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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 25 March 2024

Pia Wäistö, Juhani Ukko and Tero Rantala

Organisational strategy becomes reality by connecting organisation’s resources and capabilities in daily operations, and physical workspace is one of the environments in which…

Abstract

Purpose

Organisational strategy becomes reality by connecting organisation’s resources and capabilities in daily operations, and physical workspace is one of the environments in which this takes place. This study aims to explore to what extent factors required for successful strategy implementation are considered when designing, using and managing workspaces of knowledge-intensive organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

For the study, managers in 25 large and medium-sized knowledge-intensive organisations were interviewed. The semi-structured interviews focused on organisation’s strategy, strategy implementation practices and workspace design and management. To form a comprehensive framework of strategy implementation success factors for the study, the factors of 11 frameworks were analysed, grouped and renamed.

Findings

Current workspace design, usage and management mainly support human-related strategy implementation factors. However, both organisation- and human-related factors are needed for the strategy implementation to be successful. Therefore, the organisations studied may have unused potential in their workspaces to ensure strategy-aligned operations and behaviour.

Practical implications

Due to the potential imbalance between organisation- and human-related strategy implementation factors, a more holistic, organisational-level approach to workspace design, usage and management is recommended to ensure the success of strategy implementation.

Originality/value

Workspaces have extensively been studied from individual strategy implementation factors’ as well as employees’ perspectives. Prior to this work, there are only few studies exploring workspace in the holistic, strategy implementation context.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 5 August 2022

Ilona Toth, Sanna Heinänen and Aino Kianto

In response to a growing interest in worker well-being in a work-life which is experiencing fundamental transformations, this paper builds and tests a research model on the role…

1333

Abstract

Purpose

In response to a growing interest in worker well-being in a work-life which is experiencing fundamental transformations, this paper builds and tests a research model on the role of psychological capital (PsyCap) in three different forms of engagement at work. Engagement at work has been identified as one of the most significant drivers of successful work performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from 396 highly specialized knowledge workers through anonymous questionnaires. Research hypotheses were tested with linear models.

Findings

Analysis results indicate that all three forms of engagement are affected by PsyCap which consists of self-efficacy, resilience, hope and optimism, but the effect of individual dimensions is not the same for different forms of engagement at work.

Practical implications

It is argued that paying more attention to personal resources, such as the dimensions of PsyCap, and acknowledging diversity among individual workers offer possibilities for increasing employee performance. HR personnel can benefit organizational performance by boosting different dimensions of employees’ PsyCap for different engagement purposes.

Originality/value

This paper takes a wider perspective on engagement at work, arguing that also organization engagement and social engagement, together with work engagement, are important factors for employee well-being and performance in work society.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. 52 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 27 June 2024

Alissa Lysanne van Zijl and Ferry Koster

This study has the following aims. First, it tries to clarify the relationship between global value chain (GVC) participation and innovation performance. To date, research…

Abstract

Purpose

This study has the following aims. First, it tries to clarify the relationship between global value chain (GVC) participation and innovation performance. To date, research generated mixed results. Secondly, it explores a novel way of investigating GVC participation by focusing on the sectoral level in which organizations operate using the concept of GVC embeddedness, which has not been investigated to date.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from two sources are combined. The European Company Survey of 2019 provides data about the innovation performance of organizations. These data include measures about production and process. At the sectoral level, these company-level data are combined with data from the Trade in Value Added from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In total, more than 20,000 companies were investigated, which operate in 15 sectors in 28 countries. This three-level structure is analysed using multilevel ordered probit analyses.

Findings

The results show that forward participation and backward participation at the sectoral level are positively related to product innovation and process innovation. The probability of not being engaged in innovation is reduced through GVC embeddedness. And, the probability of generating incremental and radical innovations (both regarding products and processes) increases if GVC participating at the sectoral level is higher.

Originality/value

This study is the first to relate sectoral GVC embeddedness to the innovation performance of organizations.

Details

European Journal of Management Studies, vol. 29 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2183-4172

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 20 March 2023

Malin Härström

This paper examines the qualities of situations wherein hybrid professionals in knowledge-intensive public organizations (KIPOs) vary in their displays of conflicting…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper examines the qualities of situations wherein hybrid professionals in knowledge-intensive public organizations (KIPOs) vary in their displays of conflicting institutional logics. Specifically, it examines the situations when individual researchers vary in their displays of a traditionalist academic- and an academic performer logic.

