Papers by Richard Hoffman
Management & Organizational History, 2021
ABSTRACT Entrepreneurship is at the heart of new developments that often lead to the creation of ... more ABSTRACT Entrepreneurship is at the heart of new developments that often lead to the creation of new industries. This study examines the origins of the canning industry via the experiences of three of its earliest entrepreneurs: Edward Wright, William Numsen, and Thomas Kensett II. The narrative examines key aspects of the industry’s context including the growth in demand for preserved foods, the resources of the Chesapeake region, and the development of food preservation technology. Using the five characteristics of entrepreneurial processes, the importance of entrepreneurs in the development of the economic growth of Baltimore’s early canning industry is examined. Each founder exhibited entrepreneurial characteristics in different ways. One failed in his efforts; the other two succeeded in developing businesses that endured into the next century. The study reveals that using entrepreneurial processes does not guarantee success, and that there are various paths to success. An entrepreneurial multiplier effect was also evident in the growth of firms producing supplies and equipment for canners. Using an entrepreneurial lens offers a closer insight into the development of firms and their industries. Some remaining unanswered questions as well as avenues for future studies are discussed.
International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 2016
Purpose Combining trends in employment flexibility, organizational learning, need for improved le... more Purpose Combining trends in employment flexibility, organizational learning, need for improved leadership and entrepreneurship is important in managing today’s organizations. This study aims to explore these relationships within a single media firm in one of the Baltic States. Design/methodology/approach The subject for this exploratory case study is a small Estonian media company having a total of 43 members/employees. Data for the study were collected using two questionnaires (organizational leadership capability and dimensions of learning organizations) and by in-depth interviews. Assessment and analysis of the data included: measurement of organizational leadership (OL) and learning organization; measurement of entrepreneurial behavior; and analysis of the results gained from studying the issues pertaining to OL, learning organization and entrepreneurial behavior. Findings The results of this study reveal that part-time versus full-time employees have more positive attitudes tow...
Organizational Science Abroad, 1989
The growth of strategic management practice and theory among industrialized countries has increas... more The growth of strategic management practice and theory among industrialized countries has increased dramatically in recent years. Much of what we know about strategic management practices in use is based on studies of organizations located primarily in the United States. Moreover, studies conducted in other nations (e. g., Channon, 1973; Ghertman, 1976) have been based primarily on American theories of strategic management. The implicit assumption of these latter studies is that concepts of strategic management are transferable to other nations. Thus far, various compelling arguments opposing this view have been offered in the preceding chapters of this book by Adler, Doktor, and Redding (Chapter 2), Askanas (Chapter 4), Cooper and Cox (Chapter 3), and Osigweh (Chapter 1). Cultural, economic, or political conditions provide substantial barriers to knowledge transfer among cultures or nations. In this chapter we adopt the view espoused by Lammers (1976) that the issue concerning the relevance of management theories across national cultures is one subject to empirical investigation.
Sumario: En algunos países, el sistema de franquicias está creciendo a un ritmo exponencial. En E... more Sumario: En algunos países, el sistema de franquicias está creciendo a un ritmo exponencial. En Estados Unidos, por ejemplo, se ha producido un aumento del 94%, pasando a suponer un tercio de todas las ventas al por menor. Debido a su adaptabilidad a los cambios sociales y al crecimiento previsto en un 50% para el próximo siglo, los autores analizan esta interesante forma organizacional, examinando algunas de las tendencias actuales y futuras del sistema de franquicias
Multinational Business Review, 2008
Consistent with traditional internationalization theory, we argue that, when a firm chooses franc... more Consistent with traditional internationalization theory, we argue that, when a firm chooses franchising to achieve market penetration, market propinquity/similarity matters. Using a modified gravity model, we examine six country characteristics believed to enhance the flow of franchise activity among 39 nations. Our findings support the notion that market propinquity facilitates the flow of franchises between nations. Franchise expansion is greatest when the home and host nations are similar in terms of geography, culture, media availability, and political risk. The management implications of these findings are discussed in detail.
