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Hilmersson, M., Johanson, M., Papaioannou, S. & Lundberg, H. (2022). Business unpredictability, improvisation and business network commitment in small and medium-sized enterprise market entry. International Small Business Journal, 40(8), 991-1018
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Business unpredictability, improvisation and business network commitment in small and medium-sized enterprise market entry
2022 (English)In: International Small Business Journal, ISSN 0266-2426, E-ISSN 1741-2870, Vol. 40, no 8, p. 991-1018Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Market entry performance is critical during internationalisation; prevailing views suggest that firms need to carefully plan their entry before putting the plan into action. This article focuses on three attributes affecting the possibility and usefulness of making a pre-planned market entry: unpredictability, improvisation and business network commitment. We develop six hypotheses tested on a sample of 250 entries; our main finding is that improvisation plays a mediating role in relation to performance in unpredictable markets. The analysis reveals that the relationship between unpredictability and network commitment is not significant, while the effect of unpredictability on market entry performance is negative. These findings suggest implications for internationalisation and international entrepreneurship theory. For managers and entrepreneurs, we show that unpredictability weakens market entry performance, a negative effect that can be mitigated if the entrant firm improvises.

Keywords
business unpredictability, market entry performance, improvisation, business network commitment, internationalisation
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-44808 (URN)10.1177/02662426211069964 (DOI)000773891900001 ()2-s2.0-85127337008 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2022-04-08 Created: 2022-04-08 Last updated: 2022-11-28Bibliographically approved
Öberg, C. & Lundberg, H. (2022). Mechanisms of knowledge development in a knowledge ecosystem. Journal of Knowledge Management, 26(11), 293-307
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Mechanisms of knowledge development in a knowledge ecosystem
2022 (English)In: Journal of Knowledge Management, ISSN 1367-3270, E-ISSN 1758-7484, Vol. 26, no 11, p. 293-307Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Purpose Although ecosystems have been researched extensively over the past decade, we know little about how they should be organised. Focusing on a knowledge ecosystem comprising a university and a regional strategic network (RSN), this paper aims to describe and discuss the mechanisms for knowledge development in knowledge ecosystems. Design/methodology/approach This paper studies the integration of a university into a Swedish RSN. Data were collected through interviews with representatives of the university, the RSN and all firms comprising the RSN. A qualitative content analysis helped to detect mechanisms for knowledge development. Findings Two reinforcing mechanisms for knowledge development in the knowledge ecosystem are identified: structure and openness, which relate to insight and outlook, respectively. The findings also indicate a knowledge division, with the university representing the transfer of knowledge capabilities as a linear process, whereas the content-related knowledge is collaborative. Originality/value This paper contributes to research on knowledge ecosystems by describing how their organisation is based on a number of contradictions (structure and openness, insight and outlook, linearity and collaboration) to accomplish the development of knowledge capabilities and content-related knowledge.

Keywords
Innovation, Knowledge ecosystem, Mechanism, Regional strategic network, University
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-45819 (URN)10.1108/JKM-11-2021-0814 (DOI)000834193900001 ()2-s2.0-85135214466 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2022-08-15 Created: 2022-08-15 Last updated: 2022-08-15Bibliographically approved
Lundberg, H. & Öberg, C. (2021). Digital University-SME Interaction for Business Development. In: Impact of Globalization and Advanced Technologies on Online Business Models: (pp. 55-71). Hershey, PA, USA: IGI Global
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Digital University-SME Interaction for Business Development
2021 (English)In: Impact of Globalization and Advanced Technologies on Online Business Models, Hershey, PA, USA: IGI Global, 2021, p. 55-71Chapter in book (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

