<p>Organizations work, interact, and depend on the environments that surround them. The quality, quantity, and type of resources attracted by the organization often misalign with needed resources and force the leader to make strategic choices and changes in order to sustain operations. Resource scarcities force organizations and their leaders to access resources from other actors in the environment and pursue new innovations that use alternative resources. This research applies a qualitative phenomenological approach to discovering the actual experiential process of 10 leaders as they faced the challenge of making strategic changes and choices in an attempt to realign available resources. Through content analysis of the interviews and the imaginative variation method of the findings, the study revealed that the major source of uncertainty in Russia are the laws and the government regulations, economic fluctuations and geopolitical complexities, and the instability of national contributors. The resource pool consists of human, financial, and intellectual resources, and nonprofits are highly dependent on its partners such as donors and volunteers, though consider it a subject for multiplication rather than reduction. The development of good relationships with partners is strategy number one for the purpose of the constant acquisition of resources and network development. The next strategy recommended by coresearchers is an ability to change and adapt, including the ability to anticipate changes in the environment and to act accordingly. There is also a discussion on the subject of the context and national ownership that were considered to be keys for any successful leadership in Russia. Rational choice, a part of the decision-making strategy that helps the leader to be a wizard with resources, align the existing ones and hunt for new ones in an ambiguous resource-dependent environment, which is also discussed. </p>

<p> This qualitative phenomenological study explored the various experiences and understandings of the key differentiators that predict family-owned businesses&rsquo; success from the first generation to the third generation. The sample used in this study consisted of ten public family-owned businesses and ten private family-owned businesses. The study utilized open-ended interviews and empirical research to identify relevant themes, trends and relationships. Three clusters of themes emerged: growth, entitlement and differentiation. The study identified those concepts that would explain the historical trajectory of the public and private family-owned companies. Leadership continuity drives succession planning, and leadership is the starting point for successor training, education, and development. The continued survival and growth of the organization depend on employing the right people, in the right position, at the right time. The future of succession planning is an important issue for all firms due to demographic factors, such as the rising number of employees reaching retirement age and the dwindling number of younger workers replacing them.</p>

Family businesses comprise 80 to 90 percent of all businesses in North America (Shanker & Astrachan, 1996) and account for 60 percent of total U.S. employment (Hutcheson, 1999). Furthermore, 34 percent of the businesses listed on the S&P's 500 Index are family businesses (Anderson & Reeb, 2003). / There are three primary purposes of this dissertation. First, based on a review of the kinship, anthropology, and family business literatures, a definition of family for use in family business research is proposed. Second, specific patterns of family member involvement in a sample of 1,000 family businesses associated with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) are identified in order to conduct further testing regarding the research questions framing this dissertation. Third, the specific patterns identified are utilized to determine if geographic location and/or industry type influence family member involvement in the family business. Furthermore, these patterns are utilized to determine if specific patterns of family member involvement influence intentions for transgenerational succession. / Results indicate that the geographic location of the family business as well as the type of industry the family business is operating in do influence specific patterns of family member involvement. Furthermore, the results obtained from investigating the research questions in this dissertation indicate that specific patterns of family member involvement as well as the geographic location of the family business do influence intentions for transgenerational succession. / This dissertation contributes to knowledge by proposing a definition of family for use in family business research. Furthermore, this dissertation is one of the first studies to specifically investigate patterns of family member involvement in the family business. Finally, this dissertation utilizes specific patterns of family member involvement to see if any differences in family member involvement arise based on geographic location or industry type as well as whether these specific patterns or the geographic location of the family business influence intentions for transgenerational succession. / Recommendations for future theoretical and empirical research as well as practical implications for family business scholars, owners, and managers are also discussed.

