The general aim of the study was to determine the influence of entrepreneurial orientation on the perceived success of the pipeline gas company. This type of study has not been conducted previously for such a pipeline gas company and as such, a valuable contribution could be made to a more effective entrepreneurial orientation in the business environment. Two questionnaires were administered, which focused on entrepreneurial orientation and perceived success of business respectively. A response rate of 87.63% was obtained from a sample of 97 employees at management level in the pipeline gas company concerned. The results showed a statistically significant positive relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and business development as variable of business success. The data also revealed correlations among the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation, some with significant differences for various demographic groups and their level of entrepreneurial skills. Limitations within the study were discussed and recommendations were made for future research. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The notion of International New Ventures, or INVs, emerged in academia in the early-to-mid 1990s and generally refers to entrepreneurial firms that tend to internationalize very early in their life-cycle, and whose expansion into foreign markets occurs much more quickly than predicted by earlier theories of the incremental internationalization process. Previous literature proposes effective networking with market partners and, more recently, internationally viable business model among key distinguishing features of INVs that allow for such early and rapid entry into international markets. Nevertheless, little is yet known regarding how these younger firms develop over time and how they could sustain international growth. With the purpose of filling this gap, this doctoral dissertation scrutinizes business models and business model innovation of INVs beyond their early internationalization, with a particular emphasis on INVs’ external relationships configurations.   The dissertation consists of four self-contained essays that represent a methodological mixture of qualitative and quantitative approaches and incorporate longitudinal case studies, surveys and register-based data encompassing nine years of Swedish INVs’ development. The findings highlight the importance of the business model as an initial market entry tool, and of business model innovation as a potential growth vehicle over time. Findings also display that INVs work with a broader range of external partners compared to other firms for innovative purposes, and that INVs have different business model innovation patterns compared to other types of internationalized firms. Moreover, INVs focus more heavily on value capture innovations in their business models as they mature and seek to obtain a more centralized position in their industry ecosystem by re-configuring the parameters of existing external relationships or developing new ones.   Overall, this dissertation contributes to the international entrepreneurship and business model literature by explicating how maturing INVs need to operate under different business model configurations as compared to emerging INVs, as the original business model might lack scalability after a certain point in time. Furthermore, the dissertation suggests how INVs can pursue a dynamic business model approach and utilize dynamic capabilities to design business models that put the focal firm more in control of the surrounding ecosystem, and reduce constraints that can limit the value capturing potential and thus the growth and development of INVs.

As competitive advantage is becoming more difficult to reach in the intense business world of today, many companies are turning towards cooperation to enhance their performance. A common way to achieve cooperation between firms has been through strategic alliances, where firms can fill their gaps in terms of resources and create common strategies for success. When creating a common legal organization, it is usually done through a joint venture. Joint ventures are often used as a way for private firms to expand internationally. However, lately it is not only the private organizations that are facing this competitive business climate, but the historical view on the public sector as being inefficient and rather bureaucratic in its coordination of business development, has also put an emphasis on markets and competition in the public sector. This has lately resulted in joining forces with the private sector, to create public-private joint ventures. As the literature published on the nature of these public-joint venture is still limited to few studies and cases, this called for further exploration of the phenomena. Thus, this study aimed at exploring the dynamics of strategic alliances in a public-private joint venture. More specifically, this was done by looking at a public-private joint venture consisting of a municipality and the enterprise, using the case of Tillväxt Lidköping AB. By exploring these dynamics, the research wished to gain insight into the motives and objectives of why firms enter, stay and leave a public-private joint venture, as well as success factors and risk of failures. This was done through answering the following research question: How do the dynamics of strategic alliances unfold in a public-private joint venture? Through a qualitative case study with data collected from semi-structured interviews, this study operated inductively but in constant comparison with existent literature to formulate a model of the dynamics of strategic alliance in a public-private joint venture. The model includes a process starting with the motives and objectives to why companies and individuals engage in a public-private joint venture. After, influenced by the motives and objectives, the actual operation of the public-private joint venture including membership, strategies and management is presented, to end the process with impact of growth and cooperation. The practical contributions of this study will help managers of public-private joint venture with tools, such as how to avoid certain pitfalls and fill crucial positions. In term of theoretical contributions, this study added in exploring the gap of public-private joint venture by providing a conceptual model, as well as gave additional insights to how public-private joint ventures relates with social network theory. Moreover, the study provides policy implications, foremost for municipal and governmental bodies on how better access to centralized services can be implemented. Providing one place where all services can be accessed, can if successful facilitate smoother information sharing and enhanced competitive advantage.

