Privatization investment funds are the key feature of mass privatization programmes in transitional economies. This book offers a thorough survey of mass privatization programmes in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia, supported with extensive empirical analysis. The study of 'top-down' privatization funds in Poland and 'bottom-up' funds in the Czech Republic and Slovenia offers different solutions to the problem of how to improve the governance of privatization funds. The authors argue that the institutional structure of closed-end investment companies and open-end mutual funds has not provided the right incentives to maximize the value for the shareholders. In addition too many regulations are in place in underdeveloped markets to protect new shareholders unaccustomed to exercising their ownership rights. Instead, the authors argue that they need to promote adjustment in fund portfolios and ownership structures in order to spur the development of capital markets and effective mechanisms of corporate governance.

Business systems undergo a number of transitions as the needs and demands of society change. With heightened connectivity driven by the development of the Internet, new opportunities for venture development and creation have become available to business owners and entrepreneurs.Crowdfunding for Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Innovation is a pivotal reference source for the latest scholarly research and business practices on the opportunities and benefits gained from the use of crowdfunding in modern society, discussing its socio-economic impact, in addition to its business implications. Featuring current trends and future directions for crowdfunding initiatives, this book is ideally designed for students, researchers, practitioners, entrepreneurs, and policy makers.New financing models such as crowdfunding are democratizing access to credit, offering individuals and communities the opportunity to support, co-create, contribute and invest in public and private initiatives. This book relates to innovation in its essence to anticipate future needs and in creating new business models without losing revenue. There are tremendous unexplored opportunities in crowdsourcing and crowdfunding; two sides of the same coin that can lead to a revolution of current social and economic models. The reading of this book will provide insight on the changes taking place in crowdfunding, and offer strategic opportunities and advantages.

The Economic Theory of Socialism and the Labour-Managed Firm focuses on market socialism and the relevant debate among economic theorists. It argues that market socialism is the only rational form of socialism and that market socialism with labour-managed firms is by far the best form of market socialism. The book begins with a critical review of the contributions to the economic theory of socialism. The second part discusses the economic theory of labour-managed firms and pays particular attention to the adverse labour-supply curve, underinvestment, monitoring and the separation of ownership and control. The final chapters discuss problems such as the control of economic activity in labour-managed firms, worker motivation and incentives. This book will be of particular use to students and academics interested in comparative economic systems and to specialists in politics and sociology with an interest in alternative forms of economic organization.

In this revised second edition, Hans Jansson develops and applies an international business and marketing strategy framework to contemporary complex global markets. This cutting-edge textbook explores the major challenges associated with doing business in complex and turbulent emerging markets, stressing the strategic importance of the natural environment. Taking a holistic perspective that integrates stakeholder and shareholder views, this textbook employs an innovative network institutional framework to achieve sustainable competitive advantages by creating economic, social and ecological values with stakeholders. This updated edition includes: The international network strategy (INS), offering a framework for connecting MNCs and multinational exporters with parties in new economic, social and natural environments, and the international matching strategy (IMS), dealing with how MNCs achieve legitimacy An overview of the historical development of the supranational environment, structured as three waves of the internationalization of firms, including the integration of foreign direct investment into the global value chain Dedicated chapters outlining the development of research on international business, strategy, marketing, networks and institutions A methodology for analysing the institutional context of foreign local markets. Insightful and enlightening, this textbook is ideal for postgraduate students of international business, strategy and marketing. This book will also offer frameworks and strategic tools for managers, consultants and practitioners confronting strategic issues in complex markets.

