New Technology-based Firms

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper insight into the organizational factors and personal motivations of intrapreneurs that may foster intrapreneurial behaviors of employees in a new technology-based firm (NTBF). Design/methodology/approach The paper takes a qualitative approach to explore organizational and individual antecedents of employees’ intrapreneurial behavior. A single case study was conducted on the basis of semi-structured interviews with the founders and top managers of the firm and with intrapreneurial employees. Findings Results show that intrapreneurial projects may arise in firms whose top managers support corporate entrepreneurship (CE) in a non-active manner. Intrapreneurial behaviors of employees can emerge despite the lack of time and limited resources available for undertaking projects. Moreover, work discretion and mutual confidence and the quality of the relationship between employees and top managers are the most valued factors for intrap...

Purpose-The purpose of this study is to provide a deeper insight into the organizational factors and personal motivations of intrapreneurs which may foster intrapreneurial behaviors of employees in a new technology-based firm (NTBF). Design/methodology/approach-The paper takes a qualitative approach to exploring organizational and individual antecedents of employees' intrapreneurial behavior. A single case study was conducted based on semi-structured interviews with the founders and top managers of the firm and with intrapreneurial employees. Findings-Results show that intrapreneurial projects may arise in firms whose top managers support Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE) in a non-active manner. Intrapreneurial behaviors of employees can emerge despite the lack of time and limited resources available for undertaking projects. Moreover, work discretion and mutual confidence and the quality of the relationship between employees and top managers are the most valued factors for intrapreneurs. Practical implications-Based on the intrapreneurial projects studied, this paper helps to contextualize intrapreneurs' perception of organizational support and the personal motivations for leading projects within an NTBF. Originality/value-Traditionally, the literature has mainly focused on the top-down implementation of entrepreneurial projects within large firms. This paper contributes to the understanding of the combination of firm-and individual-level factors that facilitate intrapreneurial behaviors of employees. It also illustrates the contextual conditions and the firms' orientation on CE within an NTBF.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper insight into the organizational factors and personal motivations of intrapreneurs that may foster intrapreneurial behaviors of employees in a new technology-based firm (NTBF).,The paper takes a qualitative approach to explore organizational and individual antecedents of employees’ intrapreneurial behavior. A single case study was conducted on the basis of semi-structured interviews with the founders and top managers of the firm and with intrapreneurial employees.,Results show that intrapreneurial projects may arise in firms whose top managers support corporate entrepreneurship (CE) in a non-active manner. Intrapreneurial behaviors of employees can emerge despite the lack of time and limited resources available for undertaking projects. Moreover, work discretion and mutual confidence and the quality of the relationship between employees and top managers are the most valued factors for intrapreneurs.,Based on the intrapreneurial project...

In this thesis I explain how research on entrepreneurial networks has been dominated by two approaches: one focussing on network structures (connections between actors) and one on network flows (exchange or transformation of resources within relationships). Using configuration theory, I then make the case for an integrated approach that considers the interdependence between network structures and network flows. To achieve this, I present three papers, the first of which has been published and the other two are being revised for publication in a journal. In the first paper I examine the affect of network embeddedness (i.e., the degree to which social structure and processes shape economic action) on the performance of new technology based firms and argue that operationalizations of network embeddedness would benefit from incorporating structural network measures as well as measures of the attributes of individual relationships. I then present a second paper in which I describe a model and method (Q-analysis) for conceptualising and measuring variations in the structure-flow interdependence of networks. Together, the model and method facilitate richer examinations of the form and function of entrepreneurial networks. In the third paper I develop a typology of four network configurations based on variations in network structural complexity and network flow complexity. I then describe how different network management capabilities are suited to each of the network configurations. Together these three papers provide contributions that will help researchers to study how structure-flow interdependence affects the configuration, multiplexity (i.e., how multiple flows interact within and across relationships) and evolution of entrepreneurial networks.

In this thesis I explain how research on entrepreneurial networks has been dominated by two approaches: one focussing on network structures (connections between actors) and one on network flows (exchange or transformation of resources within relationships). Using configuration theory, I then make the case for an integrated approach that considers the interdependence between network structures and network flows. To achieve this, I present three papers, the first of which has been published and the other two are being revised for publication in a journal. In the first paper I examine the affect of network embeddedness (i.e., the degree to which social structure and processes shape economic action) on the performance of new technology based firms and argue that operationalizations of network embeddedness would benefit from incorporating structural network measures as well as measures of the attributes of individual relationships. I then present a second paper in which I describe a model and method (Q-analysis) for conceptualising and measuring variations in the structure-flow interdependence of networks. Together, the model and method facilitate richer examinations of the form and function of entrepreneurial networks. In the third paper I develop a typology of four network configurations based on variations in network structural complexity and network flow complexity. I then describe how different network management capabilities are suited to each of the network configurations. Together these three papers provide contributions that will help researchers to study how structure-flow interdependence affects the configuration, multiplexity (i.e., how multiple flows interact within and across relationships) and evolution of entrepreneurial networks.

本論文は、新技術ベンチャーにおけるデスバレー現象とその要因について論じる。 まず、新技術ベンチャーのデスバレー現象、すなわち優れた技術を十分に事業化へとつなげることが出来ない状態について検討するために、先端技術事業化までの段階を、基礎研究段階、製品開発段階、事業化段階の3つに分類する。 その上で、新技術ベンチャーに対する質問票調査をもとに、新技術ベンチャーにおいては、とりわけ事業化段階に深刻なデスバレー現象が存在すると認識されている。各段階を通じて「人材面の問題」「ビジョンの抽出や需要のコンセプト化の問題」が主要なデスバレー要因と認識されている。また、基礎研究段階のデスバレー克服状況と「市場ニーズの明確化及び共有化」に向けた取組み、製品開発段階のデスバレー克服状況と「トップダウン型経営」「市場ニーズの明確化及び共有化」、事業化段階のデスバレー克服状況と「公認会計士」「ベンチャーキャピタル」「弁護士」等の外部専門家との連携において有意な相関が確認されたこと等を明らかにする。 最後に、新技術ベンチャーがデスバレーに陥らないための方策について論じる。

In this thesis I explain how research on entrepreneurial networks has been dominated by two approaches: one focussing on network structures (connections between actors) and one on network flows (exchange or transformation of resources within relationships). Using configuration theory, I then make the case for an integrated approach that considers the interdependence between network structures and network flows. To achieve this, I present three papers, the first of which has been published and the other two are being revised for publication in a journal. In the first paper I examine the affect of network embeddedness (i.e., the degree to which social structure and processes shape economic action) on the performance of new technology based firms and argue that operationalizations of network embeddedness would benefit from incorporating structural network measures as well as measures of the attributes of individual relationships. I then present a second paper in which I describe a model and method (Q-analysis) for conceptualising and measuring variations in the structure–flow interdependence of networks. Together, the model and method facilitate richer examinations of the form and function of entrepreneurial networks. In the third paper I develop a typology of four network configurations based on variations in network structural complexity and network flow complexity. I then describe how different network management capabilities are suited to each of the network configurations. Together these three papers provide contributions that will help researchers to study how structure-flow interdependence affects the configuration, multiplexity (i.e., how multiple flows interact within and across relationships) and evolution of entrepreneurial networks.