Purpose: Preventing business failure remains a significant challenge for small businesses in the Netherlands. Given their importance for the Dutch economy, understanding the causes of business failure and equipping business owners with strategies for resilience is imperative. This dissertation seeks to address this challenge by examining the sales role of business owners, referred to as ‘Entrepreneurial Selling,’ within the context of small-scale Dutch businesses. The goal is to identify how business owners can develop effective sales behaviors to mitigate the risk of failure and enhance the long-term viability of their businesses. The research into Entrepreneurial Selling is rising, yet further advancements, including this dissertation, are required to better support business owners in their continuous sales responsibilities. The main research question, therefore, is: How do small-scale business owners in the Netherlands behave in their Entrepreneurial Selling role and how can they become more effective in their sales behavior? Methods: To address the research question, a multimethod research approach is utilized. The research design comprises a literature review, three progressively linked studies, and practical applications. The first study (Chapter 4) involves a content re-analysis of 55 interviews to underscore the pivotal nature of Entrepreneurial Selling in preventing business failure. The second study (Chapter 5) conducts 12 semi-structured interviews, employing thematic analysis to categorize business owners' sales behaviors based on their entrepreneurial motivations. In the third study (Chapter 6), quantitative methods are employed (N=276) to explore the relationship between Entrepreneurial Selling Role Orientation (ESRO) and effective sales behavior. These studies provide the foundation for the practical applications developed in collaboration with practitioners (Chapter 7).Findings: The first study found that Entrepreneurial Selling is a crucial activity for preventing business failure and one that business owners recognize. Reasons for underperformance can include business owners allocating inadequate time to selling, deficient sales skills, and procrastination of sales activities. The subsequent studies build on this foundation. The second study introduces an Entrepreneurial Selling typology, linking business owners' motivations with their sales role strategies, offering insights into how motivations influence sales behavior. The third study introduces the concept of ESRO and substantiates its impact on sales behavior. Furthermore, a positive connection is identified between sales training and effective sales practices. The findings of the studies are individually applied to Sarasvathy’s Bird-in-Hand principle of Effectuation theory and are synthesized within the Entrepreneurial Selling Matrix. Originality/Value: This dissertation contributes to the Entrepreneurial Selling field by advancing our understanding of the business owners’ sales role in enhancing business resilience. It underscores the connection between ineffective sales practices and business failure and delves deeper by investigating the interplay between entrepreneurial motives and ESRO on sales behavior. Additionally, this study bridges the gap between entrepreneurship- and sales research by applying the Bird-in-Hand principle to business owners' sales behavior. In practical terms, the research's outcomes are twofold. First, it refines the Entrepreneurial Selling Matrix, providing a pragmatic typology that aids sales training practitioners in guiding business owners toward aligning sales behaviors with entrepreneurial goals. Second, it introduces an Entrepreneurial Selling Training Program, accompanied by tools, facilitating sales trainers in evaluating and improving current and desired sales behaviors. This practical approach contributes directly to nurturing resilient and thriving businesses.
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Purpose - Focusing on management training, this study aimed to establish whether identical elements in a training program (i.e. aspects resembling participants' work situation) can improve training transfer and whether they do so beyond the contribution of two well-established predictors -- motivation to learn and expected utility. In an effort to establish mechanisms connecting identical elements with training transfer, we proposed and tested motivation to transfer as a mediator. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected online from 595 general managers who participated in a management training program. Structural equations modeling was used to test the model. Findings - Identical elements, expected utility and motivation to learn each had a unique contribution to the prediction of training transfer. Whereas motivation to learn partly mediated these relationships, identical elements and expected utility also showed direct associations with training transfer. Research limitations/implications - Identical elements represent a relevant predictor of training transfer. In future research, a longitudinal analysis from different perspectives would be useful to better understand the process of training transfer. Practical implications - Participants may profit more from management training programs when the training better resembles participants' work situation. Organisations and trainers should therefore apply the concept of identical elements in their trainings, in order to increase its value and impact. Originality/value - This study contributes to the training literature by showing the relevance of identical elements for transfer, over and above established predictors.
