Managing Tensions in a High-tech Start-up

Abstract

Answering the question of how enabling technology-based firms manage tensions in their development process, we focus on tensions related to balancing the need to explore new developments for future performance, with the need to exploit existing capabilities to generate sufficient value in the short term. Based on social system theory, we suggest that entrepreneurs use four types of functions to develop their business: goal attainment, pattern maintenance, social networking and economic optimization. Building sustainable firms requires the development of all four functions and the related types of capital (strategic, cultural, economic and social) up to a certain minimum; they must then be balanced in such a way that the exploration—exploitation tension can be dealt with adequately.Through a case study of the development of a sound measuring sensor, we illustrate the four types of functions and the accumulation of capitals by exploring a set of three propositions.

Comment apaiser les tensions dans une start-up de technologie de pointe Un parcours innovateur à travers la perspective de l'édifice social. Aard. J. Groen Université de Twente, Pays-Bas Ingrid A. M. Wakkee Université libre d'Amsterdam, Pays-Bas Petra C. de Weerd-Nederhof Université de Twente, Pays-Bas Pour répondre à la question à savoir que font les entreprises basées sur les technologies-clés pour apaiser les tensions au cours de son processus de développement, nous ciblons les tensions liées au fait d'équilibrer le besoin d' explorer de nouveaux développements, garantissant les futures expériences, au besoin d' exploiter les ressources en place pour générer des valeurs suffisantes à court terme. Nous appuyant sur la théorie de l'édifice social, nous suggérons que les entrepreneurs utilisent quatre types de fonctions pour développer leurs activités : atteindre le but visé, maintenir les modes de conduite, le networking social et l'optimisation économique. La création d'entreprises durables exige, au minimum, le développement de ces quatre fonctions et les types de capitaux y associés (stratégique, culturel, économique et social). Il faut ensuite les équilibrer de sorte qu'il soit possible de traiter la tension d'explorationexploitation de façon appropriée. Nous nous basons sur une étude de cas du développement d'un capteur sonométrique pour illustrer les quatre types de fonction et le cumul de capitaux en examinant un ensemble de trois propositions.

Cómo aflojar las tensiones en una empresa de alta tecnología de nueva creación Un recorrido innovador por la perspectiva del sistema social Aard. J. Groen Universidad de Twente, Países Bajos Ingrid A. M. Wakkee Universidad Libre de Amsterdam, Países Bajos Petra C. de Weerd-Nederhof Universidad de Twente, Países Bajos Para contestar la pregunta de cómo las empresas basadas en la tecnología habilitante aflojan las tensiones durante su proceso de desarrollo, nos hemos centrado en las tensiones relacionadas con lograr el equilibrio entre la necesidad de explorar los nuevos desarrollos para el desempeño futuro y la necesidad de explotar las posibilidades existentes para generar suficientes valores a corto plazo. Basándonos en la teoría del sistema social, indicamos que los emprendedores utilizan cuatro tipos de funciones para desarrollar sus negocios: logro de los objetivos, mantenimiento de las pautas de conducta, redes de contacto social y optimización económica. La creación de empresas sostenibles requiere el desarrollo de las cuatro funciones y los tipos complementarios de capitales (estratégico, cultural, económico y social) hasta cierto grado mínimo; luego deben equilibrarse de manera que la tensión de exploración-explotación pueda aflojarse de forma adecuada. Por medio de un estudio de casos prácticos del desarrollo de un sensor sonométrico ilustramos los cuatro tipo de funciones y la acumulación de capitales explorando un conjunto de tres proposiciones.

Spannungsmanagement in Hightech Startup-Unternehmen Eine Expedition in die Sozialsystemperspektive Aard. J. Groen Universität von Twente, Niederlande Ingrid A. M. Wakkee Freie Universität Amsterdam, Niederlande Petra C. de Weerd-Nederhof Universität von Twente, Niederlande Bei der Beantwortung der Frage, wie Unternehmen aus der Branche der unterstützenden Technologien Spannungen mit Spannungen in ihrem Entwicklungsprozess umgehen, konzentrieren wir uns auf die Spannungen, die aus dem Bedürfnis neue Entwicklungen für die zukünftige Leistung zu erforschen und dem Bedürfnis, bestehende Kapazitäten für die kurzfristige Schaffung von genügenden Werten auszunutzen , entstehen. Unter Anwendung der Sozialsystemtheorie schlagen wir vor, dass Unternehmer vier verschiedene Funktionen nutzen, um ihr Unternehmen zu entwickeln: Zielerreichung, Aufrechterhaltung von Mustern, soziales Networking und wirtschaftliche Optimierung. Der Aufbau von zukunftsfähigen Unternehmen erfordert die Entwicklung aller vier Funktionen und dem damit verbundenen Kapital (strategisches, kulturelles, wirtschaftliches sowie Sozialkapital) bis zu einem bestimmten Minimum; diese müssen dann so im Gleichgewicht gehalten werden, dass die Spannung zwischen Erforschung und Ausnutzung angemessen gemanagt werden kann. Im Rahmen einer Fallstudie, bei der ein Geräuschsensor entwickelt wird, zeigen wir diese vier Funktionen sowie die Akkumulation von Kapital auf, in dem wir drei Thesen untersuchen.

Keywords

entrepreneurship exploration—exploitation dilemma radical innovation social system theory

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