Dynamic managerial capabilities in micro-enterprises: Stability, vulnerability and the role of managerial time allocation

Kars-Unluoglu, Selen; Kevill, Alex; Trehan, Kiran; Harrington, Shelley

Abstract

This article analyses how dynamic capabilities are enacted in micro-enterprises and what role different parties and managerial time allocation play in this enactment. Drawing upon three in-depth case studies of micro-enterprises, we make three theoretical contributions. First, after arguing that micro-enterprises are likely to enact individual- or group-level dynamic managerial capabilities rather than organisation-level dynamic capabilities, we counter Teece’s warnings about the vulnerable nature of dynamic managerial capabilities. Second, we identify that how managers allocate their own time, is a core micro-foundation of dynamic managerial capabilities; we illustrate that failure to allocate time to capability enactment can lead to capability vulnerability. Finally, we introduce the notion of ‘self-damaging dynamic managerial capabilities’ – these being capabilities that damage established micro-foundations.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 13, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Nov 28, 2020
• Publication Date: Sep 1, 2021
• Deposit Date: Nov 20, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 19, 2021
• Journal: International Small Business Journal: Researching Entrepreneurship
• Print ISSN: 0266-2426
• Electronic ISSN: 1741-2870
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 39
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 507-531
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242620970473
• Keywords: dynamic capabilities, dynamic managerial capabilities, managerial time allocation, micro-enterprises, owner-manager
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/6804886
• Additional Information: Co-authors: Alex Kevill, Kiran Trehan, Shelley Harrington