Mahdi Tajeddin | Saint Mary's University (Canada) (original) (raw)

Drafts by Mahdi Tajeddin

Int. Journal of Management Education, 2018

Our study compares simulation, case study and lecture as the most common teaching methods in the ... more Our study compares simulation, case study and lecture as the most common teaching methods in the business education. A sample of 194 undergraduate and MBA students is used to assess the perceived effectiveness of these teaching methods for developing students' problem solving skills, interpersonal skills and self-awareness. Our findings indicate that students perceive simulation as the most effective teaching method for developing their interpersonal skills and self-awareness followed by case study and lecture respectively. Regarding problem solving skills we found that simulation and case study are perceived as being similar but more effective than lectures. Comparing these three teaching methods based on their cognitive, skill-based and affective learning outcomes is a new approach for comparative studies in this literature. management simulation in a business policy and strategy course.

Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 2019

Can small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sub-Saharan Africa overcome market imperfections... more Can small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sub-Saharan Africa overcome market imperfections to get the resources needed for exporting? We hypothesize that in many emerging economies, domestically-owned SMEs address the hurdle of imperfect markets by creating private governance systems in the form of long-term business relationships in business groups (BGs). Our data is collected from the World Bank's Enterprise Survey and comprises 8,885 SMEs in 33 Sub-Saharan African countries. We find that the export intensity of BG-affiliated SMEs is superior to independent firms, and that financial, human, and technological resources mediate the intensity of the BG affiliation-export relationship.

Papers by Mahdi Tajeddin

Internationalization of Emerging Economy SMEs: A Tripod Approach

Journal of International Management

African Journal of Business Management, Jan 4, 2011

The purpose of this article was to explore the capacity of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in... more The purpose of this article was to explore the capacity of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in absorbing and managing knowledge as a prior condition to innovations and entrepreneurial growth. Drawing the findings from more than 1,500 SME owners/ managers of the ICT sector in Iran, across regular quarterly Small Enterprise Research (SER) team surveys and from other large scale studies, this article examined the effects of experiential and formal knowledge on the development of SMEs absorptive capacity. The mixed method (explanatory type) was used as the research method. There were significant effects, such as age, education and size (of what) influence SME acquisition and assimilation of knowledge. Primarily, it was the small firms with 15 employees or less that had the capacity to absorb and use new knowledge, especially those with higher educational levels and cleared growth objectives. These firms were not startups, but tend to be younger firms with younger founders. Given the main policy aim, of what, was the development of clusters and knowledge-based firms, policy makers should focus on SMEs that are recently started by graduates or people with technical qualifications. As such, educators need to develop technology and innovation management programmes for these firms. This article made an important contribution to the identification of priorities for public SME development support and areas where business schools and enterprise trainers could maximize their economic and developmental impact.

Essays on the Effects of Business Group Affiliation on the International Performance of Sub-Saharan African Firms

Business Group solidarity and competitive advantage: The case of Africa’s Ethnic Business Groups

To facilitate interfirm trust and exchange business groups are typically organized along an axis ... more To facilitate interfirm trust and exchange business groups are typically organized along an axis of solidarity. Such as kinship, religion, or political identity. In this paper, we consider whether business group solidarity based upon the ethnic identity of affiliate owners can be a basis for business group competitive advantage. Based upon World Bank enterprise surveys in some 24 sub-Saharan African countries and over 8000 firms we identify differential affiliate performance based upon the self-identified ethnicity of firm owners. We contribute to understandings of the origins of business group heterogeneity and the potential sources and limits on their competitive advantage.

African Journal of Business Management, 2010

The goal of this study is to examine the effect that family factors (family relationships, family... more The goal of this study is to examine the effect that family factors (family relationships, family goals, family resources, family vision, family size and family tensions) have on the creation of family businesses. Data were collected from mangers/owners of 160 industrial businesses (family and non-family businesses) in oil and textile sectors of Iran based on structured questionnaires. Collected data were analyzed through Z-Test and Mann-Whitney test (U-Test). The results show that family relationships, family goals, family resources and family vision are affective factors, but some factors such as family size and family disagreements are not affective to creation of family businesses. On the other hand, all these factors are not affective to creation of non-family businesses. Key words: Iran, family business, business creation, family factors.

