept does not remove the possibility of its best application in each specific case, given that its core remains open to reality. It considers that, with the establishment of the Democratic Rule-of-law State by the Federal Constitution of 1988, that raised the human dignity as a fundamental principle of social-economic order, public interest began to be a way to ensure satisfaction of private interests, by that you cannot make the mistake of asserting that the public interest endangers the fundamental rights, giving the expression an authoritarian character that, in fact, it does not have. It brings forward the divulged idea about supremacy of the public interest over the private interest, not covered explicitly by the Constitution, but widely accepted by the Administrative Law as the principle that elects a mandatory and unavailable purpose of the Administration and its agents. It presents the current resistance in Brazilian doctrine between the jurists current who advocates the reconstruction of the public interest supremacy principle, based on the new look given to it by the Federal Constitution, of guarantor of fundamental rights, and the current that defends the deconstruction of the principle that, in their opinion, endanger the private interests, which would require a court to deliberate between conflicting interests. Then it analyzes the public interest as a fundamental element of the state activity and it combats that the States participation in the direct exploitation of economic activity has subsidiary nature; the State not only may, but must intervene in the economic order, in order to ensure the best interest public. In its final part, this paper brings, specifically, the understanding of the public interest in joint ventures based on the classic questions that arise from the actions of the State in a macroeconomic context, from the perspective of controlling power, companys social function, profit and competition. Its conclusion is that the public interest in joint ventures is confounded with its own purpose and should be understood both as an element that guides all aspects of its constitution, and as an element that directs the State action in economic activity.

Os empreendimentos hidrelétricos são sistemas de engenharia empregados para extrair energia dos sistemas naturais e por isso, são alteradores de paisagem por excelência. Para compreender o histórico de derivações da paisagem, faz-se mister compreender o histórico de intervenções sobre os sistemas físicos (vales, encostas, rios lagos). Pela dimensão dos impactos causados por empreendimentos hidrelétricos nos sistemas físicos é que se define o objetivo principal da pesquisa que foi realizar uma leitura da História da Paisagem na área diretamente afetada pelas PCH Rio do Peixe I e II (área de estudo). A sub-bacia do rio do Peixe abrange o reservatório e as estruturas civis das usinas mencionadas, localizadas nos municípios de São José do Rio Pardo e Divinolândia, estado de São Paulo), tendo como pano de fundo conceitos e teorias Biogeográficas e da Geomorfologia Antropogênica). Realizou-se uma revisão bibliográfica ressaltando-se os conceitos de mudança e impacto por meio da abordagem Antropogeomorfológica, sendo possível compreender, assim, o processo de derivação da paisagem analisada, enaltecendo-se os impactos e mudanças de natureza geomorfológica típicas da intervenção do setor elétrico na paisagem. Para tal, foi feita uma sistematização de geoindicadores referentes às morfologias original semipreservada e antropogênica, de modo a promover uma avaliação de impactos em empreendimentos hidrelétricos. Na sequência, definiram-se, a partir dos geoindicadores nas condições de morfologia original semi-preservada e antropogênica, os conteúdos das legendas dos mapas correlatos, de modo a se elaborar uma cartografia geomorfológica de detalhe em ambas as condições. A partir dos mapeamentos mencionados, foi possível quantificar e comparar os impactos atribuídos à implantação das PCH Rio do Peixe I e II, demonstrando, assim, a magnitude das transformações na paisagem dos empreendimentos em estudo. Por fim, promoveu-se uma comparação dos mapeamentos geomorfológicos de detalhe realizados com a metodologia de Avaliação Ambiental Integrada de empreendimentos hidrelétricos, utilizada pelo Sistema Eletrobrás em estudos de viabilidade ambiental de obras relacionadas ao setor elétrico. Nesta metodologia são definidos índices e indicadores para avaliação do grau de sensibilidade, impactos e fragilidades ambientais decorrentes da implantação de empreendimentos hidrelétricos. De modo geral, os resultados contribuíram para o conhecimento dos impactos relacionados ao meio físico na paisagem diretamente afetadas pelas PCH Rio do Peixe I e II, resultando em indicações para um maior aprimoramento nas propostas metodológicas utilizadas na avaliação de viabilidade ambiental de empreendimentos hidrelétricos. / Hydroelectric Power Plants are engeneering systems to extract energy of natural systems and for that reason they highly modify the landscape. In order to understand the history of lansdcape derivations is it necessary understand the history of interventions upon physical systems (river valleys, slopes, rivers and lakes.) Considering the dimensions of impacts caused to hydroelectric ventures in physical systems, this research intends to perform a reading of the Hystorical Geography of Landscape in the direct affected area of Rio do Peixe I and II Small Power Plants (study area). The Rio do Peixe sub-basin wich includes reservoir and civil infrastructure of mentioned hydroelectric power plants, located in São José do Rio Pardo and Divinolândia municipalities, São Paulo State), having as background biogeographicals and of Anthropogenic Geomorphology concepts and theories. An extensive review of literature highlighting the concepts of environment changes and impacts through Anthropogeomorphology approach is made, leading to understand the process of derivation of the landscape analysed, exalting too, the impacts and environmental changes of geomorphological nature, typical of the intervention of electrical sector in the landscape.To achieve this goal, a systematization of geoindicators referring to semipreserved and anthropogenic morphologies is made, in order to promove an environmental impact assessment in hydroelectric ventures. On the way of research the content of legends of the maps is defined related to a list of geoindicators concerning the semi-preserved and anthropogenic morphologies conditions. This had led elaboration of a detailed geomorphological cartography under both conditions. From the mentioned maps it was possible quantifying and mapping the impacts assigned to the implantation of Rio do Peixe I and II Small Power Plants, demonstrating the magnitude of the landscape transformations of the ventures in study. Finally, a comparision among detailed geomorphological maps and the maps produced using the methodology of Integrated Environmental Assessment of Hydroelectric Ventures (applied by Eletrobras System in studies of environmental feasibility of ventures concerned to the electric sector) is made. In this methodology rates and indicators are defined to evaluate the environmental sensibilities, fragilities and impacts arising from the implantation of hydroelectric ventures. In general, the results of the research allows the identification of the impacts concerning the physical environment in the directly affected landscape by Rio do Peixe I and II Small Power Plants, providing contributions to deeper the methodological proposals used in studies of environmental feasibility of hydroelectrical ventures.

