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Contemporary studies in international management field conceptualize subsidiaries as semi-autonomous entities. By involving in entrepreneurial undertakings and strategic activities, subsidiaries could contribute strategic value to parent multinational corporation (MNC). Distinguishing from previous researches derived from entrepreneurship theory and done by Birkinshaw and his colleagues, this study incorporated human capital theory and knowledge-based view (KBV) to fulfill the existing research gap and enlarged our understanding of subsidiary entrepreneurship. This research proposed two models to unlock and testify the underexplored phenomenon of subsidiary entrepreneurship. In the first model, this research incorporated human capital management in MNCs context and testified that not merely top management team (TMT) entrepreneurial leadership and subsidiary entrepreneurial culture were critical antecedents of subsidiary¡¦s strategic initiative, but the human resource management (HRM) practices of subsidiary talent management played an important mediator to generate the entrepreneurial system. In the second model, this study demonstrated the cross-field integration and synthesis of entrepreneurial literatures, human capital theory and knowledge-based view and expressed a more comprehensive illustration of strategic entrepreneurship. This study certified that absorptive capacity could facilitate subsidiary¡¦s entrepreneurial culture and further enhance subsidiary¡¦s strategic initiative. Moreover, subsidiary¡¦s practices of talent management could facilitate its absorptive capacity and further contribute to subsidiary¡¦s strategic outputs. By analyzing the empirical data collected from 202 MNCs¡¦ foreign subsidiaries in Asian area, this study testified that the subsidiaries which could contribute strategic value creation for parent MNCs should equip multilayer of initiative-takings: the local distinctive capability, market initiative and knowledge outflow. Furthermore, the HRM practices of talent management in subsidiary played critical mediating role on both the development of organizational capability, improvement of absorptive capacity and the enhancement of subsidiary strategic initiative. TMT entrepreneurial leadership was the core engine which could activate subsidiary¡¦s mechanisms to facilitate the activities of strategic value creations.

Multiple customer needs and rapid technological change are what MNCs are confronted with, thus, they rely on subsidiaries responding to local market needs. The ability of subsidiaries to integrate resources to respond to market opportunities determines its competitiveness, and contributes to whole corporate. The purpose of this dissertation is to construct an integrative framework toward generating subsidiary initiatives and competitiveness. Structural equation modeling was employed to verify the conceptual framework. Based on the results of SEM, entrepreneurial leadership of top management teams enhances the talent on the process of human-capital leveraging to facilitate them to be creative and agile; further, promote collective learning among members. Additionally, with the support of top management teams, learning culture of subsidiaries can be strengthened. Support of top management team, human-capital leveraging and learning culture, improve the absorptive capacity, further, they promote subsidiary initiatives and competitiveness.

This research inquiry asked, "How can the District of Mission involve leaders in private industry in creating strategies to develop the local workforce and economy?" An action research approach was used to engage local employers and employment service providers in an inquiry in the District of Mission. This study drew upon literature on entrepreneurial leadership, job creation, social capital, and knowledge transfer. Two qualitative methods, in-depth interviews and a conversation café, were used to uncover the essential factors and conditions that facilitate entrepreneurial leadership and workforce development on a regional basis. These findings were triangulated against the experiences of exemplar entrepreneurs. The findings revealed that effective leaders cultivate a culture of high performance and that systems integration and personal relationships are key to entrepreneurial leadership and workforce development. The recommendations enable people from diverse backgrounds to identify shared concerns and common interests to support community economic development.

Leadership and entrepreneurship have often been associated to the ability of guiding ventures, but less to the ability of leading a startup community. This master’s thesis examines literature on entrepreneurship, in particular Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (EE), to understand the role of leadership in sustaining a startup community. Although Stam’s (2015) EE framework recognizes that leadership enables entrepreneurship, it doesn’t define its characteristics and therefore, a more theoretical understanding is demanded. We have thus developed a conceptual framework that aims to facilitate empirical explorations and future analyses of the leadership dimension of Stam’s (2015) EE framework. Our conceptual framework of Entrepreneurial Leadership (EL) includes the following characteristics: collective and bottom-up approach, presence of formal and informal leaders, promotion of social proximity and mentorship driven leadership. The use of interviews as research method and our EL conceptual framework as analytical tool was useful to explore and understand the current state of EL in the startup communities of Amsterdam and Utrecht. On the one hand, the startup community of Amsterdam experiences a shared leadership where formal and informal leaders are recognized. Moreover, the strong presence of supporting organizations, networks of mentors and entrepreneurial events favour interaction among the stakeholders of the EE. On the other hand, Utrecht, a smaller and younger startup community, lacks success entrepreneurial stories that results in supporting organizations exercising the leadership role. Furthermore, there is a poor presence of entrepreneurial events and networks of entrepreneurs that lead to an unconnected community.