Long Range Planning, 1987
Abstract Drawing on information provided by 407 European top managers, the results of this study ... more Abstract Drawing on information provided by 407 European top managers, the results of this study indicate that the influence process varies for different types of strategic decisions. Each of three types of strategic decisions—product-market, technological and administrative—was primarily influenced by a different set of departments. Only the managing director maintained moderate influence over all decisions. The patterns of effective power bases also differed for each type of decision. Environmental scanning was a more important source of departmental influence on product-market decisions while formal position and access to resources proved more important for influencing technological and administrative decisions.
Journal of Small Business Management, 2003
This paper offers an in-depth treatment of conversion franchising, where new franchisees are adde... more This paper offers an in-depth treatment of conversion franchising, where new franchisees are added to a franchised system by recruiting existing independent entrepreneurs or competitors' franchisees. The first part of the paper examines conversion franchising as a source of competitive advantage. This discussion leads to the articulation of four propositions. The second part of the paper looks at the empirical results of our study of 72 North American franchisors. Seventy-two percent of these firms use conversion franchising in their domestic markets, and 26 percent use conversions in international locales. The propositions relating to a franchisor's decision to use conversions based on increased levels of experience, economic resources, and to a lesser extent skills/ knowledge, all were supported. These results lend support to the literature indicating that resources and skills serve as sources of competitive advantage. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Journal of Services Marketing, 1994
ABSTRACT Suggests that competitive mobility is based on strategic adaptation to meet customer nee... more ABSTRACT Suggests that competitive mobility is based on strategic adaptation to meet customer needs and market trends. This type of competitive advantage is characteristic of mobile service franchises, and it also has implications for non-franchised businesses. Reviews the growth of mobile service franchises and the consumer trends supporting their development, and examines how these franchises use mobility to create competitive advantage. Identifies and describes seven dimensions/elements defining the competitive mobility of these organizations, based on a study of 25 mobile franchise systems. Discusses the implications of competitive mobility for most types of business.
Journal of Marketing Channels, 2006
... For example, Subway, the larg-est franchisor in the United States, has only one (1) company o... more ... For example, Subway, the larg-est franchisor in the United States, has only one (1) company owned unit, while Arby's, Dunkin' Donuts, and Century 21 Real Estate Corpo-ration are all 100 ...Julian and Castrogiovanni (1995) see franchising as a key tactic for pursuing ...
Journal of Management History, 2012
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to employ the concepts of the general management of innovatio... more PurposeThe purpose of this study is to employ the concepts of the general management of innovation to help explain the extraordinary inventiveness of the Shaker religious community.Design/methodology/approachUtilizing historical accounts of Shaker philosophy and practice, the paper examines Shaker innovativeness through the lens of the general management of innovation in order to develop a historical interpretation of innovation within the Shaker community.FindingsIt was demonstrated that Shaker society possessed a large number of the organizational characteristics, management practices, and values, which have subsequently been found to be positively related to innovative behaviors in modern institutions.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research should examine in even greater depth specific values, structure, and practices of Shaker communities as well as focusing on key concepts in other fields such as product, operations, or R&D management to yield additional insights into ...
Shared Entrepreneurship, 2014
MBC Ventures, Inc. (MBC), known as the Maryland Brush Company until a name change in 2011, is a 1... more MBC Ventures, Inc. (MBC), known as the Maryland Brush Company until a name change in 2011, is a 100 percent employee-owned United Steelworker employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) established in 1990. Throughout its recent history, the 161-year-old business has steadily increased its stock value. However, the future is less certain today as the firm’s traditional brush business has matured, and its recent efforts at diversification have yet to be realized. The firm has proven to be quite resilient over the years having averted closure after being sold by PPG Industries in 1990. In an unusual partnership, the United Steelworkers of America union helped the firm’s new owner-managers convert to an ESOP as part of a reorganization. This effort saved jobs and the company. Since that time, the firm’s employees have proven to be its most valuable asset and a key source of its competitive advantage.
