Yongqiu Wu, Gideon Maas, Yi Zhang, Fengwen Chen, Senmao Xia, Kiran Fernandes and Kun Tian
Previous experience is a critical factor affecting entrepreneurial activities; however, it has not been fully studied in the existing literature. This study attempts to…
Abstract
Purpose
Previous experience is a critical factor affecting entrepreneurial activities; however, it has not been fully studied in the existing literature. This study attempts to comprehensively reveal the routes and mechanisms of occupational experience that affect entrepreneurial activities and assess the entrepreneurial potential of different occupational practitioners.
Design/methodology/approach
By matching occupational characteristics with entrepreneurs' competence, this study proposes ten hypotheses about how occupational experience affects entrepreneurial entry and performance. This empirical study is based on the Occupational Information Network database and Chinese survey data. Factor and regression analyses were used in the empirical research.
Findings
This study verifies that different occupational practitioners have varied entrepreneurial potential. Occupational experience, including occupational uncertainty, market contact and social capital, gained from previous experience significantly affects entrepreneurial entry. Meanwhile, occupational characteristics, including management experience, marketing experience, social capital, financial capital, risk-taking ability and creativity, accumulated from previous experience, have a significant impact on entrepreneurial performance.
Originality/value
This study is a pioneering attempt to reveal the relationship between occupational experience and entrepreneurial activities. The transmission mechanism of previous experiences affecting entrepreneurial activities is comprehensively revealed by relaxing the assumption of a representative occupation. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for empirical evidence and have important practical value.
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Senmao Xia, Yu Xiong, Min Zhang, James Cornford, Yipeng Liu, Ming K. Lim, Dongmei Cao and Fengwen Chen
The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore the mechanisms through which Chinese National Science Parks' (NSPs) services facilitate returnee entrepreneurs' (REs…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore the mechanisms through which Chinese National Science Parks' (NSPs) services facilitate returnee entrepreneurs' (REs) acquisition of resources for their new ventures. Resource acquisition is crucial for new ventures, but it inevitably leads to significant costs increase. Although the NSPs offer various services to REs to reduce these costs, they still struggle to find the right mix of services.
Design/methodology/approach
From the transaction cost's perspective, an exploratory multiple-case study was conducted with data collected from six NSPs in China.
Findings
The results reveal that four types of NSP services (mentoring and training, social event, promotion of REs and accreditation of resource holders (RHs)) have both individual and joint effects on reducing REs' resource acquisition costs. Specifically, the “accreditation of RHs” service directly helps REs reduce search costs. The combination of “accreditation of RHs”, “promotion of REs” and “social event” services help REs and RHs to establish guanxi. Further, guanxi, working along with the “mentoring and training” service, helps REs to reduce contracting, monitoring and enforcement costs.
Originality/value
This study is among the first to explore the matching mechanisms between science parks’ services and entrepreneurs' cost reduction. This helps reconcile the inconsistent findings on science parks' effect by explaining why some NSPs are able to provide strong support to REs while others are less successful. In addition, the findings are useful for NSPs to develop the right mix of tailored services for REs. Finally, REs will find this study useful to evaluate which NSP is a more suitable location for their new ventures.
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Sarmad Ali, Hussain Muhammad and Stefania Migliori
This paper examines the moderating role of capital structure decisions in the relationship between research and development (R&D) investment and small and medium enterprises…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examines the moderating role of capital structure decisions in the relationship between research and development (R&D) investment and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on panel data of 1,357 European SMEs from 2014 to 2020, this study employs a generalized method of moments (GMM) regression to examine the R&D-performance link through the moderating role of capital structure.
Findings
The results show that R&D investment and equity financing positively and significantly influence SMEs performance. Debt financing, however, is negatively and significantly associated with SME performance. In addition, we show that capital structure choice significantly moderates the relationship between R&D investment and SME performance. Specifically, debt financing attenuates the positive impact of R&D investment on SMEs performance, whereas equity financing accentuates this relationship.
Practical implications
This study helps policymakers formulate appropriate policies to overcome the challenges of underinvestment in R&D projects to enhance SMEs performance.
Originality/value
Our findings provide new evidence on R&D-performance literature by refining the deeper understanding of the role of capital structure, which has previously been examined in partial and fragmented ways.