This thesis is about entrepreneurial leadership and how entrepreneurs are affected by social media. Our aim with this study is to investigate how social media affects entrepreneurial leadership. One of the main questions we are trying to figure out is, can social media be used as a tool for entrepreneurial leadership and if that is the case, how? To be able to answer the aim, the thesis takes a qualitative researched approach, we conducted individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs. The data from the interviews will be analysed using grounded theory coding with the approach of finding 1st order concepts to look for patterns in the data.  The 1st order concepts led us to the 2nd ordered themes, which became three aggregated dimensions; cast expander, leadership enhancer and new social context.   The result gave us a deeper understanding of entrepreneurial leadership and how the entrepreneurial leader perceives social media as a leadership tool. By combining our three aggregate dimensions, cast expander, leadership enhancer and new social context we were able to build a model of how these three dimensions intersect. What makes this model useful is that it gives us some insight into how social media affects entrepreneurial leadership

Doctor of Education / Department of Educational Leadership / Teresa N. Miller / The purpose of this study was to research, develop, and validate a handbook of effective strategies that Kansas school district leaders can use to increase their ability to maximize their school districts’ nontraditional funding. Kansas School District Leaders’ Handbook for Maximizing Nontraditional Donations and Grant Funding was developed using the research and development methodology as recommended by Gall, Borg, and Gall (2007) through a seven-step development cycle. The review of the literature, the needs assessment, and the proof of concept survey provided information for developing the outline and initial prototype for the final handbook. Non-educators in Kansas who had significant success in acquiring nontraditional funding and fostering entrepreneurial leadership throughout the state served as experts for the preliminary field test. Revisions were then made based on their feedback. The main field test was conducted with a representative group of Kansas superintendents, who were the potential users of the guide. These two groups of experts provided feedback by using a Likert scale and survey responses about the content and format of the handbook. Final revisions were based on the main field test evaluators’ feedback. The conclusions from the research project were: (1) there was a strong need for Kansas school district leaders to be educated regarding the proactive steps they can take in order to increase the possibilities for additional grant and donation funding for their school districts; (2) since Kansas’ state educational funding had been significantly reduced in Kansas during the years between 2008-2012, schools districts were forced to look at non-traditional options that could ease the strain on the districts’ general fund or provide additional resources for the schools during a downturn in the economy; (3) the development of a comprehensive handbook that blended theory, research, and practice for instructional leaders on how to conduct effective campaigns on acquiring additional revenue could be used to develop a mindset for Kansas school leaders to one that was focused more on the principles of entrepreneurial leadership.

Title: Cross-Cultural Comparative Study of Entrepreneurial Leadership Traits Among Brazil and China in Small Businesses Authors: Ana Clara Mueller Meirinho and Li Mengting Level: Master Thesis, 30 hp Keywords: Entrepreneurial leadership, Leader traits, Hofstede’s 6D Model, Small Business, Cross-Cultural leadership, Brazil, China. Background: Entrepreneurship is important among all the countries for the growth and prosperity of nations due to movement of economic activities that they generate. To sustain a business, the character behind it, known as a leader, plays an important role since for guiding a business the entrepreneurs needs to provide a clear vision for the company. Entrepreneurial leaders can have different postures when leading business inside a country. Yet, when comparing between countries, their behaviors can be influenced by many aspects, mainly because of the culture of the nation. However, a study showed that appear to be a convergence of entrepreneurial leadership among the BRICS countries. Also, there have been a lack of studies of entrepreneurial leadership in emergent economies like the BRICS countries, and for that reason, Brazil and China were selected to be the main focus of this study. Furthermore, studies also lack measurements of entrepreneurial leadership traits and behaviors. Research Question: What are the predominant traits of entrepreneurial leaders of small business and which cultural aspect impact on the behaviour of leaders among Brazil and China? Sub research question: What are the similarities and differences on the way that leadership is conducted by entrepreneurs of small businesses among Brazil and China? Purpose: The purpose of this study is, therefore, to describe, explore and instigate predominant traits of leaders as entrepreneurs in small businesses that can lead to distinct behaviour, through investigations in Brazil and China. In addition, this study also verifies similarities and differences of leaders behaviour that can differ from one culture to another, due to cultural impact. This way, the authors developed a framework, to better visualize entrepreneurial leadership traits comparison between Brazil and China, giving the readers a better understanding of preferred traits in both countries, directing them to take right actions considering the cultural values. Method: A mixed method approach was used in this research. Qualitative semi-structured exploratory interviews with abductive approach were conducted with leaders who are entrepreneurs of small businesses in South Brazil and Urban China, which focuses on entrepreneurial leadership traits. Also, quantitative surveys were collected, aiming to measure cultural value and predominant traits of leaders, complementing the qualitative interview. Theoretical Framework: Articles used for this study were meticulously selected, focusing on reliable sources and quality content; also, it was given preferences to new data from well- known journals. This section covers subjects that are interesting and fit to the thematic, such as regarding of Entrepreneurial Leadership and Traits, Hofstede 6D Model, Importance of Micro and Small Businesses to Society, and economic and political facts about Brazil and China, alike as definitions and data of micro and small business characteristics in each nation, and the nations own beliefs. Particular information from the countries was brought from organizations and governmental related websites. Discussion and Conclusion: Based on the results of respondent’s surveys and the interpretation of interviews with entrepreneurs among south Brazil and China. The results are structured and analyzed in the same sequence as the surveys and interviews are designed using Hofstede 6D model, discussing first south Brazil and urban China and then a general overview about similarities and differences of both countries for each section. The study revealed that the preferred entrepreneurial leadership traits are divergence between two countries, while there appear to be a convergence of entrepreneurial leadership style that encompass more democratic, flexible, opportunity oriented yet still remaining the traits of paternalistic and authoritative leadership including directing, participative, consideration of subordinates in small businesses among both countries. Furthermore, the author presented an overview of similarities and different entrepreneurial leadership traits among two countries by categorized based on distal attributes, including personality, cognitive ability and motives values, as well as proximal attributes, including social appraisal skills, problem solving skills and expertise/tacit knowledge are shown in the end.

