Do Skills Predict Profits

Originally published in 1994, ‘Do Skills Predict Profits, A Study of Successful Entrepreneurship’ is a study into the progress made by academic researchers in management over the last 15 years in determining the causes of new venture performance. The author notes that most of this research has concentrated on the effects of strategy and industry structure on new venture performance. This research looks to answer two major questions: 1.Do characteristics of the entrepreneur have a significant impact upon new venture performance in addition to strategy and industry structure? If so, what characteristics are important and what is their relationship with new venture performance?

It is now widely recognized that in regions like Africa, for economic and other reasons, the public sector has had to disengage and divest from many areas of the economy and allow private enterprise, especially scalable start-ups and new ventures, to enter and flourish if economic development and employment are to grow. There is, however, a training and education gap since entrepreneurship is rarely taught formally at African universities and, when it is, it is often approached from a Western perspective which may not be appropriate given that African environments are significantly different from most Western ones in terms of economic infrastructure and political considerations. This book allows readers to understand the African entrepreneurial context by guiding them through the principal stages in the life of a new venture, and offers approaches, both Western and indigenous, that can inform their entrepreneurial actions. It concludes by examining some specialized topics, including female, youth, and social entrepreneurship, as well as real estate and technology. Exercises throughout the book will enable readers to evaluate their motivations and preparedness for entrepreneurship and learn how to communicate a new venture’s key features to potential stakeholders. By focusing on the distinctive features of entrepreneurship in the African context, and taking a conversational tone, this is an informative and practical text that will be useful for students of Global Entrepreneurship and Business as well as actual and prospective entrepreneurs in the private, non-profit, and public sectors.

Jan Brinckmann analyzes how competencies of founders of new technology-based firms affect the development of their ventures. The research is grounded in competence-related literature and combines insights from entrepreneurship and management research.

Presents an overview of empirical and conceptual developments in the study of high-tech entrepreneurs from an interdisciplinary and multinational perspective. This book explores various conceptual frameworks and definitions of high-tech entrepreneurs and of the entrepreneurial process based on studies in different settings and contexts.

As business schools expand their entrepreneurship programs and organizations seek people with entrepreneurial skills, it has become clear that the skills and mindset of an entrepreneur are highly valued in all business contexts. This latest edition of Entrepreneurial New Venture Skills continues to focus on helping students develop entrepreneurial skills, whether they seek to become entrepreneurs or employees. Focusing on the entrepreneurial start-up process, the third edition of Entrepreneurial New Venture Skills takes the reader through the steps of selecting, planning, financing, and controlling the new venture. The authors cover multiple forms of new ventures, as well as ways to utilize entrepreneurial skills in other contexts, encouraging students to engage with the material and apply it to their lives in ways that make sense for them. Skill development features include: Entrepreneurial profiles of small business owners Personal applications for students to apply questions to their new venture or a current business Global and domestic cases Elevator pitch assignments, which put students in the venture capitalist position Application exercises and situations covering specific text concepts Business plan prompts to help students construct a business plan over the course of a semester Featuring pedagogical tools like review questions and learning outcomes, and a full companion website that expands upon skill development and offers instructor resources, the third edition of Entrepreneurial New Venture Skills is the perfect resource for instructors and students of entrepreneurship.

While several market-leading companies have successfully transformed their business models by following data- and AI-driven paths, the vast majority have yet to reap the benefits. How can your business and analytics units gain a competitive advantage by capturing the full potential of this predictive revolution? This practical guide presents a battle-tested end-to-end method to help you translate business decisions into tractable prescriptive solutions using data and AI as fundamental inputs. Author Daniel Vaughan shows data scientists, analytics practitioners, and others interested in using AI to transform their businesses not only how to ask the right questions but also how to generate value using modern AI technologies and decision-making principles. You’ll explore several use cases common to many enterprises, complete with examples you can apply when working to solve your own issues. Break business decisions into stages that can be tackled using different skills from the analytical toolbox Identify and embrace uncertainty in decision making and protect against common human biases Customize optimal decisions to different customers using predictive and prescriptive methods and technologies Ask business questions that create high value through AI- and data-driven technologies