Firm innovativeness and work-life balance

Assessing firms’ innovativeness is not an easy task. The literature recognises a number of innovativeness indicators. Most of them are technology-based indicators which perform well in high-tech industries but might be ineffective in other industries where patenting is not usual or in which R&D budgets are low or not formalised. In this paper, we critically review previous innovativeness indicators and we propose a new approach to assess firm innovativeness that is based not on the role of technology but on that of people. This new approach focuses on the existence of work-life balance benefits that are connected with motivation, engagement and creativity in the workplace. We argue that this could be an effective complementary means to assess the innovativeness of firms. It could be combined with previously used indicators and might have considerable advantages such as their suitability for application in any kind of firm regardless of its technological profile.     

The impact of exploration and exploitation learning on organisational innovativeness among hospitals: an open innovation view

This study tries to explore the impact of exploration and exploitation learning on organisational innovativeness among health service organisations from an open innovation view. We developed several constructs including realised absorptive capacity (RACAP), breadth and depth of external knowledge acquisition and tried to explore the roles of these constructs in the influence process of organisational learning on organisational innovativeness. The mail survey was used to collect research data from top hospital managers in Taiwan. The overall valid response rate was 44.23%. We applied a structural equation model to test the research hypothesis. Results indicated the breadth and depth of external knowledge acquisition would affect organisational innovativeness through RACAP. Exploration learning had a directly positive influence on RACAP and also had an indirect impact through the mediation of breadth and depth of external knowledge acquisition among health service organisations.     

Capabilities, Structures and Strategies Re-Examined: Incumbent Firms and the Emergence of Complex Product Systems (CoPS) in Mature Industries

This paper re-examines theories about firm capabilities, industrial co-ordination and competitive strategies in the context of Complex Product Systems (CoPS). In particular, it looks at the applicability of concepts of technological and organisational capabilities, transaction and governance cost analysis and industry lifecycle models to the performance of mature industries under conditions of technological change. It does so in the light of empirical evidence from one sector of a mature but fast-changing industry in which CoPS are currently emerging: offset lithographic print and publishing technologies—the capital goods and systems used to produce printed mass media, particularly newspapers. In this sector of the graphic arts industries, three major incumbent producer firms which were previously similar had each begun to pursue different capabilities, structures and strategies, with apparent success. The complexity of CoPS and of the organisational arrangements for their design, development and commissioning are capable of supporting a wide variety of firm capabilities, structures and strategies.     

Capabilities,Structures and Strategies Re-Examined: Incumbent Firms and the Emergence of Complex Product Systems (CoPS) in Mature Industries

This paper re-examines theories about firm capabilities, industrial co-ordination and competitive strategies in the context of Complex Product Systems (CoPS). In particular, it looks at the applicability of concepts of technological and organisational capabilities, transaction and governance cost analysis and industry lifecycle models to the performance of mature industries under conditions of technological change. It does so in the light of empirical evidence from one sector of a mature but fast-changing industry in which CoPS are currently emerging: offset lithographic print and publishing technologies—the capital goods and systems used to produce printed mass media, particularly newspapers. In this sector of the graphic arts industries, three major incumbent producer firms which were previously similar had each begun to pursue different capabilities, structures and strategies, with apparent success. The complexity of CoPS and of the organisational arrangements for their design, development and commissioning are capable of supporting a wide variety of firm capabilities, structures and strategies.     

The impact of old technologies on innovation: the case of the US biotechnology industry

This paper investigates the implications of a technology sourcing strategy maintaining a focus on the rediscovery of old technologies. Specifically, we study the different impact exerted by old technological solutions, distinguished on the basis of their organisational and industrial origins, on the innovation value. We develop a set of hypotheses about the impact exerted by four distinct types of old technological solutions (firm core technological heritage, firm lateral technological heritage, competitors’ technological heritage and others’ technological heritage) and test them on a sample of 1189 biotechnology patents registered at the US Patent and Trademark Office from 1979 to 2002. Results strongly support our hypotheses, revealing that: (1) using both firm core technological heritage and others’ technological heritage has an inverted U-shaped effect on innovation value; (2) employing firm lateral technological heritage is positively related to innovation value; (3) a negative relationship occurs between competitors’ core technological heritage and the value of subsequent innovations.     

A Resource-based View of Innovativeness in Small Firms

The resource-based view is presented here as the theoretical framework for empirical research on the determinants of technological innovativeness in small firms. These determinants include the characteristics of the owner/manager (O/M) and the firm and some technological assets (resources and capabilities). Evidence based on case studies is used for the evaluation of their effect on innovativeness and their interaction. The study highlights the key role of the O/M and the importance of some of his/her characteristics. It also shows the impact of certain resources and capabilities. The O/M emerges as the orchestrator of resource accumulation and capability development in the innovative firms.     

