Business networks and localization effects for new Swedish technology-based firms’ innovation performance

Entrepreneurial networks, geographical proximity, and their relationship to firm growth: a study of 241 small high-tech firms

Start-up firms in high-tech sectors normally engage in networking to overcome their lack of resources, knowledge, and competence constraints. A newly established firm's network can provide a source of social capital, which may enhance its growth prospects. In this study, 241 new technology-based firms (NTBFs) in Sweden are studied during their early formative years to investigate how entrepreneurial networks and the geographical proximity to actors in these networks affect the early performance of these firms in terms of growth. Three underlying factors are identified in the analysis: geographical proximity and professional and consultative networks. This study finds that professional networks have a positive and significant effect on NTBFs' growth, which indicate that utilizing these networks benefit the growth of both young and growing firms. NTBFs in initial stages can acquire business opportunities by constructing professional networks. In addition, several formal links positively affect growth, such as regional business partners, incubator networks, and links to universities.

A competitiveness measurement system of Brazilian start-ups

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a competitiveness measurement system for start-ups considering multiple critical success factors.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodological approach uses concepts from key performance indicators (KPIs) and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) based on the fuzzy AHP (FAHP) methodology to weight the criteria related to fundamental points of view (FPVs) and critical success factors (CSFs).

Findings

Data collection was performed with 21 specialists and 28 start-ups, which returned the weights and performance of CSFs and FPVs related to the start-ups’ competitiveness. The results show only one start-up had a highly competitive global performance. In addition, all start-ups showed low competitiveness related to industry 4.0 technologies.

Originality/value

The article collaborates with existing research as a starting point for discussions on the subject, considering that previous research did not address the measurement of the start-ups’ competitiveness level through multiple factors, as developed in this article. In addition, we provide decision-makers and other stakeholders in the start-up ecosystem with a robust measurement system to assess business competitiveness and diagnose the company’s situation.

Sustainability in the beer and pub industry during the COVID-19 period: An emerging new normal

The COVID-19 pandemic created significant challenges for the British pub industry, due to the uncertain conditions caused by the virus, changes in consumption patterns and government measures. Studies recommend that organisations adopt innovative and flexible business models to generate added value for customers and other stakeholders as a survival and growth strategy. However, such measures require business ecosystems which encourage co-creative engagement. This qualitative study extends the concept of value co-creation beyond its current boundary as a customer-driven experiential paradigm, reconceptualising it as a driver for societal benefits. Over the period March - December 2020, we carried out in-depth interviews with pub and brewery owners, managers, and customers, combined with netnographic and offline observations of pubs' engagement with customers. We uncovered three stages of strategies and innovation during this period, which we term 'survive', 'secure', and 'sustain'. We demonstrate how multiple stakeholders benefit from the innovations of pubs and breweries negotiating each stage, advancing current scholarship on sustainable value co-creation.

THE INFLUENCE OF INITIAL BUSINESS MODELS ON EARLY BUSINESS PERFORMANCE: A STUDY OF 589 NEW HIGH-TECH FIRMS

The initial business model of start-ups affects the performance and development of new ventures. Therefore, new technology-based firms (NTBFs) must choose a suitable initial business model to survive, perform, and grow. We propose a measurement framework comprising of nine elements described using 16 variables for NTBFs’ initial business models. We test our framework by surveying 589 young manufacturing and knowledge-intensive high-tech firms established in 2013 in Sweden, Finland, and France. We identify differences between the business models across countries and measure sales growth during 2014–2016. We find significant differences between high-tech manufacturing firms and high-tech knowledge-intensive firms regarding key partners, activities, and resources, as well as value propositions and the ranking of elements. In the second part of the analysis, we apply correlation and regression tests for the nine elements regarding early business performance (sales growth) for the manufacturing and knowledge-intensive high-tech firms.

City Centrality, Migrants and Green Inovation Efficiency: Evidence from 106 Cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China

Based on the panel data of 106 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China from 2007 to 2016, this paper explores the impact of city centrality on the green innovation efficiency and proves the mediation effect of migrants by using spatial econometric model. The results show that there are more and more innovation contacts between cities, and the innovation network is becoming more and more dense. The core cities of the downstream innovation network are mainly Yangzhou, Zhenjiang, Wuxi, Changzhou, Suzhou and Hangzhou; the core cities in the midstream are mainly Wuhan, Changsha and Yichun; the core cities in the upstream are Chengdu and Bazhong. There is an inverted U-shaped relationship between city centrality and green innovation efficiency. In addition, the influence curve of city centrality on the green innovation efficiency of surrounding cities is also inverted U-shaped. Cities with high city centrality attract a large number of migrants that come from cities with lower centrality to improve the green innovation efficiency, but the green innovation efficiency of cities with low city centrality will decline due to lack of talents.

Network Position Advantage and Technological Innovation of China’s New Energy Vehicle Based on the Perspective of Network Theory

This paper attempts to explore the role of innovation networks in the new energy vehicle industry from the perspective of evolution, by integrating of the overall network and the entities’ microscopic features and designing relative variables. Based on market orientation theory social network analysis, the relationship between network location and technological niche and the role of the network relationship strength was examined through empirical data of China’s 2009–2017 patents for new energy vehicles. The results show that: (1) There is an inverted U-shaped relationship between the central position and the technological niche “state” and “potential”; (2) There is an inverted U-shaped relationship between the brokerage position and the entities’ technological niche “state”, and the inverted U-shaped relationship with the technological niche “potential” is not significant; (3) The overall relationship strength of the network modulates the inverted U relationship between the central location and the technological niche. This paper opens up new ideas for the research of the role of innovation networks. The research conclusions have important implications for the management practice of new energy vehicle industries in China through collaborative networks to achieve technological innovation.