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Configurational Paths to Social Performance in SMEs: The Interplay of Innovation, Sustainability, Resources and Achievement Motivation

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  • Sascha Kraus

    (Institute for Entrepreneurship, University of Liechtenstein, Vaduz 9490, Liechtenstein)

  • Janina Burtscher

    (Institute for Entrepreneurship, University of Liechtenstein, Vaduz 9490, Liechtenstein)

  • Thomas Niemand

    (Department of Management and Market Research, Clausthal University of Technology, Clausthal-Zellerfeld 38678, Germany)

  • Norat Roig-Tierno

    (Department of Business Administration, ESIC Business & Marketing School, Valencia 46021, Spain)

  • Pasi Syrjä

    (School of Business and Management, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Lappeenranta 53851, Finland)

Abstract

In today’s world of increasing ecological, social and economic issues, the question as to how businesses can become a vehicle towards more sustainable development has become more relevant than ever. Crucial to a more sustainable economy is the successful implementation of sustainable practices through entrepreneurial activities. Although there are attempts to describe how sustainable entrepreneurs differentiate themselves, the question of how some entrepreneurs manage to successfully create a sustainable enterprise, while others do not, remains unanswered. The aim of this research is to find causal patterns that explain the success of sustainable entrepreneurs, using their social performance as a measure. Using a configuration approach-based fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) of 598 Austrian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), we could identify four different combinations of the interconnected variables of innovation orientation, environmental sustainability, resource leveraging and achievement motivation, which all lead to social performance depending on the respective networking intensity of the firms. The only variable that is included in all combinations is environmental sustainability, thus indicating it may be either crucial to or a prerequisite for achieving social performance in SMEs.

Suggested Citation

  • Sascha Kraus & Janina Burtscher & Thomas Niemand & Norat Roig-Tierno & Pasi Syrjä, 2017. "Configurational Paths to Social Performance in SMEs: The Interplay of Innovation, Sustainability, Resources and Achievement Motivation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-17, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:10:p:1828-:d:114555
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Sanchita Bansal & Isha Garg & Gagan Deep Sharma, 2019. "Social Entrepreneurship as a Path for Social Change and Driver of Sustainable Development: A Systematic Review and Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-28, February.
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    4. Trin Thananusak, 2019. "Science Mapping of the Knowledge Base on Sustainable Entrepreneurship, 1996–2019," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-20, June.
    5. Halberstadt, Jantje & Schwab, Anne-Kathrin & Kraus, Sascha, 2024. "Cleaning the window of opportunity: Towards a typology of sustainability entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    6. Hassan Nor-Aishah & Noor Hazlina Ahmad & Ramayah Thurasamy, 2020. "Entrepreneurial Leadership and Sustainable Performance of Manufacturing SMEs in Malaysia: The Contingent Role of Entrepreneurial Bricolage," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-21, April.
    7. Carla Gonzales-Gemio & Claudio Cruz-Cázares & Mary Jane Parmentier, 2020. "Responsible Innovation in SMEs: A Systematic Literature Review for a Conceptual Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-27, December.
    8. Manuel Fernández-Esquinas & María Isabel Sánchez-Rodríguez & José Antonio Pedraza-Rodríguez & Rocío Muñoz-Benito, 2021. "The use of QCA in science, technology and innovation studies: a review of the literature and an empirical application to knowledge transfer," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(8), pages 6349-6382, August.
    9. Presley K. Wesseh & Boqiang Lin & Yixuan Zhang & Preslyn Sharon Wesseh, 2024. "Sustainable entrepreneurship: When does environmental compliance improve corporate performance?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 3203-3221, May.
    10. Nathalia Suchek & Cristina I. Fernandes & Sascha Kraus & Matthias Filser & Helena Sjögrén, 2021. "Innovation and the circular economy: A systematic literature review," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(8), pages 3686-3702, December.
    11. Alenka Baggia & Matjaž Maletič & Anja Žnidaršič & Alenka Brezavšček, 2019. "Drivers and Outcomes of Green IS Adoption in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-19, March.
    12. Simona Bigerna & Silvia Micheli, 2018. "Attitudes Toward Electric Vehicles: The Case of Perugia Using a Fuzzy Set Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-14, November.
    13. Lucía Muñoz-Pascual & Carla Curado & Jesús Galende, 2021. "How does the use of information technologies affect the adoption of environmental practices in SMEs? A mixed-methods approach," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 75-102, January.
    14. Aswathy Sreenivasan & M. Suresh, 2023. "Green Start-ups: Start-ups Accelerating Sustainability," International Journal of Global Business and Competitiveness, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 80-89, June.
    15. Sascha Kraus & Janina Burtscher & Christine Vallaster & Martin Angerer, 2018. "Sustainable Entrepreneurship Orientation: A Reflection on Status-Quo Research on Factors Facilitating Responsible Managerial Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-21, February.
    16. Lucía Muñoz-Pascual & Carla Curado & Jesús Galende, 2019. "The Triple Bottom Line on Sustainable Product Innovation Performance in SMEs: A Mixed Methods Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-22, March.
    17. Alicia Mas-Tur & Maria Guijarro & Agustín Carrilero, 2019. "The Influence of the Circular Economy: Exploring the Knowledge Base," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-19, August.
    18. Kraus, Sascha & Rehman, Shafique Ur & García, F. Javier Sendra, 2020. "Corporate social responsibility and environmental performance: The mediating role of environmental strategy and green innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    19. Nathalia Suchek & Mário Franco, 2024. "Inter-organisational Cooperation Oriented Towards Sustainability Involving SMEs: a Systematic Literature Review," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 1952-1972, March.
    20. Bhat, Aijaz Ahmad & Mir, Ajaz Akber & Allie, Adeel Hussain & Ahmad Lone, Mushtaq & Al-Adwan, Ahmad Samed & Jamali, Dima & Riyaz, Iqra, 2024. "Unlocking corporate social responsibility and environmental performance: Mediating role of green strategy, innovation, and leadership," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 3(2).
    21. Silvia Lorincová & Miloš Hitka & Peter Štarchoň & Katarína Stachová, 2018. "Strategic Instrument for Sustainability of Human Resource Management in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Using Management Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-25, October.
    22. Mansouri, Sasan & Momtaz, Paul P., 2022. "Financing sustainable entrepreneurship: ESG measurement, valuation, and performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 37(6).

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