The effect of environmental complexity and environmental dynamism on lean practices

Increasingly manufacturers implement lean practices to improve operational performance. In addition, manufacturers operate in ever more complex and volatile environments. This research investigates the effects of environmental complexity and dynamism on lean operations and lean purchasing practices. It empirically examines these relationships using archival and survey data from 126 manufacturers. The results show that environmental complexity positively moderates the effects of lean operations and lean purchasing on performance. However, environmental dynamism reduces the benefits of lean operations on performance, but enhances the benefits of lean purchasing on performance. Robustness tests further confirm the contingent effects of complexity and dynamism on lean operations and lean purchasing. This research offers a more nuanced understanding of the effect of external environmental context on lean practices, and suggests that practitioners should carefully consider the external environment when implementing different types of lean practices.     

Environmental dynamism,human resource flexibility,and firm performance: analysis of a multi-level causal model

While strategic HRM scholars have conceptualized HR flexibility as an important source of sustainable superior firm performance in dynamic environments, the process through which HR flexibility creates value for the firm has not been empirically investigated. Based on a study of 98 manufacturing and 103 service firms from a wide array of industries in India, this paper attempts to illuminate the black box of causal linkages between environmental dynamism, flexibility of human assets, and firm level human-, operational-, and financial-outcomes by developing and testing a multi-level causal model. Evidence indicates that HR flexibility mediates the influence of environmental dynamism on firm performance and that irrespective of the nature of the industry and the degree of environmental turbulence, superior firm performance ensues when HR flexibility as actually possessed by the firm matches the environmental demands for such flexibility as perceived by the firm managers. The results also support the notion of HR value chain that postulates that HR system has direct impact on firm-level HR outcomes which are most proximal, and its effects on increasingly more distal operational- and financial-outcomes are mediated by HR outcomes. The findings of the study suggest that HR practices as a system have both direct and indirect (mediated by behavioral flexibility) effects on firm-level HR outcomes. Existence of significant direct effects signifies that HR practices play an important role as a structural mechanism in achieving superior firm performance.     

Building manufacturing flexibility with strategic suppliers and contingent effect of product dynamism on customer satisfaction

A critical capability sought by an increasing number of firms is manufacturing flexibility, because it allows to effectively respond to dynamic markets. Grounded upon a supply chain perspective, this paper aims to assess antecedents of manufacturing flexibility that stem from the upstream relationships with strategic suppliers. Additionally, it is one of the first to analyze the contingent effect of product dynamism on the impact of manufacturing flexibility on downstream customer satisfaction. We apply structural equation modeling to a sample of 155 companies in order to analyze our hypotheses. Results strongly indicate that buyer-supplier collaboration facilitates inter-organizational learning that in turn allows organizations to develop manufacturing flexibility and increase customer satisfaction. Approaching manufacturing flexibility from a broader supply chain view thus pays off. Moreover, we apply multi-group confirmatory factor analysis to explore the contingent effect of product dynamism on the relationship between manufacturing flexibility and customer satisfaction. Results suggest a stronger impact of manufacturing flexibility on performance in the context of higher product dynamism in companies’ customer markets, confirming the importance of a contingency view to flexibility.     

The impact of open innovation on firm performance: The moderating effects of internal R&D and environmental turbulence

Researchers have identified open innovation as two dimensions, external technology acquisition and external technology exploitation. This study explores the direct and interactive effects of these two dimensions on firm performance and further examines the moderation effects of two factors (i.e., internal R&D and environmental turbulence) on the relationship between both types of open innovation and firm performance. Based on Chesbrough's open innovation model, multi-item scales were developed to measure two dimensions of firm-level open innovation. Survey results of 176 Taiwanese high tech manufacturing firms provide support for most hypotheses. The result shows that external technology acquisition positively affects firm performance, whereas external technology exploitation does not. This study also finds that external technology acquisition strengthens the relationship between external technology exploitation and firm performance. Both external technology acquisition and external technology exploitation are positively related to firm performance under high internal R&D investment and a turbulent market environment. However, technological turbulence only positively affects the relationship between external technological acquisition, but not external technology exploitation, and firm performance. The findings contribute to enhanced understanding of how the degree of leveraging open innovation dimensions depends on their complementarity, internal R&D, and environmental turbulence.     