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1e alinea column: "Laat het streven naar volmaaktheid los; in alles zit een barst. Zo komt het licht naar binnen." Louise Penny. Internet brengt ons in de "personal age" zei ik ooit in mijn entreerede. Inderdaad, in andere woorden 'CEO over eigen leven en werk'. In die "age" hangt steeds meer af van persoonlijke keuzes die we als individu maken en ook kunnen maken, waarbij social media die persoonlijke keuzes ook zichtbaar maken voor de wereld.
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Met een TV-commercial is het relatief eenvoudig: vergroting van naamsbekendheid vereist een andere meting dan het boosten van de sales of het verbeteren van je imago. Wat je meet, wordt dus bepaald door de doelstelling die je hebt. Dit is zo in de (ouderwetse?) traditionele media en bij social media niet anders. Maar hoe doe je dat dan?
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Het midden- en kleinbedrijf (mkb) vormt de ruggengraat van de economie (Kramer & Noorderhaven, 2020), maar veel mkbondernemingen kampen met uitdagingen op het gebied van de verkoopactiviteiten. In de dynamische omgeving van het mkb speelt de ondernemer meerdere rollen, waarbij de verkooprol essentieel is voor succes. Promotieonderzoek van Maurik de Groot, verbonden aan Business School Lausanne en de Hogeschool van Amsterdam, wijst uit dat de rol van de ondernemer als verkoper cruciaal is voor de levensvatbaarheid van kleine en middelgrote bedrijven. Door drie op elkaar aansluitende deelonderzoeken en een mix van kwalitatieve (deelonderzoek 1 en 2; N=67) en kwantitatieve (N=276) methoden te gebruiken, laat deze dissertatie en dit daaruit voortvloeiende artikel zien, dat het succes van mkb-ondernemingen vaak afhankelijk is vande verkoop competenties van de ondernemer. Daarnaast biedt het onderzoek inzicht in hoe ondernemers hun verkoopgedrag kunnen verbeteren door verkooptraining en de 'Verkopende Ondernemers Matrix' als startpunt te gebruiken.
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It is well-documented that international enterprises are more productive. Only few studies have explored the effect of internationalization on productivity and innovation at the firm-level. Using propensity score matching we analyze the causal effects of internationalization on innovation in 10 transition economies. We distinguish between three types of internationalization: exporting, FDI, and international outsourcing. We find that internationalization causes higher levels of innovation. More specifically, we show that (i) exporting results in more R&D, higher sales from product innovation, and an increase in the number of international patents (ii) outward FDI increases R&D and international patents (iii) international outsourcing leads to higher sales from product innovation. The paper provides empirical support to the theoretical literature on heterogeneous firms in international trade that argues that middle income countries gain from trade liberalization through increases in firm productivity and innovative capabilities.
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Looking at the trends in the four quarters of 2021, it is clear that (partial) lockdowns of sectors have been very bad news for business performance. Also not directly hit sectors like the care and service industry underperformed. The horeca, retail and cultural sectors were hit hardest by recurring lockdowns. Business services and technical professionals were more resilient. We have observed a strong decrease in sales, net margins, investment (willingness), solvability and entrepreneurial wages in periods of lockdown. They are (far) below the levels of the pre-Corona year 2019. Start-ups and the self-employed were the most vulnerable. The type of market in which entrepreneurs operate is of great importance. Turnover, net margins and entrepreneurial wages in the B2B markets are significantly higher than in the B2C markets. We were unable to establish any direct positive effects of the degree of digitization of businesses on net margins (Q2 special). Rather, the utilization of too many applications seems to deteriorate business performance. Entrepreneur digital skills are able to predict net margins better and positively. We will repeat this special in the near future as many businesses have only recently started to digitize. Entrepreneurs have lost their way in the forest of local, provincial, national and EU subsidies (Q3 special), halving the number of applications compared to 2015. Tax deduction programs seem far more effective than the dazzling diversity of subsidies. Owners of businesses with staff are especially willing to pay specialized advisors to detect and apply for subsidies on a “no cure, no pay” basis. There appears to be a strong link between the self-estimated sales skills of entrepreneurs and their turnover, and