Outperform the Fittest? [Edit]

Full title is "Outperform the Fittest? Testing Human Capital of Founding Team, Firm Resources, and Strategy on New Venture Performance: A Contingency and A Configurational Approach"

This paper was presented at the 2009 Academy of Management Conference in Chicago, Illinois.

Authors

  • Qian Ye (University of Louisville)

Research Question

How do team capital, firm resources, and strategy interactively influence the success of nascent new ventures?

Hypotheses

Contingency Hypotheses

  • H1: Nascent New Venture (NNV) strategy moderates the relationship between Nascent New Venture Team (NNVT) human capital and performance
  • H2: NNVT human capital moderates the effects of resources on venture performance.
  • H3: NNV strategy moderates the effects of resources on venture performance

Configurational Hypothesis

  • P1: NNVT human capital, strategy, and firm resources configurationally impact NNV performance

KFS Data

  • All firms, 2005 - 2007

Dependent Variables

  • Performance - Profitability: dummy variable (profit as 1, loss as 0)
  • Performance - Competitive Advantage: 1, 0
  • Performance - Growth in Revenue: dummy variables

Independent Variables

NNVT Human Capital

  • Education: average of NNVT years of formal education
  • Domain Knowledge: average years experience in the industry
  • Start-up Knowledge: average number of new businesses NNVT members have started

Strategy

  • Bootstrapping Strategy: the degree of bootstrapping techniques used
  • Technology Innovation Strategy: R&D investment 1,0

Resources

  • Intangible Resourses: patents, copyrights, and trademarks
  • Number of employees
  • Total assets
  • Access to debt

Findings

Both bootstrapping and innovation strategy are significantly and negatively related to profitability and revenue growth. Different resources have various effects on different measures of performance.

Note: This paper has been submitted for publication and removed from the wiki per journal requirements.