This study builds an integrative framework to delineate the process of growing entrepreneurial firms in developing countries. Deriving from the existing entrepreneurship literature, this thesis uses two notions to delineate the process of growth of indigenous firms: entrepreneurial intent and entrepreneurial capability. Then, drawing on the literature of economic development, it identifies three key sectors, the state, the market and the social sector, that foster entrepreneurial intent and cultivate entrepreneurial capability. / The research setting is the information technology (IT) industries in China and Taiwan, each of which has had impressive performance when compared with their counterparts in other developing countries. This study differentiates the growth of entrepreneurial firms into three stages, getting started, getting there, and staying there, and proceeds to analyze the comparative-historical experiences of six IT firms, three in China and three in Taiwan. The firms in China are the Advanced Technology Service Division (ATSD), Lenovo Computer, and Great Wall Computer. The firms in Taiwan are United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), Acer, and Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS). / It is found that at the stage of getting started, the government tends to be key among the three sectors, and can broadly influence the firms' entrepreneurial intent by building the national institution context, and more specifically through industrial policies. At the stage of getting there, the domestic social sector becomes more salient, and can transfer technology to entrepreneurial firms either from abroad or from their own research; they can also help defend entrepreneurial firms in intellectual property disputes with multinational firms. At the stage of staying there, due to their advanced technology, multinationals as forces in the market become more prevalent, and can enhance or destroy the capability of entrepreneurial firms. Overall, the state can act as context builder, champion and confronter; the social sector can play the roles of capability builder and capability defender, while the market, via multinational firms, can play the roles of capability destroyer and capability enhancer.

Mémoire (M.P.M.O.)--Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 1997. / Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU

