No abstract

One effect of the economic crisis on the business world has been the drastic reduction in staff and this in turn highlights the need for self-employment and the creation of new companies to establish a solid industrial fabric to support the creation of wealth, employment and welfare. In this context, the aim of this research is to confirm a theoretical model based on Expectancy Theory to explain self-employment in terms of an individual's motivation and ability to start a business. Because of the lack of additional information about entrepreneurial motivation, we conducted a field investigation of Spanish self-employed workers who had established a manufacturing company during the last three years. The results confirm the supposition that expectancy, instrumentality and valence enhance entrepreneurial motivation. This study concludes that businesses are created not only by those with the ability and aptitude to do so, but also by those with the motivation.

No abstract

No abstract

Environmental sustainability in the winery sector is receiving increased attention from governments, environmental groups, and consumers. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between the degree of proactivity of a firm's environmental strategies and its business performance. The novelty of this research work lies in its definition of business performance, which includes business environmental performance in terms of reducing the firm's environmental impacts and eco-efficiency in the use of resources such as water, energy, and raw materials, in addition to its economic performance. A model is proposed and tested using a sample of 312 Spanish wineries. Data were analysed using partial least squares path modelling (PLS-PM). The fitness and robustness of the structural model proved adequate. The results indicate positive correlation of environmental proactivity with economic and environmental performance. Although environmental proactivity improves business performance, it has a greater impact on reducing environmental impacts and improving eco-efficiency.

Abstract:The main aim of this paper is to show the extent to which environmental proactivity is able to generate competitive advantages in a firm in order to improve their economic-financial performance by introducing the role of managerial perception into the analysis. This study focuses on Spanish wineries and their environmental practices and covers a total of 4598 wineries with a sample of 142 valid responses during the month of November 2015. The results can be summarized as follows. Firstly, there is positive environmental proactivity in terms of obtaining both cost-based and differentiation-based competitive advantages. Likewise, this proactivity has a positive impact on the manager's perception of performance. Secondly, obtaining differentiation-based competitive advantages has a positive impact on the manager's perception of performance although a negative impact on performance itself. There is, however, no significant evidence of the impact of cost-based competitive advantages on financial performance nor on the perception of performance itself, nor the impact of environmental proactivity on financial performance.

Purpose The main purpose of this research paper is to encourage entrepreneurship and creativity among primary school pupils than they acquire entrepreneurial skills through running a business. Design/methodology/approach A pilot experience has been structured into three large phases: 1) Analysis of the starting situation; 2) Production of the materials and their application in the classroom; 3) Final evaluation. In order to evaluate this experience, the primary school pupils (8-12-years-old) were interviewed and a questionnaire completed. Findings The overall results have been satisfactory and indicated a positive participant reaction to the project that has improved entrepreneurial competencies and the future potential for business start-up. Research limitations/implications The research respondents were drawn from one region of Spain, and the pilot experience has been carried out in the Rural Schools Grouped Together (in Spanish: “Colegio Rural Agrupado” or CRA). Practical implications Recommendations are offered which could help the entrepreneurship education stakeholders increase the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education programs (EEPs) and actions aimed at promoting firm creation in this area. Originality/value The paper contributes to knowledge by adding to a limited literature examining the impact of entrepreneurship education within the 8-12 primary school age sector.

In a context of economic crisis and strong competition between companies, managing information and knowledge seem to be key to the new productive model. The aim of this paper is to analyse the impact that the intensity of a firm’s adoption of information and communications technologies (ICT) and industry attractiveness has on corporate performance. A sample of 871 SMEs took part in the study and data were analysed using ordered logistic regression and principal axis factoring analysis. The results emphasise the existence of a significant positive relationship between ICT intensity of use and corporate performance and highlight the importance of ICT in very competitive environments. Our survey suggests that full integration of ICTs in the company is advisable. The drawback, however, is that the rapidly changing nature of ICTs makes the adoption of emerging ICTs difficult.