Vækst forudsætter ledernes empati og passion

Lektor Tove Brink har skrevet artiklen ud fra forskning i projektet LIV, der er forkortelsen for Landbrugsrelaterede Innovative Virksomheder ’.

Artiklen understreger nødvendigheden af både empati og passion, for at ledernes ideer fører til vækst. Navnlig empati er en drivkraft, hvilket ikke er belyst kvantitativt i den øvrige litteratur omkring vækst i små-og mellemstore virksomheder (SMVere). 

Artiklen kan læses her indtil slutningen af maj 2016.

Projektets resultater – indeholdende de interessante aspekter i forbindelse med landbrugsrelaterede innovative virksomheder - har været formidlet både teoretisk, i form af præsentationer til kolleger i udlandet, men også praktisk i form af populære artikler, præsentationer og workshops/seminarer. Der er gennem projektet sket en udvikling og tilpasning i forhold til den praktiske udviklingskontekst, som projektets deltagere har mødt under forskellige kommunikationskontekster. Projektets teoretiske ramme er på omdrejningshøjde med de aktuelle internationale forskningsdiskussioner på feltet og kan forvente at vedblive at være relevante nogen tid fremover. Dette understreges af den interesse fra fagfæller, som Emeralds anerkendelse er udtryk for.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to enhance the understanding of the impact of passion and compassion on innovation and growth and, in this way, add to the current knowledge on organising growth in the context of networking small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

The research was conducted in three networks with a sample of 55 separate SMEs. Through a quantitative study, the anticipated positive impact of passion and compassion on growth and on intermediate innovation issues were tested.

Findings

The analyses reveal no direct significant impacts of passion (own-profitability and interest) and compassion (other-profitability and interest) on growth. However, compassion had a very significant positive impact on manager ideas, which in turn had a positive impact on growth. Passion also had a positive impact, but this was proportionally much smaller. Moreover, the ability to organise the dualities of passion and compassion made a contribution to growth.

Research limitations/implications

The results of the research enhance the understanding of an integrative approach of passion and compassion to innovation in a network context.

Practical implications

Networking SMEs can use the findings to better understand and organise own actions to pursue growth. Policy bodies can use the findings to motivate SMEs to pursue growth.

Originality/value

The findings of this study enhance the theoretical understanding of passion and compassion and their integrated impact on growth. In firm networks, compassion and passion have a dual impact with compassion being most significant to enable innovation and growth. A contribution is hereby made to organise growth in firm networks.

Keywords: Innovation, Growth, Compassion, Network, Passion, Organising

Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing Limited