Organisational learning capability,product innovation performance and export intensity

The hypothesis that managerial characteristics which facilitate the organisational learning process can provide firms with a basis for competitive advantage has received a great deal of attention. While there is evidence that organisational learning affects export intensity, we argue that intermediate variables, such as innovation, should be used in order to evaluate its impact in organisations. This study shows that firms with a higher organisational learning capability tend to be more innovative, and for this reason, they are more likely to export a higher share of their production. From a longitudinal perspective, we use structural equation modeling on a database from Italian and Spanish ceramic tile producers, worldwide leaders in terms of technology. The database combines primary and secondary data. The results support our theoretical conjectures. Findings improve our understanding of the antecedents of export intensity and are related to previous research.     

Users and radical innovation performance: the moderating role of the organisational context

This study investigates four key factors of the internal organisational context that moderate the relationship between connecting with users and radical innovation performance: performance management, autonomy, internal networking and organisation and culture to support innovation. These components define a firm's organisational context. A sample of Austrian- and Italian-based firms shows that the connecting with users–radical innovation performance relationship is amplified at higher levels of all the investigated elements of the organisational context. The authors discuss the study's implications as well as future research directions.     

Transformational leadership and absorptive capacity: an analysis of the organisational catalysts for this relationship

Research analysing the antecedents of a firm’s absorptive capacity suggests that transformational leadership (TL) is one of its main determinants. However, the few studies focusing on the relationship between these two variables do not explicitly assess why transformational leaders facilitate knowledge acquisition, sharing and retention inside firms. This paper suggests that the reason is that the former contributes to the creation of an organisational context that favours learning processes. We test our research model on a sample of 467 Spanish industrial firms. Findings provide evidence that TL is positively related to the firm’s absorptive capacity and that this relationship is mediated by some organisational learning facilitators: experimentation, risk-taking, interacting with external environment and dialogue.     

The effect of external partner heterogeneity on open innovation: the moderating role of the technological regime

There is widespread agreement that open innovation (OI) is strongly influenced by external partner heterogeneity. While previous studies have examined partner heterogeneity using quantitative analysis, the implications of a weighted assignment using an external partner heterogeneity index have received less attention. The purpose of this study is to develop a modified partner heterogeneity model. Specifically, using a questionnaire survey of Chinese firms, we develop a new method to measure partner organisational heterogeneity (POH). Then, the moderating factors of an industry's technological environment, termed the technological regime, are introduced. The empirical analysis shows that the technological regime is positively correlated with POH and OI performance. Hence, an advanced technological regime improves POH and OI performance by incorporating external resources and increasing innovation potential.     

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.     

External heterogeneity and its impact on open innovation performance

While current research commonly finds there may be an optimum overall level of search depth commitment at the apex of an inverted U relationship, it says comparatively little about the optimal allocation of search depth between competing search channels. Neither does it explore in depth the qualitative differences in the breadth of different external search channels. Here we conceptually and empirically explore the idea of the intra-search channel allocation problem using the concept of heterogeneity in search depth and breadth. We explore how variations in the distribution of open innovation search depth and breadth influnence innovation performance and in doing so contribute to a more fine grained conceptual understanding of external innovation. We do so an emerging market context, namely China. Our contributions are therefore twofold, involving both conceptual and empirical elements.     

Direct and configurational paths of open innovation and organisational agility to business model innovation in SMEs

ABSTRACT

Discussions on opportunities and enablers have remained lacking despite the continued growth of business model innovation (BMI) research. In order to investigate the formation mechanism of BMI in small-medium enterprises (SMEs), we proposed an integrated model, which included factors derived from organisational internal resources and capabilities via the resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capabilities view (DCV). Structural equation model (SEM) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) were utilised to test the survey data collected from 245 SMEs in China. SEM results support the hypotheses, except that on the impact of outbound open innovation on market capitalising agility and on BMI. The fsQCA analysis revealed that four configurations of open innovations and organisational agilities can sufficiently explain high levels of BMI, and two configurations of these factors lead to low BMI. The theoretical and practical implications of such findings were also provided.     

Product innovation and sustainable marketing: effects on consumer innovativeness

Based on the theory of sustainable marketing and time cognition, this study constructed a theoretical model among product innovation, sustainable marketing, time perspectives, and customer innovativeness. Using a sample of 290 consumers in China respond to a new energy vehicle, this paper examines the influence of firm's product innovation on customer innovativeness through the paths of sustainable marketing and time perspectives. The results showed that product innovation positively affected three dimensions of sustainable marketing, which then had different effects on present and future time perspectives. Time perspectives positively affected consumer innovativeness. According to the findings, this study discussed implications for theory, practice, and future work.     

