Martyn Robertson, Amanda Collins, Natasha Medeira and James Slater
The importance of new business start‐ups cannot be over‐emphasised. The UK government has taken actions designed to stimulate the growth of new businesses and aid their survival…
Abstract
The importance of new business start‐ups cannot be over‐emphasised. The UK government has taken actions designed to stimulate the growth of new businesses and aid their survival. The identification of barriers to entry is important, together with strategies to minimise their impact. The UK continues to lag behind the USA in its levels of entrepreneurship. The removal of barriers to start‐up is key to rectifying this situation and stimulating the new business aspect of the economy. The paper highlights the government’s position in furthering entrepreneurship, draws on initial primary research into student barriers to start‐up and makes recommendations for how higher education institutions can assist in breaking down the barriers identified.
Details
Keywords
Paul C. van Fenema, Bianca Keers and Henk Zijm
Sharing services increasingly extends beyond intraorganizational concentration of service delivery. Organizations have started to promote cooperation across their boundaries to…
Abstract
Purpose
Sharing services increasingly extends beyond intraorganizational concentration of service delivery. Organizations have started to promote cooperation across their boundaries to deal with strategic tensions in their value ecosystem, moving beyond traditional outsourcing. This chapter addresses two research questions geared to the challenge of interorganizational shared services (ISS): why would organizations want to get and remain involved in ISS? And: what are the implications of ISS for (inter)organizational value creation?
Design/methodology/approach
The conceptual chapter reviews literature pertaining to ISS from public, commercial, and nongovernmental sectors. ISS is understood as a multistakeholder organizational innovation. In order to analyze ISS and conduct empirical research, we developed a taxonomy and research framework.
Findings
The chapter shows how ISS can be positioned in value chains, distinguishing vertical, horizontal, and hybrid ISS. It outlines ISS implications for developing business models, structures, and relationships. Success factors and barriers are presented that epitomize the dynamic interplay of organizational autonomy and interorganizational dependence.
Research limitations/implications
The research framework offers conceptual ideas for theoretical and empirical work. Researchers involved in ISS studies may adopt strategic, strategic innovation, and organizational innovation perspectives.
Practical implications
ISS phases are distinguished to focus innovation management — initiation, enactment, and evaluation. Furthermore, insights are provided into processes and interventions aimed at making ISS a success for participating organizations.
Originality/value
Cross-sectoral perspective on ISS; taxonomy of ISS; research framework built on organization and strategic management literature.
Details
Keywords
A Joint Committee representing both Houses of Parliament, on July 4th, considered, under the chairmanship of Lord Muir‐Mackenzie, the Food and Drugs (Adulteration) Bill, which…
Abstract
A Joint Committee representing both Houses of Parliament, on July 4th, considered, under the chairmanship of Lord Muir‐Mackenzie, the Food and Drugs (Adulteration) Bill, which embodies in consolidated form the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts. The Bill is the first consolidation of these Acts, which date from 1875. Sir Frederick Liddell, Parliamentary counsel, who was accompanied by Mr. J. N. Beckett, of the Ministry of Health, was examined. He said the language of the sections had been harmonised. It was pointed out by members of the Committee that several things were not included in the consolidating Bill. The Chairman said it was a matter for consideration whether it was not for the Minister to say what were the limits of the proposed consolidations. The Minister was entitled to bring in whatever Bill he thought he would. The witness said he thought the Minister would accept the views of the Committee. Sir Henry Slesser, K.C., said, if there was any difficulty about these things, he would rather have the Bill in its present form. It was pointed out that the matters dealt with in a consolidated form did not include, for instance, horseflesh.—The Chairman said there was an unfortunate ambiguity in some of the old Acts. One or two of these matters were left alone for fear of introducing further ambiguity as to intention when they were being considered by the Courts. “Butter fat” and “milk fat” were considered the same thing, so the Committee adopted the phrase “Butter fat derived from milk.” Bread, tea, coffee, chicory, as well as horseflesh, are not mentioned specifically in the Bill, as these were left over for further consideration. It was suggested that all obsolete statutes should be included in a separate clause of the Bill. It was decided to obtain the views of the Minister on this and other points. Provisions are included in the Bill placing restrictions on mixing food and drugs with other ingredients, and giving protection from liability where articles are properly labelled, and there are restrictions on the importation of agricultural and other produce. One of the schedules makes special provisions as to milk. It is laid down that where a sample of milk is procured from a purveyor of milk, he shall, on being required to do so by the person by whom the sample is taken, state the name and address of the seller or consignor from whom he received the milk.