The thesis documents findings of a study conducted to develop a project based financial management system (PBFMS) whose role was viewed as a contributor to the successful delivery of projects leading to improved financial performance of small and medium construction enterprise (SMCEs). In particular, the PBFMS was viewed as a facilitator {function) for the efficient and effective conduction of the strategic management, project planning and control processes. Thus an adequate PBFMS was seen as one which, facilitates the efficient and effective delivery of projects with a view to provide enhanced enterprise performance. In pursuit of this aim, theory and practices relating to the development, operation and use of a PBFMS were investigated and analysed from both literature and field work leading to findings being reported in the thesis. In addition, the actual financial management systems of SMCEs were investigated to determine the extent to which their attributes match those of the proposed PBFMS model. The motivation for embarking on the study was brought about by three aspects observed in Botswana. Firstly, was the frequently documented poor delivery of projects, that is, for a sustained period of time, projects were being delivered beyond stipulated times, above agreed cost, and below specified quality. In some worst scenarios, projects were being abandoned at various stages execution but before completion. Secondly, the investigation was also prompted by the frequent financial failures of enterprises that were being recorded in the construction industry. Thirdly, the conduct of the proprietors of the construction enterprises was also frequently circumspect, particularly in matters relating to financial management. Thus in pursuing the study, a number of premises were made. Firstly, the financial management systems of the SMCEs were considered inadequate to fulfil their functions, that is, they were incapable of facilitating the strategic management, project planning and control process. It was also speculated that management of SMCEs were not committed to the PBFMS i.e. they did not participate, get involved and did not comply with the policies regarding the planning, developing, and operation of financial management systems. As a result, PBFMS were unable to play their role of facilitating to the successful delivery of projects for improved contribution to the financial performance of SMCEs. The second premise was that financial models available are either too generic to guide SMCEs in financial management matters or the strategic component is not linked to the operational plans to execute the strategy. For those which are meant for construction enterprises, they normally prescribe practices for project planning and control without including the strategic element and vice versa. In essence there is a gap in each of the models available for use by the SMCEs. It is the closing of this perceived gap in knowledge that the results of the thesis contribute in finding a solution to the mentioned problem. Thus the study aimed at answering two research questions: (i) Do SMCEs have adequate PBFMS that facilitate the effective delivery of projects for enhanced financial performance? and (ii) Is there a relationship between the adequacy PBFMS and poor performance of SMCEs? To facilitate the answering of these two question two hypothesis were formulated namely: Hoi: The PBFMS of SMCEs are adequate to facilitate the delivery of projects; and Ho2: The adequacy of the PBFMS is positively correlated with the performance of SMCEs. To test the two questions a research process was planned and executed in several steps. Firstly, a survey strategy using the questionnaire was selected as the most appropriate method to provide a snap shot of the existence of attributes of PBFMS and to investigate associated practices relating to their development and operation. The method was considered more appropriate and effective in gathering large data in a short space of time in line with the doctoral time framework. Construction enterprises registered with Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) for building and civil work in classes A, B, C and D were surveyed. The internal quantity surveyor, estimator or accountant were requested to respond on matters relating PBFMS on behalf of the SMCEs. The sampling frame from which the SMCEs considered for study were obtained from the two government departments which work closely with PPADB, the Department of Building and Engineering Services (DBES) and Department of Roads (DR). The sample sizes for each group category (small and medium) were determined using Krajcie and Morgan (1970) table. Stratified and systematic random sampling was used to select the identity of the members to form a sample fro study from the sampling frame. The second step was to design the questionnaire to probe the three aspects identified as constituting the PBFMS namely the strategic management; project planning and control; and management commitment. Essentially the questionnaire sought to investigate the knowledge, tools, techniques, practices, opinions and attitudes of those who design, develop, operate and use the PBFMS in the SMCEs. To ensure a high quality design, the questionnaire was given to experts in the subject area to provide some comments on its suitability and was also piloted on four enterprises. Data collected was analysed using mainly the SPSS software and involved application of various statistical techniques including cross-tabs, ratio analysis, ttests and correlational tests. A total of 101 completed questionnaires were received, made up of 55% and 46% small and medium enterprises, respectively. The demographic profile of SMCEs confirmed some of the expected results, for example, majority (59%) of the respondents were owner/managers confirming the dominance of the owner in SMCEs. Majority of SMCEs (59%) were more than 9 years old, with medium enterprises being more mature (60% older than 9 years) than the small sized enterprises (49% older than 9 years). Majority (56%) of SMCEs had 10 or more employees, with medium sized enterprises having more employees (75% with 10 or more) than the small sized enterprises (42% with 10 or more). SMCEs performed more of building work alone (48%) than both building and civil work (48%) or maintenance (11%) and no enterprise performed civil work (0%) alone. Majority of SMCEs (65%) acted as main contractors as opposed to sub-contractors, though as expected sub-contracting was seen more in small (20%) than medium (10%) enterprises. Lastly, the public sector (central and local authorities) provided majority (65%) of the SMCEs jobs. However, if parastatals which are wholly owned by government were added, the public sector job market adds up to 73% (65%+8%). The testing of the major two major hypothesis resulted in the following conclusion. The results indicated that the first hypothesis was supported, that is, in a majority of SMCEs operating in Botswana the PBFMS were found to be adequate in facilitating the delivery of projects. The results were therefore not in agreement with the basic premise made at the commencement of the study. In view of the finding, it suggests that SMCEs in Botswana have adequate systems that support the efficient and effective project planning and control. Secondly, management is committed to the 'welfare' of the PBFMS in terms of complying and supporting their development and operation. However, like any human endeavour, there are weaknesses in the PBFMS, for example, they were found inadequate in facilitating the strategic management process, including lack of linking the process to the operational process in order to execute the strategy. They were also found weak in one of the most crucial process of project management; that of project control. The second major investigation showed a weak link between the adequacy of a PBFMS and performance. Secondly, the results also indicated that the SMCEs which had adequate PBFMS performed better than their counterparts. The first results were not surprising since the cause of poor performance were shown as three pillars (business environment, client/representatives and enterprise factors). However, the second results emphasise that SMCEs with adequate PBFMS posted better performance than their counterparts with inadequate systems. In this way the role of PBFMS in contributing to better performance was illustrated by the results. Some recommendations are proposed resulting from the findings and how to achieve a deeper understanding of the subject. Firstly, SMCEs should pay more attention to matters pertaining to strategic management to ensure a long-term view of their enterprises. Secondly, when a strategic plan is developed, it must be implemented through operational plans as a means of executing the strategy. Thirdly, concerted effort should made in ensuring that the projects are controlled as it is the only way to achieve sustained profitability and satisfied customers. Fourthly, as a way of providing a deeper understanding of the subject, it is suggested a longitudinal study could be undertaken to yield a more encompassing investigation than a cross sectional study which captured only one business cycle of the industry (down turn). Lastly, the study could be replicated in another industry with a similar profile like the construction industry in Botswana, for example, Namibia or/and the study could include large enterprises to provide means of comparing the different profiles of enterprises. / Business Management / D. B. L.

