Gender, innovation and the growth of small medium enterprises: An empirical analysis of Vietnam’s manufacturing firms
Main Article Content
Abstract
Abstract. This paper focuses on analysing relationships between gender, innovation and the growth of manufacturing SMEs in Vietnam. The analysis is based on the conceptual framework outlined by Storey (1994). We used a sample of 353 SMEs derived from secondary dataset from the World Bank. Our results indicate that gender, new product introduction strategy, firm size and firm age are significant factors that influence the growth of SME manufacturing. Several implications for SMEs, the government sector and researchers as well as future research direction are also provided.
Keywords: Gender, innovation, growth, SMEs, Vietnam.References
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Zahra, S. and Bogner, W. (2000), “Technology strategy and software new ventures’ performance: Exploring the moderating effects of the competitive environment”. Journal of Business Venturing, 15(2): 135-173.
[2] Bacharach, S. B. and Lauer, E. J. (1988), Power and Politics in Organization. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco.
[3] Barkham R., Hart M., and Hanvey E. (1996), “Growth in Small Manufacturing Firms: An Empirical Analysis”, in R. Blackburn and P. Jennings (eds), Small Firms Contribution to Economic Regeneration, Paul Champman, London.
[4] Berry A. (2002), “The role of the small and medium enterprise sector in Latin America and similar developing countries” [online document]. Retrieved May, 6, 2007, the World Wide Web:∫http://diplomacy.shu.edu/journal/new/pdf/VolIIINo1/berry.pdf.
[5] Bollingtoft, A., Ulhoi, J. P., Madsen, H. and Neergaard, H. (2003), “The effect of financial factors on the performance of new venture companies in high tech and knowledge-intensive industries: An empirical study in Denmark”, International Journal of Management, 20(4): 535-547.
[6] Chrisman, J. J., Bauerschmidt, A. and Hofer, C. W. (1998), “The determinants of new venture performance: An extended model”, Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, 23(1): 5-29.
[7] Churchill C. N. and Lewis V. L. (1983), “The five stages of small business growth” in Storey D. J., Small Business: Critical Perspectives, Vol. 3, pp. 291-308. London: Routledge.
[8] Davidsson P. (1991), “Continued Entrepreneurship: Ability, Need and Opportunity as Determinants of Small Firm Growth”, Journal of Business Venturing, Vol. 6, pp. 405-29.
[9] Davidsson P. and Henreksson M. (2002), “Institutional determinants of the prevalence of start-ups and high-growth firms: Evidence from Sweden”, Small Business Economics, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 81-104.
[10] Davidsson P., Achtenhagen L. and L. Naldi (2006), “What do we know about small firm growth?”, in Parker S., Handbook of Entrepreneurship Research, Vol. 2, pp. 361-398. New York: Springer.
[11] Dunkelberg, W. G. and Cooper, A. C., Woo. C. and Dennis, W. J. (1987), “New firm growth and performance”, in N. C. Churchill, J. A. Hornaday, B. A. Kirchhoff, C. J Krasner and K. H.Vesper (eds), Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, Babson College, Boston, Mass.
[12] Evans and David S. (1987), “Tests of Alternative Theories of Firm Growth”, Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 95, No. 4, pp. 657-674.
[13] Eisenhardt, K. M. and Schoonhoven, C. B. (1990), “Organizational growth: Linking founding team, strategy, environment, and growth among U.S. semiconductor ventures, 1978-1988”, Administrative Science Quarterly, 35(2): 504-529.
[14] Fasci, M. A., and Valdez, J. (1998), “A performance contrast of male and female-owned small accounting practices”, Journal of Small Business Management, 36(3), 1-8.
[15] Fay, M., and Williams, L. (1993), “Gender bias and the availability of business loans”, Journal of Business Venturing, 8(5), 363-376.
[16] Fischer, E. M., Reuber, A. R., and Dyke, L. S. (1993), “A theoretical overview and extension of research on sex, gender and entrepreneurship”, Journal of Business Venturing, 8(2), 151-168.
[17] Greiner L. E. (1972), “Evolution and revolution as organisations grow”, Harvard Business Review, No. July-August, pp. 37-46.
[18] GSO (2005), The real situation of enterprises through results of surveys conducted in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Statistics Publishing House: Hanoi.
[19] Hall B. H. (1987), “The Relationship between Firm Size and Firm Growth in the U.S. Manufacturing Sector”, Journal of Industrial Economics, Vol. 35, No. 4, pp. 583-606.