This chapter describes and discusses the role of e-learning for small and medium-sized firms' (SME) business development and does so specifically in university-SME interaction related to sparsely populated regions. It is based on the idea that e-learning may provide a valuable means for developing knowledge creation and expansion beyond its educational connotation. A university-SME interaction focusing on business development of firms in remote geographical areas provides ideas on the benefits of e-learning not only for the interaction to be realized, but for the creation of flexibility, interactivity, and the bringing down of guards among the participants. The chapter contributes to previous research through tying together ideas on e-learning, university-SME interaction and business development, and by extending the e-learning concept. Practically, the case study may function as the inspiration for further initiatives.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Hershey, PA, USA: IGI Global, 2021
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-48278 (URN)10.4018/978-1-7998-7603-8.ch004 (DOI)9781799876038 (ISBN)
Available from: 2023-05-08 Created: 2023-05-08 Last updated: 2023-05-08Bibliographically approved
Hilmersson, M., Johanson, M., Lundberg, H. & Papaioannou, S. (2021). Opportunity novelty, improvisation and network adaptation in the internationalization of Swedish SMEs. Thunderbird International Business Review, 63(2), 201-215
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Opportunity novelty, improvisation and network adaptation in the internationalization of Swedish SMEs
2021 (English)In: Thunderbird International Business Review, ISSN 1096-4762, E-ISSN 1520-6874, Vol. 63, no 2, p. 201-215Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

By deviating from previous ways of working and improvising new solutions to problems in the internationalization process, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will increase the likelihood of developing novel international opportunities. In this way, for instance, unforeseen customer demand, rather than following a specific plan, may govern market choice. Such novel opportunities, in turn, are likely to require network adaptation in order for the firm to reach an insidership position in the international business network. By integrating international opportunity theory with theories on improvisational behavior, three hypotheses are developed between the constructs of international opportunity novelty, improvisation, and network adaptation. The hypotheses were tested with Structural Equation Modelling on 258 realized international opportunities developed by Swedish SMEs (European Union definition: number of employees 10-250) and were observed through on-site visits. It is revealed that improvisation increases the degree of international opportunity novelty as well as the need for network adaptation. The degree of novelty of realized international opportunities positively influences the need for adaptation to a foreign network. Novelty can be seen as a proxy for opportunity's wealth-creating potential, and developing improvisation capabilities seems to be a way to increase the novelty of international opportunities developed. Managers that are risk averse and therefore refrain from improvisation risk missing valuable novel opportunities.

Keywords
improvisation, internationalization, network adaptation, novelty, opportunity, SME
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-40652 (URN)10.1002/tie.22182 (DOI)000589909500001 ()2-s2.0-85096656367 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2020-12-03 Created: 2020-12-03 Last updated: 2021-02-15Bibliographically approved
Hilmersson, M., Johanson, M., Lundberg, H. & Papaioannou, S. (2021). Serendipitous opportunities, entry strategy and knowledge in firms' foreign market entry. International Marketing Review, 38(3), 585-612
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Serendipitous opportunities, entry strategy and knowledge in firms' foreign market entry
2021 (English)In: International Marketing Review, ISSN 0265-1335, E-ISSN 1758-6763, Vol. 38, no 3, p. 585-612Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Purpose: Few researchers and even fewer practitioners would deny that serendipitous events play a central role in the growth process of firms. However, most international marketing models ignore the role of serendipity in the opportunity discovery process. The authors provide a nuanced view on international opportunities by developing the role of serendipitous opportunities in the foreign market entry process. The authors develop a model integrating the notions of serendipity, entrepreneurial logic, experiential knowledge and network knowledge redundancy. From the study’s model, the authors condense three sets of hypotheses on the relationships among experiential knowledge and entry strategy, network knowledge redundancy, entry strategy and serendipity. Design/methodology/approach: The authors confront the study’s hypotheses with data collected on-site at 168 Swedish firms covering 234 opportunities, and to test the hypotheses, the authors ran ordinary least squares (OLS) regression tests in three steps. Findings: The results of the study’s analysis reveal that experiential knowledge and network knowledge redundancy both lead to a logic based on rigid planning and systematic search, which in turn reduces the likelihood that serendipitous opportunities will be realized in the foreign market entry process. Originality/value: This is the first study that develops a measure of opportunities that are the outcome of serendipitous events. In addition, the authors integrate network and learning theories and internationalization theory by establishing antecedents to, and outcomes of, the entry strategy. 