Convergence and reorientation via open innovation: the emergence of nutraceuticals

The use of networked organisational arrangements to conduct exchanges is one of the most distinctive features of high-tech research-intensive industries. Advances in biotechnology and genomics research have enabled a generic technology platform that has fuelled a more ‘open’ approach to innovation and learning. This relies on collaborations between networked partners and allows for the convergence and reorientation of traditional sectors. This paper lends support to the view that some technologies can trigger a higher system level innovation, that is, in addition to the inter-firm level, an inter-industrial and inter-institutional level convergence and re-orientation process. This paper explores how this phenomenon is being witnessed in the pharmaceutical and food sectors and fast becoming a dominant logic in the emerging nutraceuticals industry.     

The impact of technology transfer on agribusiness performance in Kenya

ABSTRACT

This study examines how technology transfer can influence the performance of small businesses in developing countries like Kenya. The theoretical basis of the study is the technology transfer model, which integrates a consideration of the transfer provider with that of the recipient’s capacity. The study’s sample comprises 104 enterprises. Correlation and a regression model are used for content analysis. The results show that technology transfers improve small businesses’ performance and help drive rural development. The effectiveness of transferred technology has a major impact on small businesses’ competitiveness and access to international markets. These findings imply that governments must develop technology transfer strategies for small businesses in order to enhance both their performance and food security. Government policies for technology transfer should incorporate incentives for agricultural technology transfer to boost food security.     

Knowledge source strategy and enterprise innovation performance: dynamic analysis based on machine learning

By employing ergodic theory and applying the most advanced machine-leaning methods, this study exploits the rules of multi-dimensional, phased and non-linear dynamic evolution between the breadth and depth of knowledge sources and the innovation performance. The following conclusions are obtained. First, regarding explorative innovation, when both the breadth and depth of the knowledge source are at a low level, the enhancement of the breadth of the knowledge source may rapidly lift explorative innovation performance; when the knowledge source is at a high level, the theory of ‘ambidexterity balance’ is more applicable to find a balance between the breadth and the depth of the knowledge source for the enhancement of explorative innovation performance. Second, in terms of exploitative innovation, ‘ambidexterity balance’ theory can be applied at all levels. In other words, the balance of the breadth and the depth of the knowledge sources greatly enhances the exploitative innovation performance.     

Biotechnology as a low-level-of-coherence policy priority: effectual-targeting and the need for learning and experimentation capabilities

During the last two decades, policymakers in various positions have been adopting a systems-approach to policy thinking. However, in contrast with the quasi-evolutionary way in which policy is thought of and conceptualised it seems that policy doing is still being guided by ‘market-failure’ justifications causing actual policies to remain narrow in their scope. In this paper we sidestep this analytical divide of thinking/doing by developing a co-evolutionary framework that utilises a more productive analytical divide of means/ends. That is to say we focus on a process of co-evolution of a higher-order, one which takes place ‘inside’ the agent of policy herself, and involves changes in the ways ‘means’ and ‘ends’ are understood and acted upon. Conceptualising policy problems in terms of means/ends contributes to current debates by rendering the difficulty that countries are facing in their attempts to prioritise biotechnology more intelligible and thus manageable.     

The outsourcing productivity paradox: total outsourcing, organisational innovation, and long run productivity growth

A growing number of empirical studies find a relationship between the outsourcing of activities and a long term loss of firm productivity growth. The paper addresses this outsourcing productivity paradox by examining the connection between total outsourcing and organisational innovation. We present a model of organisational innovation in which managers raise productive efficiency by identifying organisational architectures that more effectively integrate value-adding activities and administrative routines. As part of this process, managers can internally or externally source an activity. Simulations of the model show that large scale outsourcing restricts the scope for future organisational innovation, leading to lower productivity growth. The findings accord with the empirical data and provide a salutary warning for managers and policy-makers about the long term implications of total outsourcing.

Modes of international activities and the innovativeness of firms: an empirical analysis based on the Japanese National Innovation Survey for 2009

We quantitatively examine the factors which account for differences in innovation output depending on the mode of international activities, employing the innovation accounting framework proposed by Mairesse and Mohnen [2001. To be or not to be innovative: An exercise in measurement. NBER Working Paper No. 8644. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research; 2002. “Accounting for Innovation and Measuring Innovativeness: An Illustrative Framework and an Application.” American Economic Review 92 (2): 226–230]. We find that internationally engaged firms use more innovation inputs and generate more innovation outputs. Firms with R&D establishments abroad show the best innovation performance. A significant part of the higher innovation performance of internationally engaged firms can be explained by their greater intra-firm knowledge spillovers, R&D intensity, perceived competitive pressure, and proximity to basic research. However, more importantly, our innovation efficiency analysis suggests that engagement in international activities increases the sales amount of innovative products though it does not necessarily raise the probability that a firm successfully develops a new product or process.     