Design/methodology/approach

Analysis is grounded in an institutional logics perspective and founded on qualitative interviews with university researchers recurrently exposed to performance measurement and management.

Findings

The findings show that individual researchers display a traditionalist academic- and an academic performer logic in situations of lower or higher “perceived control exposure” (i.e. perceptions of (not) being exposed to “what the performance measurement system wants to/can ‘see’”). In more detail, that a traditionalist academic logic is displayed more in situations of lower “perceived control exposure” whereas an academic performer logic is displayed comparatively more in situations of higher “perceived control exposure”.

Originality/value

These findings add insight into when there is room for resistance to pressures to perform in accordance with increasing performance measurement and when researchers more so tend to conform. While previous research has mostly studied such matters by emphasizing variation between researchers, this study points out the importance of situations of lower or higher “perceived control exposure”. Such insight is arguably also more broadly valuable since it adds to our understanding about hybridity of professionals in KIPOs and how to design and use performance measurement systems in relation to them.

Details

Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, vol. 35 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1096-3367

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 16 October 2023

Sofi Perikangas, Harri Kostilainen and Sakari Kainulainen

The purpose of this article is to show (1) how social innovations are created through co-production in social enterprises in Finland and (2) how enabling ecosystems for the…

1621

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to show (1) how social innovations are created through co-production in social enterprises in Finland and (2) how enabling ecosystems for the creation of social innovations can be enhanced by the government.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is a descriptive case study. The data comprises focus group interviews that were conducted during a research project in Finland in 2022. The interviewees represented different social enterprises, other non-profit organisations and national funding institutions.

Findings

Social enterprises create social innovations in Finland through co-production, where service innovation processes, activism and networking are central. Also, to build an enabling ecosystem, government must base the system upon certain elements: enabling characteristics of the stakeholders, co-production methods and tools and initiatives by the government.

Originality/value

The authors address an important challenge that social enterprises struggle with: The position of social enterprises in Finland is weak and entrepreneurs experience prejudice from both the direction of “traditional” businesses and the government which often does not recognise social enterprise as a potential partner for public service delivery. Nonetheless, social enterprises create public value by contributing to the co-production of public services. They work in interorganisational networks by nature and can succeed where the traditional public organisations and private businesses fail.

Details

International Journal of Public Sector Management, vol. 37 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3558

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 20 June 2022

Norbey Amaya, César Augusto Bernal-Torres, Yoni W. Nicolás-Rojas and Tamara T. Pando-Ezcurra

This study aims to analyse the way the internal resources and their attributes contribute to the competitive advantages in an intensive organisation in knowledge of the…

6916

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to analyse the way the internal resources and their attributes contribute to the competitive advantages in an intensive organisation in knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry in an emerging market.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a qualitative case study focused where the NVivo software was used for information analysis and thematic analysis.

Findings

The outcomes showed that from the VRIO framework (value, rarity, imitability and organisation), the plant and equipment and the technical knowledge of its workers are the resources that, due to their attributes, especially the rare, those that grant an advantage competitive position compared to other companies in its sector. Those findings highlight that the resource-based view (RBV) is a good approximation to explain the construction of competitive advantage (CA) and, in addition, the relevance of rare attribute in pharmaceutical companies was confirmed.

Practical implications

The study points out empirical evidence on the relevancy of RBV, from the VRIO framework and the competitive profile matrix (CPM) for the analysis of the management of organisations from the emerging market (economy) perspective. The study also provides competitive advantage analysis tools with which managers can identify strategic resources for their companies.

Originality/value

The VRIO framework and CPM were integrated in the study to analyse the role of internal resources and their attributes in achieving CAs. This integration is the first time that it has been carried out in companies in the context of an emerging market.

Details

VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems, vol. 54 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-5891

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 28 February 2023

Janek Richter, Dirk Basten, Bjoern Michalik, Christoph Rosenkranz and Stefan Smolnik

Based on an exploratory case-based approach, the purpose of this paper is to open the KM black box and examine the relationships that link knowledge management (KM) inputs (i.e…

2501

Abstract

Purpose

Based on an exploratory case-based approach, the purpose of this paper is to open the KM black box and examine the relationships that link knowledge management (KM) inputs (i.e. knowledge resources and KM practices) via knowledge processes to KM performance. This paper aims to identify the underlying mechanisms and explain how KM performance is enabled.