The subject of this thesis is entrepreneurship policy and the focus is on public support programmes directed to early stages technology-based ventures. It advocates that a broad view should be taken with regard to the type of policies for entrepreneurship that aim at supporting the facilitation of the supported ventures’ ability to link to their surrounding innovation system, in which they can secure their access to crucial external resources. Taking the departure in the perspective that early stages technology-based ventures are vulnerable, this thesis shows that publicly financed entrepreneurship supporting programmes can be motivated because small and newly started ventures have got limited resources, and because the risks, with which they are associated, generally make them unattractive in the eyes of private actors. Among the practical implications of this thesis, the following findings are emphasised: Public support, directed to the very earliest stages of venture development benefits from broadness, for the latter stages, specialisation and a higher degree of selectiveness could be an advantage. Moreover, it is important that the support provided take into account the whole process of business development, i.e. both the issues concerned with product/service and the issues connected to the market. A long-term commitment, cooperation between different actors and information about what support is available, are other aspects that are important for policymakers to consider in their design of public policies to support entrepreneurship. Finally, the importance of evaluative awareness must be emphasised from the very start. / Den här avhandlingen är en sammanläggning av 7 studier kring vilka en kappa med titeln ”Entreprenörskapspolicy: offentligt stöd för teknikbaserade företag” har skrivits. De inkluderade studierna beskrivs kortfattat i slutet av den här sammanfattningen. Syftet med avhandlingen är att analysera skälen till varför statliga interventioner kan vara berättigade, vidare att analysera målsättningar, design och resultat av offentliga program för stöd av nya teknikbaserade företag/projekt och slutligen att identifiera såväl praktiska som forskningsintressanta implikationer för utformningen av framtida stödaktiviteter. Avhandlingen baseras till största delen på olika typer av kvantitativa analyser av Stiftelsen Innovationscentrum (SIC) (studie 2-6). Förutom detta ingår en konceptuell studie där ett ramverk för att utvärdera inkubatorer, främst ur ett ”best practice” perspektiv, har tagits fram (studie 1). Slutligen har jag inkluderat en pågående uppföljningsstudie av Vinnovas program Vinn Nu (studie 7). Avhandlingen förespråkar en bred syn på begreppet entreprenörskapspolicy, där syftet med stödet är att underlätta för företag/projekt att koppla upp sig mot relevanta innovationssystem där de kan säkra sin tillgång på externa resurser. Med utgångspunkt i ett sårbarhetsperspektiv visar avhandlingen att offentligt finansierade program som stödjer entreprenörskap kan motiveras genom att de små och nystartade företagens resurser är begränsade och eftersom riskerna ofta gör att intresset från privata aktörer att gå in i dessa företag är lågt. Avhandlingens praktiska implikationer är bland annat att det stöd som riktas till de allra tidigaste utvecklingsfaserna i syfte att kvalificera idéer bör vara brett. Däremot kan ett mer selektivt urval vara fördelaktigt i något senare utvecklingsskeden och för mer specialiserade stöd. Vidare visar de inkluderade studierna på behovet av att se till hela företagets utvecklingsprocess. Det innebär bland annat att det är nödvändigt att kombinera hårt och mjukt stöd och att lika vikt läggs vid produkt- och marknadsutveckling. Offentligt stöd bör också vara långsiktigt, och samarbete mellan olika stödprogram är viktigt, inte minst med avseende på information om vilka stöd som finns och hur, var, när och av vem dessa kan sökas. Slutligen understryks vikten av att stödprogram redan från början bör ta hänsyn till utvärderingsaspekter.

