| 1. |
- Hilmersson, Mikael, 1981-
(författare)
-
Establishment of Insidership Positions in Institutionally Distant Business Networks
- 2011
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Since the opening of formerly closed markets in Eastern Europe and China in the early 1990s, numerous firms have sought to capture the growth opportunities prevailing in the virgin but institutionally distant business networks in these countries. I claim that the entry process into an institutionally distant business network has been realised when the entering firm has reached an insidership position in the network. To advance this idea, the thesis introduces the overlooked medium-sized multinational exporter (MME) and answers the following overarching research questions: (I) how do MMEs establish insidership positions in institutionally distant business networks, and (II) what critical abilities are developed by MMEs in the process of entering an institutionally distant business network? To answer these questions, qualitative and quantitative methods have sequentially been mixed to first give an in-depth understanding of the empirical field, and second to verify and generalise some of the most central tentative findings. Empirically, the study reports from a case study of eight firms in the Baltic Sea Region and from an on-site survey of 203 Swedish firms with experience of entries in Eastern Europe and/or China. Five individual essays are presented—all designed to reflect different aspects of the institutionally distant network entry process. The findings are condensed in the cover of the thesis, where it is claimed that an insidership position is reached through three main phases: the Scouting phase, the Qualifying phase and the Shielding phase. Furthermore, it is found that that the most critical abilities developed through the institutionally distant network entry process is local experience-based knowledge of high specificity. It is shown that previous experiences, generated in different business networks in mature markets, are not useful in the network entry process in immature markets. As a consequence, there is reason to believe that the entering firm needs to develop unlearning abilities to replace obsolete or misleading experience.
|
|
| 2. |
- Pourmand, Firouze, 1981-
(författare)
-
How do Small Firms Manage their Political Environment? : - A Network Perspective
- 2011
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- To this point research on firms’ political behavior has contributed knowledge concerning large firms’ relationships and strategies with political actors and their surrounding environment. Less is known about small firms’ behavior towards political organizations. As a matter of fact, the fields of international marketing, international business and corporate political science have left the political behavior of small firms almost untouched. Therefore, extant literature assumes that small firms due to their resource constraints are passive receivers of political initiatives. About 99 percent of all firms within the European Union are small firms, and it is therefore questioned whether all these firms are passive receivers of political initiatives. The intention with this thesis is to challenge some assumptions regarding how small firms manage their relationships with political actors concerning EU related rules and regulations. Consequently, the study raises the overarching research question; how do small firms manage their political environment? Theoretically, the study takes a network perspective on business political interaction to examine both individual and/or collective political behavior of small firms. It develops a theoretical view constituted of knowledge, commitment and legitimacy. Methodologically, two sequential stages are followed: first an in-depth qualitative case study of three successful cases is presented and second, the in-depth understanding is broadened to a wider population of firms based on a quantitative survey. A central contribution of this thesis is to aid research on the political behavior of small firms. It is found that small firms, in contrast to prevailing assumptions, do possess political resources. They are not passive receivers of political initiatives. Instead, the findings show that small firms are active and can exercise influence. This, however, is shown to be dependent on the firm’s political commitment, political knowledge and competency and business-political legitimacy. It is also shown that small firms mobilize these critical resources not only directly, but also indirectly through various intermediating actors. Besides the theoretical contributions, these conclusions are important not just because of the managerial implications but also, and perhaps more importantly, for the policy implications that can be drawn from the study. Being exploratory and opening up the black box of small firm’s political behavior, the thesis ends with a number of future research directions.