Esta dissertação apresenta a abordagem da importância da interação universidade empresa no ambiente acadêmico, com foco na descrição da construção da edificação do Escritório Verde da Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, campus de Curitiba, que foi viabilizado a partir de parcerias com empresas. Analisa as bases históricas das relações universidade-empresa no Brasil, e evidencia as vantagens e necessidades advindas de tal interação do meio acadêmico com o setor produtivo. Discute as motivações que despertaram nas empresas o interesse em investir nesta relação, ofertando produtos e serviços para a viabilização do projeto de construção do Escritório Verde. Demonstra a importância de tal projeto para a universidade, bem como analisa as bases de criação de uma empresa Junior multidisciplinar que terá como sede o Escritório Verde, a qual prestará consultoria verde. Complementando a análise descritiva de como se deu o processo de interação, o estudo verificou por meio de um questionário enviado às principais empresas parceiras quais as expectativas destas quanto a sua participação em um projeto acadêmico e o que elas esperam desta relação após a conclusão da edificação. Traz como resultado as análises destas parcerias, as quais demonstraram que desde que se tenha um ambiente propício com ganhos mútuos, as empresas mostram-se solidárias e agregam-se a projetos acadêmicos. Evidencia o desejo das mesmas em capacitar profissionais em suas tecnologias e serviços ainda na universidade, enxergando a mesma como formadora de mão de obra. Em termos de responsabilidade socioambiental, verificou-se que as empresas desejam vincular seu nome a projetos que remontam a tais iniciativas, tendo em vista que estes trabalham com produtos e serviços que possuem apelo ambiental. O Escritório Verde mostrou-se uma vitrine no ramo da sustentabilidade e conscientização para com o meio ambiente, sendo alvo de inúmeras reportagens em mídias diversas. / This dissertation presents the approach of the importance of university-industry interactions in the academic environment, focusing on the description of the construction of building the Green Office Federal Technological University of Parana, Curitiba campus, which was made possible through partnerships with companies. Analyzes the historical basis of university-business relations in Brazil, and highlights the advantages and requirements arising from this interaction of academia with the productive sector. Discusses the reasons that sparked the interest in the companies to invest in this relationship, offering products and services for the feasibility of the construction of the Green Office. Demonstrates the importance of such a project for the university, as well as examines the foundations of creating a multidisciplinary junior company will be based at the Green Office, which will advise green. To complement the descriptive analysis of how was the process of interaction, the study found through a questionnaire sent to key business partners such as the expectations for their participation in an academic project and they expect this relationship after completion of the building. Bring the analyzes as a result of these partnerships, which demonstrate that since it has an environment conducive to mutual gains, companies appear to be supportive and add to academic projects. It highlights the desire of those in training professionals in their technologies and services still in college, seeing it as a trainer of labor. In terms of social and environmental responsibility, it was found that companies want to link your name to projects that go back to such initiatives, given that they work with products and services that have environmental appeal. The Green Office proved to be a showcase in the field of sustainability and awareness for the environment, the target of numerous articles in various media.