<p> The purpose of this study is twofold. The first is to replicate and expand on previous studies by Rubenson and Gupta (1992, 1996) who introduced a contingency model for the initial succession of an organization. The second purpose is to verify that their model is applicable to organizations that are substantially smaller than the original 54 Fortune 1000 companies that were studied. The researcher used a qualitative research methodology to answer the following research questions. 1. Is the Contingency Model of the Initial Succession proposed by Rubenson and Gupta (1996) transferable to organizations of smaller size and lower revenues? 2. Were the founders of small sized organizations planning for their eventual succession? 3. What other factors came into play beyond those outlined by Rubenson and Gupta (1996) during the succession process? </p><p> The qualitative research methodology employed was a grounded theory research design utilizing personal interviews with the first successors of an organization. The researcher used a combination of structured and unstructured questions during the interviews of 15 successor CEOs about the process of succession from the founder to them as the next organizational leader. Participants in this study were chosen by a combination of purposeful sampling and chain referencing methods. All the participants and organizations in this study met the following criteria: (a) the interviewed successor must be the first leader after the founder, (b) the organizations must have been between $5 and $200 million dollars in annual revenue at the time of succession, (c) the organizations must have had 200 employees or less at the time of succession, and (d) the succession must either be in process or have happened within the last 5 years. </p><p> The results of this study suggest that founders who maintain a controlling equity position in their organizations are able to set the date and method of their succession with impunity. Only 6 of the 12 sub-factors in the model for the initial succession were confirmed in the sample population of this study. It is the authors conclusion that the proposed model by Rubenson and Gupta (1996) as it is currently constructed had minimal explanatory power in the target population of this study. Additionally, 6 themes were discovered during the interview process: founders are thinking in terms of how to cash out of the business rather than their legacy; founders are not planning for succession until it is thrust upon them by illness, old age, or by their family; founders did whatever they wanted because they were the majority shareholder; successors are not inclined to confront the founder; founders have a high level of self identification with the organization; and founders hung onto the organization because it was their hobby.</p>

<p> Several researchers have said that the real solution to alleviating, or at least reducing, the level of poverty is not to view poor people as customers; instead it is important to integrate these people into the value chain of Multi-national Corporations (Karnani, 2007; London, 2004; SEKN, 2001). The objective of this research work is to analyze how companies with sustainability initiatives can generate better individual performance through the creation of empowerment in the LIS. First I developed a theoretical framework after conducting 47 in-depth interviews with key participants of one sustainable initiative in Mexico. I found, initially, that other variables like trust, coping strategy and risk aversion can moderate the direct and positive relationship between psychological empowerment and individual performance. Then I applied the surveys to 204 participants of this sustainability initiative. To test the hypotheses, I used PLS-SEM and analyzed the surveys in two groups (Belong, N=85) and (Belonged, N=119). In both groups, I confirmed the positive relationship between psychological empowerment and individual performance, I found also that coping strategy moderates in both conditions of this relationship; however, I cannot demonstrate that risk aversion moderates in any condition. Finally, I demonstrate that trust moderates the relationship, also. Theoretical and managerial implications as well limitations and future research avenues are discussed.</p><p> Keywords: low-income sector, empowerment, performance, trust, coping strategy, risk aversion, social entrepreneurship, inclusive <b> business,</b> base of the pyramid.</p>

<p> This project sought to understand how individuals establish credibility online through impression management strategies. Applying Goffman's (1959) impression management theory, the literature review highlighted four leading self-presentation tactics that bolster credibility effectively on the Internet: structure and aesthetics of personal websites, publication of content that is consistent, insightful and authentic, the use of self disclosure, and verification of expertise through testimonials and references. These four self-presentation strategies were applied to analyze eight entrepreneurs who have successfully built a credible presence online. These case studies were further developed through the design of online course that teaches entrepreneurs how to use impression management effectively online.</p>

