Management priorities of technology-based growth ventures in two Finnish high-tech business contexts

Abstract

There is a need for new knowledge about growth in technology-based growth ventures in order to strengthen business development within this context. This retrospective multiple-case study clarifies the context-specific viewpoints related to the early stages of technology-intensive companies in two cities in Finland. The research question is: What are the management priorities of technology-intensive growth ventures in Finnish high-tech contexts? Using the sequential incident technique and semi-structured interviews, the managers of ten companies were asked to describe their business growth. The study tests the applicability of a literature-based framework for the early stages of growth in technology companies and analyses context-specific viewpoints. By taking account of the context, the study provides new insights into the growth and management of technology-intensive companies as well as into the special characteristics of different high-tech contexts. Moreover, the results provide evidence of the applicability of the framework in the selected contexts.