Ashraf Sheta, Sandra Wael, Mariam Soliman, Nour Abdallah, Rovan Bahnassy, Zeina Waleed and Zeinab El Safty
• Develop an understanding of how to institutionalize a family business. • Define the dynamics of the family business decision-making process in emerging markets. • Assess the…
Abstract
Learning outcomes
• Develop an understanding of how to institutionalize a family business. • Define the dynamics of the family business decision-making process in emerging markets. • Assess the cultural differences between founders and successors in an emerging markets context. • Identify the role of intergenerational differences in deciding the future strategy of a family business in emerging markets.
Case overview/synopsis
This case addresses El Batraa Manufacturers for Chemicals and Paints S.A.E., a privately owned family business operating in the coloring paste industry in Egypt. The main dilemma of the case is the existence of different visions about the business between the old and new generations. Also, it addresses the importance of understanding family dynamics to resolve existing challenges. The necessity of having governance in a family business is highlighted, together with a clear succession plan to secure family unity and business sustainability. Sandra the main protagonist within the case is trying to arrive to a resolution that can guarantee a motivating environment for her to join the family business. Her main dilemma is whether to choose to join the family business, with all the existing challenges or not. Accordingly, she proposes some steps to make the family business more appealing.
Complexity academic level
Under Graduate and Master of Business Administration level.
Supplementary materials
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Subject code
CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
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Petro Poutanen, Wael Soliman and Pirjo Ståhle
The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the innovation literature, with special focus on studies applying a complexity perspective. As a contribution in its own right…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the innovation literature, with special focus on studies applying a complexity perspective. As a contribution in its own right to the innovation literature, the review clarifies the concept of complexity, explores possible points of relevance and the “added value” gained from complexity theory (CT) to the study of innovation, and identifies some of the applications of the theory.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature search was conducted which yielded 20 relevant articles. These articles were analyzed by focusing on the key concepts of complexity and studying their applications in the context of innovation research.
Findings
Based on the approach adopted, the literature was divided into three categories, namely research focusing on microdynamics, macrodynamics, and leadership and management. The key complexity concepts identified in the innovation literature were “edge of chaos”, “phase shift”, “emergence and self-organization”, “(co)evolution”, and “complexity regulation”. The articles reviewed differed in terms of their perspectives on complexity and, accordingly, their operationalization of the complexity concepts. Key areas of development suggested by the authors include forging a stronger link with existing innovation theory and giving greater weight to empirical evidence.
Research limitations/implications
While a systematic review strategy was adopted to identify all relevant research on “open innovation” and complexity, a selective snowball strategy was deemed the only feasible approach to cover research conducted on “innovation” and complexity.
Practical implications
Practitioners can learn to put CT-based research in context and also learn to recognize the value of CT for innovation management. The authors distilled three important lessons for practice from the research done: embracing complexity, embracing ambidexterity, and embracing failure.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge no review has as yet been undertaken to encapsulate the current state of applications of CT to innovation research.
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Amr S. Allam, Hesham Bassioni, Mohammed Ayoub and Wael Kamel
This study aims to compare the performance of two nature-inspired metaheuristics inside Grasshopper in optimizing daylighting and energy performance against brute force in terms…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to compare the performance of two nature-inspired metaheuristics inside Grasshopper in optimizing daylighting and energy performance against brute force in terms of the resemblance to ideal solution and calculation time.
Design/methodology/approach
The simulation-based optimization process was controlled using two population-based metaheuristic algorithms, namely, the genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). The objectives of the optimization routine were optimizing daylighting and energy consumption of a standard reference office while varying the urban context configuration in Alexandria, Egypt.
Findings
The results from the GA and PSO were compared to those from brute force. The GA and PSO demonstrated much faster performance to converge to design solution after conducting only 25 and 43% of the required simulation runs, respectively. Also, the average proportion of the resulted weighted sum optimization (WSO) per case using the GA and PSO to that from brute force algorithm was 85 and 95%, respectively.
Originality/value
The work of this paper goes beyond the current practices for showing that the performance of the optimization algorithm can differ by changing the urban context configuration while solving the same problem under the same design variables and objectives.
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Hasan Humayun, Masitah Ghazali and Mohammad Noman Malik
The motivation to participate in crowdsourcing (CS) platforms is an emerging challenge. Although researchers and practitioners have focused on crowd motivation in the past, the…
Abstract
Purpose
The motivation to participate in crowdsourcing (CS) platforms is an emerging challenge. Although researchers and practitioners have focused on crowd motivation in the past, the results obtained through such practices have not been satisfactory. Researchers have left unexplored research areas related to CS pillars, such as the evolution of the crowd’s primary motivations, seekers applying effective policies and incentives, platform design challenges and addressing task complexity using the synchronicity of the crowd. Researchers are now more inclined to address these issues by focusing on sustaining the crowd’s motivation; however, sustaining the crowd’s motivation has many challenges.
Design/methodology/approach
To fill this gap, this study conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) to investigate and map the challenges and factors affecting sustained motivation during CS with the overcoming implications. Studies that satisfied the inclusion criteria were published between 2010 and 2021.
Findings
Important sustainable factors are extracted using the grounded theory that has sustained participation and the factors' cohesion leads to the identification of challenges that the pillars of CS face. Crowds being the most vital part of CS contests face the challenge of engagement. The results reported the factors that affect the crowd’s primary and post-intentions, perceived value of incentives and social and communal interaction. Seekers face the challenge of knowledge and understanding; the results identify the reason behind the crowd’s demotivation and the impact of theories and factors on the crowd's psychological needs which helped in sustaining participation. Similarly, the platforms face the challenge of being successful and demanding, the results identify the latest technologies, designs and features that seekers proclaim and need the platforms designer's attention. The identified task challenges are completion and achievement; the authors have identified the impact of trait of task and solving mechanisms that have sustained participation.
Originality/value
The study identifies, explores and summarizes the challenges on CS pillars researchers are facing now to sustain contributions by keeping participants motivated during online campaigns. Similarly, the study highlights the implication to overcome the challenges by identifying and prioritizing the areas concerning sustainability through the adoption of innovative methods or policies that can guarantee sustained participation.