Janice Byrne

• Shantz, A.; Sayer, M.; Byrne, J.; Dempsey-Brench, K., 2023, "Grand Challenges and the MBA", Journal of Management Education, June 47(3): 292 - 323.
  Abstract: Humanity is facing multiple grand challenges, compelling a myriad of diverse actors to interact, coordinate, and collaborate like never before. Business schools have a role to play in equipping future leaders to tackle them and we posit that to do so, leaders must be able to take multiple perspectives into consideration and look to the future while being morally aware. We carry out an in-depth audit of how MBA programs currently fare in this regard. We find that despite the urgency and salience of these transnational and intractable issues, little attention is paid to preparing MBA students to address grand challenges. We identify three barriers that may prevent educators from facilitating student acquisition of these competencies and conclude by proposing potential models of MBA programs for grand challenges.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10525629231154891

• Shantz, A.; Byrne, J., 2023, "A Tale of Trauma, Friendship, and Personally Relevant Research", Academy of Management learning & education, March 22(1): 32 - 39.
  Abstract: Shantz and Byrne explore how different manifestations of personally relevant research combine and interact in a coauthor relationship. First, they reflect on how their different real-life experiences helped them to generate new insights. They show how their lens switched from an entrepreneurship to a trauma one to see the data in new ways. They then show how their resolve was cemented regarding the centrality of entrepreneurship to these women's healing. Next, they turn to the reviewer questions that fueled heated debates between them. This is followed by the challenges of identifying one's positionality in research. They land on the importance of friendship between coauthors, particularly in the context of personally relevant research.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/amle.2022.0278

• Byrne, J.; Shantz, A.; Bullough, A., 2023, "What About Us? Fostering Authenticity in Entrepreneurship Education", Academy of Management Learning & Education, March 22(1): 4 - 31.
  Abstract: Entrepreneurship education can provide a space for exploring one?s authentic self. To investigate this, we employed thematic narrative analysis of qualitative data from an extreme sample: women survivors of violence. At the outset, the women storied that their sense of self was destabilized, yet, through the program, they began to understand and accept the self, believe in their own agency, and experienced a newfound vitality for their ventures and life. These conditions were amplified by the high-quality connections the women forged with one another, their mentors, and other actors associated with the program. We identify three different types of authentic endeavors?lived experience, reflected image, and rewritten meanings?that ultimately enabled the women to reflect their true selves in the ventures they created. This study extends prior research on authenticity by identifying the diverse ways in which authentic endeavors become manifest in entrepreneurial activities. We contribute to research on management education by explicating the program components and mechanisms that enable this to occur.

  Link(s) to publication:

  https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2020.0512

  http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/amle.2020.0512

• Rosenbusch, N.; Parker, S.; Byrne, J., 2022, "Hidden in Plain Sight: A Meta-Analysis of the Gender-Innovation Relationship", Academy of Management Proceedings, July 2022(1)
  Abstract: Are gender and gender diversity related to innovation, and if so, how? Prior research does not offer clear-cut answers to this question. To address it, we theorize several hypotheses and perform a comprehensive meta-analysis. We show that while women appear to be disadvantaged when it comes to innovation, gender diverse teams outperform homogenous teams in innovation outcomes. We also show that gender diversity is particularly beneficial when it comes to green innovations. By contrast, gender diversity is not significantly associated with innovation inputs.

  Link(s) to publication:

  https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2022.13593abstract

  http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2022.13593abstract

• Byrne, J.; Radu-Lefebvre, M.; Fattoum, S.; Balachandra, L., 2021, "Gender Gymnastics in CEO succession: Masculinities, Femininities and Legitimacy", Organization Studies, January 42(1): 129 - 159.
  Abstract: This article theorizes how CEOs ‘do gender’ in management succession and how this impacts their legitimacy as successor CEOs. Drawing on the analysis of seven incumbent-successor dyads in a family business setting, we document the multiple masculine (entrepreneurial, authoritarian and paternalistic) and feminine (relational, individualized and maternal) gender identities that both men and women CEO successors enact. We contribute to the CEO succession literature by revealing the different ways that CEOs can ‘do masculinity’ in their pursuit of legitimacy and also expose how CEO successors ‘do femininity’. In particular, we show how men and women CEOs enact relational femininity to garner stakeholders’ support as well as build alliances to temper change initiatives. We contribute to the gender and organization literature by providing an understanding of how certain ways of doing gender in organizations facilitate or hinder the legitimacy of CEO successors.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0170840619879184

