This article builds on studies from the literature on market orientation (MO9 and internationalization to develop a model and a set of hypotheses regarding the relationship among MO, knowledge acquisition (KA), and market commitment (MC), and the direct and indirect effects of these variables on...

This study examines the construct of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) versus small business orientation (SBO), their impact on small business performance, and whether these effects are moderated by longevity. A sample of 267 small business owners from 11 small-medium downtowns was used in...

This study analyzes the marketing ethics decision-making process of small business managers. In particular, it examines the relative influences of ethical perceptions, personal moral philosophies, and gender on ethical intentions of small business managers. The sample of this study consists of...

Ineffective capital acquisition decisions at start-up may lead to business failure and bankruptcy: a result which is both costly and disruptive to the owners and other stakeholders of the firm. To cope with the risk of failure, owners embark on a variety of risk-reducing activities whereas the...

Using in-depth interviews of the CEO/Presidents of 21 small manufacturing firms, this research explored how leaders with a high market-oriented cognitive model have intentionally pursued the implementation of that model and how their activities differed from leaders with a low market-oriented...

The guaranteed lending progams of the Small Business Administration (SBA) are large and growing rapidly. The SBA's fiscal year 2009 Performance Budget call for 28 billion (Dollar) in guaranteed loans for small businesses - a new record for the agency. Some critics of SBA programs suggest they do...

In an effort to further our understanding of competitive dynamics, the three constructs of firm specialization, environmental munificence, and rivalry intensity are examined in relation to financial performance in service-intensive Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Using a sample of...

Market orientation (MO) and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) are correlated, but distinct construct. MO reflects the degree to which firms' strategic market planning is driven by customer and competitor intelligence. Entrepreneurial orientation reflects the degree to which firms' growth...

Innovation is widely recognized as a key factor in the competitiveness of nations and firms. Small firms that do not embrace innovation within their core business strategy run the risk of becoming uncompetitive because of obsolete products and processes. Innovative firms are a perquisite for a...

In this paper, we identify characteristics of Spanish franchised chains that favor the adoption of an internationalization strategy and those that have a negative influence from a resource-based perspective. Data used were drawn from Annual Franchise Guidebooks published in Spain for 2005....