Mapping the trickle out benefits of social and environmental enterprises: a pilot study of an East African eco business

• Objectives The objective of this paper is to propose a framework for mapping the sustainable development and poverty alleviation impacts of social and environmental enterprises in Africa. This framework is then piloted with reference to an East African Ecobusiness. • Prior Work This paper is based on data collected as part of a wider research project examining social and environmental enterprises across the 19 countries of Southern and Eastern Africa. In total, the sustainable development and poverty alleviation impacts of 20 in-depth case studies in 4 countries are being examined. • Approach Data was collected using in-depth interviews with multiple stakeholders associated with the case study business. Secondary materials were also analysed and a quantitative survey of customers undertaken. • Results In addition to their impacts on the environment, African eco businesses can also have substantial social, economic and wider poverty alleviation impacts. This paper maps the impacts of a case study East African ecobusiness, as part of developing a social and environmental enterprise impact framework for Africa and the wider developing world. In our case study, positive and negative impacts are identified, while questions are raised in relation to tradeoffs between social and environmental objectives and temporal dimensions of impact. The usefulness of existing frameworks for understanding the social, environmental and development impacts of these kinds of organisations are also considered. • Implications This paper outlines the necessity of building an African-centric impact map to capture the multi-level poverty alleviation and sustainable development impacts of social and environmental enterprise activity in developing world environments. The framework proposed also offers guidance to businesses operating in Africa about the factors that might be considered as part of their wider social and environmental responsibilities. • Value Assessing the impact of social and environmental enterprises, especially as a route to development within low income countries, is receiving increasing attention in academia and beyond. This paper presents a useful contribution to the scarce literature on social and environmental enterprises in Africa.

Buzz-words in business and management studies

The paper presents a theory of the use of buzz-words in academic discourse. It uses economic principles to analyse the incentives to innovate new buzz words and to use existing buzz-words promoted by other people. It argues that the lack of a credible dominant intellectual elite in business studies, combined with the rapid growth of academic employment in business schools, has stimulated an inefficient proliferation of buzz-words in management studies. It argues that this proliferatilon of buzz-words is in danger of bringing the field of study into disrepute.

The impact of eBusiness on the City of London office market

The City of London is a major financial centre where the property market is heavily dependent on the space requirements of office occupiers. Technological change, however, is changing the way in which organisations conduct their business and is challenging the continued locational pull of the City. This research presents findings from a major survey of City occupiers carried out by The College research team during 2002. The research examines how the shape and form of the office property market in the City will be affected by process change in eBusiness and related technology over the next 5 years. The report, which includes an extensive literature review, examines the implications of increased homeworking and other trends for future office supply in the City. The research was funded by the Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors Trust (Toby Sutton Research Award), and part of the literature review by the Small Business Support Research Unit of DTI. It is essential reading for surveyors, planners, facilities managers and all those interested in the technology and property interface.

The use and impacts of bank support on UK small and medium-sized enterprises

This article examines an under-investigated area in relationship banking, i.e. the use of bank advice and support and its impacts on the financial conditions of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The findings indicate that the characteristics of businesses and entrepreneurs, among other factors, have determinant effects on the use of bank support by SMEs when they make financial decisions. SMEs can alleviate the severity of their financial problems significantly by using bank support more fully, through developing long-term relationships with banks as primary network partners. The article further recognises the value of advice from banks as a substitute for entrepreneurial human capital, especially when bankers use private information to determine the nature and level of financial and non-financial assistance that they are prepared to supply to their clients.

The determinants of online loan applications from small businesses

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine both the characteristics of the business customers and the types of venture which make use of online loan applications. Despite the growth in the use of technology in banking and the advent of online banking, little research has been conducted on the factors underlying online loan application behaviour amongst business banking customers. Design/methodology/approach – A multivariate analysis is conducted on a USA dataset to empirically test the hypotheses derived in this paper. The empirical evidence is drawn from the US Survey of Small Business Finances, which contains 3,561 sample ventures, representing 5.3 million small businesses in the USA. Findings – The paper finds that online loan behaviour is largely determined by the characteristics of the entrepreneur, rather than that of the venture. It is also found that factors that trust, evident in the length of the relationship between the applicants and their primary lender, is important. Moderating these effects is further evidence that suggests the number of lenders and distance between lenders and applicants has a marked effect on online loan behaviour. Originality/value – This paper identifies the factors determining small business online loan application behaviour. This is important because the nature of online loan behaviour is changing the existing relationships between banks and customers. Whilst online loan applications afford banks the opportunity to substantially reduce costs, the danger is that long term relationships with customers are harder to cement.

