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Three Bivalent Performance Factors of Hidden Champions: Ownership, Organizational Culture and Organizational Governance

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Abstract

No specific reason can be identified to explain the success of Hidden Champions (HCs) (Flören 2002; Simon 2009). Nevertheless there are a series of factors that can offer partial explanations. This chapter will focus on three of them: Ownership, corporate culture, and organizational governance. Each of these is a double-edged sword. Depending on how it is managed, it can lead an organization to prosperity or ruin. This thin line between success and failure involves strategic choices: to expand globally or remain local, to follow popular business models or develop new innovative initiatives so as r to break into new markets. An appropriate choice often makes the difference between a successful and disastrous company leadership (See Breu 2001 or Fredberg et al. 2008). This research project deals exclusively with success stories. Yet, we also stress the fact that in certain circumstances success can turn into failure.

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Correspondence to Arnold Walravens .

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Walravens, A., Filipović, N. (2013). Three Bivalent Performance Factors of Hidden Champions: Ownership, Organizational Culture and Organizational Governance. In: McKiernan, P., Purg, D. (eds) Hidden Champions in CEE and Turkey. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40504-4_4

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