Small and Medium Enterprises in Bolivia, a Look Back to the Future, 1900 - 2020

The main objective of this article is to analyze Bolivian small and medium enterprises (SMEs), their evolution, and their contribution to the country's economy. The globalization of markets is currently a reality to which companies are exposed for their survival, growth and development. In developing countries such as the plurinational State of Bolivia, this reality becomes more relevant due to the socioeconomic characteristics of the country, where the main economic activity is dependent on the export of non-renewable natural resources (natural gas and minerals), and to a lesser extent the export of primary products. In this context, the article shows that SMEs struggle to consolidate their position in local markets, and have a low participation in global markets. The article reviews relevant secondary and primary literature, and concludes that SMEs require public and private support to contribute to the promotion of entrepreneurial culture, enter into global production chains, develop technological and innovation capabilities, and achieve growth in a sustainable manner and with high levels of competitiveness. The research method used is the review of relevant primary and secondary bibliographic sources of information about the origins, evolution and current situation of SMEs in Bolivia, and about possible alternatives for growth and development.

Four Constituents of an Entrepreneurial Culture Within Business Organizations

A culture of fear, control, and meaninglessness can effectively kill the entrepreneurial spirit within an organization. This chapter will explore why such a culture typically takes root and how it is deadly for the organization's entrepreneurial orientation. The chapter is based on an interdisciplinary reflective analysis done by exploring disciplines including depth psychology, neuroscience, positive psychology, and organizational behavior. The chapter argues from the perspectives of these disciplines that it is perhaps the factor of safety, risk-taking, collaboration, and meaningfulness if present in organizational culture that will eventually cultivate the spirit of entrepreneurship in an organization. While discussing these factors, the chapter also explains how seemingly irrational forces of the unconscious mind keep the leadership from adopting a behavior which is fundamentally important in fostering a culture where entrepreneurial behavior takes root. The chapter also explains how these psychic forces can be turned around to cultivate an entrepreneurial culture in an organization.

Entrepreneurial Culture dan Kinerja Usaha Kecil: Peran Mediasi Entrepreneurial Competence

The purpose of this study is to broaden the resource-based view by examining the effects of entrepreneurial culture on SMEs performance, and to analyze the role of entrepreneurial competence in mediating the effects of entrepreneurial culture on business performance. The study used a quantitative approach, carried out on tourism-supporting SME companies in Batu City. Collecting data using a questionnaire with a sample of 117 SMEs selected randomly. The analysis technique uses PLS-SEM to test the hypothesis. Research findings reveal that business performance in SMEs will be determined by the entrepreneurial culture and entrepreneurial competence of the owners/managers. Entrepreneurial competence can be achieved if the owners/managers have a strong entrepreneurial culture. Research confirms the resource-based view that entrepreneurial competence as a superior resource will provide a competitive advantage, so that it plays a role in achieving business performance. It is important for SMEs to strengthen the entrepreneurial culture in order to achieve business performance, because the entrepreneurial culture will direct the behavior of owners/managers to improve their competencies, which will realize business performance. More extensive research is needed to improve the level of generalization, in addition, further researchers consider the role of dynamic capability in relation to competence and business performance.

THE PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES OF YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN ZANZIBAR, TANZANIA: ADMINISTRATORS’ PERSPECTIVES

Youth entrepreneurship is an emerging enquiry, which is critical in addressing unemployment crisis among young people. This paper explored prospects and challenges of youth entrepreneurship in developing economy, Zanzibar in Tanzania. The paper adopted qualitative methods using thematic analysis techniques to derive prospects and challenges from recorded transcripts according to administrator’s perspective from public and private institutions responsible for entrepreneurship in the country. The study found that youth entrepreneurship is strategic initiative of transforming necessity entrepreneurship into opportunity entrepreneurship, stimulating innovation initiatives for solving challenges facing society, promoting sectoral linkage, job creation and building entrepreneurial culture. However, youth entrepreneurship is constrained internally by lack of funds, poor growth and sustainability of youth enterprises, lack of entrepreneurial mindset and alertness to opportunities, while externally by poor coordination of public institution responsible for entrepreneurship development, bureaucracy, and lack of family support. The study becomes empirical evidence on the importance of youth entrepreneurship and thereby recommended for policy intervention would ameliorate the challenges and helps build entrepreneurial culture for the development of entrepreneurship in the country.

Students’ perceptions of the entrepreneurial culture in Finnish higher education institutions

The purpose of this study is to add to the literature on entrepreneurial universities by investigating entrepreneurial culture (EC) in higher education institutions (HEIs). The authors investigate how students experience EC and which factors explain their perceptions of EC. The study is based on a survey of HEI students in Finland with 1277 responses. The results show that formal institutional support and institution-level activities have the strongest impact on the students’ experienced EC. According to the findings, formal institutional support has a greater impact on students’ perceptions of EC than student-driven activities. Furthermore, the results highlight that the encouragement of teachers has a greater influence on students’ perceptions of EC than peer students and student-driven activities. Accordingly, the paper’s theoretical contribution to the literature lies in its demonstration that institutional support, in addition to the encouragement of teachers, influences HEI students’ perceptions of EC. With regard to practical implications, the findings indicate that, if HEIs wish to build an EC and operate entrepreneurially, it is vital to support teachers’ entrepreneurial behaviour and thinking. In addition, equal emphasis needs to be placed on the observable artefacts and on clear, well-communicated organisational structures and processes.

Entrepreneurship Orientation and Entrepreneurship Culture and the Performance of Small and Medium-scale Enterprises in Calabar Metropolis - Nigeria

The study empirically examined entrepreneurship orientation, entrepreneurship culture and performance of small and medium-scale enterprises in Calabar Metropolis. The major objective of the paper was to explore how strategic entrepreneurship practices affect the accomplishment of SMEs goals in Cross River State. The study was anchored on Resource-based theory (RBT). The study used survey research design. Survey research design was employed, and a population of one thousand, two hundred and ninety-four (1294) employees were involved. The study utilized Taro Yamane formula to determine the sample size of 400 employees. The sampling technique used in this study was purposive sampling method. The paper used multiple linear regression technique in testing the two hypotheses. The study revealed a positive relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and growth of SMEs. Furthermore, it was found that entrepreneurial culture has a negative effect on profitability of SMEs. Also, it was found that strategic resource management has significant effect on the quality of products of SMEs. The researcher supported various findings with suggestions among other things that the managers should continuously incorporate new decision-making strategies, procedures and behaviour that will put the organization into an advantageous position into entering new or established markets with new or existing goods or services. It was also recommended among others that entrepreneurial culture should be strengthened by managers of SMEs in Cross River State in pursuit of firm’s performance as well as yielding to the economic growth of Nigeria.

Applying the Nursing Ecosystem Concept to Developing Strategic Innovation and Entrepreneurial Leadership for Valued Patient Care

Research confirms entrepreneurial leadership encourages entrepreneurial behaviour and an entrepreneurial culture supports the development of ‘entrepreneurial mindset’. Nurses implementing and optimizing information technology need to work with numerous stakeholders that collectively make up their ecosystem. Indeed, nurses with an entrepreneurial mindset increase their ability to sense opportunities and mobilize the resources and knowledge required to seek’ informatics’ opportunities to deliver patient centred care across the whole ecosystem.