Higher education engagement in leadership development: using autobiographical narrative to understand potential impact

The paper explores the lived experience of leadership learning and development in a single case study of an entrepreneur participating in a major leadership development programme for owner-managers of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Based on autobiographical research, it provides a rich contextual account of the nature and underlying influences of leadership learning throughout the life-course, and as a consequence of participation in the programme. Whilst the paper should interest scholars, policy makers, and those concerned with programme development, it may also resonate with entrepreneurs and help them make sense of their experience of leadership development.

What matters in business incubation? A literature review and a suggestion for situated theorising

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to provide a critical assessment of the literature on business incubation effectiveness and second, to submit a situated theoretical perspective on how business incubation management can provide an environment that supports the development of incubatee entrepreneurs and their businesses. Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides a narrative critical assessment of the literature on business incubation effectiveness. Definitional issues, performance aspects and approaches to establishing critical success factors in business incubation are discussed. Business incubation management is identified as an overarching factor for theorising on business incubation effectiveness. Findings – The literature on business incubation effectiveness suffers from several deficiencies, including definitional incongruence, descriptive accounts, fragmentation and lack of strong conceptual grounding. Notwithstanding the growth of research on this domain, understanding of how entrepreneurs and their businesses develop within the business incubator environment remains limited. Given the importance of relational, intangible factors in business incubation and the critical role of business incubation management in orchestrating and optimising such factors, it is suggested that theorising efforts would benefit from a situated perspective. Originality/value – The identification of specific shortcomings in the literature on business incubation highlights the need for more systematic efforts towards theory building. It is suggested that focusing on the role of business incubation management from a situated learning theory perspective can lend itself to a more profound understanding of the development process of incubatee entrepreneurs and their firms. Theoretical propositions are offered to this effect, as well as avenues for future research.

Utilização de instrumentos de planejamento financeiro estratégico em pequenas e médias empresas no estado do Paraná

o presente trabalho averigua os modelos estratégicos atuais e, sua aplicabilidade nas pequenas empresas no que tange à viabilidade financeira de projetos dirigidos a esse assunto. Procurou-se desenvolver a pesquisa com o objetivo de investigar a influência e a operacionalidade dos modelos correntes de estratégia, na liquidez das pequenas empresas, de modo a transformar os dados destas analises financeiras básicas em ferramentas estratégicas de minimização de risco. O método utilizado para o estudo foi o da exploração de literatura de planejamento estratégico e análise financeira de tomada de decisão. Aplicação da teoria foi verificada em uma amostra não generalística e préestabelecida pelo autor, através de um questionário objetivo. As perguntas constantes neste questionário contemplaram a verificação do nível dos conceitos estratégicos presentes nas empresas, suas condições atuais perante a perspectiva financeira e a disponibilidade da aplicação dos conceitos em projetos de planejamento estratégico. Os resultados revelaram a presença de vários conceitos e diretrizes teóricas; porém na averiguação da condição financeira, as empresas pesquisadas apresentaram, através de notas, estado de li qui dez enxuto e com pouca margem de folga para investimentos na área estratégica. O contraponto da pesquisa foi dado pelo modo que como as empresas estão sendo obrigadas a esta análise, por mais que haja conhecimento do assunto, estes critérios não estão sendo utilizados, fato observado na terceira seção do questionário. As conclusões demonstraram que as pequenas empresas pesquisadas oferecem condições de desenvolvimentos estratégicos na forma de adaptações. A teoria informou que isto também constitui um procedimento válido. Porém os conceitos dessas adaptações devem ser avaliados perante a perspectiva da viabilidade financeira e de composição dos custos de capital a ser aplicado. Isto estabelece, além da implantação do início da adaptação estratégica, o uso de ferramentas financeiras básicas e de critérios de análise de risco, sendo esses fatos extremamente compatíveis com o tamanho das empresas e com os preceitos estratégicos. Assim, a hipótese estipula pelo trabalho apresentou compatibilidade com a pesquisa visto que, a teoria corrente demonstrou não ser viável para os gestores, ou ainda, ser aplicada para os casos em estudo. O texto e a pesquisa demonstram isto de modo que, para o caso das pequenas empresas a solução é a adaptação estratégica com estudo de viabilidade e, não a aceitação completa dos modelos propostos normalmente.