Entrepreneurs connect with people in their networks to help them pursue their entrepreneurial act... more Entrepreneurs connect with people in their networks to help them pursue their entrepreneurial activities. This article describes the results of a small pilot study focused on how Iranian immigrant entrepreneurs in Canada use their social networks during the process of starting and developing a business. Through in-depth interviews, qualitative data were collected from five Iranian entrepreneurs in the media industry. We analyze the members identified were in the entrepreneurs’ social networks, how these individuals supported the entrepreneurs, and what the effects of the support were in both phases of the business lifecycle: start-up (phase I) and growth (phase II).

SMEs Export Performance: African Business Groups

How do African SMEs overcome the problem of persistent institutional voids to access foreign mark... more How do African SMEs overcome the problem of persistent institutional voids to access foreign markets? In some Sub-Saharan African economies, domestically owned SMEs address institutional voids in factor markets. These firms create private governance systems in the form of long-term business relationships in ethnically-based groups in order to respond the noted voids. We examined SMEs of 40 African countries from the World Bank's Enterprise Survey. The results of our study indicate the export performance of SMEs affiliated with business groups is superior to freestanding firms such that BG can be instrumental in mediating resources to affiliated SMEs.

Business Group Competitive Advantage Export Performance:The Case of Africa’s Minority Entrepreneur

Academy of Management Proceedings, 2021

Growing Entrepreneurial High-tech Firms in the MENA Region

Academy of Management Proceedings, 2019

The International Journal of Management Education, 2018

Our study compares simulation, case study and lecture as the most common teaching methods in the ... more Our study compares simulation, case study and lecture as the most common teaching methods in the business education. A sample of 194 undergraduate and MBA students is used to assess the perceived effectiveness of these teaching methods for developing students' problem solving skills, interpersonal skills and self-awareness. Our findings indicate that students perceive simulation as the most effective teaching method for developing their interpersonal skills and self-awareness followed by case study and lecture respectively. Regarding problem solving skills we found that simulation and case study are perceived as being similar but more effective than lectures. Comparing these three teaching methods based on their cognitive, skill-based and affective learning outcomes is a new approach for comparative studies in this literature.

Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 2018

Can small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) overcome market imperfe... more Can small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) overcome market imperfections to get the resources needed for exporting? We hypothesize that in many emerging economies, domestically owned SMEs address the hurdle of imperfect markets by creating private governance systems in the form of long-term business relationships in business groups (BGs). Our data are collected from the World Bank’s Enterprise Survey and comprises 8,885 SMEs in 33 SSA countries. We find that the export intensity of BG-affiliated SMEs is superior to independent firms, and that financial, human, and technological resources mediate the intensity of the BG affiliation–export relationship.

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 2017

SMEs as an engine of growth play an important role in emerging economies for poverty reduction, t... more SMEs as an engine of growth play an important role in emerging economies for poverty reduction, the role which has attracted the attention of scholars in recent years. This study explores the effect of firm characteristics, resources and top management team (TMT) characteristics on the internationalization of SMEs. According to our conceptual model, we assumed that firm resources mediate the link between international performance of SMEs and characteristics of firms and of TMT. To test our model, we asked top managers of international SMEs in Iran ICT sector to fill in a questionnaire. The data was analyzed through structural equation modeling which leads us to codifying a causal model accordingly. The findings show a direct and indirect positive effect of TMT characteristics on internationalization of SMEs, however, it indicates that indirect effect of firm characteristics is not significant. Finally, a set of guidelines are proposed for internationalization of SMEs in emerging economies. 1 The manuscript of the current paper was stolen in 2011 and was illegally sent with the title of "INTERNATIONALIZATION OF SMES AND ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY: (A CASE STUDY OF ICT INDUSTRY IN PAKISTAN)" to Australian Journal of Business and management Research (AJBMR) for publication. As it was confirmed that it was an infringement of copyright after a series of legal actions, it was promptly removed from AJBMR's official website. Any further publication of the same content by anyone anywhere is plagiarism. We would like to thank the editorial team of AJBMR for their kind cooperation in removing the stolen manuscript from the journal (see the appendix). 2 Kambeiz Talebi & Mahdi Tajeddin contributed equally as first author