<p>New and small firms constitute the vast preponderance of organizations engaged in commercial transactions anywhere in the world, and yet the dominant explanatory frameworks have struggled to deduce how and why operational performance varies so widely among these businesses. Even organizations that emanate from similar founding conditions, possess identical parental lineages, or share competitive environments display startlingly high heterogeneity with respect to strategic choices, operational performance and survival prospects. Drawing on and contributing to the theoretical work in microfoundations, capabilities, and strategic entrepreneurship, my research aims to improve the intelligibility, veridicality and usefulness of the explanatory models for new and small firms by employing complete populations, transaction-based data and multi-level analysis. In the three empirical studies comprising this dissertation, I employ a transaction-based perspective that analyzes strategy, <i>as it exists in fact</i>, rather than strategy as it exists rhetorically or conceptually. By examining strategy through the lens of committed transactional activity, I offer fresh perspectives on the entry and survival strategies of entrepreneurial firms. </p><p> The first essay delves into the matter of strategic coherence, offering the first comprehensive evaluation of patterned operational behavior for the entire history of an entire industry, beginning from the time of each firm&rsquo;s inception. The second essay studies unexpected sources of performance variance among entry cohorts and spinoff siblings, thereby elucidating the limits to the transfer of knowledge and capabilities. Finally, the third essay focuses on the development of novel strategic approaches among entrepreneurs who face incomplete markets and persistent resource uncertainties, revealing the ongoing efforts of entrepreneurs to devise and implement survival strategies. Taken in sum, this troika of empirical investigations makes a strong case for a reconceptualization of how and why strategy is formulated and implemented in new and small firms. </p>

<p> I conducted an ethnography of internet entrepreneurs building startups in Mexico. I selected this case as representative of how people engage in technology innovation in middle-income countries. The number of communities of internet entrepreneurs building startups in these countries is exploding, empowered by social media, cloud technologies, and new software frameworks and methodologies. However, while entrepreneurs in the main centers of innovation, such as Silicon Valley, have crucial social, cultural, economic, and material resources to build high-impact startups, these resources are often not present in middle-income countries. I define those resources as innovation infrastructures, stable and dependable resources necessary to systematically conduct technology innovation activities. Entrepreneurs in middle-income countries have a double challenge of excelling at their startups, and creating innovation infrastructures. Mexican entrepreneurs worked as a community to build innovation infrastructures such as technical and entrepreneurship interest groups, learning and networking events, and diverse social media applications to connect with local and global networks of innovation. Combining these infrastructures, this community set off key learning processes to build a stronger startup culture in their country. I used a participant-observer approach, following entrepreneurs across a variety of online and offline locales. To understand the practice of building innovation infrastructures, I helped organize events and spaces to promote the startup culture in Mexico. My findings contribute to understanding technology innovation activities in middle-income countries, explaining how innovation infrastructures initiate key learning processes to create a strong startup culture. The understanding of these infrastructures provides a solid empirical foundation for designing technologies, initiatives, and policies to cultivate new innovation communities in new places and contexts.</p>

<p> Addressing the needs and wants of the customers increases the intention of the customers to remain loyal to the company that satisfies their wants and needs. Knowledge Management (KM) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) have both been shown to impact customer behavior. The purpose of this thesis was to explore and understand the impact of KM supported by a CRM on customer behaviors, specifically customer loyalty and customer perceived value. The results indicate that in order for KM and CRM to be effective in affecting positive changes in organizations, certain conditions need to be met. These include having employees perceive the importance of the implementation of KM and CRM approaches / processes through incorporating both KM and CRM in the business culture. All employees of all levels of the company need to have the same objective, scope and roles and responsibilities are clear defined and communicated. Both KM and CRM end-to-end processes need to be supported by one stable, easy to use, and easily accessible system with a high sophisticated search engine. The significance of this study is three-fold: for the academic community, for the companies that aim to attain competitive advantage over others, and for the customers of these companies.</p>

<p> In the world of science and technology, the insertion and application of emotions into leadership in highly intelligent analytical technology leaders who are seen as lacking in social and interpersonal relationship skills is deemed to be desirable. This shortfall of social abilities reducing effective leadership could have a significant affect on the economy if these leaders fail to deliver technical projects on time and on budget. This study explored the relationship between the emotional intelligence of technical leaders and their leadership skills. It found that there is a likely positive correlation between the emotional intelligence levels and leadership abilities. Emotional intelligence development programs could improve the leadership abilities of these technologists and improve overall personal and organizational performance. </p>