Proposta de modelo qualitativo de gstão de risco para pequenas empresas não-financeiras brasileiras: estudo de caso de uma empresa do setor de serviços em regime de franchising

Pesquisas realizadas por instituições ligadas às pequenas e médias empresas brasileiras, em particular, as não-financeiras, revelam que o índice de mortalidade tem sido elevado ao longo dos últimos anos. A despeito do empenho dos empreendedores em criar as condições necessárias para garantir a sobrevivência de suas empresas, a falta de capacidade gerencial, em geral, na organização dos vários processos e atividades, tem conduzido as empresas para caminhos pouco favoráveis. Neste sentido, a preocupação com os riscos que naturalmente permeiam os negócios de uma empresa são, quase sempre, por desconhecimento, desprezados ou relevados a um segundo plano. Risco é parte do dia-a-dia da existência das empresas, podendo alguns serem menos impactantes enquanto outros, se concretizados, ameaçar a longevidade da empresa. Desta forma, uma perfeita compreensão e domínio dos princípios e processos para uma gestão segura de riscos contribuirá para uma tomada de decisões adequada e para a garantia de melhores resultados para a empresa. Este trabalho tem como propósito apresentar e testar um modelo qualitativo de gestão de risco que possa ser utilizado por pequenas empresas não-financeiras brasileiras. A empresa escolhida para atender a este estudo de caso foi uma pequena empresa brasileira do setor de serviços que opera em regime de franchising. Os resultados obtidos, por meio de toda documentação apresentada à luz do modelo proposto, apontam para a adequabilidade do modelo em empresa deste gênero, bem como para a concordância por parte dos gerentes e do empreendedor quanto à necessidade de implantação deste tipo de gestão como forma de assegurar a sobrevivência da empresa.

Mapeando os valores subjetivos dos gerentes de relacionamento em negociações bancárias

No contexto de um mercado tão competitivo, ter equipes bem preparadas e alocadas adequadamente é fundamental para a sobrevivência das empresas. O presente estudo objetiva identificar o reflexo na satisfação dos clientes e nos resultados das empresas, a partir do conhecimento das pessoas que trabalham na linha de frente dessas empresas, aqueles profissionais que exercem um papel importante de negociação, identificando o que eles valorizam subjetivamente em uma negociação. Por meio da ferramenta SVI (Subjective Value Inventory), desenvolvida por Curhan et al (2006), a partir das dimensões de autoimagem independente e interdependente, busca-se identificar os valores subjetivos dos negociadores de um banco de varejo brasileiro, responsáveis por parte significativa das negociações e dos resultados da empresa, relativamente aos sentimentos sobre si mesmos (Self), aos resultados instrumentais, e ao processo e relacionamento (Rapport), utilizando a confiança interpessoal como moderadora nessa relação. Após identificados os valores subjetivos desses negociadores em negociação, relacionar os resultados encontrados com a satisfação dos clientes. Para isso, foi realizada uma pesquisa quantitativa, com a aplicação de um questionário fechado e estruturado a 532 negociadores desse banco que atuam nos estados de Santa Catarina, Rio de Janeiro e Maranhão, responsáveis pelo relacionamento, prospecção e realização de negócios com os clientes da instituição, nos segmentos pessoa física, micro e pequenas empresas e governo. Os dados foram analisados a partir de técnicas estatísticas, utilizando-se o método dos Mínimos Quadrados Parciais. Observou-se que mais de 40% da satisfação de cliente é explicada pelos valores subjetivos dos negociadores. O estudo apontou como resultados, dentre outros, que os gerentes de negócios com autoimagem independente valorizam o Self e os resultados instrumentais em uma negociação, e que a confiança interpessoal cognitiva modera negativamente essa relação. Ainda, que aqueles gerentes de negócios com autoimagem interdependente, valorizam o Rapport em uma negociação e que essa valorização está positivamente relacionada com a satisfação dos clientes.

