Submit to Sustainability Review for Sustainability Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and Innovation: A Trilogy Research

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 27092

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mário José Baptista Franco

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Management and Economics, CEFAGE-UBI Research Center, University of Beira Interior, 6200-209 Covilhã, Portugal
Interests: entrepreneurship; innovation; SMEs; strategic alliances; interorganizational networks; cooperation; partnerships
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Margarida Maria Mendes Rodrigues

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

CEFAGE-UBI Research Center, University of Beira Interior, 6200-209 Covilhã, Portugal
Interests: creative, smart, and sustainable cities; regional and urban networks; corporate social responsibility; mining industry; sustainable urban entrepreneurship; living labs; entrepreneurship in general; accounting; management control; auditing

Dr. Rui Jorge Rodrigues da Silva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

CETRAD Research Center, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Interests: accounting; accounting management; finance; gamification in accounting; university partenerships; family firms; tourismo; marketing; strategic management; quality systems; write and oral accounting students communication

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Today, in times of economic and social crisis, and as a consequence of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, organisations have to deal with the effects of globalisation, technological change, and forced digitalisation, pushing entrepreneurs towards unparalleled resilience. Therefore, entrepreneurial capacity, innovation and competitiveness, as well as the development of other core competencies, are central to achieving success. Thus, organisations need to integrate, create and reconfigure internal and external resources to adapt quickly to continuously changing environments. Therefore, the best organisations are constantly identifying new ways to redefine how they operate in the future. Central to this change is the exponential development of new technologies, innovation and the use of an entrepreneurial culture. It is, therefore, crucial that scientific research continues to increasingly serve as a conduit for solutions to overcome the negative effects of this complex environment and similar changes in the future. This Special Issue will comprise a selection of papers addressing topics, approaches and tools to understand how the performance management in the organizations can be affected, including small and small-sized enterprises (SMEs). Therefore, research papers should address multifaceted topics around an associated research triology: (1) entrepreneurship, (2) innovation, and (3) competitiveness. These general topics should include the definitions of the concepts of entrepreneurship, innovation, and competitiveness, as well as the identification of the factors affecting these types of phenomena. In addition, these surveys should identify situations where managers/owners of organisations have adapted their firms to respond to disruption caused by non-keratin environments and explain how they have made this rapid change operational and the impact it has had on their performance; explain whether entrepreneurship has become more important in the way business is managed; determine whether digitisation and innovation have been important in addressing the crisis and to what extent, among others. Measurement tools to assess these topics are also requested, as well as theoretical frameworks. Perspectives that guide the design of sustainable innovation and business resilience should be presented for consideration in the implementation of public policies to increase competitiveness.

The papers should also use various supporting theories to explain entrepreneurship, innovation and competitiveness, such as sustainability theory, resource-based theory, network theory, circular economy, absorptive capacity theory, dynamic capabilities theory, and innovation theory, among others. Thus, in general, this Special Issue will be devoted to the study of the benefits of entrepreneurial practices and sustainable innovation in different types of organizations in various countries and regions of the world.

Empirical, conceptual and exploratory papers are welcome, using quantitative and qualitative methodology per se, or mixed.

Prof. Dr. Mário José Baptista Franco
Dr. Margarida Maria Mendes Rodrigues
Dr. Rui Jorge Rodrigues da Silva
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

sustainable innovation
digital entrepreneurship
entrepreneurial resilience
SMEs’ performance
eco-innovation
born-global
start-ups
académic spin-offs
green entrepreneurship
inter-clustering
social responsibility
social entrepreneurship
family firms
creative entrepreneurship
accounting and finance
control systems
accounting management

Published Papers (9 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

25 pages, 1019 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Streamliners, Switchmen and Bridge Builders: About the Mechanisms and Uniqueness of Accelerator Programs

by Thomas Ulmer and Ulrich Pape

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 15694; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315694 - 25 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1503

