Middle Tennessee State University: Journals@MTSU
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In the interest of small business’ cost of debt: A matter of CSR disclosure
Get PDFTraditional understanding is that small firms pay more in debt related expenses than larger firms with a history of financial performance. In the current study, we examine the impact that corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure has on the cost of debt for small firms. Using data from Bloomberg 2014 on CSR disclosure, we find that the cost of debt for small businesses decreases as firms increase their CSR disclosure transparency. Specifically, firms who disclose more social responsibility information faced reduced costs to debt financing. We argue that disclosure of Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) records provide value relevant information for lenders to use to mitigate the magnified information asymmetry inherent to lending to firms earlier in their lifecycle. Our results suggest that disclosure of ESG information corresponds with improved information transparency, which leads to less costly debt for small businesses
Using Edtech to Enhance Learning
Get PDFAllowing students to use technology in the classroom has been increasingly more popular as technology advances and becomes more ubiquitous. However, many educators wrestle several aspects of edtech, including, how to start using edtech (Caukin, 2018), when to use edtech (National Education Technology Plan [NETP], 2017), how to incorporate it without creating more distractions for students (Thomas, 2019), and ways that edtech can move students towards higher levels of thinking (Caukin & Trail, 2019). It is important for educators to provide opportunities for students to not only participate in effective and meaningful learning experiences, but also engage them, sustain their attention, and assess them in a variety of ways, all of which edtech can provide (NETP, 2017)
Emerging market startups engage Silicon Valley: Cases from Central and Eastern Europe
Get PDFThis article examines the challenges and opportunities of innovation-driven growth in Central and Eastern Europe. Drawing on firm-level survey research, we analyze the experiences of early stage Polish companies in Silicon Valley. We focus on the Polish Silicon Bridge, an international bridge organization that differs from conventional business incubators and accelerators by embedding emerging market startup companies in foreign innovation hubs. We situate the analysis in the context of the “Polish Paradox”. While Poland ranks as one of the European Union’s fastest growing economies over the past two decades, it is one of the EU’s weakest performers measured by innovation. The Silicon Bridge program aims to expand Poland’s innovation capacity by placing promising local startups in the world-class ecosystem of the San Francisco Bay Area. Our empirical study demonstrates that international bridge organizations generate significant benefits–knowledge acquisition, mentoring, networking with prospective investors and strategic partners–for young emerging market companies seeking to enter the global market. The article thus augments the scholarly literature on global innovation ecosystems, entrepreneurial internationalization, and emerging market startups
Small business owner persistence: Do personal characteristics matter?
Get PDFRecent research suggests that (1) business failure rates are lower than previously thought and (2) business owners exit businesses for myriad reasons besides performance. Despite these findings, relatively little is known about whether personal characteristics (i.e. expectations, competencies, education) of small firm owners influence their likelihood to persist with business ownership. Given this gap, the present study investigates the relationship between owner characteristics and persistence intentions. Framed by threshold theory, we theorize and test whether owner growth expectations, satisfaction, education, competencies, and financial investment influence their persistence intentions. Results indicate that owner future growth expectations for the business, their opportunity recognition abilities, and their satisfaction with the business significantly impact persistence intentions. Implications of study findings are discussed. 
A Book Review & Action Plan for Using Renata Galindo’s “My New Mom & Me” Publisher: Schwarz & Wade
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Comeback of the failed entrepreneur: An integrated view of costs, learning, and residual resources associated with entrepreneurial failure
Get PDFAlthough failure can be financially, socially, and psychologically costly, it can promote future entrepreneurial success. This study investigated how failure can be utilized as a springboard for new ventures by considering the cost recognition, learning ability, and resources of entrepreneurs within a social environment. Failure costs, learning outcomes, and residual resources following business failure and how they influence the intention to undertake subsequent entrepreneurial endeavors were considered. With the motivation–opportunity–ability (MOA) framework as a theoretical foundation, we quantitatively analyzed the sample, which comprised 216 entrepreneurs who had experienced business failure. Perceived residual resources were a major factor affecting an entrepreneur’s decision-making in subsequent ventures, even when the entrepreneur had learned from failure and overcome the associated costs. Additionally, the psychological costs incurred exhibited a nonsignificant effect on learning from failure. Based on the MOA framework, failure costs can be regarded as learning opportunities for an entrepreneur as well as drivers promoting the intention to resume business. Such intentions are mediated by the learning ability of entrepreneurs and moderated by motivation in terms of residual resources. This study provides a holistic view re-examining the mechanisms of frustrated entrepreneurs to identify opportunities and evaluate resources