Promoting corporate social responsibility in small and medium enterprises in the Caribbean: methodology report

Incluye Bibliografía

The current situation of small and medium-sized industrial enterprises in Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados and St. Lucia

Includes bibliography

Organizational communication and innovation in micro and small companies: a study on the application of the Innovation Radar

This paper is a study on corporate communication and the ability to innovate in small businesses. The guiding question seeks to respond whether organizational communication is able to make progress and / or support innovation in micro and small companies, and the main objective is to analyze the relationship between innovation and organizational communication. It was applied the case study method and document research for interpreting a diagnosis instru- ment called “Innovation Radar” in a small business company located in the countryside of São Paulo state. The diagnosis is made based on assessment dimensions aimed at checking the maturity and the degree of innovation in micro and small companies. By evaluating these di- mensions it was possible to build analytical frameworks and highlight the influence of corporate communication in promoting innovation. The results indicate that every dimension of the “In- novation Radar” can improve their performance by means of corporate communication.

Two and a Half Cheers for the Midwestern Bourgeoisie: Role of the Virtues in Tempering Business Decisions

A recent book (The Bourgeois Virtues: Ethics for an Age of Commerce, D. N. McCloskey), raises the matter of the role of the virtues in business and economic choice, arguing that capitalism can indeed, be virtuous or at least better than the alternative(s). This argument is especially timely in light of the apparent excesses on Wall Street and in some banking/financial institutions. Excessive greed and often the lack of business ethics contributed in substantive ways to the financial crisis and near economic meltdown we have been experiencing. As McCloskey, (2006, pp. 1-2) argues (in setting the stage for the complex argument made in this 616-page book!): “The book … is directed toward you who are suspicious of the phrase ‘bourgeois virtues,’ pretty sure that it is a contradiction in terms. And the book is directed, with less optimism about changing their minds, toward you who think the phrase is worse: a lie. ‘Bourgeois virtues’ is neither. The claim here is that modern capitalism does not need to be offset to be good. Capitalism can on the contrary be virtuous. In a fallen world bourgeois life is not perfect. But it’s better than any available alternative. American capitalism needs to be inspirited, moralized, completed. Two and a half cheers for the Midwestern bourgeoisie (middle-class, small business owners…. yet)… Many a businessman is an ethical shell or worse. Even the virtues of the bourgeoisie, … do not lead straight to heaven.”

What Business Reference Librarians Need to Know about Intellectual Property: Presentations sponsored by the Patent and Trademark Depository Library Association (PTDLA) at the American Library Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, June 25, 2006

Presentations sponsored by the Patent and Trademark Depository Library Association (PTDLA) at the American Library Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, June 25, 2006 Speaker #1: Nan Myers Associate Professor; Government Documents, Patents and Trademarks Librarian Wichita State University, Wichita, KS Title: Intellectual Property Roundup: Copyright, Trademarks, Trade Secrets, and Patents Abstract: This presentation provides a capsule overview of the distinctive coverage of the four types of intellectual property – What they are, why they are important, how to get them, what they cost, how long they last. Emphasis will be on what questions patrons ask most, along with the answers! Includes coverage of the mission of Patent & Trademark Depository Libraries (PTDLs) and other sources of business information outside of libraries, such as Small Business Development Centers. Speaker #2: Jan Comfort Government Information Reference Librarian Clemson University, Clemson, SC Title: Patents as a Source of Competitive Intelligence Information Abstract: Large corporations often have R&D departments, or large numbers of staff whose jobs are to monitor the activities of their competitors. This presentation will review strategies that small business owners can employ to do their own competitive intelligence analysis. The focus will be on features of the patent database that is available free of charge on the USPTO website, as well as commercial databases available at many public and academic libraries across the country. Speaker #3: Virginia Baldwin Professor; Engineering Librarian University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE Title: Mining Online Patent Data for Business Information Abstract: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website and websites of international databases contains information about granted patents and patent applications and the technologies they represent. Statistical information about patents, their technologies, geographical information, and patenting entities are compiled and available as reports on the USPTO website. Other valuable information from these websites can be obtained using data mining techniques. This presentation will provide the keys to opening these resources and obtaining valuable data. Speaker #4: Donna Hopkins Engineering Librarian Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY Title: Searching the USPTO Trademark Database for Wordmarks and Logos Abstract: This presentation provides an overview of wordmark searching in www.uspto.gov, followed by a review of the techniques of searching for non-word US trademarks using codes from the Design Search Code Manual. These codes are used in an electronic search, either on the uspto website or on CASSIS DVDs. The search is sometimes supplemented by consulting the Official Gazette. A specific example of using a section of the codes for searching is included. Similar searches on the Madrid Express database of WIPO, using the Vienna Classification, will also be briefly described.