Abstract

Accelerators are a new and fast-growing element in entrepreneurial ecosystems. However, our understanding about their impact on the development of startups remains limited. Utilizing a grounded theory approach and in-depth interviews with 21 entrepreneurs, this study investigates the value-adding mechanisms of accelerators. Our analysis, however, is not limited to financial capital, which allows us to highlight the relative importance of different forms of capital in the context of accelerators. We aim to understand how accelerators stimulate the development of participants and extend the support landscape for early-stage startups. Our results are threefold. First, we demonstrate that accelerators facilitate every step in the resource mobilization by reducing uncertainties and compensating for deficiencies. Second, the founding process becomes more structured, as participants build a founder identity and the process itself is professionalized. Third, accelerators support startups in building a resource base, by providing immediate resources and building bridges to various other resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and Innovation: A Trilogy Research)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

18 pages, 1297 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Entrepreneurial Competencies and SMEs’ Performance in a Developing Economy

by Md. Nazmus Sakib, Mustafa Raza Rabbani, Iqbal Thonse Hawaldar, Mohammad Abdul Jabber, Jubait Hossain and Mohammad Sahabuddin

Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13643; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013643 - 21 Oct 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3960

Abstract

This paper aims to empirically test the impact of entrepreneurial competencies on the performances of SMEs in Bangladesh. The data are obtained from 115 entrepreneurs by a structured questionnaire. The partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method is applied to find the causal relationship between exogenous and endogenous variables. The results reveal that the organizing and leading, learning, relationship, and commitment competencies of entrepreneurs have a meaningful impact on SME performance. On the contrary, strategic and opportunity competencies have no effect on the performance of SMEs. The contribution of this study is to find out the relevant entrepreneurial competencies and to empirically test their impacts on the performance of SMEs in a developing country setting. This study gives insights into the policymakers regarding the entrepreneurship training and development program. Finally, the competency measurement of this study provides a unique scope for designing such training and development programs for entrepreneurs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and Innovation: A Trilogy Research)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 1022 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Shades of Green: Modelling Differences in Thought and Action among Electric Utility Regime Actors in the Energy System Transition

by Bonnie Wylie Pratt, Jon D. Erickson, Jane Kolodinsky, Erik Monsen and William J. Wales

Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13287; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013287 - 16 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1348

Abstract

There is wide variability in how organizations approach sustainability and the energy system transition toward using more renewables. In the electric power industry, while some distribution utilities have leaned into the transition, others have taken a more conservative approach. Grounded in an institutional resource-based perspective, this multi-level study examines key intra-firm, firm, and individual leadership factors that impact an organization’s commitment to renewables. Sustainability orientation in the power industry is assessed as the percent of renewable energy in a utility’s fuel mix compared with their expressed commitment to renewables and energy efficiency within planning documents. Through computer-aided text analysis, characteristics of 170 electric utilities in the United States were analyzed to predict sustainability orientation. Results indicate that rurality, deregulation, and the entrepreneurial orientation of a utility, as expressed within their Integrated Resource Plans, explain a significant amount of variability in the sustainability orientation of electric utilities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and Innovation: A Trilogy Research)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 2075 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fostering Entrepreneurial Ecosystems through the Stimulation and Mentorship of New Entrepreneurs

by Silviu Nate, Valentin Grecu, Andriy Stavytskyy and Ganna Kharlamova

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7985; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137985 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2291

Abstract

Existing definitions of entrepreneurship highlight the functional role of entrepreneurs, emphasizing their responsibilities for coordination, allocating resources, making decisions, supplying capital, innovation, and bearing uncertainty. This research analyzes the impact that external funding and supportive soft-skills mechanisms such as mentorship, advice, and networking with experienced entrepreneurs have on transforming the entrepreneurial attitude of new entrepreneurs. In measuring attitudes regarding entrepreneurial success, a series of variables specific to the nature of the analyzed entrepreneurial ecosystem are revealed and adapted, starting from psychological research. This approach is implemented to evaluate the self-perception of efficacy and transformation of entrepreneurs after initiating their companies. The survey of Romanian new entrepreneurs is considered as the database. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) data set is used to consider entrepreneurial motives and impacts at the macrolevel. The correlation analysis, statistical tests, and ANOVA helped to reveal the differences in attitudes to mentorship and similar indicators in the Romanian business environment. The novelty of the research is seen in the consideration of field cases and a global monitoring data set through the prism of ground mathematical methods. The focus on boosting new entrepreneurs with a mixture of finance and soft skills support simultaneously addresses a research gap that is slightly closed by this research. The study showed that the mentoring program for new entrepreneurs increased their self-confidence, especially for young people, taught them how to run a company without outside interference, and significantly transformed the mentality of the participants in the experiment. Thus, the policy of supporting new entrepreneurs not only financially, but also in skills, has good prospects and needs to be intensified. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and Innovation: A Trilogy Research)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 688 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Transformative State in the Wake of COVID-19: What Is Needed to Enable Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Education in Qatar?

