dissertation in pdf-format - Aalto-yliopisto
dissertation in pdf-format - Aalto-yliopisto
dissertation in pdf-format - Aalto-yliopisto
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The development of high growth and highly successful SMEs 419<br />
Figure 3 Number of personnel <strong>in</strong> case firms <strong>in</strong> 2000 to 2009<br />
Note: Observations of HGS period with<strong>in</strong> rectangle<br />
4.2 Entrepreneur, management and ownership<br />
Baum et al. (2001) suggested that CEOs’ competencies and motivations are direct<br />
predictors of success whereas CEOs’ traits and general competencies had significant<br />
<strong>in</strong>direct effects on venture growth. The case firms show two patterns of establishment<br />
(Appendix 3). Three of the bus<strong>in</strong>esses have been established by former classmates or<br />
colleagues and the other two are the result of the efforts of <strong>in</strong>dividual entrepreneurs.<br />
Currently, three firms are family bus<strong>in</strong>esses <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g two <strong>in</strong>dependently established<br />
ventures Mummon Turva Oy and Pent<strong>in</strong> Paja Oy. Mipro Oy is the third firm where the<br />
other founder was bought out <strong>in</strong> the middle of the 1990s.<br />
Motivations at the start-up vary and are not self-evident and clear s<strong>in</strong>ce the oldest<br />
firm, Pent<strong>in</strong> Paja Oy, was already established <strong>in</strong> 1964 and is currently taken care of by<br />
the second generation. Orig<strong>in</strong>s of some of the firms are clearly opportunity driven. Mipro<br />
Oy made a thorough market study before decid<strong>in</strong>g on where to start activities: “the forest<br />
<strong>in</strong>dustry was the major customer of <strong>in</strong>dustrial automation. We made a market study<br />
and discovered that the large share of forest <strong>in</strong>dustry <strong>in</strong> F<strong>in</strong>land was located with<strong>in</strong> a<br />
150 kilometre radius from Mikkeli”.<br />
Push factor is evident <strong>in</strong> Mummon Turva Oy. CEO Jorma Hartika<strong>in</strong>en discovered<br />
after the recession that public services would be cut down and there would be a need for<br />
private efforts <strong>in</strong> that branch of <strong>in</strong>dustry <strong>in</strong> the future. “I was act<strong>in</strong>g as a head nurse <strong>in</strong> a<br />
large service centre. We had to th<strong>in</strong>k about how to cope with the recession. Then we<br />
discovered that one field of outsourc<strong>in</strong>g could be night work”.<br />
All the lead entrepreneurs had some entrepreneurial experience at the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g but<br />
the only firm where the entrepreneurs had start-up experience before tak<strong>in</strong>g the lead <strong>in</strong><br />
their current venture was BP Asennus Oy. All the entrepreneurs at the head of family<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>esses had vocational tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and some experience <strong>in</strong> the same branch of <strong>in</strong>dustry.