• Byrne, J.; Fattoum, S.; Thebaud, S., 2019, "A Suitable Boy? Gendered Roles and Hierarchies in Family Business Succession", European Management Review, November 16(3): 579 - 596.
  Abstract: Given the importance of family business to economies and societies, the persistence of gender inequality in succession requires further exploration. While gender theorizing has penetrated mainstream management theorizing, its application in family business literature remains underdeveloped: extant research conceptualizes gender as an objective property of individuals, synonymous with biological sex. In this paper, we adopt a social constructionist approach and study four cases of family business succession, revealing significant insights into how gender structures successor selection. We show how gender dynamics are more complicated than a binary view focused on gender category would imply. Specifically, we identify how family members, through discourses and interactions, socially construct the successor role, and how this gendered construction of the role frames a hierarchy of potential successors. This hierarchy is based on the combination of gender category and the extent to which an individual's traits and characteristics are perceived to align with that role.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/emre.12298

• Jarrodi, H.; Byrne, J.; Bureau, S., 2019, "A political ideology lens on social entrepreneurship motivations", Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, August 31(7-8): 583 - 604.
  Abstract: The traditional literature regarding social entrepreneurship does not question the political dimension. On the contrary, it tends to de-politicize societal issues. A growing number of researchers underline how this perspective cannot address the complexity and the dialogical nature of social entrepreneurship. However, while there may be a case for incorporating a political perspective, there is currently no conceptual framework to systematically inform an empirical exploration of the role played by the political vision of entrepreneurs. In this paper, we use the concept of political ideology to offer a solid framework to show how politics can shape social entrepreneurs’ motivations. More precisely we identify three political profiles–anti-statist, reformist and neoliberal–which shape the motives to engage in social entrepreneurship. We take an embedded case study approach of 17 social entrepreneurs involved in a social innovation boot camp and reveal the existence of both, left and right-wing approaches in social entrepreneurship.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08985626.2019.1596353

• Lamine, W.; Fayolle, A.; Jack, S.; Byrne, J., 2019, "The role of materially heterogeneous entities in the entrepreneurial network", Industrial Marketing Management, July 80: 99 - 114.
  Abstract: Few researchers have examined empirically the dynamics of human–non-human networking and its importance for strategic outcomes, particularly in the field of entrepreneurship. In this paper, we use Actor-Network Theory to observe and investigate the role of materially heterogeneous entities in the entrepreneurial network. Building on the results of a four-year, multi-case study, this paper describes how an entrepreneurial network, beyond its social nature, is also a socio-material constellation. The symmetric treatment of human and non-human actors enables us to move away from the figure of the heroic entrepreneur. Our findings reveal various roles that the heterogeneity of actor-networks can play in the entrepreneurial process. We see on the one hand their power to attract and recruit new allies when they are aligned with the entrepreneur's vision, and on the other their ability to repel and block the new venture creation process when they fail to effectively translate what the entrepreneur has in mind.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2017.12.004

• Byrne, J.; Fattoum, S.; Diaz Garcia, M. C., 2019, "Role Models and Women Entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurial Superwoman Has Her Say", Journal of Small Business Management, January 57(1): 154 - 184.
  Abstract: It is suggested that more “role model” women entrepreneurs are needed. However, the gender gap in entrepreneurship remains. This study analyses the narratives of 51 role model women entrepreneurs to explore how they represent women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship. We found that in accordance with the contemporary pressure for women to succeed and perform personally and professionally, the voice of the (super)woman doing “individualized entrepreneurial femininity” dominates. The role models narratives obscure race, class, and age barriers; reproduce prevailing gender stereotypes; normalize discriminatory workplace treatment and depict entrepreneurship as an appropriate alternative for working mothers. Implications for policy makers are presented.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jsbm.12426

• Byrne, J.; Fattoum, S.; Giacomin, O.; Tounés, A., 2018, "L'intention de croissance et le genre à l'épreuve de la parentalité", Management International, June 22(4): 12 - 26.
  Abstract: Nous analysons dans cet article l’influence des responsabilités familiales sur l’intention de croissance des entrepreneurs naissants. A l’instar de Jennings et McDougald (2007) et Davis et Shaver (2012), nous accordons une attention particulière aux statuts parental et marital pour étudier l’intention de croissance. Dans la perspective de l’enracinement familial (Aldrich et Cliff, 2003) et des théories du rôle social (Eagly, 1987) et du soutien conjugal (Kanter, 1977; Nikina et al, 2015), notre recherche enrichit la littérature sur le genre et l’intention de croissance. Nous distinguons les femmes selon leur situation parentale et maritale dépassant ainsi la dichotomie homme/femme (de Bruin et al., 2007).