by Tarek Ben Hassen

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7953; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137953 - 29 Jun 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2772

Abstract

Economic diversification is vital in achieving sustainable economic development, especially for countries relying on nonrenewable natural resources, such as oil and gas, in the case of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Moreover, the global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the significance of boosting resilience to adverse shocks. Indeed, the pandemic highlighted the need to promote nonhydrocarbon sectors by strengthening the fundamental pillars of the knowledge-based economy: ICT, innovation, R&D, education, entrepreneurship, and the economic and institutional regime. The COVID-19 pandemic has also shown how important it is to mobilize these pillars in record time. Like the other GCC countries, Qatar is seen as a transformative state, suggesting that, although oil and gas provide its primary export revenue, the government has also pushed to diversify its economy toward a knowledge-based one. Indeed, in 2019, hydrocarbons dominated Qatar’s economy, accounting for 90% of government income and 80% of export profits. However, this reliance exposes Qatar to fluctuations in the global oil and gas markets. Accordingly, economic diversification has come to the top of the government’s priority list. Preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, Qatar was already in the middle of an economic transition. The economic crisis caused by the pandemic and the drop in oil prices prompted the Qatari government to increase its diversification efforts. Qatar has a solid basis for transitioning to a knowledge-based economy based on its macroeconomic stability, suitable growth rates, and good governance. However, Qatar confronts several challenges in implementing the structural changes necessary for this transition. This paper has three objectives. Firstly, it aims to present the pillars of the knowledge-based economy and their link to the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondly, the paper aims to analyze the present state of the knowledge-based economy in Qatar, including its strengths, drawbacks, and its prospect for the future. Finally, the paper presents some structural reform recommendations to enable innovation, entrepreneurship, and education in Qatar. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and Innovation: A Trilogy Research)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 1586 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating the Impact of Resilience, Responsiveness, and Quality on Customer Loyalty of MSMEs: Empirical Evidence

by Nourhan Ah. Saad, Sara Elgazzar and Sonja Mlaker Kac

Sustainability 2022, 14(9), 5011; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095011 - 21 Apr 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3751

Abstract

Due to the importance of the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) sector and the negative implications of COVID-19, which resulted in decreasing resource availability, shortages of supply, declining consumer demand and requirements, and a lack of consumer satisfaction and loyalty, this research investigates the impact of resilience, responsiveness, and quality on customer loyalty in MSMEs. An online questionnaire was conducted on MSMEs’ end consumers in the Egyptian context. The analysis was conducted through Amos and SPSS, and the research hypotheses were tested through covariance-based structural equation modelling for 891 valid questionnaires. The findings exposed that there is a positive significant impact for operational resilience (flexibility and technology adoption), responsiveness (delivery fulfillment and speed and after-sale service), and product/service quality on customer loyalty in terms of behavioral, attitudinal dimensions. It contributes to understanding how MSMEs could enhance their sustainable performance (resilience, responsiveness, quality) to reach better customer loyalty. This research presents insights on how the MSMEs sector can adapt to the dynamic business environment in terms of COVID-19 crisis and consumer behavior, which has changed the nature and needs of the market and consumers. In addition, this research extends the theories of Resource-Based View (RBV), Dynamic Capability View (DCV), and Theory of Consumption Value (TCV) in an empirical contribution through filling the gap in understanding consumers’ needs in terms of resilience, responsiveness, and quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and Innovation: A Trilogy Research)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 5874 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Stance, Factors, and Composition of Competitiveness of SMEs in Poland

by Jarosław Kaczmarek

Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1788; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031788 - 4 Feb 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2248