A Resource-based View of Innovativeness in Small Firms

The resource-based view is presented here as the theoretical framework for empirical research on the determinants of technological innovativeness in small firms. These determinants include the characteristics of the owner/manager (O/M) and the firm and some technological assets (resources and capabilities). Evidence based on case studies is used for the evaluation of their effect on innovativeness and their interaction. The study highlights the key role of the O/M and the importance of some of his/her characteristics. It also shows the impact of certain resources and capabilities. The O/M emerges as the orchestrator of resource accumulation and capability development in the innovative firms.     

The Impact of Competition and Trade Unions on Workplace Reform and Organisational and Technological Change

This article addresses two research questions, firstly to test the hypothesis that organisational and technological changes are more likely to occur in the traded goods sector, in the private sector relative to the public sector and in more competitive product markets. Secondly, to examine whether trade unions have a positive or negative effect on the implementation of different types of workplace reforms, and organisational and technological changes. The analysis supports the hypothesis that workplaces in the traded goods sector are more likely to implement organisational and technological changes. It also indicates that workplaces in the private sector are more likely to implement certain types of reforms, whereas workplaces in the public sector are more likely to implement others. However, this study does not provide conclusive evidence that competitive pressure in product markets increases the probability that a firm will implement each workplace reform mentioned in this study. The evidence on unions provides tentative support to the view that more unionised workplaces are less likely to implement the reforms in question.     

创新环境激励与企业成长:基于中部创新型企业的实证

从国内外科技型企业成长与激励的理论综述入手,通过对我国中部地区128家创新型企业的问卷调查,对创新型企业成长的外部创新环境激励模型进行了假设验证,揭示了科技项目引导、产业技术政策、科技金融支持、科技奖励与知识产权保护,以及区域创新体系建设5个方面的创新环境因素对企业成长的激励效应。研究发现,政府科技项目的合理导向、企业技术战略联盟以及功能完善的技术市场是促进创新型企业快速成长的最重要外部因素。     

产品创新性与创新绩效关系研究

在对已有理论基础和实证研究结果进行回顾与辨析的基础上，从企业视角出发，提出产品创新性与创新绩效间关系理论模型及相应研究命题。首先，细化两个构念维度，将产品创新性划分为市场、技术、组织和环境新颖性4个维度，将创新绩效划分为市场绩效和运营绩效两个方面，其中运营绩效包含创新速度、费用和质量。其次，对文献中已有实证研究结果进行剖析和对比，构建产品创新性与创新绩效间关系理论模型。最后，对产品创新性维度进行分解，对创新绩效进行剖析，可为理论发展和科学决策提供依据及启示。     

Firm exit,technological progress and trade

The dynamics of export market exit and firm closure have found limited attention in the new heterogeneous-firms trade literature. In fact, several of the predictions on firm survival and exit stemming from this new class of models are at odds with the stylized facts. Empirically, higher productivity firms survive longer, most firm closures are young firms, higher productivity exporters are more likely to continue to export compared to less productive exporters and market exits as well as firm closures are typically preceded by periods of contracting market shares. The present paper shows that the simple inclusion of exogenous economy wide technological progress into the standard Melitz (2003) model generates a tractable dynamic framework that generates endogenous exit decisions of firms in line with the stylized facts. Furthermore, we derive the effects of faster technological progress and trade liberalization on export market exit and firm closure.     

Productivity,innovation strategies and industrial relations in SMEs. Empirical evidence for a local production system in northern Italy

The paper aims to provide an original contribution to evaluating several kinds of relations between four areas of innovation activities – training, technology, organization, ICT (information and communication technologies) – and industrial relations and firm’s economic performance. Quantitative evidence for a SME‐based local production system is provided by exploiting two datasets: the first is derived from a direct survey carried out in 2005 collecting data on innovations, labour flexibility and industrial relations; the second is represented by a panel of official balance sheets data for the period 1998–2004. The analysis is divided in two consequential parts. We first examine the drivers of different innovation strategies and subsequently we exploit innovation indicators as potential drivers of firm’s productivity. The results show that training activities and organizational changes have strong links with many industrial relations indicators, thus emerging as industrial relations driven innovations. On the contrary, ICT and technological innovation seem to be more influenced by firms’ past performances than by industrial relations. The analysis on labour productivity drivers shows that training activities are the most relevant factors; then, ranked consequently, technological innovation, organisational innovations and, finally, ICT also appear to impact on productivity levels. It is worth noting that the role of ICT emerges more robustly when endogeneity is specifically addressed. Finally, the role of firm size seems here to be overshadowed by other drivers.     