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 2017

In spite of compelling advances in the notion of entrepreneurial opportunities in the past decade... more In spite of compelling advances in the notion of entrepreneurial opportunities in the past decade, the construct still undergo serious critics such as being metaphorical and not literal. One paramount reason for this shortfall is due to lack of instruments to evaluate objectively varieties of components of business opportunities such as risk and uncertainty. The process of discovering an opportunity starts from a subjective process of recognition, and it then involves further evaluation such as risk assessment to transmit it to an objective value. However, we know little about how the transformation from subjective to the objective state takes place within opportunity evaluation. Using Risky Framing concept, we contribute to this gap in knowledge. We use survey data of proxy entrepreneurs and examine their responses against a control group of non-entrepreneurs. Results show that the both groups adopt different risk levels when they confront opportunity scenarios. In addition, the risk levels adopted by the entrepreneurs was significantly greater than their non-entrepreneur counterparts. These findings provide new insights in the process of entrepreneurial alertness. The results discussed and implications for the future contributions are provided.

Best practice network business model for internationalization of small and medium enterprises

Journal of International Entrepreneurship, 2011

ABSTRACT Small and medium enterprises’ entry to international markets leads to their continuous g... more ABSTRACT Small and medium enterprises’ entry to international markets leads to their continuous growth and facilitates national and global economic development. In an attempt to substantiate these outcomes, they seek to acquire best practices and experiences in order to facilitate entering, surviving, and growing in global markets. To address this challenge practically, the present paper introduces a media for networking and a system for transferring internationalization best practices across small and medium enterprises under the concept of Best Practice Network. Subsequently, the paper tries to depict Best Practice Network as a viable business and establish a guideline for implementing it by developing its business model. To achieve this objective, the authors have administered multi-case study research among the top managers of international small and medium enterprises in the information and communication technology sector of Iran. The resulting model is based on business model ontology and proposes a bird’s eye view of the Best Practice Network including product, customer interface, infrastructure management, and financial aspects. Moreover, by proposing a media for sharing related best practices, this paper can lead to the decline of the stage theory of internationalization and can excel the born global theory of small and medium enterprises.

Initial coin offerings (ICOs) success: Conceptualization, theories and systematic analysis of empirical studies

Technological Forecasting and Social Change

Int. Journal of Management Education, 2018

Our study compares simulation, case study and lecture as the most common teaching methods in the ... more Our study compares simulation, case study and lecture as the most common teaching methods in the business education. A sample of 194 undergraduate and MBA students is used to assess the perceived effectiveness of these teaching methods for developing students' problem solving skills, interpersonal skills and self-awareness. Our findings indicate that students perceive simulation as the most effective teaching method for developing their interpersonal skills and self-awareness followed by case study and lecture respectively. Regarding problem solving skills we found that simulation and case study are perceived as being similar but more effective than lectures. Comparing these three teaching methods based on their cognitive, skill-based and affective learning outcomes is a new approach for comparative studies in this literature. management simulation in a business policy and strategy course.

Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 2019

Can small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sub-Saharan Africa overcome market imperfections... more Can small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sub-Saharan Africa overcome market imperfections to get the resources needed for exporting? We hypothesize that in many emerging economies, domestically-owned SMEs address the hurdle of imperfect markets by creating private governance systems in the form of long-term business relationships in business groups (BGs). Our data is collected from the World Bank's Enterprise Survey and comprises 8,885 SMEs in 33 Sub-Saharan African countries. We find that the export intensity of BG-affiliated SMEs is superior to independent firms, and that financial, human, and technological resources mediate the intensity of the BG affiliation-export relationship.

Internationalization of Emerging Economy SMEs: A Tripod Approach

Journal of International Management

African Journal of Business Management, Jan 4, 2011

The purpose of this article was to explore the capacity of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in... more The purpose of this article was to explore the capacity of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in absorbing and managing knowledge as a prior condition to innovations and entrepreneurial growth. Drawing the findings from more than 1,500 SME owners/ managers of the ICT sector in Iran, across regular quarterly Small Enterprise Research (SER) team surveys and from other large scale studies, this article examined the effects of experiential and formal knowledge on the development of SMEs absorptive capacity. The mixed method (explanatory type) was used as the research method. There were significant effects, such as age, education and size (of what) influence SME acquisition and assimilation of knowledge. Primarily, it was the small firms with 15 employees or less that had the capacity to absorb and use new knowledge, especially those with higher educational levels and cleared growth objectives. These firms were not startups, but tend to be younger firms with younger founders. Given the main policy aim, of what, was the development of clusters and knowledge-based firms, policy makers should focus on SMEs that are recently started by graduates or people with technical qualifications. As such, educators need to develop technology and innovation management programmes for these firms. This article made an important contribution to the identification of priorities for public SME development support and areas where business schools and enterprise trainers could maximize their economic and developmental impact.