journal of Business Case Studies, 2013
An alternative capitalistic model, shared entrepreneurship, has emerged from a number of organiza... more An alternative capitalistic model, shared entrepreneurship, has emerged from a number of organizations including W. L. Gore & Associates, Herman Miller, and Southwest Airlines. These and similar companies are often included in strategic management texts. Two core principles of shared entrepreneurship -- shared capitalism and shared leadership -- are frequently not found in foundation texts of management. Such companies are significantly more successful than traditional organizations based on both financial and quality of life standards. Thus, there is a need to expose members of the academy to these principles and how they are practiced. To build on and integrate existing literature regarding shared leadership and shared capitalism, a model of shared entrepreneurship will be introduced early in the workshop and how when appropriately implemented it leads to innovative and productive behavior. The workshop will consist of two parts. First, a panel discussion led by academic experts and practicing executives of shared entrepreneurship will introduce participants to the concepts and how they are practiced. Second, small group discussions on individual companies will be conducted by either practicing managers from the company, academics who have firsthand experience in it, or both. Each part of the workshop should last approximately one hour. The desired outcome for the workshop is that participants leave inquisitive about an alternative capitalistic model that has potential to increase the amount of goods and services available to all while improving the quality of life.
Journal of Business Strategies, 1970
Given the growth of multinationals, it is important that managers learnwhether strategic planning... more Given the growth of multinationals, it is important that managers learnwhether strategic planning enhances firm performance in cross-cultural situations.Using an international sample of firms, this study found that the generalplanning-performance model is relevant across the cultures sampled. While thereappears to be little direct relationship between culture and planning, culture didmoderate the planning-performance relationship. Furthermore, specific culturalvalues were found to account for some of the cross-cultural differences in theplanning-performance relationship. Implications for management and futureresearch are discussed.
The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 2012
Leaders with global skills are in demand by MNCs. Global management skills depend on the applicab... more Leaders with global skills are in demand by MNCs. Global management skills depend on the applicability of management practices across cultures. Using data from managers in 50 countries, this study examines the interaction effect of cultural values and managerial skills on two outcomes, employees' attitudes and workgroup effectiveness. Our results indicate that cultural values tend to have a greater effect when a manager is less skilled than when the manager is highly skilled. When the manager is highly skilled, the interaction effects of culture tend to disappear. The practical and research implications of these findings are discussed.
Academy of Management Learning & Education, 2007
Essential to an organization's capacity for sustainable growth is the ability of its managers to ... more Essential to an organization's capacity for sustainable growth is the ability of its managers to learn better skills that improve performance. Millions of dollars are spent each year on development initiatives that often fail to transfer into performance gains, primarily due to insufficient support given to the learning transfer process. One initiative used by companies to develop managerial skills is the 360 feedback process. This process has been recognized by some for its value because of its inherent ability to reinforce learning and create actionable knowledge. Some companies have gone so far as to assume that the 360 feedback process will apply equally across cultures. Given that different cultures hold different values, the assumption needs to be examined. The question of cultural relevance for the 360 feedback process was examined across five countries in this study. The results provide support for the overall effectiveness of the 360 process across the combined sample. Comparisons among the five countries, however, revealed important differences. The results were examined based on Hofstede's four work-related values. The 360 feedback process was found to be most effective in cultures with low power distance and individualistic values. The implications for both practice and research are discussed.
International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 2014
Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between managerial skills and ... more Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between managerial skills and effectiveness in a cross-cultural setting to determine their applicability. Design/methodology/approach – Data from 7,606 managers in 5 countries from a large multinational firm were analyzed using structural equation modeling to assess all relationships simultaneously and reduce error effects. Findings – The results support the cross-cultural validity of the model of managerial skills-effectiveness. Few cross-cultural differences were found. Interactive skills had greater positive impact on attitudes than initiating skills. Pressuring skills had a negative impact on attitudes. None of the skill sets were related to job performance. Research limitations/implications – Using a single firm and industry to control for other cultural levels may limit the generalizability of the results. Only three skill sets were assessed and one coarse-grained measure of culture was used. These factors may ...
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Papers by Richard Hoffman