Technological discontinuities, competition and firm performance

This article discuss in a tentative way what determines the effect of technological discontinuities on the competitive position. of companies within an industry. Three cases of technological change are anahzed: the change from manual to romputer numericalb controlled metal cutting machine tools, the change from stand-alone machine tools to flexible manufacturing systems; and the change from non-cellular to cellular mobile telephony It is argued that the character of technological discontinuity affects market shares, by altering the barriers to entry and mobility, and by being more or less in accordance with the different firms' vision about the future, implying variations in the time needed to detect and accept the new threat or opportunity. A technological discontinuity that includes a new threat or opportunig. A technological discontinuip that involues a new generic technology which substitutes for rather than adds to the previous technology base is seen as being most disruptive. The time actualb available for detecting the need to change and to act is limited by the market growth of the new product (the 'speed of diffusion between users). The faster the difficulties is, therefore diffusion is the greater are the possinbilities that early movers will fain intial advantages. Furthermore, the faster the diffusion is the greater are the possibilities that early movers will build sustanable, volume-related entry and mobility barries.     

Firm growth in the Swedish retail and wholesale industries

To identify the determinants of firm growth in the Swedish retail and wholesale industries during 2000–2004, we analyse a sample of 400 limited liability companies using quantile regression techniques. Firm growth was mainly found to depend upon time-invariant firm-specific effects, supporting Penrose's [1959 Penrose, E. 1959. The theory of the growth of the firm, 4, New York: Oxford University Press.  [Google Scholar]. The theory of the growth of the firm (4th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press] suggestion that internal resources such as firm culture, brand loyalty, entrepreneurial skills, and so on are important determinants of firm growth.     

External technology acquisition in large multi-technology corporations

Based on different contractual forms and their associated degrees of organizational integration, a typology of strategies for technology acquisition (sourcing) is constructed. Based on a sample of corporations in Europe, Japan and US, it is shown that external acquisition of technology through various strategies increases in importance in general. Product case studies further show that external acquisition of technology is associated with technology diversification into increasingly costly new technologies. As a result corporations become multi-technological ('multech'). At the same time quasi-integrated corporate systems of innovation arise in which in-house R&D is managed together with a mix of strategies for external acquisition of technology, using various contractual forms. This presents new challenges to traditional in-house R&D management. Technology diversification is moreover shown to be associated with growth of sales as well as with growth of R&D expenditures. A high level of external technology acquisition presents risks that ought to lead companies to consider technology based product diversification.     

The processes of defining corporate responsibility: a study of Swedish garment retailers' responsibility

Despite extensive research on corporate responsibility, little research exists on how the inter‐organizational processes of defining corporate responsibility develop. In this paper, we present a framework based on actor‐network theory (ANT) for analysing these processes. The developed framework is illustrated in a study of the redefinition of Swedish garment retailers' responsibilities for workers' rights at suppliers' factories between 1996 and 2004. We show that definition processes can be characterized as battles for the right to interpretation, and that traditionally non‐dominant actors can, at least temporarily, win these battles and dictate the development of the processes for defining corporate responsibility. We also show that definition processes can take an exclusionary form prohibiting certain actors from participating. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Technology analysis and competitive strategy: the case of mobile telephones

This paper examines the validity of the strategic implications draun from the typology of generic strategies presented by Michael Porter. It is argued that the existence of technologies which simultaneously drive cost and performance make it possible to combine cost leadership and difflerentiation strategies, and yet be extremely competitive. The mobile telephone industry provides us with an illustrative empirical example. In this case, rather than a 'stuck in the middle' strategy, we found a 'luck in the middle' strategy.     

Entry into Swedish Retail and Wholesale Trade Markets

This paper examines, using a zero-inflated negative binomial regression model, what determined entry into the Swedish retail and wholesale trade markets between 1990 and 1996. According to the results, high returns on equity and low sunk costs seemed to attract more entry into retail trade industries, while recent entry and higher total industry sales were associated with more entry into both retail and wholesale trade local markets.     

Electoral cycles in MPs’ salaries: evidence from the German states

Members of parliament (MPs) often set their own salaries. Voters dislike self-serving politicians, and politicians are keen to please voters. In line with political business cycle theories, politicians thus may delay giving themselves a salary increase until after elections. We investigate electoral cycles in the salary increases of German state MPs. Using data for 15 states over the period 1980–2014, we find no evidence that increases in MP salaries are influenced by election cycles. Politicians can increase their salaries at any point during the legislative period without negative consequences. We posit that this may be because even those voters who are most disenchanted with politics likely understand that all politicians benefit from a salary increase and thus do not punish the governing party at the polls.     

Client Focus,Cooperation, and Coherence: (Re)professionalising Processes for Elderly Care

This paper suggests the study of professionalism and the professionalising processes within public sector organisations. Sociologists propose that professionalism is changing into a new variant developing under the premise of organisational management and control. This paper disputes the perspective that the use of management control leads to deprofessionalisation in terms of the routinisation of reflective professional tasks or weakened professional values. This paper proposes that, with client focus, professionals and accountants can cooperate and create coherence between management control system elements and professional values. This dynamic contributes to the retention of professional values and more reflective work procedures.     

Teaching digital models: secondary technology teachers’ experiences

International Journal of Technology and Design Education - In secondary technology education, models of artifacts, systems and processes, visualized and simulated through digital tools (digital...     

Net value created: measuring a non-life insurer’s performance

The measure Net Value Created (NVC) captures periodic deviations of planned for and realized net present values at a specific reporting date. Therefore, NVC provides control-related signals about the company’s performance additional to economic value added/residual income measures. In this paper we adopt the NVC to the Flow to Equity approach, commonly used in non-life insurance company valuation. In a multi-period context the NVC allows for an update of information over time regarding planned for and realized values and, it further allows for a separation of value contributions of the main insurer’s business units and value contributions due to a change in cost of capital. Thus, NVC is useful for value-based performance measurement in the retrospect and for strategic (investment-) decision support in the prospect for non-life insurance companies.