Keywords
Experiential business knowledge, Internationalization, Network knowledge redundancy, Planning, Search, Serendipitous opportunity
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-41718 (URN)10.1108/IMR-01-2018-0029 (DOI)000630140100001 ()2-s2.0-85102531690 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2021-03-23 Created: 2021-03-23 Last updated: 2021-05-20Bibliographically approved
Lundberg, H. & Öberg, C. (2021). Teachers, researchers, but not innovators?: Rethinking university-industry collaboration. Journal of business & industrial marketing, 36(13), 161-173
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Teachers, researchers, but not innovators?: Rethinking university-industry collaboration
2021 (English)In: Journal of business & industrial marketing, ISSN 0885-8624, E-ISSN 2052-1189, Vol. 36, no 13, p. 161-173Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Purpose Universities, when collaborating with industry, are generally assumed to be the motors for innovation. Inspired by a case on a university's collaboration with small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a regional strategic network (RSN), this paper aims to put forth how the university makes important contributions through transferring knowledge on innovation processes that is a teaching role, rather than sees itself as the party producing innovations. This paper describes and discusses the university's teaching role and its consequences in university-industry collaborations for innovation. Design/methodology/approach Empirically, the paper departs from a mid-Swedish RSN where nine SMEs started to work with a university. Interviews with representatives of the nine SMEs participating in the innovation project, along with university and RSN representatives, comprise the main data source. The paper analyzes the university's teaching role and the consequences of it. Findings Findings point at how the SMEs developed structured innovation processes, improved their market intelligence and increased their efficiency in providing new solutions. The university facilitated knowledge, while the SMEs responded through creating knowledge both on how to innovate and in terms of innovations. Originality/value The teaching role, which would mean that the university stays with one of its core functions, indicates a need to rethink university-industry collaboration related to expectations and role division. Moving from producing innovations to facilitating knowledge on how to innovate, would, for universities, mean that they minimize those conflicts emerging from their various roles and indicate that the production of innovation is placed at those devoted to run and grow businesses.

Keywords
Innovation, SME, University, University-industry collaboration, Regional strategic networks
National Category
Economics and Business
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-43380 (URN)10.1108/JBIM-03-2020-0126 (DOI)000703682900001 ()2-s2.0-85116448751 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2021-10-14 Created: 2021-10-14 Last updated: 2021-10-19Bibliographically approved
Lundberg, H. & Öberg, C. (2021). The matter of locality: family firms in sparsely populated regions. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 33(7-8), 493-513
Open this publication in new window or tab >>The matter of locality: family firms in sparsely populated regions
2021 (English)In: Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, ISSN 0898-5626, E-ISSN 1464-5114, Vol. 33, no 7-8, p. 493-513Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This paper explores the interaction and interdependence between family firms and sparsely populated regions. Interactivity underlines the dynamics of the setting and how it changes based on activities between the firm and the context, whereas interdependence refers to how the family firm and the region become mutually reliant on one another. Five case studies show that while the firms act under similar conditions in terms of disparity, their interplay with and dependence on the region differ. The study points to how the citizenship of the family firms is fundamental and how employment is at the heart of the interdependence, while those firms interacting most strongly with the region are those expanding beyond what would be expected by a family firm in terms of traditions and risk aversion. This again indicates a complex pattern of interactivities and interdependencies between family firms and sparsely populated regions. The paper provides important dimensions to theories on family firms’ local contexts specifically related to under-researched settings of sparsely populated regions and important implications for managers, public actors and policy makers, not the least related to support to such contexts.

Keywords
Family firm, interactive, interdependence, local context, sparsely populated region
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-42151 (URN)10.1080/08985626.2021.1925847 (DOI)000654793300001 ()2-s2.0-85106531939 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2021-06-08 Created: 2021-06-08 Last updated: 2021-11-24
Johanson, M., Kao, P. T. & Lundberg, H. (2020). Knowledge grafting during internationalization: utilizing localized professionals in the foreign market. Journal of Knowledge Management, 24(9), 2009-2033
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Knowledge grafting during internationalization: utilizing localized professionals in the foreign market
2020 (English)In: Journal of Knowledge Management, ISSN 1367-3270, E-ISSN 1758-7484, Vol. 24, no 9, p. 2009-2033Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand knowledge grafting through localized professionals in the internationalization of the firm. Knowledge grafting refers to firms increasing their knowledge stock by acquiring new staff, and while the concept is not new in studies on firms’ internationalization, there is little understanding of the characteristics of the individuals carrying the knowledge, the types of knowledge grafted and how it contributes to a market entry process. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted an explorative study with a multiple-case research design and purposely selected five localized Swedish managers working for Russian subsidiaries of Swedish firms. Face-to-face interviews were conducted. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed based on three types of knowledge: general foreign market knowledge, social network knowledge and professional knowledge. The authors also considered both private and professional ties. Findings: The findings show that characteristics of the localized professional and the firm can influence the type of knowledge grafted and how it is used. The findings also highlight the key role of the individual as knowledge carrier and show an alternative way to obtain knowledge in firm internationalization. Research limitations/implications: This study comes with limitations. Only Swedish firms entering Russia with wholly owned subsidiaries have been considered. Further studies comparing knowledge grafting with firms in different entry mode, varying stage of market entry, as well as other countries of origin can further enrich our understanding. Future studies can also focus on localized professionals to shed light on the knowledge transfer between them and other individuals within the firms and the potential impact of their departure on knowledge grafting. Practical implications: Internationalizing firms should pay attention to the opportunity of grafting knowledge by appointing localized professionals already living in the market. Governmental agencies in the host county can be a valuable source for identifying foreign nationals of the same origin as the firm. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to focus on the individual level of knowledge grafting and to examine how localized professionals acquire knowledge to support firms in internationalization. 

Keywords
General foreign market knowledge, Internationalization, Knowledge grafting, Localized professional, Professional knowledge, Social network knowledge
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-40377 (URN)10.1108/JKM-12-2018-0747 (DOI)000587462400001 ()2-s2.0-85093966915 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2020-11-05 Created: 2020-11-05 Last updated: 2020-11-27Bibliographically approved
Lundberg, H. & Öberg, C. (2019). Are we getting any closer to innovations? ,: University-based knowledge infusion to regional strategic networks. In: Proceedings: . Paper presented at IMP forum seminar, 3-4 October 2019, Ancona, Italy.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Are we getting any closer to innovations? ,: University-based knowledge infusion to regional strategic networks
2019 (English)In: Proceedings, 2019Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-41308 (URN)
Conference
IMP forum seminar, 3-4 October 2019, Ancona, Italy
Available from: 2021-03-02 Created: 2021-03-02 Last updated: 2021-03-02Bibliographically approved
Lundberg, H. (2019). Bank relationships’ contributions to SME export performance. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 37(5), 1143-1164
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Bank relationships’ contributions to SME export performance
2019 (English)In: International Journal of Bank Marketing, ISSN 0265-2323, E-ISSN 1758-5937, Vol. 37, no 5, p. 1143-1164Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine to what extent, and in what ways, various types of bank support improve small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) export performance. It contributes to bank marketing and international marketing theory and practice by clarifying bank contributions to SME export performance at the firm level. Design/methodology/approach: The study method is an on-site survey, encompassing 135 manufacturing Swedish SMEs. Five hypotheses are tested using ordinary least squares regression. Findings: The higher the export performance, the greater the importance attributed to bank funding of international business. The importance of transaction and/or currency services provided by banks for SMEs’ ability to do business abroad was confirmed, but with the important limitation that the effect diminishes as the number of markets increases. Furthermore, the results indicate that SMEs with low export performance attach a high importance to the advisory services that banks can offer regarding international business. No significant results for knowledge sharing or support from bank contacts were found. Practical implications: SME managers are encouraged to view banks as potential providers of a diverse set of value-added resources while taking into consideration that some banks will have more developed resources and support policies than others. The study results also assist banks in building effective strategies for enhancing their relationships with SME clients, as it provides detailed information on how SMEs relate different kinds of bank services to their export performance. Originality/value: As the first paper to describe SME-perceived relationships between different bank services and export performance, this study informs bank marketing and international marketing theory about bank contributions to SME internationalisation. 

Keywords
Bank relationships, Bank services, Export performance, Manufacturing industry, SME internationalisation, Sweden
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-35832 (URN)10.1108/IJBM-05-2018-0115 (DOI)000488528900004 ()2-s2.0-85061442144 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2019-03-19 Created: 2019-03-19 Last updated: 2020-02-20Bibliographically approved
Organisations
Identifiers
ORCID iD: ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0001-6287-5783

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