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.7202/1060834ar

• Byrne, J.; Fattoum, S., 2017, "L'influence du genre dans le choix de successeur en enterprise familiale", Revue de l'Entrepreneuriat, July 16(3): 229 - 254.
  Abstract: Comment le choix du successeur dans les entreprises familiales peut-il être influencé par le genre ? C’est ce que nous examinons dans cet article en nous basant sur les théories féministes. Il ressort de notre analyse portant sur quatre études de cas que les relations patriarcales continuent à déterminer « qui peut être un successeur » dans les entreprises familiales, les possibilités offertes non seulement aux filles, mais aussi aux fils moins « masculins » apparaissent dès lors limitées. Les attitudes paternalistes font que les filles reçoivent une aide pour créer une entreprise en dehors de l’entreprise familiale. Les tendances traditionnelles de la socialisation influencent les possibilités de succession des enfants, mais les attentes et encouragements du prédécesseur ne suffisent pas toujours à garantir l’identification du rôle du successeur. Nos conclusions ont des implications pour l’étude de la succession, du genre et du conflit dans les recherches portant sur les entreprises familiales.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.3917/entre.163.0229

• Byrne, J.; Canato, A., 2017, "It's been a hard day's night: Work family interface and employee engagement", Organizational Dynamics, April 46(2): 104 - 112.
  Abstract: Looking at the overall issues of work family interface for today’s employees, we ask whether and how family friendly policies (FFPs) in an organization impact work engagement and, in turn, whether and how work engagement influences an individual’s management of their work family interface. Drawing on literature that looks at stress and resource drain, we also consider whether a high level of work engagement can be detrimental to a healthy balance between family and work. Could work engagement, a variable considered as positive for employees at work, become toxic for an individual’s work family balance? In the remainder of this article, we focus on such questions and aim to enlighten readers on these issues, drawing on both practice and research.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2017.04.006

• Byrne, J.; Delmar, F.; Fayolle, A.; Lamine, W., 2016, "Training corporate entrepreneurs: an action learning approach", Small Business Economics, August 47(2): 479 - 506.
  Abstract: Although training and development is recognized as an important means to nurture corporate entrepreneurs in organizations, extant research has focused primarily on efforts to develop entrepreneurial leaders and nurture business creation in a school or university setting. We report on the findings of an inductive case study of corporate entrepreneurship training in a large multinational corporation. We explore the learning outcomes which participants experienced, and outline how an action learning approach enabled these learning outcomes. Our emergent model of corporate entrepreneurship training is based on an episodic view of training, recognizing that individual, group and situational influences, need to be considered if a more complete understanding of what makes for effective training in this domain is to be developed.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11187-016-9734-9

• Byrne, J.; Fayolle, A., 2009, "Corporate Entrepreneurship Training Evaluation: A Model and a New Research Perspective", Industry and Higher Education, June 23(3): 163 - 174.
  Abstract: This paper looks at corporate entrepreneurship (CE) training and proposes some insights for its evaluation. The literature review begins by outlining what corporate entrepreneurship entails and the rationale for a firm adopting a more entrepreneurial posture. Subsequently, organizational devices for encouraging corporate entrepreneurship are explored, with a particular focus on the practice of training. Assessing the effect of training programmes leads to the question of how the programmes, especially CE programmes, can be effectively evaluated. An evaluative framework for CE training initiatives is proposed. The paper draws on evaluation principles from three fields of literature – training, adult education and entrepreneurship education. This study focuses on the ‘changes in learners’ that occur as a result of training. The evaluation insights gained from these three fields are coupled with an individualized measure of entrepreneurial orientation to present a schematic of effective CE training evaluation.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.5367/000000009788640242

• Verzat, C.; Byrne, J.; Fayolle, A., 2009, "Tangling with spaghetti: Pedagogical lessons from games", Academy of Management Learning and Education, January 8(3): 356 - 369.
  Abstract: Governments are seeking to develop entrepreneurial competencies among today's technology, science, and engineering graduates. However, the creation of "bilingual" graduates who have dual technical and managerial competencies is thwarted by students' inferior teamwork and interpersonal skills. In education, what is taught is inextricably bound to how it is taught (Dewey, 1916). Current pedagogies in engineering education are insufficiently adapted to student learning style needs (Felder & Silverman, 1988), and the management component of engineering education remains underdeveloped. This problem is keenly felt in one French engineering school where students struggle with a team-based innovation project. We detail efforts made to equip students with teamwork skills by using games as a pedagogical device. Student teams compete to build weight resistant structures using only spaghetti sticks and sewing thread. Their written feedback forms the primary qualitative data for this study. Individual student interviews were subsequently carried out to further uncover potential learning outcomes. We found that students' responses to the spaghetti game were overwhelmingly positive. Their commentary also illustrates concrete learning of many crucial teamwork processes. Finally, we discuss what makes this pedagogical innovation work and how it should be further studied. © 2009 Academy of Management Learning & Education.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/AMLE.2009.44287936

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