تکنولوژی در کارآفرینی و مدیریت استراتژیک

Today, startups continuously seek innovative strategies to stay competitive and accelerate growth. One such strategy gaining prominence is crowdsourcing, particularly in the realm of product development. Crowdsourcing leverages the collective intelligence and creativity of a diverse group of individuals to solve problems, generate ideas, and develop products. This approach not only democratizes innovation but also provides startups with access to a vast pool of talent and resources. This letter delves into the significance of crowdsourcing in startup product development, supported by recent research and case studies. Crowdsourcing represents a transformative approach to product development for startups, offering cost-effective, innovative, and agile solutions to complex challenges. By integrating crowdsourcing with lean startup methodologies, startups can harness the collective intelligence of a global talent pool, driving continuous innovation and market relevance. As the entrepreneurial landscape continues to evolve, embracing crowdsourcing will be essential for startups aiming to achieve sustainable growth and success.

This study aims to explore how social media algorithms influence brand visibility and customer engagement for new ventures, identifying key strategies and challenges faced by these businesses. This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews to gather in-depth insights from 18 participants, including founders and social media managers of new ventures. Participants were selected using purposive sampling to ensure relevance to the study's focus. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using NVivo software, with data saturation achieved after 15 interviews. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify recurring themes and subthemes related to social media algorithms, brand visibility, and customer engagement. Three main themes emerged from the analysis: the impact of algorithms on brand visibility, customer engagement through social media, and challenges in leveraging algorithms. Within these themes, subcategories included platform-specific algorithm changes, content optimization techniques, timing and frequency of posts, interaction with algorithmic features, engagement tactics, content personalization, influencer collaborations, resource allocation, platform dependency, knowledge gaps, and data privacy concerns. Participants highlighted the need for continuous adaptation to algorithm changes, effective content strategies, and personalized engagement tactics to enhance visibility and engagement, while also facing significant challenges such as resource constraints and maintaining ethical practices. The study concludes that understanding and effectively leveraging social media algorithms is essential for new ventures to enhance brand visibility and customer engagement.

This study aims to investigate the role of digital twins in enhancing the efficiency, quality, and competitiveness of small manufacturers, identifying key motivations, impacts, challenges, and future benefits. This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews to gather in-depth insights from 28 key stakeholders in small manufacturing businesses that have implemented digital twin technology. Participants included business owners, operations managers, and IT specialists. The data were transcribed and analyzed using NVivo software, following a thematic analysis approach to identify and categorize recurring themes and concepts. The analysis revealed four main themes: Adoption of Digital Twins, Impact on Manufacturing Efficiency, Challenges and Barriers, and Future Outlook and Benefits. Key motivations for adoption included cost reduction, efficiency improvement, and competitive advantage. Digital twins significantly enhanced manufacturing efficiency through process optimization, quality control, and cost management. Major challenges encompassed technical barriers, financial constraints, organizational resistance, and regulatory issues. The future outlook for digital twins was positive, with potential long-term benefits and advancements in AI and IoT expected to further enhance their capabilities. Digital twins offer substantial benefits for small manufacturing businesses, including improved efficiency, quality control, and cost management. However, successful implementation requires addressing technical, financial, and organizational challenges. With continued technological advancements and strategic support, digital twins are likely to become integral to small manufacturers, driving innovation and competitiveness in the industry.

This study aims to explore the use of gamification in enhancing employee engagement within entrepreneurial firms, examining employees' perceptions, effective gamification strategies, the impact on engagement, and implementation challenges. This qualitative research employed semi-structured interviews with 20 participants from various entrepreneurial firms. Purposive sampling ensured that participants had relevant experience with gamification. Interviews were conducted until theoretical saturation was achieved, each lasting between 45 and 60 minutes. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using NVivo software, following a systematic coding process to identify themes, categories, and concepts. The analysis revealed four main themes: Perceptions of Gamification, Gamification Strategies, Impact on Employee Engagement, and Challenges in Implementation. Positive attitudes included enjoyment and increased productivity, while negative attitudes encompassed frustration and stress. Effective strategies included goal setting and rewards, interactive elements, and social engagement. Gamification positively impacted motivation, behavior, social dynamics, job satisfaction, retention, work-life balance, and innovation. Challenges identified were technical issues, employee resistance, resource constraints, and difficulties in measuring effectiveness and sustaining engagement. Gamification significantly enhances employee engagement in entrepreneurial firms by making work more enjoyable and motivating. However, successful implementation requires addressing technical issues, employee resistance, and resource constraints while ensuring continuous innovation. The study provides practical recommendations for leveraging gamification to foster a more engaged and productive workforce.

The objective of this study is to explore the influence of predictive maintenance technologies on operational efficiency in manufacturing startups, focusing on implementation processes, operational impacts, and the challenges encountered. This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews to gather data from key stakeholders in manufacturing startups, including founders, operations managers, and maintenance engineers. A total of 22 participants were interviewed, with the sample size determined by theoretical saturation. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using NVivo software. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify and categorize key themes and subthemes related to the implementation and impact of predictive maintenance technologies. The analysis revealed three main themes: Implementation Process, Operational Impact, and Challenges and Barriers. Within these themes, several categories and concepts emerged. The Implementation Process theme highlighted the importance of planning, technology selection, system integration, employee involvement, pilot testing, change management, and post-implementation review. The Operational Impact theme identified efficiency gains, predictive analytics, maintenance scheduling, resource optimization, and quality improvement as significant outcomes. The Challenges and Barriers theme underscored technological challenges, financial constraints, organizational resistance, skill gaps, data management issues, and the necessity of vendor support. The findings indicate that predictive maintenance technologies significantly enhance operational efficiency in manufacturing startups by reducing downtime, increasing productivity, and optimizing resource utilization.

This study aims to explore the role of e-commerce platforms in facilitating market entry for emerging entrepreneurs, examining the benefits, challenges, and overall impact of these platforms. This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews with 25 emerging entrepreneurs to gather in-depth insights into their experiences with e-commerce platforms. The interviews focused on various aspects of platform usage, support and resources provided, challenges faced, and the outcomes of utilizing these platforms. Data were analyzed using NVivo software to identify key themes and subthemes, with theoretical saturation guiding the data collection process. Five main themes emerged from the data analysis: (1) E-commerce Platform Usage, encompassing platform selection, initial setup, features and tools, user experience, and integration with other systems; (2) Support and Resources, including educational resources, financial support, technical assistance, marketing support, and networking opportunities; (3) Challenges and Barriers, such as technical issues, financial barriers, competition, and regulatory issues; (4) Outcomes and Impact, highlighting business growth, market access, brand development, and diversified revenue streams; and (5) Entrepreneurial Experience, covering the learning curve, work-life balance, community support, motivation and goals, and adaptability. E-commerce platforms play a crucial role in enabling market entry and supporting business growth for emerging entrepreneurs. These platforms provide essential infrastructure, tools, and resources that simplify business operations and enhance market reach. However, entrepreneurs face challenges related to technical issues, financial constraints, competition, and regulatory complexities.