Thousands of small, retail stores open every year, but 70 to 80 percent of them close within five years. Many are done in by the "big box" and Internet retailers who crush competition with low prices and convenience. But smaller retail stores and service providers have distinct competitive advantages: They are local. They can connect on a personal level with customers in a way the big guys can't. And they can add immense value to the customer experience. To capitalize on these advantages, marketing experts Steve O'Leary and Kim Sheehan offer dozens of inexpensive "Word of Mouth" marketing methods small businesses can use right away. Done well, these efforts will help smaller merchants do more than survive--they'll prosper. For independent retailers to succeed, it is no longer enough to create a loyal customer base. Local store marketers need to put their loyal customers to work, encouraging them to talk about the store to their friends, family members, and others in their social networks. When they do, the result is Word of Mouth (or Buzz) marketing, a powerful tool that creates an army of advocates who become even more loyal and help attract new customers. Besides learning how to leverage the power of word of mouth marketing, readers will learn: -How to understand their customers better. -How to increase customer loyalty to their store. -How to communicate with customers to maintain loyalty. -How to encourage loyal customers to talk to others about their store. -How to create a customer community, both in the store and on line. -How to measure results. The book also includes numerous examples from current businesses, as well as thought-provoking ideas and templates to help readersgenerate their own successful buzz marketing plans. Most resources available today on buzz marketing focus on techniques for large companies and online retailers. This book offers something priceless for the little guy by showing ways to increase loyalty and gain new customers.

Nothing but good ownership makes long-lasting family companies. Yet, during our international consulting, research, and teaching engagements, we have encountered many ill-equipped next generation owners or owners-to-be, especially among women. We coined this phenomenon 'the daughters' inclusion challenge'. The Power of Inclusion in Family Business is a guide for grooming the next generation of responsible women owners, so they can thrive, achieve, and become leaders and wealth stewards in their multigenerational family businesses and family offices. We aspire to help enterprising families come across the power of including valuable women pertaining to the business-owning family in the family firm management, governance, ownership, and investment structures. In this book, outstanding global family business scholars and practitioners from 10 different countries, come together to serve a common purpose: provide novel insights, gender sensitive-consulting practices and culturally-adapted recommendations to advance the daughters' inclusion challenge and to shape a more inclusive family-in-business and family firm environment.

In the modern globalized business world, entrepreneurial success can be more difficult to achieve. Innovativeness, effective decision-making, and a drive for success are just a few factors influencing entrepreneurial behavior. Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation in the Middle East is a comprehensive reference source for the latest scholarly material on the analysis of entrepreneurial activities in the framework of cultural diversity. Highlighting crucial perspectives and topics in business contexts, such as job satisfaction, intrapreneurship, and corporate governance, this book is ideally designed for academics, professionals, practitioners, and students interested in business enterprises in the Arab culture.

Why do so many smart professional people make bad investments? Why do they often fail to accumulate significant wealth and sometimes make truly disastrous financial decisions? This book offers some answers to these questions. It then provides specific recommendations to help doctors, lawyers, scientists, teachers, and many other intelligent people avoid serious financial errors and achieve superior investment results. Sensible self-directed investing with long-term compounding of returns and avoidance of all unnecessary fees can produce remarkable accumulations of capital with limited risk. You can choose to be successful as a largely passive investor or as one more seriously involved in making individual investment decisions. This book tells you how to do it. Buying this short volume and then putting its advice into practice may become the most important financial decisions you have ever made. About the author - Joseph D. Schulman is an internationally known physician, medical research scientist, and biomedical entrepreneur. He is also a successful investor. Dr. Schulman is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and of the Executive M.B.A. (OPM) program at Harvard Business School. He lives with his wife, Dixie, in Oxford, MD and Palm Springs, CA.

This textbook provides a comprehensive overview of the essential issues in effective entrepreneurial management. It first introduces readers to the fundamentals of entrepreneurial management, the nature of entrepreneurial managers and business planning, before exploring the specific topics of creativity and innovation, risk management, entrepreneurial marketing and organization as well as financing. The authors then move to contemporary topics such as entrepreneurial growth strategies, e-commerce challenges, ethical and socially responsible entrepreneurial management, franchising, and managing entrepreneurial family ventures. Each chapter provides a case study and several practice-based examples to help explain the concepts. By providing a truly international approach, this text offers ample theoretical and empirical insights into entrepreneurship and small business management. It is a valuable and up-to-date resource for teachers and students of entrepreneurship.

There have been significant advances in entrepreneurship education pedagogy over the last two decades. However, a gap remains with many questions about exactly what we should be teaching in the classroom and how we should be teaching it. Stakeholders of all types - students, parents, employers, accrediting bodies, and government officials - are all looking for clarity, transparency, and a stronger sense of exactly what should encompass an entrepreneurship education. What should the outcome of entrepreneurship courses and programs be? What are we currently teaching? What should we be teaching? And, how should we be teaching it, are just some of the foundational questions addressed in The Age of Entrepreneurship Education Research. The collection of renowned entrepreneurship education researchers explores topics such as the theory of ideation, how to develop an expertise approach, how to reimagine entrepreneurship education to promote gender equality, how to activate an entrepreneurial mindset for neuro-diverse students, and more. The volume is bookended with an opening chapter that traces the evolution of entrepreneurship education research and a closing one that looks toward the future. This volume is of great interest to both teachers and students and practitioners in entrepreneurship, business and education.