Marknaden för skyddsbyxor är stor, ändå har utvecklingen av dessa byxor skett relativt långsamt i jämförelse med exempelvis sportkläder. Det dominerande materialet, bomull, har en del negativa egenskaper som skulle kunna undvikas om man istället producerade i ett syntetiskt material. Men att tillverka skyddsbyxor i hundra procent syntetiskt material har hittills inte fått någon genomslagskraft.Syftet med studien har varit att ge en bild av branschen för skyddskläder och undersöka användarnas inställning till syntetiska material. Det har också undersökts vilka krav som ställs på ett syntetiskt material för att kunden ska motiveras att köpa dessa framför ett par konventionella skyddsbyxor. Studien har utförts genom intervjuer på yrkesverksamma produktutvecklare och en undersökning av slutanvändare för att få en uppfattning om branschen. Svaren från dessa användes för att utforma en marknadsplan och en kravspecifikation. Resultatet från studien har visat att det nya materialet behöver överträffa de material som idag används i dessa kläder. Materialet borde namnges och marknadsföras så att produkten framstår som innovativ och teknisk för att inte associeras med de negativa föreställningar som finns om syntetiska material. För lanseringen av det nya varumärket har det visat sig klokt att rikta sig mot den yngre generationen hantverkare då de upplevdes mest mottagliga för innovationer. Marknadsföringen borde fokuseras på produkt och plats för försäljning. För att nå konsumenterna bör man satsa på att finna nya distributionsvägar som till exempel genom personlig försäljning. Då utbudet idag visat sig vara relativt likriktat, bord ett innovativt företag som verkligen satsar på design och innovation kunna skaffa sig framgång på marknaden. / <p>The market for protective pants is large. Still these pants have developed in a very slow pace comparing to, as an example, sportswear. The main material used for these pants, cotton, has some negative characteristics that could be avoided if a synthetic fabric was used instead, but this has so far not had any success.The purpose with this study has been to get a picture over the market for protective clothing and research the carriers attitude towards synthetic material. The requirements that a synthetic material must achieve, so that the costumer will buy these pants instead of a pair of conventional protective pants, has also been examined. The study is based on interviews on product developers and a survey of carriers to get an idea about the business. These answers have been used to form a plan of marketing and a list of requirements.The result shows that the new material must exceed the conventional material. The material should be named and marketed in a way that the product appears innovative and technological. It is important that the material is not associated with the negative image of synthetic materials. To address to a younger target group seems suitable since these people are probably more receptive for new innovations. The marketing should be focused on product and place. To reach the customers it is important to find and use new ways of distribution such as personal sales. Since the selection of protective clothes is today quite similar, a company that focuses on design and innovation could be able to reach great success.</p><p>Program: Textil produktutveckling med entreprenörs- och affärsinriktning</p>

This study aims to examine how global competition in the textile industry has affected the homeworkers’ opportunities to develop their entrepreneurship and their own businesses. This Bachelor thesis has a qualitative approach with focus on qualitative interviews which were conducted during a field study in Bangkok, Thailand. The textile industry in Thailand has long been known for their cheap labour, however, globalization has now changed the industry and companies outsource production to countries with even cheaper labour. Globalization has increased the role of subcontractors in the textile industry, which tries to produce as cheap as possible. Factories tend to involve subcontractors in order to find the cheapest and most efficient means of production. This has increased the use of homeworkers, who produce the products in their homes. Competition for work is fierce and many people move from rural areas to larger cities to get a job with an income they can live on. This result in an even worse competition and with their low level of education and no work experience, they are forced to accept employment with poor conditions.Homeworkers work between 14-16 hours per day with minimum wage and they are not protected by laws and have no social benefits. They live very crowded in slums and their houses are not suitable as a working environment. Many homeworkers have health problems caused by long working hours. Children are required to help their parents with easier tasks in addition to the usual household chores. Homeworkers have low education level which is an obstacle to their business knowledge. They also have limited access to financial means to help them develop their entrepreneurship. Organizations working to improve homeworkers working conditions are available although homeworkers rarely know how to come in contact with them. Education is important for homeworkers to develop their entrepreneurial and business skills. / Program: Textil produktutveckling med entreprenörs- och affärsinriktning

This study aims to examine how global competition in the textile industry has affected the homeworkers’ opportunities to develop their entrepreneurship and their own businesses. This Bachelor thesis has a qualitative approach with focus on qualitative interviews which were conducted during a field study in Bangkok, Thailand. The textile industry in Thailand has long been known for their cheap labour, however, globalization has now changed the industry and companies outsource production to countries with even cheaper labour. Globalization has increased the role of subcontractors in the textile industry, which tries to produce as cheap as possible. Factories tend to involve subcontractors in order to find the cheapest and most efficient means of production. This has increased the use of homeworkers, who produce the products in their homes. Competition for work is fierce and many people move from rural areas to larger cities to get a job with an income they can live on. This result in an even worse competition and with their low level of education and no work experience, they are forced to accept employment with poor conditions.Homeworkers work between 14-16 hours per day with minimum wage and they are not protected by laws and have no social benefits. They live very crowded in slums and their houses are not suitable as a working environment. Many homeworkers have health problems caused by long working hours. Children are required to help their parents with easier tasks in addition to the usual household chores. Homeworkers have low education level which is an obstacle to their business knowledge. They also have limited access to financial means to help them develop their entrepreneurship. Organizations working to improve homeworkers working conditions are available although homeworkers rarely know how to come in contact with them. Education is important for homeworkers to develop their entrepreneurial and business skills. / Program: Textil produktutveckling och entreprenörskap