Abstract

The research aims to present a comparative and cause–effect assessment of the competitiveness of small and medium production enterprises. The author’s research comprises 13,943 enterprises in 2007–2019—the entire population of enterprises included in public statistics in Poland as macro-, meso- and micro-structures. The research study presents the extent, trends, and intensity of changes in competitiveness and its factors. The author analyses the characteristics of structures—the stability of positions and changes in the ranking of objects, and presents the classification and comparative analysis of structure profiles. In the methodological approach, the study makes use of a specially designed multivariate competitiveness measure (statistical procedure), its partial measures (productivity of labour cost and cost productivity in regard to export), and determinants. The research on object relocation is based on the ranking method. The research of the relocation of objects is based on the ranking method. The average rank position and its variability are determined. The assessment of the density of objects is based on the specially designed density measure. Analysis of profile similarities are based on the taxonomic similarity measure. As research results have proven: first, small and medium enterprises represent different levels of competitiveness, and the intensity of changes varies in the course of time; second, increased competitiveness in both groups of companies results from export activities rather than an increase in labour productivity; third, in the context of great similarities between small and medium enterprise profiles in terms of their normative competitiveness patterns, the results of the analysis of the existing differences are in favour of medium entities. The value of the research lies in the usage of a unique set of enterprises and the constructed multivariate model for assessing competitiveness, structure variability, and its profiling. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and Innovation: A Trilogy Research)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 622 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Success Factors of SMEs: Empirical Study Guided by Dynamic Capabilities and Resources-Based View

by Margarida Rodrigues, Mário Franco, Rui Silva and Cidália Oliveira

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 12301; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132112301 - 8 Nov 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5542

Abstract

This study aims to identify and analyse the success factors of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) following the lines of dynamic capabilities and resources-based views. To achieve this objective, the multiple case study method was followed, where 10 SMEs/cases in Portugal were selected. From a content analysis of the interviews conducted to the owner-managers of these SMEs, the most important success factors identified were: (1) strategic planning, (2) manager/management capacity, (3) entrepreneurship and innovation, (4) human resources, (5) networks/partnerships, and (6) financing. These factors are considered as drivers of sustained growth and creation of competitive advantage for SMEs in their regions. The results also show that SMEs are oriented towards success, although some evolution is still needed in the way they are managed, where the transition from a “domestic/entrepreneurial” management to a “professional” management and a greater focus on the rarity of their resources and on the dynamic capabilities of their human capital stand out. Conclusions, implications and a future research agenda are also outlined. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and Innovation: A Trilogy Research)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 5632 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Strategic Intent and Practices of University Accelerators: A Case of Australia

by Alex Maritz, Quan Nguyen and Hsin-Ming Hsieh

Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 10769; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131910769 - 28 Sep 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2089

Abstract

University accelerators are a recent but rapidly growing phenomenon that not only enhance regional entrepreneurial ecosystems but influence the success of university startups and regional development and prosperity. The aim of this research is to explore the alignment of university strategic intent and practices with the impact and outcomes of university startup accelerators. The research design includes emergent enquiry perspectives aligned to inductive and nascent exploratory research. This is the first global algorithmic study using Leximancer techniques to examine the integration of university intent and accelerator impact using institutional theory as a foundation. Neoteric reviews provide conflicting points of view regarding university accelerators as startup launchpads or vehicles for entrepreneurial learning, and the findings suggest a disparity between university accelerators and university strategic intent, primarily a result of the incongruent interplay of substantive and symbolic management practices. The findings provide not only critical grounding and insights for researchers, practitioners, and university leaders in their quest to engage with successful nascent entrepreneurs and university startups but, also, practical implications to align the strategic intent. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and Innovation: A Trilogy Research)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and Innovation: A Trilogy Research

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (9 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI