Being open to absorb external knowledge is a key competitive advantage for small- and medium-sized family firms. In this study, we propose and test a model in which corporate social responsibility is the key feature linking family-specific resources (i.e., familiness) to the family firm's...

Two-thirds of all businesses worldwide are family firms. For these family firms, absorptive capacity (AC) is key to acquiring, assimilating, transforming, and exploiting new, external knowledge for purposes of value creation. In this study, we conduct a literature review to obtain an overview of...

Unternehmensgruendungen allgemein und innovative Unternehmensgruendungen im Besonderen werden oft als Hoffnungstraeger der wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung angesehen. Damit innovative Neugruendungen jedoch erfolgreich am Markt agieren können, muessen sie typische Probleme ueberwinden, die sich aus...

This paper investigates the determinants of inter-firm cooperation in research and development (R&D). We analyse the impact of structural and firm specific characteristics, market performance, access to resources and managerial techniques on different types of inter-firm R&D cooperation. Based...

This paper analyzes whether effort provision in entrepreneurial teams depends on the size of the team, assuming that size determines the strength of free-riding and peer pressure effects in entrepreneurial teams. We provide a theoretical model and empirical analyses to explain the joint effect...

Start-ups and their respective market partners are faced with severe problems of asymmetric information due to their lack of prior production history and reputation. Given this situation, it is most likely that outside financiers will not be informed about the potential gains, losses, and risks...

Unlike traditional start-ups, innovative start-ups and their respective market partners are faced with severe problems of asymmetric information due to their lack of prior production history and reputation. Here, we study whether and how entrepreneurial signaling via education can help...

Based on the finding that entrepreneurs who found new firms tend to work as employees of small rather than large firms prior to start-up, we test how different working conditions, which enhance entrepreneurial learning, affect their decision to become entrepreneurs when moderated by firm size....

Das Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn hat im Auftrag der Gesellschaft für innovative Beschäftigungsförderung mbH G.I.B. die Gründungs- und Begleitzirkel evaluiert. Dieses Informations- und Beratungsangebot, das die G.I.B. im Auftrag der Ministerien für Wirtschaft, Mittelstand...