Moocs视野下工学结合会计实践创新模式

随着中国2013MOOCs元年的开启,MOOCs对中国的高等教育正在产生划时代的影响,在此背景下,依托MOOCs教学平台,研究工学结合会计实践教学创新模式,构建MOOCs视野下新型会计实践路径。     

Persistence of product innovation: comparing breakthrough and incremental product innovation

In this paper we examine whether and to what extent breakthrough and incremental product innovation is persistent at the firm level. Drawing on a panel database created from the Community Innovation Survey (CIS) we find that lagged breakthrough product innovation ‘new to the market’, has a significant and positive influence on firms’ ability to develop current breakthrough innovation, while this is not the case for incremental-product innovation ‘only new to the firm’. Our findings show that the dynamics of innovation persistence differ across types of (product) innovations.     

The impact of product innovation on firm-level markup and productivity: evidence from China

This article empirically evaluates the impact of product innovation on firms’ markup and productivity. Based on a large sample of Chinese manufacturing firms, we estimate firm-level markup using the wedge between output elasticities of intermediate input and its cost share in total revenue. Firm productivity is measured as revenue productivity and adjusted with the estimated markup. The results suggest that product innovation increases firm-level markup and revenue productivity. However, the effect of product innovation on the adjusted productivity is mostly negative or insignificant. The observed relationships also vary in response to market structures. Our results indicate that the positive impact of product innovation on revenue productivity is mainly driven by price-cost markup changes rather than physical productivity improvements. Our study suggests the widely observed positive relationship between product innovation and revenue productivity should be interpreted with caution.     

The impact of compatibility on innovation in markets with network effects

ABSTRACT

This article analyses the relationship between compatibility and innovation in markets with network effects using a model of competition with endogenous R&D, commercialization and compatibility. Compatibility is a mutual decision between firms and demand is partially dependent on overall consumption across compatible networks. Incumbent acquisition of an innovation or profit from entry provides entrepreneurs with an incentive for developing technological improvements and entrepreneurs receive greater returns if larger incumbents offer compatibility with their installed base. But for sufficiently weak network effects a large incumbent increases demand for its own product by denying compatibility to rivals. As a result, a credible threat of incompatibility reduces the entrepreneur's reserve to sell an innovation, but can also increase offers from smaller incumbents to acquire the innovation if it also avoids an incompatibility response from a larger incumbent. In response, entrepreneurs adjust their research effort in order to target a favourable compatibility regime that maximizes profit from entry or offers to acquire the innovation from incumbents. This leads to a complex relationship between the strength of network effects, innovation incentives, the entrepreneur's ambition for improvement and potentially disrupting the compatibility regime.     

A model of innovation and learning with involuntary spillovers and absorptive capacity

We develop a model of innovation and learning that incorporates explicitly the need for a firm to conduct its own research and development (R&D) in order to realize involuntary spillovers from other firms’ R&D activity and the development of absorptive capacity of research firms over time. The conclusions of the model follow directly from the functional forms that are used to describe the generation and absorption of technological knowledge. The first proposition formally characterizes the steady-state rate of growth of technology for the model. The analysis also shows how some of the key features of two distinct, pure modes of organization of the production of new knowledge, the R&D model and the new localized knowledge model, are implied by our model by simply drastically changing the relative magnitude of two exogenous parameters: the ease of learning and the pace of knowledge advance. The second proposition formally characterizes the connections implied by the model between involuntary spillovers and absorptive capacity. Analysis of the long-term interactions between involuntary spillovers of knowledge and absorptive capacity provides the essential insights into an understanding of the elements of a self-sustained process of endogenous growth. The third and last formal proposition of this paper accommodates firm-level arguments and the crucial role of a firm's absorptive capacity in taking advantage of its location in clusters, as implied by the theoretical model.     

The role of contracts and intellectual property rights in open innovation

Our exploratory empirical study, based on interviews and a survey of firms, addresses a number of questions on the role of formal contracts and intellectual property rights (IPR) in the context of firm-to-firm open innovation (OI). We find that firms active in OI have a very strong preference for the governance of their OI relationships with other firms through formal contracts. Also, despite the open nature of OI, firms still see IPR as highly relevant to the protection of their innovative capabilities. We find the degree of openness of firms, their formal legal attitude, and the competitive dynamics of their product market environment to be related to the preference of OI firms for IPR. Furthermore, the strength of firms’ internal R&D capabilities increases the positive relationship between openness and the preference for IPR.