Esta dissertação apresenta a abordagem da importância da interação universidade empresa no ambiente acadêmico, com foco na descrição da construção da edificação do Escritório Verde da Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, campus de Curitiba, que foi viabilizado a partir de parcerias com empresas. Analisa as bases históricas das relações universidade-empresa no Brasil, e evidencia as vantagens e necessidades advindas de tal interação do meio acadêmico com o setor produtivo. Discute as motivações que despertaram nas empresas o interesse em investir nesta relação, ofertando produtos e serviços para a viabilização do projeto de construção do Escritório Verde. Demonstra a importância de tal projeto para a universidade, bem como analisa as bases de criação de uma empresa Junior multidisciplinar que terá como sede o Escritório Verde, a qual prestará consultoria verde. Complementando a análise descritiva de como se deu o processo de interação, o estudo verificou por meio de um questionário enviado às principais empresas parceiras quais as expectativas destas quanto a sua participação em um projeto acadêmico e o que elas esperam desta relação após a conclusão da edificação. Traz como resultado as análises destas parcerias, as quais demonstraram que desde que se tenha um ambiente propício com ganhos mútuos, as empresas mostram-se solidárias e agregam-se a projetos acadêmicos. Evidencia o desejo das mesmas em capacitar profissionais em suas tecnologias e serviços ainda na universidade, enxergando a mesma como formadora de mão de obra. Em termos de responsabilidade socioambiental, verificou-se que as empresas desejam vincular seu nome a projetos que remontam a tais iniciativas, tendo em vista que estes trabalham com produtos e serviços que possuem apelo ambiental. O Escritório Verde mostrou-se uma vitrine no ramo da sustentabilidade e conscientização para com o meio ambiente, sendo alvo de inúmeras reportagens em mídias diversas. / This dissertation presents the approach of the importance of university-industry interactions in the academic environment, focusing on the description of the construction of building the Green Office Federal Technological University of Parana, Curitiba campus, which was made possible through partnerships with companies. Analyzes the historical basis of university-business relations in Brazil, and highlights the advantages and requirements arising from this interaction of academia with the productive sector. Discusses the reasons that sparked the interest in the companies to invest in this relationship, offering products and services for the feasibility of the construction of the Green Office. Demonstrates the importance of such a project for the university, as well as examines the foundations of creating a multidisciplinary junior company will be based at the Green Office, which will advise green. To complement the descriptive analysis of how was the process of interaction, the study found through a questionnaire sent to key business partners such as the expectations for their participation in an academic project and they expect this relationship after completion of the building. Bring the analyzes as a result of these partnerships, which demonstrate that since it has an environment conducive to mutual gains, companies appear to be supportive and add to academic projects. It highlights the desire of those in training professionals in their technologies and services still in college, seeing it as a trainer of labor. In terms of social and environmental responsibility, it was found that companies want to link your name to projects that go back to such initiatives, given that they work with products and services that have environmental appeal. The Green Office proved to be a showcase in the field of sustainability and awareness for the environment, the target of numerous articles in various media.

Submitted in fulfillment oof part of the requirements for the Masters ooff Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / Small businesses form the backbone of any nation’s economy, especially where unemployment is extremely high. South Africa is one of the many countries that struggle with low economic growth resulting in low employment. This study investigates the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation, business performance and competitive advantage. South Africa’s small business sector is under pressure as evidence exists that the failure rate is well above 70 percent, and to an extent, up to 90 percent depending on various conditions. This study was conducted in Durban, South Africa. The study sought to answer the two questions namely: a) Is there a significant relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and business performance? and b) Is there a mediating role of competitive advantage in the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and business performance? These questions were targeted to small business owners or managers in Durban, South Africa. Therefore, 177 participants responded, and both questions were tested and yielded positive results. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire consisting of 24 items. Indeed, the finding was that there is a positive and significant relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and business performance, and that competitive advantage does mediate the relationship between business performance and entrepreneurial orientation. Finally, many studies examined in this study support the findings of this research pointing out that a strong positive relationship exists between business performance and entrepreneurial orientation. Similarly, there seems to be an agreement that there is some relationship between competitive advantage, entrepreneurial orientation and business performance. However, the literature reviewed did not clarify if competitive advantage does actually mediate the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and business performance whilst this study found that mediation does exist between the entrepreneurial orientation and business performance link. Hence, small businesses need to learn more about this relationship so to take advantage of possible synergies that may arise from it. Further, both the government of South Africa and the private sector should keep supporting small businesses by making use of research studies like this one and many more which are based on theory and practice. / M