|
|
| 3. |
- Li, Yushu
(författare)
-
Essays on statistical testing using Wavelet methodologies
- 2011
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis consists of five essays on the application of wavelet methodology to different tests in time series analysis. Essay I proposes a nonlinear Dickey-Fuller F test for unit roots against the first order Logistic Smooth Transition Autoregressive LSTAR (1) model. The asymptotic distribution of the test statistic is analytically derived while the size and power properties for small samples of the tests are investigated using Monte Carlo experiments. The results show that there is a serious size distortion for the test when Autoregressive Conditional Heterskedasticity (GARCH) errors appear in the Data Generating Process (DGP). To solve this problem, we use the wavelet technique to filter out the GARCH distortion and to improve the size property of the test under GARCH error. We also discuss the asymptotic distributions of the test statistics in GARCH and wavelet environments. Essay II uses the wavelet technique to improve the over-rejection problem of the traditional linear Dickey-Fuller tests for unit root when the data is associated with volatility such as a GARCH (1, 1) effect. We prove that the asymptotic distribution of the test in the wavelet environment is still the same as the traditional Dickey-Fuller type of test. The finite sample property is improved when the data suffers from GARCH error. An empirical example is illustrated with data on the net immigration to Sweden during the period 1950 to 2000. Essay III applies the wavelet ratio statistic to the Im-Pesaran-Shin (IPS) type of test and compares it with the IPS test by using Dickey-Fuller t statistic. Simulation results show again in power by employing the wavelet ratio test instead of the Dickey-Fuller t statistic in the panel data case. As the IPS test is sensitive to the cross sectional dependence, we further compare the robustness of both test statistics to the cross sectional. Finally we apply a residual based waves trapping methodology to reduce the over biased size problem brought up by the cross correlation for both test statistics. Essay IV uses simulated data to investigate the power of different causality tests in a two dimensional vector autoregressive (VAR) model. The data are presented in a non-linearenvironment that is modelled using a logistic smooth transition autoregressive (LSTAR)function. We use both linear and non-linear causality tests to investigate the uni-direction causality relationship and compare the power of these tests. When implementing the nonlinear test, we use separately the original data, the linear VAR filtered residuals, and the wavelet decomposed series based on wavelet multi resolution analysis (MRA). The simulation results show that the non-parametric test based on the wavelet decomposition series (which is a model free approach) has the highest power for exploring causality relationships in nonlinear models. Essay V first presents a power controlled turning points detecting method based on the theory of likelihood ratio test in statistical surveillance. Next we show how the outlier will influence the performance of this methodology. Due to the sensitivity of the surveillance system to the outliers, we finally present a wavelet multi resolution (MRA) based outlier elimination approach, which can be combined with the on-line turning point detecting process and will also alleviate the false alarm problem introduced by the outliers.
|
|
| 4. |
|
|
| 5. |
- Devine, Åsa, 1972-
(författare)
-
Internationalization and Performance among Small and Medium-sized Firms : A study of furniture producers in Sweden
- 2010
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Furniture production in Sweden still exists on a comparably small scale. The majority, or more than 99 percent, of all furniture producers in Sweden are small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) with less than 250 employees. Despite their size, these firms are, to a large extent, involved in export. This is fully in line with the accelerating trend of internationalization found among firms of all sizes. However, research focused on internationalization has been primarily concentrated on larger firms, which is unfortunate considering that the vast majority of all firms within the European Union can be described as SMEs. The purpose of this research is, therefore, to extend our understanding of internationalization and performance among small and medium sized firms by explaining export involvement and performance among small and medium sized furniture producers in Sweden.This research is completed within the theoretical framework of the modified PSE model, which consists of four components: perception of export barriers, strategy competence, export involvement, and performance. A quantitative survey was conducted among 324 firms, yielding a response rate of 56 percent. The empirical data was analyzed using the methods of multiple linear regression, logistic regression, and ordinal regression.The result suggests that strategy competence, measured in terms of relatedness and market knowledge, explains the main export mode and performance among exporting SMEs. In addition, main export mode seems to explain performance. The main findings of this research are visualized through a new model, SCEMPER. Another finding is that barriers originating with the owner/key decision-maker of a firm seem to prevent firms from becoming involved in export. In addition, attitude towards export and the age of the firm appear to be important determinants of export involvement and performance among SMEs.
|
|
| 6. |
- Amsteus, Martin, 1972-
(författare)
-
Managerial foresight and firm performance
- 2011
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Purpose – To specify what defines managerial foresight and to assess the association between managerial foresight and firm performanceMethodology/Approach – First, previous research was reviewed and foresight was defined. Second, an instrument for measuring managerial foresight was developed. Third, an empirical case served as an illustration and as anassessment of validity. Fourth, managerial foresight was tested for association with firm performance.Findings – Foresight was specified as behavior with eight sub-components. A moderate and statistically significant positive relationship between managers’ foresight and firm performance was found.Research implications – The empirical evidence for the importance of managerial foresight provides a strong rationale for further studies. In distinguishing eight sub-components of foresight, and developing a managerial foresight measurement instrument, the dissertation makes relating foresight to various research fields possible, both on individual managerial andorganizational levels.Practical implications – Managers may consider whether foresight is important to them or to their organization. Managers, practical foresight tools, foresight programs et cetera, may now be assessed and compared in terms of foresight.Originality/Value – The dissertation provides empirical evidence of the importance of managerial foresight to firm performance. It conceives and advances foresight as a distinct construct. In developing and estimating aninstrument for measuring managerial foresight, the dissertation advancesforesight into a quantitatively measurable concept.
|
|
| 7. |
|
|
