Journal of Enterprising Culture

Information networks are established by communication links between firms, their business partners, personal friends, authorities, universities etc. The value of the information exchanges, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, depends on the individual position in the information network. The paper discusses existing measures to evaluate network positions and proposes a new one. Extensive case study evidence indicates that the network position of startups and small enterprises is subject to constant changes which the individual firm cannot control completely. The paper develops a dynamic model for the development of network positions over time and indicates what firms can do to improve them. Information management in small and medium-sized enterprises can best be described as the management of dynamic information networks. Calculating position measures and development paths helps start-ups and small businesses to assess their current network position and to increase the efficiency of their information management.

This paper examines the peculiar entrepreneurial hiatus surrounding inventions from independent inventors in the UK which, it is argued, limits its international competitiveness. Evidence that many other countries stimulate and exploit independent inventors to a greater degree is assessed and it is concluded that the UK fails to capitalise on the innovations from this pool of talent. A programme of exploratory research is carried out to identify the reasons for this and identify lessons that have relevance to invention and innovation internationally. The research programme consists of a review of the literature and past research, a survey of the global Internet as well as qualitative research consisting of personal and telephone interviews and written correspondence. The latter examined, in particular, the marketing communication process between inventors and potential adopter marketing organisations. The sample comprised "successful" independent inventors (some of international and national repute) who marketed nationally and or internationally, potential adopter manufacturing and marketing organisations and a number of organisations with a role of facilitating the adoption process. The findings from the various sources seemed largely to complement each other and indicated a major need for all parties to reconsider their strategies. The paper puts forward detailed recommendations that, it is argued, may have international relevance.

It is critical to the economic development of a given society that entrepreneurs initiate and grow new ventures. Even though the maturation process is unique for every business, there are predictable patterns that occur in sequential and progressive stages of the maturation process (Eggers, Leahy and Churchill, 1994; Hynes, 1992; Dodge and Robbins, 1992; Churchill and Lewis, 1983).

Hay and Kaushad (1994) suggested that decisions made by entrepreneurs effect the growth of a business. Therefore, this paper assumes that the choices and/or decisions, as made by the entrepreneur, effects the growth of SMEs. The purpose of this study was an attempt to identify those business choices and/or decisions that inhibit the growth of Irish and Scottish SMEs. The researchers utilised an American model the SME growth patterns developed by Eggers, Leahy and Churchill.

The business practices that were ascertained to be growth inhibiting were identified as such within the contexts and environments in which they were found. As an analysis of the findings from this study indicates, the entrepreneur is the primary controlling factor of the growth for SMEs. It may be that the aspiration or desire for growth exists, however, it is not translated into action due to the inability or unwillingness of the entrepreneur. The result is the firm never reaches its maximum growth potential.

What role do cultural play in the survival of companies that face existential problems? We try to provide some answers by looking at the decline of the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker. In 1996 this company went bankrupt and among the causes of this event cultural factors rank high, at least at first sight.

We show that differences in national culture could have played a role in one of the defining moments in Fokker's existence: the failed take-over by the German aerospace giant Deutsche Aerospace (DASA). But we also show that an over-ambitious management was responsible for the situation in which there were no other options to survive besides a take-over by DASA. An increasing gap between the ambitions of the management to be one of the worlds prime aerospace companies and the limited resources of what was essentially a second-league player put Fokker in such a bad financial condition that it surely had to become an unbearable burden for DASA. So culture played a role in Fokker's decline, but its influence was at its peak long before the problems that brought the company down were recognised.

The rapid development of the Asian economies is one of the focal points of world economy. Owing to intensive influences of Chinese in Asia, studies related to Chinese culture have gained great interest to foreign investors worldwide. The building up of a good quality Chinese partnership with the rest of the world is found beneficial starting with understanding Chinese Confucianist thinking. A set of 19 Confucian Principles are extracted systematically in this study to reveal how Chinese managers implement Total Quality Management (TQM). The Fishbein behaviour model was used to measure the quality behaviour intentions of Chinese managers. An instrument was developed and tested on Chinese philosophies in TQM implementation. The findings of the study were reinforced by discussion sessions with Chinese managers in Hong Kong. The findings of the study are encouraging, and had provided a new window for further studies on oriental cultural based management.