 Sustainability-driven entrepreneurship and high-growth SMEs: how to combine Davids' and Goliaths' worlds?Céline Bérard and Séverine Saleilles International Journal of Organisational Design and Engineering, 2016, vol. 4, issue 3/4, 195-212 Abstract: This paper aims to explore how sustainability-driven SMEs experiencing high growth can succeed in combining the best of the Davids' and Goliaths' worlds. An in-depth case study was conducted within a French SME, a pioneer in organic vegetable distribution that has succeeded in evolving from an 'idealistic David' to a 'high-growth David'. Research findings reveal two sets of key actions successfully carried out by this firm: the development of a hybrid organisation through a staff representing the skills of both Davids' and Goliaths' worlds, and of a learning organisation through exploration and exploitation. They also illustrate some challenges facing most high-growth SMEs and identify some specific tensions that can arise due to the coexistence of these two worlds, in particular value diversity within the top management team. Keywords: sustainability-driven entrepreneurship; high-growth SMEs; small and medium-sized enterprises; hybrid organisations; learning organisations; organic vegetables; case study; France; exploration; exploitation; top management teams; TMT; value diversity. (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:ijodei:v:4:y:2016:i:3/4:p:195-212 Access Statistics for this article More articles in International Journal of Organisational Design and Engineering from Inderscience Enterprises Ltd |
Is your work missing from RePEc? Here is how to contribute.
Questions or problems? Check the EconPapers FAQ or send mail to .
EconPapers is hosted by the
School of Business at Örebro University.