The moderating effect of social capital and environmental dynamism on the link between entrepreneurial orientation and resource acquisition

This study attempts to define the four constructs identified in the title and examine patterns of interaction among them. It begins by demonstrating that entrepreneurial orientation influences resource acquisition. It then puts forward a set of parameters to assess the degree to which two factors identified as social capital and environmental dynamism affect an entrepreneurial orientation resource acquisition equation. The study finds that there are relationships between all four of the constructs, but in three propositions developed in the course of discussion it puts forward issues that may be clarified by future research, which from various angles could show how entrepreneurially oriented firms react differently from more established firms in terms of their acquisition of resources and interaction with social capital and environmental dynamism.     

信息技术企业市场竞争分析

由于信息技术企业的生产成本不同于传统企业,市场竞争的规律也有相应的不同。本文通过分 析规模大小不等的两个IT企业之间的竞争,证明在信息产业中企业的规模因素完全不同于传统产业。本 文详细划分了若干竞争阶段,由于成本的因素,大、小企业在不同的竞争阶段分别有着自己的优势。这些结 论可以说明现实信息产业竞争中的现象。     

Incentives to innovate in response to competition: The role of agency costs

This paper investigates the role of managerial ownership and incentive payment as potential drivers of innovation decisions by firms and as shifters of the competition-innovation link in the Russian manufacturing industry, where poorly protected property rights and a path-dependent market structure (typical for many transition economies) lead to a variety of outcomes. We use recent survey-based microdata for nearly 2000 non-listed companies in Russia. Our results suggest that managerial ownership, which initially evolved as a means of protecting against and resisting dysfunctional institutions, may stimulate decisions to undertake R&D and risky product innovations. Further, managerial ownership and competition are complementary motivations for R&D and innovation. Incentive payment to hired managers is a positive commitment instrument but has no impact on the competition-innovation link.     

信息技术影响企业绩效的机制研究

以解释信息技术的生产率悖论问题为起点,探索信息技术与企业绩效之间的“黑箱”问题。重点考察了信息技术影响企业绩效的内在途径和关联结构。着重通过分析信息技术对企业战略、组织结构、业务流程与组织学习这四条路径的影响,来进一步分析其对企业绩效的间接影响。     

The contingency effects of environmental uncertainty on the relationship between supply chain integration and operational performance

This paper extends prior supply chain research by building and empirically testing a theoretical model of the contingency effects of environmental uncertainty (EU) on the relationships between three dimensions of supply chain integration and four dimensions of operational performance. Based on the contingency and organizational information processing theories, we argue that under a high EU, the associations between supplier/customer integration, and delivery and flexibility performance, and those between internal integration, and product quality and production cost, will be strengthened. These theoretical propositions are largely confirmed by multi-group and structural path analyses of survey responses collected from 151 of Thailand's automotive manufacturing plants. This paper contributes to operations management contingency research and provides theory-driven and empirically proven explanations for managers to differentiate the effects of internal and external integration efforts under different environmental conditions.     

Classification systems and selection systems: The risks of radical innovation and category spanning

This paper looks at the relations between classification and competition, using the theoretical framework of selection system theory. In a particular competitive arena more than one classification system can be in use. The proportion of classification systems in use by consumers that are also in use by the dominant selectors is a determinant of the risks of category spanning and radical innovation. Furthermore, these risks can be better understood by taking into account whether the selection system has different stages occupied by selectors of different types and by looking at the relations between the selectors of the primary market and the selectors of these selectors.     

The political economy of environmental and social security policies: the role of environmental lobbying

Social security provides retirement benefits to the old at the expense of the working young, while environmental investment benefits the future of the young at the expense of the old. This paper presents a model incorporating this intergenerational conflict on public spending and considers the political determination of environmental investment and social security by focusing on the Markovian political equilibria. It is shown that (1) the political equilibria are generally inefficient, and (2) the introduction of environmental lobbying into politics may improve environmental quality but degrade lifetime utility in the long run.      