the short-term growth expectations (Q4 special). The more experienced and skilled in sales, the higher the quarterly turnover and the higher the growth expectation. However, 62% of entrepreneurs are unskilled or untrained in sales skills. And 30% of entrepreneurs indicate that they are not effective at selling. Overall, the lockdowns resulted in a growing number of entrepreneurs developing into marginal companies. Financial reserves, such as saved pensions and private/partner/family capital were depleted. Lockdowns also increased firm and private debts, which the majority of companies are unable to repay. Poverty is knocking at the door of many Dutch entrepreneurs and, even with the support of a partner income, only 4 out of 10 entrepreneurs earn a more than marginal living. Our main recommendations in the quarterly reports of 2021 are: 1. Strengthen the solvability of micro-businesses by converting tax debts in subordinate loans. 2. Pro-actively contact entrepreneurs to support them with support possibilities, (poverty alleviation) allowances and free coaching and sales, financial and digital training possibilities. 3. Start proactively discussing the viability of the firm and business model and possible ways to resolve debts. There is strong demand and shortages on the labor market, which makes this the perfect time to guide depleted entrepreneurs to (far) better paid jobs.
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eHealth education should be integrated into vocational training and continuous professional development programmes. In this opinion article, we aim to support organisers of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and teachers delivering medical vocational training by providing recommendations for eHealth education. First, we describe what is required to help primary care professionals and trainees learn about eHealth. Second, we elaborate on how eHealth education might be provided
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Assistive Technology (AT) is any technology that supports people with functional difficulties to perform their daily activities with less difficulty and/or obstruction, thus contributing to a more fulfilling life. This refers to people of all ages and to all kinds of functional limitations, either permanent or temporary. Assistive products can be traditional physical products, such as wheelchairs, eyeglasses, hearing aids, or prostheses, but they can also be special input devices, care robots, computers with accessible software, apps for smartphones, home automation solutions, virtual realities, etc. It is essential to understand that AT involves more than just familiar products, and that it also includes knowledge about the personalized selection of appropriate solutions, provisions, and services, as well as the training of all parties involved, the measurement of outcomes and impacts, awareness of ethical issues, etc.
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The proceedings contain 24 papers. The special focus in this conference is on Challenging the Future with Lean. The topics include: A Confrontation Between Lean Thinking and Postmetaphysical Philosophy; barriers and Enablers of Lean Industry 4.0; how Organizations Can Harness Continuous Improvement Practices to Develop Their Data Analytic Capability: A Conceptual Paper; Introducing DACAR: A Process Mapping Tool to Uncover Robotization Implications in Manufacturing; toward 1+1 = 3 with Lean Robotics: The Introduction of a Human-Centered Robotization Method; digital Tools Supporting Lean Program in a Multinational Enterprise; lean Planning & Control in a High-Variety/Low-Volume Environment; sustainability Struggles: Investigating the Interactions of Lean Practices and Barriers to Environmental Performance in Manufacturing; Investigating the Relationship Among Lean Manufacturing Practices to Improved Eco-Efficiency Performance: A Fuzzy DEMATEL Analysis; The Contribution of SMED to the Sustainability of Organizations; hoshin Kanri for Social Enterprises - Co-visualizing Values-Based Strategic Plans; integration of a Robot Solution in a Manufacturing Environment: A Serious Gaming Approach; using Games and Simulations to Facilitate Generative Conflict; the Influence of Learning Styles on the Perception of Lean Implementation Effectiveness by Employees; current State of Practice in Developing Lean Six Sigma Training and Certification Programs -an Irish Perspective; improving the Success Rate of Lean-Themed Internships; serious Games as a Lean Construction Teaching Method - A Conceptual Framework; The Impact of SMED on Productivity and Safety; a Systematic Literature Review on the Use of Lean Methodologies in Enterprise Sales Processes; the First Chapter of a Regional Deployment of a Continuous Improvement Program in a Medical Device Company.
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