Purpose: The aim is to investigate the content of the collaboration between car sharing companies and the construction company. The authors aim to map the different phases of collaboration and create a reasonable model to exhibit the collaboration. Methodology: This paper used qualitative approach as the method. Primary and secondary data were used. Primary data was gathered through phone interviews. The respondents were divided into three different categories in order to achieve the most comprehensive understanding. The categories are car sharing, construction company and city official organizations. In total the research had fourteen respondents from eleven different organizations. Findings: The authors developed a business model that may be used as a general outline if the closed-pool systems are applied to other major cities. The approximate costs were calculated and the general motivations for parties to advance to business making were mapped. The city hopes to increase alternative travelling methods and save for other purposes. The construction company aims to achieve zoning benefits in terms of cost-reduction and to have more space where to build. The car sharing companies aim to increase their market share and build their business. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the collaboration between car sharing companies and the construction company is possible within the city’s influence. The zoning benefits may be acquired with correct advancement through phases and, in theory, they would ensure a working business model that enables that the needs of all parties are satisfied. Practical Contribution: Decision makers of all parties may use the information of the study to build the optimal service to the Finnish business environment. The study is additionally intended to provide insight to individuals who are interested concerning zoning and closed-pool car sharing systems. Limitations: This study is delimited to understand the industry from the perspectives of car sharing companies, construction company and the city officials. Thus, the study does not investigate the open-pool business model characteristics of car sharing companies nor provide a follow-up information concerning the success of the collaboration. The study only involves companies operating in the Finnish business environment. Suggestions regarding future research: Future research should conduct a similar study like this, but in a larger scale, meaning in at least two different countries. Future studies can focus on more than one city within a country to raise the validity and reliability of the results and conclusions.

Syftet med den här studien är att   bidra till en mer hållbar utveckling genom att få företag att utforma sin   affärsmodell med hänsyn till ekologiska, sociala och ekonomiska   hållbarhetsaspekter. För att det ska vara möjligt har Osterwalder och   Pigneurs affärsmodellkanvas kombinerats med olika hållbarhetsverktyg.   Hållbarhetsverktygen som valts ut är redan etablerade metoder för hållbar   utveckling inom företag som antingen är lätta att använda eller bidrar till stark   hållbar utveckling, eller bägge. Originalaffärsmodellkanvasens alla olika   delar har berikats med frågor som inspirerats av dessa verktyg. Dessutom har   kanvasen breddats till att också innehålla tidsperpektiv i form av   visionsarbete och arbete med mål/handlingsplaner, då långsiktighet är viktigt   för just hållbar utveckling och också ingår i många av de etablerade hållbarhetsverktygen. Den nya affärsmodellkanvasen har   presenterats i en form där de olika dimensionerna i hållbar utveckling -   ekologisk, social och ekonomisk - tydligare framträder. Ambitionen är att det   nya verktyget ska vara både lätt att arbeta med, bidra till stark hållbar   utveckling, och också stärka företags affärsmodeller. Den nya kanvasen och   resultaten från den här studien behöver testas, mätas och utvecklas vidare. Förhoppningsvis kan denna nya   affärsmodellkanvas för hållbart företagande medverka till att vi i en snarare   framtid får se en mer hållbar utveckling och ett mer hållbart företagande. / The purpose of   this study is to contribute to a more sustainable development by getting   companies to develop their   business model with regard to ecological, social and economic aspects of   sustainability. To make that possible, the Osterwalder and Pigneur business   model canvas has been merged with   various sustainability tools. The selected sustainability tools are already   well-established methods for sustainable development within companies that   are either easy to use or that contribute to strong sustainable development,   or both. All the different parts of the original business model canvas have   been enriched with questions inspired by these tools. In addition, the canvas   has been extended to include the perspective of time by adding work for a company   vision and goals/action plans, since time perspective is important for   sustainable development and is also included in many of the previously   mentioned sustainability tools. The new business   model canvas has been presented in a shape where the different dimensions of   sustainable development - ecological, social and economic - emerge more   clearly. The ambition was that the new tool would be both easy to work with,   contribute to strong sustainable development, and also strengthen corporate   business models. The new canvas and the results of this study need to be   tested, measured and further developed. Hopefully, this   new canvas for sustainable business models can enable both a more sustainable   development but also even more sustainable business and entrepreneurship. / <p>2019-02-06</p>

The aim of the thesis was an analysis of factors influencing the competitiveness of selected industry in foreign markets. For this purpose, the aircraft manufacturing industry was chosen. Firstly I analysed current trends in the aircraft manufacturing, external factors influencing the industry and competitive forces of industry. Based on the lessons learned factors having the greatest influence on the international competitiveness of the aircraft manufacturing industry were identified. These factors were afterwards individually analyzed and the conclusion of this analysis was identifying of opportunities for increasing the competitiveness of the Czech aircraft manufacturing industry on foreign markets in various areas.

Thesis (M.Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2005 / Refer to Document