Entrepreneurship these days is evident, even showcased, in so many places that it is harder for anyone interested in the field to really know about all of its many facets. That diversity is what makes the Concise Guide so essential. The Guide's ability to provide an expert's take in just a couple of pages on key topics in entrepreneurship is a boon to anyone interested in entrepreneurship. This is not a volume for your bookcase. You will want it at-hand as your explore the world of entrepreneurship.' - Jerome Katz, Saint Louis University, USThe Concise Guide to Entrepreneurship, Technology and Innovation brings together internationally recognized scholars to summarize the state of knowledge about fundamental topics in entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation. Written by the top international scholars in their field, this book has an encyclopaedic range; from academic entrepreneurship to valuing an entrepreneurial enterprise. Each chapter provides an informed overview of the topic and references in each chapter guide the reader to the more advanced literature. This landmark book will be the first port of call for any student or scholar seeking a brief introduction to each of the fundamental topics in entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation. Contributors: D.B. Audretsch, C. Boardman, B. Bozeman, S.R. Bradley, A. Burke, U. Cantner, M. Casson, S. Cazzago, J.A. Cunningham, P. Davidsson, A. De Massis, M. Deloof, D. Dunlap, W. Geoghegan, V. Ghosal, J. Hanssens, C.S. Hayter, M. Herzig, A. Kao, M. Kenney, D.F. Kuratko, H. Landstroem, E.E. Lehmann, D.P. Leyden, X. Liu, A.N. Link, S. Manigart, G.D. Markman, H. Meier, M.H. Morris, A.J. Nelson, C. O'Kane, D. Organ, S. Parker, G.T. Payne, M. Perkmann, L.S. Peters, P.H. Phan, E.A. Prasetio, J.H. Rooksby, G.E. Shockley, T. Standaert, A. Talrico, R. Thurik, T. Vanacker, S. Vismara, N.S. Vonortas, J. West, P. Westhead, K. Wirsching, M. Wright

Entrepreneurship is very important for both entrepreneurs and economic development. It helps boost innovation and competitiveness in every country and facilitates the creation of new jobs and new opportunities, especially for family businesses and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Both entrepreneurship and innovation constitute a subject that is both topical and timeless, since institutions and the various institutional processes have always affected a country's sustainability. Entrepreneurial Development and Innovation in Family Businesses and SMEs is an essential scholarly publication that contributes to the understanding, improving and strengthening of entrepreneurial development, and innovation's role in family businesses and SMEs by providing both theoretical and applied knowledge in order to find how and why entrepreneurship and innovation can produce inefficient and dysfunctional outcomes. Featuring a wide range of topics such as women entrepreneurship, internationalization, and organizational learning, this book is ideal for researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, executives, managers, academicians, and students.

Increased interest in handicrafts has led to more people becoming artisans both as a hobby and a business activity, making Artisan Entrepreneurship a growing phenomenon. This has been particularly relevant during the COVID-19 crisis in which individuals and communities began engaging with more bespoke crafting at home. This book focuses on these practices from different perspectives including the art, cultural and social sectors, thereby highlighting the emerging new types of artisan activity that preserve cultural elements while incorporating emerging technologies like social media. This volume analyses artisan entrepreneurship using different approaches including at an individual, group and societal point of view providing a better understanding about how these handicraft workers contribute to societal wellbeing and aid cultural heritage preservation for future generations. Each chapter of this book looks at these practices in a different way, enabling the practical and theoretical significance of artisan entrepreneurship to emerge and presenting a holistic understanding of artisan entrepreneurship in different contextual settings. Artisan Entrepreneurship provides a unique way in which to understand an important type of enterprise that has been neglected but recently had a resurgence. This book provides a fundamental contribution to the field of artisan entrepreneurship.