Junior Management Science, Volume 9, Issue 3, September 2024

  1. Anna Smerdiagina, Lost in Transcription: Experimental Findings on Ethnic and Age Biases in AI Systems, 1591-1608
  2. Jaqueline Domnick, Authenticity and Brand Activism – An Empirical Analysis, 1609-1633
  3. Athanasios Konstantinos Kallinikidis, The Employees’ Entrepreneurial Mindset: The Influence of Perceived Supervisor Effort on the Employees’ Entrepreneurial Passion, 1634-1664
  4. Leonie Böhm, Motivations and Outcomes of the Anti-Consumption Practice ‘Stooping’, 1665-1680
  5. Lukas Hilke, When Does Marketing & Sales Collaboration Affect the Perceived Lead Quality? – The Moderating Effects of IT Systems, 1681-1699
  6. Hannah Franziska Gundel, Accelerator Impact on Peer Networking – Examining the Formation, Use, and Development of Inter-Organizational Networks Among Early-Stage Start-Ups, 1700-1732
  7. Anna Simon, Developing and Maintaining a Strong Corporate Culture, While Coping With a Workforce Growing Significantly: A Qualitative Analysis on Corporate Culture Development of Fast-Growing Start-Ups, 1733-1768
  8. Robin Spira, How Does ESG Rating Disagreement Influence Analyst Forecast Dispersion?, 1769-1804
  9. Christoph Weeber, Development of a Cost Optimal Predictive Maintenance Strategy, 1805-1835
  10. Alexandra Hanna James, The Munich Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in the Health Sector: Current State and Improvement Areas, 1836-1858
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Lost in Transcription: Experimental Findings on Ethnic and Age Biases in AI Systems

Anna Smerdiagina, Technical University of Munich (Master thesis)
Junior Management Science 9(3), 2024, 1591-1608

Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized industries and improved our lives in various ways. However, AI systems’ potential to amplify existing biases in society has become a major concern. This thesis explores the concept of bias in AI and how it can lead to discrimination, focusing specifically on the performance of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) systems in relation to the ethnicity (accent) of participants. The study collected 187 recordings from proficient English speakers of 55 ethnic groups.These recordings were transcribed via ASR systems and evaluated by the word error rate (WER) metric. The ASR systems selected for the study were Gboard (Android) by Google, Apple keyboard (iOS), and Whisper by Open AI. The study results show that ethnicity significantly impacts the performance of ASR systems, with some ethnic groups experiencing substantially higher error rates than others. The study provides evidence that ASR systems may not be equally accurate for all users. To address ethnic bias in AI systems, it is essential to take a multi-faceted approach involving technical and societal solutions. The findings highlight the importance of addressing bias in AI systems to ensure fairness, transparency, and equity for all users, regardless of ethnicity.

Keywords: automatic speech recognition; bias in AI; digital ageism; digital equity; ethnic bias.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5282/jums/v9i3pp1591-1608

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Authenticity and Brand Activism – An Empirical Analysis

Jaqueline Domnick, Freie Universität Berlin (Master thesis)
Junior Management Science 9(3), 2024, 1609-1633

The increasing relevance of brand activism, coupled with its controversial nature, poses challenges for brands. Whether brands should engage in activism and the significance of authentic engagement in this context are questions that need to be addressed. This study employs an experiment to demonstrate that authentic brand activism enhances attitudes towards a brand, with the perceived brand authenticity identified as a key driver. To achieve this, a definition of authentic brand activism is considered, emphasizing the interplay of purpose, values, corporate practices, and activist messaging rather than isolating actions. Furthermore, it is found that the influence of authentic brand activism on perceived brand authenticity is not affected by the moderators of involvement and skepticism. Additionally, preliminary insights into various forms of non-authentic brand activism are gained. This research contributes to the study of the effectiveness of activist engagement and fills an empirical gap regarding the authenticity of brand activism.

Keywords: attitude towards brands; brand activism; brand authenticity.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5282/jums/v9i3pp1609-1633

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The Employees‘ Entrepreneurial Mindset: The Influence of Perceived Supervisor Effort on the Employees‘ Entrepreneurial Passion

Athanasios Konstantinos Kallinikidis, Technical University of Munich (Master thesis)
Junior Management Science 9(3), 2024, 1634-1664

This paper examines the effect of perceived supervisor effort on the employees’ entrepreneurial passion. The study combines theories on emotional contagion, goal contagion, and self-regulation to explain the underlying mechanisms for occurring phenomena. Case-based research delivered the data to investigate the relationship between perceived supervisor effort and the employees’ entrepreneurial passion. The data revealed that proximity to the founders, entrepreneurial-relatedness of the employee’s tasks, and initial entrepreneurial passion work as antecedents of the combined mechanism of contagion and selfregulation. The findings suggest that employees are affected positively by the perception of high effort and negatively by the perception of low effort in their passion for entrepreneurship when proximity to the founders, entrepreneurial-relatedness of the tasks, and initial entrepreneurial passion are high. However, the perception of high effort can decrease entrepreneurial passion when employees were initially low passionate about entrepreneurship. This work contributes to the literature by providing a theoretical model that describes how perceived supervisor effort impacts entrepreneurial passion on an employeelevel outcome.