The following study is about business angels financing small business start-ups. It explores the aspect of starting up an entrepreneurial venture in which the entrepreneur seeks to secure start-up finance from lenders, raising the various issues that are known to characterise this engagement between the entrepreneur and the lender. Using the phenomenological paradigm, the study seeks to determine the awareness of small scale financing by entrepreneurs in South Africa, to determine the most commonly used source of start-up business funding in South Africa, to assess the extent to which business angel financing could be used to finance businesses in South Africa and to determine the factors impacting the use of business angel financing in South Africa. From these objectives, the study will also seek to determine the extent to which business angel networks could facilitate the financing of business start-ups. Small businesses invariably come up in different policy spheres as the main avenues to social and economic construction across national and regional lines. The importance of a successful business start up to a growing economy should not be underestimated. In line with this is the particular factor of gaining access to start up capital, which continues to emerge as a leading contributor to the success or failure of business start ups. Studies continue to verify that the most common challenge faced by most emerging entrepreneurs is start-up capital, either in the lack of this capital, the unfavourable conditions surrounding its availability, the lack of assets to serve as collateral for its use or the ambiguous flow of crucial information between lenders and providers of finance in the funding relationship (Abor and Biekpe, 2006: 69;Hernandez-Trillo, Pagan and Paxton, 2005: 435, ISPESE, 2005: 7, CDE, 2004: 5; Musengi 2003: 11). Roger Sorheim (2005: 179) refers to business angels as private individuals who offer risk capital to unlisted companies that are struggling to obtain start up capital to finance their business ideas. Business angels are further defined as high net-worth bearers of substantial private capital who predominantly invest in the early stage of high risk high potential return business ventures with a positive further growth potential. Business angel finance is typically a ‘once-off’ early stage form of small firm financing compared to the more frequent later stage venture capitalist funding. Studies show that business angels represent an underutilised wealth creation mechanism when it comes to small firm start-ups as most business angels contribute expertise in addition to finance to the start-ups they get involved in. This brings valuable business insight to the commercialisation of a good business idea. The business angel network exposes a range of potentially viable business prospects to willing investors by facilitating the flow of information about entrepreneurs and their businesses, thereby eliminating ambiguity, information asymmetry and transaction costs (Aernoudt and Erikson, 2002: 178; Van Osnabrugge and Robinson, 2000:374; Macht, 2006:1; Ehlrich, De Noble, Moore and Weaver, 1994:70; Sorheim, 2005:179). To achieve a holistic approach to a phenomenon which appears to be relatively new in South African business circles, the study will follow a qualitative approach in which two categories of populations will be used, one of small business operators and the other of business angels in South Africa. In the study, 20 small business operators and five business angels in Grahamstown will be approached using the convenience and snowballing sampling methods respectively. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews will be used as a data collection method and content analysis will be used as a data analysis tool (Collis and Hussey, 2003:156, Driver, Wood, Segal and Herrington, 2001:32, National Small Business Act ). There has been very limited research on business angels in the South African context, therefore the study would significantly contribute in entrepreneurship, government and small business development circles as it brings about attention to what the researcher predicts is an underutilised business start-up financing option.

This thesis comprises three essays that analyze financial and non-financial aspects of firm and industry dynamics. The first essay investigates the evolution of a cohort of entrants during their first ten years of life. The study looks at the distributions of sales, assets, employment and debtasset ratio for these firms over time and compares how these distributions change relative to distributions for incumbent firms. Entrants are smaller in terms of employees, assets and sales, but have a higher debt-asset ratio when compared with incumbents. These differences lessen over time because entrants have higher growth rates and smaller entrant firms have higher failure rates than compared to larger entrants. The second essay investigates whether long-term growth of a firm is independent of initial financial structure. I look at a panel of Canadian retail and manufacturing firms born in 1985. The analysis involves a two-part testing process. The first part tests whether firm growth exhibits initial size dependence. The growth process for retail firms exhibits initial size dependence, while the growth process for manufacturing firms does not. The second part looks at whether growth of ten-year old manufacturing firms is independent of initial debt-asset ratio. The result rejects independence with the finding that age ten conditional size of a manufacturing firm has a non-monotonic relationship with initial debt-asset ratio. The final essay examines whether Gibrat's law holds for groups of Canadian firms operating in manufacturing and retail sectors. Gibrat's law holds when firm growth and variability of growth are independent of firm size and firm growth is independent across time. Firm growth and variability of growth depend on size for each set of firms, which leads to violations of Gibrat's law. The source of these two violations is not survival bias, since the violations occur with the inclusion or exclusion of failing firms. A further violation is that negative growth persistence exists. Finally, I look at possible failure because of age effects. I examine a group of new firms with a common age and find the violations continue to occur for this group. / Arts, Faculty of / Vancouver School of Economics / Graduate

This thesis was written as part of a process to secure funds to develop a Vocational Education Entrepreneurship Workshop for African American students attending the Provisional Accelerated Learning Center (PAL), a local community based organization which assist high risk individuals to gain vocational education and Graduation Equivalen Diploma (GED)

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