24 research outputs found
Competitive Advantage for Fast Growth SMEs: A Study of the Effects of Business Orientation and Marketing Capabilities on Firm Performance
No full textKeepCup: A young fast growth entrepreneurial company that disrupted the take away coffee cup industry
No full textThis teaching note accompanies the case study titled "KeepCup: A Young Fast Growth Entrepreneurial Company that Changed the Take Away Coffee Cup Industry". This case study outlines the key issues that businesses face from to get off the ground (before startup). Topics are related to starting a business, small business ideas, product design, and market entry strategies. Instructors can use this case to discuss the sources of business ideas, the importance of pilot testing, principles of product design, which are key to attain competitive advantage, and how to penetrate a market with little resources. This teaching note presents the target audience, teaching objectives, case teaching strategies, discussion questions and some suggested answers to these questions
The role of leadership, human resource practices, organizational culture and climate as antecedents of market, learning and entrepreneurial orientation in fast-growth small-to-medium enterprises
No full textThe proposed study aims to empirically examine interrelationships between leadership, HRM practices, and organizational climate and culture as antecedents to market, learning, and entrepreneurial orientations. This study extends the qualitative work of Tan (2007), by testing a hypothesised model of concurrent linkages between these factors. Typically, investigations have explored these antecedents or predictors independently rather than examining the simultaneous co-variation between these orientations and their antecedents. Thus, the proposed methodology, sample type, and focus is novel. This project will deliver a framework for understanding the extent to which key factors impact FGSME
HOW DO AUSTRALIAN FAST-GROWTH SMALL-TO-MEDIUM ENTERPRISES MEASURE PERFORMANCE?
No full textUtilizing a case study methodology, this study investigates ways in which fast growth small-to-medium enterprises (FGSMEs) measure firm performance. This investigation, involving 21 interviews with 18 companies, revealed that FGSMEs seem to adopt a multi-level approach involving different sources and contexts to performance measurement. Apart from the application of standard financial performance measures such as profits and growth, FGSMEs also utilize measures of customer satisfaction, attainment of industry awards, receipt of client reports, website popularity, number and quality of successful innovations adopted, objective employee performance indices, and staff retention. Founders highlight the importance of providing employees with flexible environments and career opportunities as a way to reduce churn. These organizational characteristics signal non-financial benefits and incentives of working in these firms to potential employees and customers. These findings are in accord with extant literature and the balanced scorecard perspective, advocating associations between performance measurement systems and management strategies.Fast-growth companies, performance measurement, firm performance, SMEs, balanced scorecard
HOW DO AUSTRALIAN FAST-GROWTH SMALL-TO-MEDIUM ENTERPRISES MEASURE PERFORMANCE?
No full text Utilizing a case study methodology, this study investigates ways in which fast growth small-to-medium enterprises (FGSMEs) measure firm performance. This investigation, involving 21 interviews with 18 companies, revealed that FGSMEs seem to adopt a multi-level approach involving different sources and contexts to performance measurement. Apart from the application of standard financial performance measures such as profits and growth, FGSMEs also utilize measures of customer satisfaction, attainment of industry awards, receipt of client reports, website popularity, number and quality of successful innovations adopted, objective employee performance indices, and staff retention. Founders highlight the importance of providing employees with flexible environments and career opportunities as a way to reduce churn. These organizational characteristics signal non-financial benefits and incentives of working in these firms to potential employees and customers. These findings are in accord with extant literature and the balanced scorecard perspective, advocating associations between performance measurement systems and management strategies. </jats:p
Customer‐Value Based Marketing Activities in Fast‐Growth Firms
No full textThis study investigates customer‐value based marketing activities in emerging or new fast‐growth ventures. A contextual analysis of interview data identified seven customer‐value based marketing activities actively pursued synergistically by fast growth firms: employee branding, target marketing, marketing planning marketing/market research, product differentiation via quality, relationship marketing, and guerrilla marketing. These elements form a complex web in which each marketing activity complements the other. There are three main implications: all marketing activities are intertwined, in line with marketing theory and practice associated with large firms; most marketing activities undertaken are low cost; and establishing a winning reputation is an important objective. CEOs associate reputation with brand building via employees.</jats:p