Keywords: contagion; employee; entrepreneurial effort; entrepreneurial passion; perceived effort.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5282/jums/v9i3pp1634-1664

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Motivations and Outcomes of the Anti-Consumption Practice ‘Stooping’

Leonie Böhm, Freie Universität Berlin (Bachelor thesis)
Junior Management Science 9(3), 2024, 1665-1680

The climate crisis of the 21st century demands new and sustainable forms of alternative consumption. Within the scope of this bachelor thesis, the emerging anti-consumption practice of “Stooping”, a form of second-hand consumption where items are placed on the street by consumers and can be freely taken and used by others, is examined for the first time. The aim of this paper is to explore possible motivations and outcomes of Stooping. These aspects are extracted from the existing literature on second-hand and anti-consumption and subsequently investigated through qualitative interviews. The results indicate that economic motives, hedonistic values, the simplicity of consumption decisions, sustainability considerations, the upcycling of found products, and the good quality of used products can serve as motivations for Stooping. Outcomes include an increased connection between the seller and the buyer, an increased connection between the buyer and the product, as well as a positive social perception of the consumers. Investigating new consumption trends like Stooping contributes to a better understanding of sustainable consumption practices and can help position them as conscious and deliberate alternatives to traditional consumption.

Keywords: alternative consumption; anti-consumption; second-hand consumption; stooping.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5282/jums/v9i3pp1665-1680

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When Does Marketing & Sales Collaboration Affect the Perceived Lead Quality? – The Moderating Effects of IT Systems

Lukas Hilke, Ruhr University Bochum (Master thesis)
Junior Management Science 9(3), 2024, 1681-1699

In the realm of corporate dynamics, lead management remains a relatively underexplored subject, despite its increasing significance and annual resource allocation. This study addresses the enigmatic „sales lead black hole“ by investigating the influence of enhanced collaboration between marketing and sales on the perceived quality of marketing-generated leads. A research model was crafted to delve into this relationship and assess the impact of contemporary IT systems on collaboration, subsequently bolstering the perceived lead quality. Findings reveal that active collaboration in planning lead management activities and exchanging information elevates the acceptance of marketing-generated leads, prompting increased follow-up engagement by sales personnel. IT systems play a pivotal role in fostering such collaboration, amplifying its effect on the perceived quality of leads. This research contributes vital insights for scholars by dissecting key drivers of perceived lead quality and proposing solutions for the sales lead black hole. For practitioners, the study offers actionable implications to enhance subjective perceptions of marketing-generated leads, curbing resource wastage through improved follow-up strategies.

Keywords: IT-systems; lead management; marketing & sales collaboration; perceived lead quality; sales engagement.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5282/jums/v9i3pp1681-1699

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Accelerator Impact on Peer Networking – Examining the Formation, Use, and Development of Inter-Organizational Networks Among Early-Stage Start-Ups

Hannah Franziska Gundel, Technical University of Munich (Master thesis)
Junior Management Science 9(3), 2024, 1700-1732

Developing, promoting, and managing networks is a core element of entrepreneurship. Yet, limited research exists on the inherent processes and interaction dynamics underlying the social phenomenon of network formation among nascent companies over time. I conducted a qualitative inductive study with ten founding teams over three months to gain new theoretical insights into inter-organizational network formation among early-stage start-ups in an accelerator environment. The systematically derived dynamic process model proposes a framework capturing different types of peer relationships that change in response to founders’ shifting personal and organizational needs over time. It highlights the accelerator’s intermediary role in orchestrating network formation among founders through strategic design choices and regulatory program structure, establishing a collectivist organizational culture. Findings point to the entrepreneur’s particular context in identifying relevant collaboration opportunities and navigating effective start-up networks, significantly informing the entrepreneurial career trajectory. The theoretical framework offers guidance for ecosystem builders, policy makers as well as opens possibilities for further research in social science and the entrepreneurial landscape.