Until recently, the involvement of syndicated and organizedcriminals in economic crime, and the idea of its exitence outside (andto some extent even within) the United States has…
Abstract
Until recently, the involvement of syndicated and organized criminals in economic crime, and the idea of its exitence outside (and to some extent even within) the United States has been discounted if not scoffed at. Describes the characteristics of organized crime and, specifically, economic organized crime, and its facilitators. Relates some “horror stories” to illustrate the seriousness of the problem. Examines the difficulties involved in combating organized economic crime and some of the efforts to counter it being made at international level.
Anita Zehrer and Gabriela Leiß
The purpose of this paper is to explore leadership succession in families in business. Although there is a vast amount of research on leadership succession, no attempt has been…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore leadership succession in families in business. Although there is a vast amount of research on leadership succession, no attempt has been made to understand this phenomenon by using an intergenerational learning approach. By applying the Double ABC–X model, the authors discuss how resilience is developed through intergenerational learning during family leadership succession in business.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a single case, the authors define pre- and post-event parameters of the business family under study and use the Double ABC–X Model as an analytical framework. Individual and pair interviews, as well as a family firm workshop, were undertaken following an action research approach using multiple interventions. The qualitative data were collected by reflective journals, field notes and observation protocols. Finally, the authors analyze the data according to a circular deconstruction strategy.
Findings
The authors find specific pre-event stressor parameters related to mutual mistrust, independent decision making and non-strategic transmission of power, knowledge and responsibility from predecessor to successor. The intervention based on the intergenerational approach during the post-crisis phase focuses on problem solving and coping within the new situation of co-habitation among the two generations. The intergenerational learning approach based on pile-up of demands, adaptive resources and perception is the source of family adaptation. Additionally, the power of the narrative to reflect past events and project the future seems to the point where the family starts developing resilience.
Originality/value
The way family businesses deal with critical and stressful events during leadership succession may lead to intergenerational learning, which is a source of resilient families. The authors apply the Double ABC–X model to understand family leadership succession in business and further develop it to explain how families develop resilience.
Details
Keywords
Anita Zehrer and Gabriela Leiß
This paper aims to explore the pertinent issues, barriers and pitfalls of intergenerational communication in business families during their leadership succession period.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the pertinent issues, barriers and pitfalls of intergenerational communication in business families during their leadership succession period.
Design/methodology/approach
Building on relational leadership theory, the paper makes use of an action research approach using a qualitative single case study to investigate communication barriers and pitfalls in business transition.
Findings
Through action research, interventions were taken in the underlying case, which increased the consciousness, as well as the personal and social competencies of the business family. Thus, business families stuck in ambivalent entanglement understand their underlying motives and needs within the change process, get into closer contact with their emotional barriers and communication hindrances, which is a prerequisite for any change, and break the succession iceberg phenomenon.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should undertake multiple case studies to validate and/or modify the qualitative methods used in this action research to increase the validity and generalizability of the findings.
Practical implications
Given the large number of business families in transition, our study shows the beneficial effects action research might have on business families’ communication behavior along a change process. The findings might help other business families to understand the value of action research for such underlying challenges and decrease communication barriers.
Originality/value
This is one of the few studies to have addressed intergenerational communication of business families using an action research approach.