Women entrepreneurs are emerging in the national economy as important players, yet gender bias and stereotypes still exist in organizations that prevent firms from taking advantage of women'€™s potential as leaders in entrepreneurial ventures. At the same time, traditional leadership models are lacking in diversity and unanswered questions remain regarding the role of gender in entrepreneurial leadership and enterprise sustainability. The purpose of this qualitative study, which used an exploratory, multiple-case research design, was to gain insight into the leadership practices of women entrepreneurial leaders and the implications of these practices for enterprise longevity 5 years after their business'€™s start-up phase. This study is framed by, first, the concept of the entrepreneurial leader and, second the intersectionality of gender and entrepreneurial leadership. Semistructured interviews with 9 participants, observational field notes, and archival data provided data regarding the leadership experiences of women entrepreneurs and enterprise longevity of women-led firms. Identifiable themes emerged through thematic analysis of the textual data and cross-case synthesis analysis. A total of 7 conceptual categories that enclose a total of 12 themes were identified. The conceptual categories are (a) gender, (b) entrepreneurial leadership, (c) market, (d) money, (e) management skills, (f) macro environment, and (g) meso environment. Findings from this study may serve as a catalyst for social change by challenging the status quo in existing formal work structures and promoting diversity in the workplace, opening new avenues for business growth and building bridges of communication between the business world and society.

[pt] Este estudo aborda o caso da startup Esporte e Saúde, analisando sua trajetória desde sua criação até o presente. A empresa opera como uma plataforma tecnológica que conecta indivíduos ao mundo do esporte, saúde e bem-estar. O setor de esporte, saúde e bem-estar é notoriamente volátil devido às rápidas inovações tecnológicas, o que exige constante reconfiguração estratégica, tecnológica e de serviços para se manter competitivo. Mesmo em meio a um ambiente desafiador, a startup foi capaz de prosperar e manter seu desempenho, inclusive durante uma crise pandêmica global. Utilizando uma abordagem qualitativa, este estudo de caso concentra-se na liderança empreendedora da sócia fundadora da Esporte e Saúde, buscando compreender como suas ações e decisões contribuíram para o desenvolvimento de capacidades dinâmicas na empresa, a partir da perspectiva de diversas partes interessadas, como clientes, parceiros, colaboradores, investidores e a própria líder. A análise da Esporte e Saúde empregou a triangulação de dados, e envolveu a utilização de diversas fontes e métodos para examinar a liderança empreendedora e a geração de capacidades dinâmicas na organização. Isso incluiu a coleta de dados por meio de documentos internos da startup, entrevistas com vários stakeholders, questionários direcionados a clientes e parceiros, bem como a observação participante. A análise dos dados envolveu a comparação cruzada de informações para identificar padrões e relações subjacentes. A triangulação de dados contribuiu para a confiabilidade e validade das conclusões, proporcionando uma visão aprofundada da liderança empreendedora e das capacidades dinâmicas da Esporte e Saúde. / [en] This study addresses the case of the startup Esporte e Saúde, analyzing its trajectory from its creation to the present. The company operates as a technology platform that connects individuals to the world of sport, health, and wellness. The sports, health, and well-being sector is notoriously volatile due to rapid technological innovations, which requires constant strategic, technological and service reconfiguration to remain competitive. Even amid a challenging environment, the startup was able to thrive and maintain its performance, even during a global pandemic crisis. Using a qualitative approach, this case study focuses on the entrepreneurial leadership of the founding partner of Esporte e Saúde, seeking to understand how her actions and decisions contributed to the development of dynamic capabilities in the company, based on the perspective of various stakeholders, such as customers, partners, employees, investors, and the leader herself. The analysis of Esporte e Saúde employed data triangulation and involved the use of diverse sources and methods to examine entrepreneurial leadership and the generation of dynamic capabilities in the organization. This included data collection through internal documents of the startup, interviews with various stakeholders, questionnaires aimed at customers and partners, as well as participant observation. Data analysis involved cross-comparing information to identify underlying patterns and relationships. Data triangulation contributed to the reliability and validity of the conclusions, providing an in-depth view of the entrepreneurial leadership and dynamic capabilities of Esporte e Saúde.