Keywords: accelerator; entrepreneurial networking; inter-organizational networks; network orchestration; peer networks.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5282/jums/v9i3pp1700-1732

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Developing and Maintaining a Strong Corporate Culture, While Coping With a Workforce Growing Significantly: A Qualitative Analysis on Corporate Culture Development of Fast-Growing Start-Ups

Anna Simon, Technical University of Munich (Master thesis)
Junior Management Science 9(3), 2024, 1733-1768

The development and maintenance of a strong corporate culture are crucial for the success of start-ups, especially during their founding and growth phases. While previous research emphasizes the founders’ role in shaping corporate culture, the growth phase of start-ups in this context has hardly been explored. This study, based on 16 semistructured interviews with founders and managers of rapidly growing start-ups, provides new insights into corporate culture development and maintenance. The qualitative study reveals that various instruments play a vital role in shaping corporate culture during the founding and growth phases. Specifically, the founders’ role model function, the definition of corporate values, recruiting, and events significantly impact this process. Additionally, the study highlights that start-ups actively and consciously strive to develop and maintain their corporate culture as the company expands in size. Given the numerous identified instruments for corporate culture development in start-ups, this work offers new insights into a relatively unexplored environment, serving as a foundation for further research. Furthermore, the practical implementation of these identified instruments is demonstrated, contributing to the practical value of this study.

Keywords: cultural development; organizational culture; rapid growth; start-ups.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5282/jums/v9i3pp1733-1768

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How Does ESG Rating Disagreement Influence Analyst Forecast Dispersion?

Robin Spira, University of Bayreuth (Master thesis)
Junior Management Science 9(3), 2024, 1769-1804

The practice of responsible and sustainable investing has led to the incorporation of environmental, social and governance (ESG) information into investment decisions. The role of ESG rating agencies has been to facilitate decision-making by aggregating unstructured ESG information into a single rating. Market participants, such as financial analysts, rely on these ratings as part of their research. However, ESG rating agencies rarely agree in their assessment of a company’s ESG performance, leading to divergent ESG ratings. This paper uses an OLS regression model based on a large sample of firm data to investigate whether ESG rating agency disagreement increases analysts’ forecast dispersion. It builds on previous research by Kimbrough et al. (2022). The results do not provide sufficient evidence to support a significant relationship between ESG discrepancies and analyst forecast dispersion. This calls into question the importance of non-financial ESG information in analysts’ assessment of a company‘s financial performance.

Keywords: analyst forecast; disagreement; ESG rating agencies; ESG score; intermediaries.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5282/jums/v9i3pp1769-1804

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Development of a Cost Optimal Predictive Maintenance Strategy

Christoph Weeber, Technical University of Munich (Master thesis)
Junior Management Science 9(3), 2024, 1805-1835

Maintenance costs account for a significant share of operating expenses. Selecting the optimal maintenance strategy for each application is crucial to optimize operational processes and minimize MRO spending. In recent years, Machine Learning has become popular for analyzing large amounts of data and improving decision-making in various industries. This yields great potential in the field of Predictive Maintenance. In this thesis, a methodology to determine and compare the average maintenance costs per cycle for Reactive, Preventive, and Predictive Maintenance, as well as a Reference Case is developed. This cost comparison methodology is then applied to a realistic example of a fleet of ten aircraft. Unlike previous research, this thesis combines all aspects in one approach, from Machine Learning algorithm selection and RUL prediction, to the maintenance cost comparison based on a fleet of aircraft. The NASA CMAPSS jet engine dataset is used as an example. Results suggest that maintenance costs per cycle for Predictive Maintenance are 36.0 % lower than for Preventive Maintenance and 88.3 % lower compared to Reactive Maintenance. In general, this thesis serves as a guideline that highlights the necessary steps to determine the cost-optimal maintenance strategy for an application.

Keywords: machine learning algorithm; NASA CMAPSS dataset; optimal maintenance strategy; predictive maintenance; preventive maintenance; reactive maintenance.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5282/jums/v9i3pp1805-1835

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The Munich Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in the Health Sector: Current State and Improvement Areas

Alexandra Hanna James, Technical University of Munich (Master thesis)
Junior Management Science 9(3), 2024, 1836-1858

The study explores entrepreneurial ecosystems, which emphasize the impact of regional context on entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on the health sector. Given its innovation and knowledge intensity, coupled with industry-specific challenges, the health sector serves as an ideal case for ecosystem analysis. This research aims to qualitatively assess Munich’s health sector entrepreneurial ecosystem and to identify actionable recommendations for enhancement. To this end, 15 interviews with entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel investors and support organization members are analyzed through computerassisted qualitative content analysis. Results reveal strengths in demand, talent, knowledge, and intermediaries, while physical infrastructure, ecosystem leadership, and formal institutions score lower. The study provides concrete improvement ideas in the areas of financial support, incubators and networks, entrepreneurial education, availability of information and industry collaboration. These insights can be used to strengthen and expand Munich’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, contributing to economic, societal, and technological advancements.

Keywords: biotechnology; digital health; entrepreneurial ecosystems; entrepreneurship; life science.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5282/jums/v9i3pp1836-1858

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