以“Altera亚洲创新设计大赛”为契机 推动大学生创新教育

"Altera亚洲创新设计大赛"是理工科专业大学生创新教育的重要载体。应用型本科院校应对竞赛工作加以总结,把"Altera亚洲创新设计大赛"活动与创新教育有机结合,加强专业建设,营造良好的校园氛围。     

环境不确定条件下企业动态财务能力的分析框架

分析了环境不确定条件下动态能力、财务柔性、权变财务研究的现状与不足,构建了动态财务能力分析框架。认为动态财务能力包括两个层次:第一层次包括财务状态评判能力、财务机会创造与识别能力;第二层次包括公司治理结构、组织结构和财权配置结构调整能力,财务战略及政策调整、财务资源整合能力。企业只有在正确评判财务状态、识别财务机会的基础上,适时调整公司治理结构、组织结构、财权配置结构、公司战略与政策,有效整合财务资源,才能实现环境、行为与价值的动态协调。     

The effects of internal versus external integration practices on time-based performance and overall firm performance

This paper examines the effects of integration practices on time-based performance and on overall firm performance (financial and market share). Integration practices are grouped into two categories: (1) external strategic design integration, which reaches across firm boundaries to involve suppliers and customers and (2) internal design-process integration, which comprises more tactically oriented, integration practices that match design requirements and process capabilities. First, regression results show that both internal and external integration are related to time-based performance, which in turn is related to firm performance. Thus, two indirect routes to firm performance are identified. Second, hierarchical regression reveals that integration directly affects firm performance even after time-based performance is accounted for. Finally, we found that the interaction of internal and external integration is significantly related to both market share and financial performance (after controlling for all other effects). This latter result suggests that the joint use of external and internal integration practices has a synergistic effect on firm performance.     

网络组织核心企业领导力与网络组织效率关系研究

因为网络组织对环境的适应性强于科层组织,所以越来越多的学者开始关注网络组织效率的研究,然而有关网络组织的运行效率,多是以契约机制为基础展开的.本文以非契约机制为研究视角,界定了网络组织核心企业领导力,采用结构方程的研究方法,探讨了网络组织核心企业领导力对网络组织效率的促进作用.研究得到以下结论:网络组织领导力正向促进网络组织信任形成、网络组织领导力以合作稳定为中介变量间接促进网络组织效率.     

Applying real options theory to HRM: an empirical study of IT software firms in India

Environmental uncertainties can impact the market value of a firm's human assets both positively and negatively, and make return on human assets uncertain over time. However, the strategic human resource management (SHRM) literature has so far focused almost exclusively only on the upside value of human assets of a firm. Real options theory can provide the process heuristics as well as the economic logic for guiding investments in human assets to create sustainable market value for firms operating in uncertain environments. In spite of the growth in popularity of the real options approach, no meaningful progress, however, has been made towards application of this approach to HRM. This study, using data from 108 IT software development firms in India, seeks to address this gap and make three important contributions to the SHRM literature: (1) operationalise the concept of HR options by identifying the HR practices that possess option value; (2) investigate how use of HR options affects firm-level performance; and (3) develop and test a causal model that links the various types of HR options that firms use to exploit uncertainties faced by them with the firm-level operational and financial outcomes. The results support the central hypothesis of the article that use of HR options by firms operating in uncertain environments would have positive impact on their operational and financial performance. Significant differences were observed in the nature of linkages between different types of HR options used to address different types of uncertainties, and the operational and financial performance of the firm.     

The national innovation policy effect according to firm location

The regional nature of innovation and innovation policy was investigated. The aim of this study was to determine whether the specific economic and institutional conditions of a region had an influence on the results of a national policy intended to support entrepreneurial innovation. The analysis compared the effect of the national R&D subsidies on the innovation effort of firms located in central regions, which concentrate an important percentage of the national innovation activity, together with those firms located in periphery regions. Significant regional differences were detected with regard to the national R&D subsidies’ effect and distribution. The central regions manifested a higher subsidy effect compared to the periphery regions. The results of this study have allowed us to conclude that the region plays an important differentiating role in connection with the final result of the innovation policy aimed at the entire national territory. Therefore, this study recommends including the geographical location of the firm in future evaluations.     

辽宁省绿色物流探讨

辽宁省具有得天独厚地理位置与港口资源优势,发展现代物流潜力巨大。为避免物流业快速发展对环境的污染,文中提出必须抓紧建立和完善辽宁省绿色物流体系,并采取积极的应对措施。从绿色供应链物流体系和企业绿色物流体系两方面研究辽宁省绿色物流体系。提出整合物流资源,发展第三方物流,推进供应链管理企业全程绿色物流管理等对策促进辽宁省绿色物流发展。