Small, new or foreign firms inherently have a lower likelihood of surviving in the market. Frequently, this is due to the existence of resource constraints, such as the liabilities of smallness, newness or foreignness. Consequently, to survive in the market, small, new or foreign firms need to find efficient ways to use their resources. Multiple ways to alleviate these problems have been discussed in the literature, which include digitalization, internationalization, or outsourcing relationships. The usage of digital technologies, entering foreign markets or partnering with established organizations have been found to have compelling advantages and, thus, are promising practices for small, new and foreign firms in overcoming those constraints. It is, however, surprising that little is known about relevant aspects of these practices. For instance, research has just begun to investigate the influence of digital technologies on small and new firms, misses to investigate the success factors in the internationalization of small, new and foreign e-commerce firms, or has not fully investigated methods to improve performance of small firms in outsourcing relationships. Drawing on extant research on digitalization, internationalization, and outsourcing this cumulative dissertation presents four research papers. Each paper contributes to fill existing research gaps in the respective literature. All papers investigate a particular type of small firm and examine potential ways to handle scare resources. Beyond the theoretical and practical contributions of each research paper, this dissertation in its entirety presents several implications for practitioners in small, new and foreign firms that will help them to overcome resource constraints. Furthermore, the thesis discusses implications for theory, limitations, and avenues for further research.

Die rapide voranschreitende Globalisierung der Weltwirtschaft wird letztlich getragen von der zunehmenden Anzahl international aktiver Unternehmen. Diese Prozesse der verstärkten Involvierung von Unternehmen in internationale Aktivitäten, bzw. die Anpassung von Strategien, Strukturen und Ressourcen von Unternehmen an internationale Umgebungen werden als ‚betriebliche Internationalisierungsprozesse‘ definiert. Aus Sicht der Betriebswirtschaftslehre als einer gestaltungsorientierten Disziplin erwachsen aus betrieblichen Internationalisierungsprozessen neue Anforderungen an das Management von Unternehmen. Diese bestehen darin, Internationalisierungsprozesse aktiv zu gestalten und so das Überleben des Unternehmens in einer zunehmend globalisierten Wettbewerbsumwelt nachhaltig zu sichern. Ziel der Arbeit ist es erstens, einen Vorschlag für ein integratives Prozessverständnis von betrieblicher Internationalisierung auszuarbeiten, indem eine konzeptionelle Brücke zwischen Stufenmodellen, Netzwerkmodellen und International-New-Venture Modellen der Internationalisierung geschlagen wird. Zweitens wird dieses integrative Prozessverständnis dazu genutzt, wesentliche Gestaltungsfelder eines betrieblichen Internationalisierungsmanagement aufzuzeigen. Für die Entwicklung eines integrativen Prozessverständnisses und damit verbunden für ein Managementmodell der Internationalisierung erschließt die Arbeit das Konzept der Absorptionsfähigkeit von Unternehmen.

The rise of social media platforms in the modern world of business has shaped how organizations undertaketheir day-to-day business activities. This has in return increasingly attracted several studies on howbusinesses can optimally harness the benefits of social media platforms through adoption and continuedusage of these platforms. This paper therefore endeavored to conduct a quantitative study on factors ofunified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) by extending the original model by Venkateshet al.,. (2003) in integrating continuance to test their impact on adoption and continuance. These factorsinclude (performance expectancy, perceived trust, perceived risk, facilitating condition, effort expectancyand perceived enjoyment) which were tested against adoption and continuance usage of social mediaplatforms among small new ventures in Sweden, an area we consider new and fragmented in focus basedon existing literatures. Through a systematic investigation, empirical data testing from small new ventures in Sweden, findingspositively identified perceived trust and facilitating conditions to have a positive influence on adoption ofsocial media platforms while effort expectancy and perceived enjoyment were found to have a positiveimpact on continuance usage of social media platforms. However, we did not find significant moderatingeffect of perceived risk and performance expectancy on adoption and continuance usage. The findings of this research present a practical and pragmatic approach that small new ventures, founders,leaders and managers of these businesses in Sweden can apply to maximize on the benefits associated withadoption and continuance usage of social media platforms.

No description available.

The International Trade Administration reported that 70% of worldwide revenue for American businesses comes from consumers in emergent markets such as India, the Middle East, and Northern Africa. However, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country that many American small business owners are not operating in and capitalizing on the financial opportunities that are available. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies American small business owners use in successful international entrepreneurship for increased revenue and operational longevity. The study population consisted of 5 American small business entrepreneurs who had succeeded operating in the UAE for at least 5 years. The resource-based view theory was the conceptual framework that grounded this study. Data collection included semistructured interviews and a review of company documents and government records. Data analysis involved coding, word clustering, and the use of qualitative data analytical software to identify patterns. Member checking of interview responses helped to strengthen the integrity of the findings. The use of methodical triangulation enabled a rich analysis and an enhanced trustworthiness of the results. The 4 key themes that emerged from the data analysis were strategic planning, understanding local culture, building relationships, and using digital platforms. Small business owners could use the key themes for the development of international entrepreneurial strategies. The findings from this study and the knowledge generated may influence positive social change by increasing local employment, improving economic conditions, and promoting the development of international business operations for American entrepreneurs.