Essays on the Effects of Business Group Affiliation on the International Performance of Sub-Saharan African Firms

Business Group solidarity and competitive advantage: The case of Africa’s Ethnic Business Groups

To facilitate interfirm trust and exchange business groups are typically organized along an axis ... more To facilitate interfirm trust and exchange business groups are typically organized along an axis of solidarity. Such as kinship, religion, or political identity. In this paper, we consider whether business group solidarity based upon the ethnic identity of affiliate owners can be a basis for business group competitive advantage. Based upon World Bank enterprise surveys in some 24 sub-Saharan African countries and over 8000 firms we identify differential affiliate performance based upon the self-identified ethnicity of firm owners. We contribute to understandings of the origins of business group heterogeneity and the potential sources and limits on their competitive advantage.

African Journal of Business Management, 2010

The goal of this study is to examine the effect that family factors (family relationships, family... more The goal of this study is to examine the effect that family factors (family relationships, family goals, family resources, family vision, family size and family tensions) have on the creation of family businesses. Data were collected from mangers/owners of 160 industrial businesses (family and non-family businesses) in oil and textile sectors of Iran based on structured questionnaires. Collected data were analyzed through Z-Test and Mann-Whitney test (U-Test). The results show that family relationships, family goals, family resources and family vision are affective factors, but some factors such as family size and family disagreements are not affective to creation of family businesses. On the other hand, all these factors are not affective to creation of non-family businesses. Key words: Iran, family business, business creation, family factors.

Entrepreneurs connect with people in their networks to help them pursue their entrepreneurial act... more Entrepreneurs connect with people in their networks to help them pursue their entrepreneurial activities. This article describes the results of a small pilot study focused on how Iranian immigrant entrepreneurs in Canada use their social networks during the process of starting and developing a business. Through in-depth interviews, qualitative data were collected from five Iranian entrepreneurs in the media industry. We analyze the members identified were in the entrepreneurs’ social networks, how these individuals supported the entrepreneurs, and what the effects of the support were in both phases of the business lifecycle: start-up (phase I) and growth (phase II).

SMEs Export Performance: African Business Groups

How do African SMEs overcome the problem of persistent institutional voids to access foreign mark... more How do African SMEs overcome the problem of persistent institutional voids to access foreign markets? In some Sub-Saharan African economies, domestically owned SMEs address institutional voids in factor markets. These firms create private governance systems in the form of long-term business relationships in ethnically-based groups in order to respond the noted voids. We examined SMEs of 40 African countries from the World Bank's Enterprise Survey. The results of our study indicate the export performance of SMEs affiliated with business groups is superior to freestanding firms such that BG can be instrumental in mediating resources to affiliated SMEs.

Business Group Competitive Advantage Export Performance:The Case of Africa’s Minority Entrepreneur

Academy of Management Proceedings, 2021

Growing Entrepreneurial High-tech Firms in the MENA Region

Academy of Management Proceedings, 2019

The International Journal of Management Education, 2018

Our study compares simulation, case study and lecture as the most common teaching methods in the ... more Our study compares simulation, case study and lecture as the most common teaching methods in the business education. A sample of 194 undergraduate and MBA students is used to assess the perceived effectiveness of these teaching methods for developing students' problem solving skills, interpersonal skills and self-awareness. Our findings indicate that students perceive simulation as the most effective teaching method for developing their interpersonal skills and self-awareness followed by case study and lecture respectively. Regarding problem solving skills we found that simulation and case study are perceived as being similar but more effective than lectures. Comparing these three teaching methods based on their cognitive, skill-based and affective learning outcomes is a new approach for comparative studies in this literature.

Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 2018

Can small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) overcome market imperfe... more Can small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) overcome market imperfections to get the resources needed for exporting? We hypothesize that in many emerging economies, domestically owned SMEs address the hurdle of imperfect markets by creating private governance systems in the form of long-term business relationships in business groups (BGs). Our data are collected from the World Bank’s Enterprise Survey and comprises 8,885 SMEs in 33 SSA countries. We find that the export intensity of BG-affiliated SMEs is superior to independent firms, and that financial, human, and technological resources mediate the intensity of the BG affiliation–export relationship.

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 2017

SMEs as an engine of growth play an important role in emerging economies for poverty reduction, t... more SMEs as an engine of growth play an important role in emerging economies for poverty reduction, the role which has attracted the attention of scholars in recent years. This study explores the effect of firm characteristics, resources and top management team (TMT) characteristics on the internationalization of SMEs. According to our conceptual model, we assumed that firm resources mediate the link between international performance of SMEs and characteristics of firms and of TMT. To test our model, we asked top managers of international SMEs in Iran ICT sector to fill in a questionnaire. The data was analyzed through structural equation modeling which leads us to codifying a causal model accordingly. The findings show a direct and indirect positive effect of TMT characteristics on internationalization of SMEs, however, it indicates that indirect effect of firm characteristics is not significant. Finally, a set of guidelines are proposed for internationalization of SMEs in emerging economies. 1 The manuscript of the current paper was stolen in 2011 and was illegally sent with the title of "INTERNATIONALIZATION OF SMES AND ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY: (A CASE STUDY OF ICT INDUSTRY IN PAKISTAN)" to Australian Journal of Business and management Research (AJBMR) for publication. As it was confirmed that it was an infringement of copyright after a series of legal actions, it was promptly removed from AJBMR's official website. Any further publication of the same content by anyone anywhere is plagiarism. We would like to thank the editorial team of AJBMR for their kind cooperation in removing the stolen manuscript from the journal (see the appendix). 2 Kambeiz Talebi & Mahdi Tajeddin contributed equally as first author

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 2017

In spite of compelling advances in the notion of entrepreneurial opportunities in the past decade... more In spite of compelling advances in the notion of entrepreneurial opportunities in the past decade, the construct still undergo serious critics such as being metaphorical and not literal. One paramount reason for this shortfall is due to lack of instruments to evaluate objectively varieties of components of business opportunities such as risk and uncertainty. The process of discovering an opportunity starts from a subjective process of recognition, and it then involves further evaluation such as risk assessment to transmit it to an objective value. However, we know little about how the transformation from subjective to the objective state takes place within opportunity evaluation. Using Risky Framing concept, we contribute to this gap in knowledge. We use survey data of proxy entrepreneurs and examine their responses against a control group of non-entrepreneurs. Results show that the both groups adopt different risk levels when they confront opportunity scenarios. In addition, the risk levels adopted by the entrepreneurs was significantly greater than their non-entrepreneur counterparts. These findings provide new insights in the process of entrepreneurial alertness. The results discussed and implications for the future contributions are provided.

Best practice network business model for internationalization of small and medium enterprises

Journal of International Entrepreneurship, 2011

ABSTRACT Small and medium enterprises’ entry to international markets leads to their continuous g... more ABSTRACT Small and medium enterprises’ entry to international markets leads to their continuous growth and facilitates national and global economic development. In an attempt to substantiate these outcomes, they seek to acquire best practices and experiences in order to facilitate entering, surviving, and growing in global markets. To address this challenge practically, the present paper introduces a media for networking and a system for transferring internationalization best practices across small and medium enterprises under the concept of Best Practice Network. Subsequently, the paper tries to depict Best Practice Network as a viable business and establish a guideline for implementing it by developing its business model. To achieve this objective, the authors have administered multi-case study research among the top managers of international small and medium enterprises in the information and communication technology sector of Iran. The resulting model is based on business model ontology and proposes a bird’s eye view of the Best Practice Network including product, customer interface, infrastructure management, and financial aspects. Moreover, by proposing a media for sharing related best practices, this paper can lead to the decline of the stage theory of internationalization and can excel the born global theory of small and medium enterprises.

Initial coin offerings (ICOs) success: Conceptualization, theories and systematic analysis of empirical studies

Technological Forecasting and Social Change