供应商参与技术创新的效能提升机制研究

整合供应商开展技术创新具有低风险和快速成功的优势,但由于供应商未必会全力以赴地面向制造企业需求实施创新,供应商参与技术创新的效能往往难以达到预期效果。使用供应商创新性反映供应商参与技术创新的实际效能,从社会资本理论视角,探究制造企业通过结构、关系和认知形式的社会资本获取供应商授予的优先客户地位,进而激发供应商创新性的规律。基于186个中国制造业样本的实证研究表明,制造企业获取供应商授予的优先客户地位对激发供应商创新性的效果显著;制造企业与供应商之间的社会资本积累能够促使供应商授予其优先客户地位,但由于结构、关系和认知维度社会资本之间存在内在差异,作用机制有所不同。     

The effects of Information Technology on absorptive capacity and organisational performance

Information Technology (IT) offers many opportunities for firms to succeed. The aim of this paper is to present a model to reflect how technical IT skills and the use of IT in interdependent tasks may influence the development of organisational absorptive capacity, both potential and realised, which also affects organisational performance. Since knowledge constitutes one of the main resources for organisations to gain competitive advantages and helps firms to improve their organisational performance, absorptive capacity is a key factor in success. This model was tested empirically using a sample of 160 European technological firms. The results of our analysis suggest that the mastery of technical IT skills and the use of IT in interdependent tasks positively affect potential and realised absorptive capacities, which in turn enhances organisational performance. The study concludes by presenting some theoretical and practical implications, limitations, and future research lines.     

Foreign Direct Investment, Licensing, and Incentives for Innovation

In a two-period duopoly model, this paper considers a foreign firm's choice between licensing and FDI and studies the relative impact of these modes of technology transfer on the incentives for innovation of that firm and its domestic rival. Relative to licensing, FDI limits technology spillovers to the domestic firm but dissipates more rents in the product market. Internalization allows the foreign firm to build on an existing technological advantage. While the local firm develops its best technology if initial licensing is followed by FDI, the foreign firm transfers the most efficient technology under FDI in both periods.     

Industry R&D intensity distributions: regularities and underlying determinants

This paper aims to examine the nature of the distributions of firm R&D intensities within industries and explore the factors that underlie the industry R&D intensity distributions. In particular, following the seminal study by Cohen and Klepper (1992) and using some new and rich data on firm R&D intensities for seven industries across six countries, this study examines the regularities in the industry R&D intensity distributions and demonstrates, based on a simple model of firm R&D, that the industry R&D intensity distributions are governed by the distributions of technological competence, a measure of firm R&D productivity, which corresponds to the notion of the “unobserved R&D-related capabilities” suggested by Cohen and Klepper (1992). This study found that firm R&D intensities within industries are lognormally distributed, displaying a strikingly regular pattern across industries, that the industry distributions of the levels of technological competence are also lognormal, and that, based on the formal model of firm R&D and the notion of the unobserved R&D-related capabilities, the distribution of firm technological competence within an industry underlies the industry's firm R&D intensity distribution.     

The internationalisation of R&D by multinationals: a trade-off between external and internal proximity

Overseas production is frequently seen as a force inducing thedecentralisation of R&D. A complementary explanation canbe provided if we admit that the acquisition of knowledge isone of the key factors behind the internationalisation of R&D.Multinational firms which adopt such a technology-oriented posturemust create an external organisation that is designed to scanand absorb external scientific and technological capabilities,a process which we refer to as a quest for 'external proximity'.However, the multinational firm's external organisation shouldnot be constituted to the detriment of its organisational coherence;it should, on the contrary, be completed by the implementationof relations of proximity internal to the firm, which we referto as 'internal proximity'. From this perspective, the multinationalfirm that manages dispersed R&D units is seen as facinga tension - an organisational trade-off - between external proximityand internal proximity.     

商业模式创新、技术创新与企业绩效关系:基于创业板上市企业的实证研究

商业模式创新、技术创新都是企业提升竞争力和绩效的重要手段。以58家创业板上市企业为样本,对商业模式创新与企业绩效的关系、技术创新与企业绩效的关系以及商业模式创新与技术创新的交互作用进行了研究。结果发现:商业模式创新只对企业营业收入增长具有显著的正向影响,技术创新只对企业利润增长具有显著的正向影响,而商业模式创新与技术创新是互补关系,二者的交互对企业绩效(营业收入增长、利润增长)具有显著的正向影响。这些结果表明,对于企业特别是类似于在创业板上市的科技型中小企业来说,商业模式创新与技术创新对于企业绩效的贡献是不同的,只有综合推进商业模式创新与技术创新并形成互补关系,确保商业模式创新和技术创新完全成功,才能全面提升企业绩效。     

Organisational change, technology, employment and skills: an empirical study of French manufacturing

This paper analyses the correlations between technological change,organisational change and skill change using a survey on organisationalchange in manufacturing firms conducted in 1993. Considerablediversity is allowed for in terms of the measure of technologicaland organisational change, and the analysis shows a positivecorrelation between technological change and reorganisations,whatever their types. The paper then analyses the relationshipsbetween these changes and the employment behaviour of firms.It shows that changes in the required skills and in the occupationalstructure of firms are more closely connected to organisationalthan to technological change. Although organisational changeaffects the work content and skill requirements of blue collarworkers, it is mainly indirect workers that are affected interms of the number employed. Finally, the analysis shows thattechnology tends to stabilise the workforce whereas the movetowards the model of ‘flexible enterprise’ favoursits renewal.