BUSINESS ENTERPRISE
The integration of approaches. Theoretical dilemmas vs.
challenges of practice
A contemporary business enterprise (interchangeably enterprise, firm) is a subject of
research and studies carried out by economists, historians, sociologists, psychologists,
lawyers, to mention only the few specializations representing a large number of scientific
disciplines that explore the complex nature of a business enterprise. Simultaneously, the
knowledge of enterprise has been constantly growing due to the valuable contribution of
managers and other business practitioners, who are willing to share their experience with
all those that are interested in phenomenon of a business enterprise. On one hand, it
undoubtedly increases the common knowledge on an enterprise; on the other hand, the
variety of research assumptions, goals of the studies, empirical tools, and
interpretations make this knowledge somehow inconsistent, lacking a coherent framework
that would leverage its cognitive and practical usefulness. Such a framework is extremely
difficult to set out, in fact, it does not exist at present, and it seems hardly to be
ever introduced. Nevertheless, the attempts to integrate a scattering knowledge of a
business enterprise, especially in the absence of one, widely recognized theory of the
firm, are frequently met in literature and business practice, Those attempts confirm the
real need to develop an integrated approach to the firm, in both design and
implementation.
The need for approaches that integrate the growing knowledge of a business enterprise
underlies the origin of this book and determines its twofold goal: to analyze essentials
of a business enterprise (the firm) developing an interdisciplinary-based approach, and to
examine integrating usefulness of that approach, while applied to basic managerial issues,
like establishing, functioning, growth and development of a contemporary enterprise.
PREFACE
Part One. FOUNDATIONS
Czapter 1. PREMISSES OF THE ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE - How
did it start?
1.1. Historical nature of a business enterprise
1.2. Societal aspects of the firm
1.3. Economic foundations of a business enterprise
1.3.1. Team of people and set of resources
1.3.2. Entity that fulfills the needs of its environment
1.3.3. Link in the process of economic decisions
1.3. 4. Rationality of decisions
1.3.5. Risk factor
Czapter 2. ESSENTIALS OF A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH - How to look at a business
enterprise?
2.1. The firm concept and human's cognizance
2.2. Models of the firm
2.2.1. Economic model
2.2.2. Financial model
2.2.3. Sociological (behavioral) model of the firm
2.2.4. Organizational model
2.2.5. Technological model
2.2.6. Juridical model
2.2.7. Other models and concepts of the firm
Czapter 3. THEORY OF THE FIRM - Why does theory of the firm matter?
3.1. Introduction to the theory of the firm
3.1.1. Economic concept of the firm
3.1.2. Managerial concept of the firm
3.1.3. Theory or theories of the firm?
3.2. What does theory of the firm teach us? - major theories relevant to integration of
approaches to the firm
3.2.1. Economic theories of the firm
3.2.2. Managerial and behavioral theories of the firm
3.3. Integration of approaches to the firm - chances and limitations
Czapter 4. FROM AN INDEPENEDENT ENTREPRENEUR TO CORPORATE STAKEHOLDERS - Who is
Who in the Firm?
4.1. Entrepreneur and entrepreneurship
4.1.1. The essence of entrepreneurial approach
4.1.2. Entrepreneur and a small firm
4.1.3. Independent vs. corporate entrepreneurship
4.2. Major stakeholders in the firm
4.2.1. Elements of the theory of stakeholders
4.2.2. Owners of the firm
4.2.3. Managers
4.2.4. Employees
Czapter 5. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE FIRM - What is it all for?
5.1. Decisional aspects
5.1.1. Goals and objectives of the firm vs. objectives of its activities
5.1.2. Long-run vs. short-run goals and objectives of the firm
5.2. Goals and objectives of the firm based on its economic concept
5.2.1. Profit maximization and optimal decision making
5.2.2. Operational objectives and performance measures
5.3. Goals and objectives of the firm based on its managerial and behavioral concepts
5.3.1. Goals and objectives reflecting an interest of its managers
5.3.2. Goals and objectives reflecting diverse interests
5.4. Non-economic and non-quantitative objectives of the firm
Czapter 6. VALUE AND SUSTAINABILITY - How to balance interests, goals, and
activities of the firm?
6.1. Basic approaches to value creation and maximization
6.1.1. Marketing approach
6.1.2. Financial approach
6.1.3. Strategic approach
6.1.4. Major controversies over the value approach
6.2. Value as an interests-balancing idea
6.2.1. Concepts of corporate social responsibility and sustainable development
6.2.2. Managing for sustainable development
6.3. Value as an integrating idea
6.3.1. Premisses and assumptions of the concept of shared value creation
6.3.2. Managing shared value opportunities
Part Two. MANAGERIAL PERSPECTIVE
Czapter 7. CHOOSING THE FORM OF A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE - Does ownership matter?
7.1. Criteria of differentiation of business enterprises
7.1.1. General criteria
7.1.2. Ownership as a criterion to separate forms of business
7.2. Forms of business distinguished upon the ownership criterion
7.2.1. Sole proprietorship
7.2.2. Partnership
7.2.3. Corporation
7.2.4. State-owned enterprise
7.2.5. Cooperatives
Czapter 8. SHAPING THE ORGANIZATIONAL LIFE CYCLE - How do the growth, size, and
development of the firm interweave?
8.1. Starting and operating a new business - growth and change process
8.1.1. Organizational life cycle concept
8.1.2. Stages of life cycle development
8.2.1. Small firms vs. large firms
8.2.2. Peculiarities of a small firm organizational life cycle
Czapter 9. FACING THE CHANGE - How to manage the firm in a turbulent environment?
9.1. Turbulent environment and change management
9.1.1. Major characteristics of contemporary changes
9.1.2. Change management
9.2. The firm - an attitude towards changes
9.2.1. Models and approaches to the change
9.2.2. Resistance vs. propensity to change, leaders of change
9.3. Selected concepts of change management
9.3.1. Restructuring the firm
9.3.2. Business Process Reengineering
Czapter 10. DEVELOPING THE FIRM'S RESOURCES - How to build value and competitive
advantage managing resources and capabilities of the firm?
10.1. Resources and capabilities of the firm
10.1.1. Tangible resources
10.1.2. Intangible and human resources
10.1.3. Capabilities
10.2. Resource-based approach to the firm
10.2.1. Putting the assets and capabilities together
10.2.2. The concept of a resource-based view
10.2.3. Internal growth vs. external growth dilemma
10.3. Resource-based strategies of the firm development
10.3.1. Integration and in-sourcing
10.3.2. Mergers and acquisitions
Czapter 11. MEETING THE GLOBALIZATION CHALLENGE - What are the consequences for a
firm of growing beyond national boundaries?
11.1. Globalization as the source of challenges to the firm
11.1.1. Defining globalization
11.1.2. What drives globalization?
11.2. Reshaping the firm within globalization process
11.2.1. What drives firms to become global?
11.2.2. Becoming global - the stages of a process and organizational consequences
Czapter 12. HEADING UNKNOWN PERSPECTIVE - What will tomorrow's firm look like?
12.1. Emergence and development of a virtual firm
12.1.1. Expanded enterprise
12.1.2. Reinventing business around the Internet
12.1.3. Value co-creation
12.1.4. Internal perspective
12.2. Network economy and a virtual firm
12.2.1. Development of network economy and its major drivers
12.2.2. Towards the new paradigm of a firm - a synthesis
254 pages, Hardcover