[20] Johnson, P.S. (1989), “Employment change in the Small Establishment Sector in UK Manufacturing”, Applied Economics, Vol. 21, pp. 251-60.
[21] Jovanovic B. (1982), “Selection and the Evolution of Industry”, Econometrica, Vol. 50, No. 3, pp. 649-670.
[22] Kalleberg, A. L. and Leicht, K. T. (1991), “Gender and organizational performance: Determinants of small business survival and success”, Academy of Management Journal, 34(1), 136-161.
[23] Kanter, R. M. (1988), “When a thousand flowers bloom: Structural, collective, and social conditions for innovation in organizations”. Staw, B. M.; Cummings, L. L. (eds) In Research in Organizational Behavior (Vol. 10). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
[24] Kazanjian, R. K. and Drazin, R. (1990), “A stage-contingent model of design and growth for technology based new ventures”, Journal of Business Venturing, 5(3): 137-150.
[25] Lall, S. (2000), The technological structure and performance of developing country manufactured exports, 1995-1998, Oxford Development Studies, 28(3): 337-369.
[26] McGee, J. E. and Dowling, M. J. (1994), “Using R&D cooperative arrangements to leverage managerial experience: A study of technology-intensive new ventures”, Journal of Business Venturing, 9(1): 33-48.
[27] McPherson M. A, (1996), “Growth of Micro and Small Enterprises in Southern Africa”, Journal of Development Economics, Vol. 48, pp. 253-277.
[28] Meier, R. and Masters, R. (1988), “Sex differences and risk-taking propensity of entrepreneurs”, Journal of Small Business Management, 26(1), 31-35.
[29] Liedholm C. (2002), “Small Firm Dynamics: Evidence from Africa and Latin America”, Small Business Economics, Vol. 18, pp. 227-242.
[30] Porter, M. E. (1980), Competitive strategy. New York: The Free Press.
[31] Rand J., Tarp F., Dzung N. H. and Vinh D. Q. “Documentation of the Small and Medium Scale Enterprise (SME) Survey in Vietnam for the year 2002” [online document]. Retrieved May, 10, 2007, from the World Wide Web: http://www.econ.ku.dk/rand/images/VNDodumentation02.pdf.
[32] Riding, A. L., and Swift, C. S. (1990), “Women business owners and terms of credit: some empirical findings of the Canadian Experience”, Journal of Business Venturing, 5(5), 327-340.
[33] Scott M. and Bruce R. (1987), “Five Stages of Growth in Small Businesses”, Long Range Planning, Vol. 20, No. 3, pp. 45-52.
[34] Smeltzer, L. R. and Fann, G. L. (1989), “Gender differences in external networks of small business owners/managers”, Journal of Small Business Management, 27(2), 25-32.
[35] Stevenson, L. (1986), “Against all odds: The entrepreneurship of women”, Journal of Small Business Management, 24(4), 30-36.
[36] Storey D. J. (1994), Understanding the Small Business Sector. London: Routledge.
[37] Storey D. J. (2000), “Small Business: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management”, Routledge, Vol. 3, pp. 287-290, London: Routledge.
[38] Wagner and Joachim (1995). “Exports, Firm Size, and Firm Dynamics”, Small Business Economics, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 29-39.
[39] Weinzimmer L. G., Nystrom P. C. and Freeman S. J. (1998), ”Measuring organisational growth: Issues, consequences and guidelines”, Journal of Management, Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 235-262.
[40] Wijewardena Hema and G. E. Tibbits (1999), “Factors Contributing to the Growth of Small Manufacturing Firms: Data from Australia”, Journal of Small Business Management, Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 88-96.
[41] Webster L. and Taussig M. (1999), “Vietnam’s under-sized engine: A survey of 95 larger private manufacturers”[online document]. Retrieved October 10, 2006 from the WWW: http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/mekongpsdf.nsf/AttachmentsByTitle/PSDP+8/$F LE/PSDP-No-8-EN.pdf
[42] Wynarczyk, P., Watson, R., Storey, D.J., Short, H. and Keasey, K. (1993), The Managerial Labour Market in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises, Routledge, London.
Zahra, S. and Bogner, W. (2000), “Technology strategy and software new ventures’ performance: Exploring the moderating effects of the competitive environment”. Journal of Business Venturing, 15(2): 135-173.