Design/methodology/approach

This in-depth case study conducted at a medium-sized consultancy in the supply chain management industry empirically examines knowledge flows to uncover the relationships between KM inputs, knowledge processes and KM performance. We adopt the viable system model (VSM) as a theoretical lens to identify KM mechanisms.

Findings

By identifying six KM mechanisms, we contribute to the theoretical understanding of how KM inputs are interconnected and lead to KM performance via knowledge processes.

Originality/value

Based on the insights gained, we provide propositions that organizations should consider in designing viable KM. Our findings help organizations in understanding their KM with the help of knowledge flow analysis and identifying how critical KM elements are interconnected.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 52 no. 13
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 30 September 2022

Zarin Khan Moon and Md. Mahedi Hasan

This study aims to explore whether the working parents' perception about the necessity of childcare centres for their work efficiency is associated with their anxieties and…

2086

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore whether the working parents' perception about the necessity of childcare centres for their work efficiency is associated with their anxieties and concerns related to their dual responsibilities, i.e. providing proper parental childcare and maintaining work efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 100 employed parents, from the Jashore region of Bangladesh, was surveyed, and descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data.

Findings

It was revealed that there is a strong association between the perceived negative impact on job performance, childcare, child development, work efficiency and perceived need for a childcare centre.

Research limitations/implications

The limitation of this study is that it was confined to Jashore University of Science and Technology. The results may differ from those of the study conducted outside this study area and the methodology used here.

Practical implications

This study has significant practical implications for employers, childcare service providers and policy makers, especially in Bangladesh. The employers will be able to understand the demand for childcare services centres among the employed parents in respective organizations. It will draw attention of employers of knowledge intensive industries and grants commission to the issue of conflict of work and childcare-related responsibilities of employed parents. This will also make employers conscious about the dilemma that is undergone by employed parents motivating them to take actions for minimizing such conflicts to ensure better job performance of working parents.

Social implications

Based on this study, childcare providers and other policy makers will be able to ascertain the potential size of the childcare market and determine the requirement for investment in childcare-related human resources development. As the work and childcare responsibilities compete for limited time of working parents, either childcare or job performance suffers. This causes concerns, anxieties or remorse, which again hampers the job performance further. Therefore, this study may motivate the university authority around the world, specifically those in Bangladesh, to provide childcare facilities for its faculties, students and other employees.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on growing demand for centre-based childcare services in an emerging economy context. It provides evidence of high demand for on- and off-site childcare centres to enhance work efficiency of working parents.

Details

South Asian Journal of Marketing, vol. 5 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2719-2377

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 26 January 2023

Susanne Durst, Ingi Runar Edvardsson and Samuel Foli

The purpose of this paper is to structure existing research on knowledge management (KM) in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to offer a comprehensive overview of…

9029

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to structure existing research on knowledge management (KM) in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to offer a comprehensive overview of research strands and topics in KM in SMEs to determine their evolution over time.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper, which is considered a follow-up literature review, is based on a systematic literature review that covers 180 scientific papers that were published since the review paper by Durst and Edvardsson in 2012 that covered 36 papers.

Findings

The findings of this review and those of the aforementioned review are brought together in the form of an overview that structures research on KM in SMEs based on themes that, in turn, allow the derivation of promising research directions and research questions aimed at structuring future research on KM in SMEs.

Originality/value

By combining the findings of this review with the findings from the review published in this journal in 2012, this paper offers, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the most comprehensive literature review on KM in SMEs produced to date.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 27 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 19 January 2021

Linda Gabbianelli and Tonino Pencarelli

The purpose of the paper is to investigate the marketing and communication activities carried out by small management consulting firms and how they relate to customers.

5820

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to investigate the marketing and communication activities carried out by small management consulting firms and how they relate to customers.

Design/methodology/approach

After the framing of the literature on the subject, the study is based on the results of a survey carried out through an online questionnaire. The sample under investigation is represented by 914 small consulting firms located in central Italy.

Findings

Results show that half of the sample carried out marketing and communication activities, mainly through the website and social media, while others participating in events as speakers at conferences. It also emerges that management consulting firms carry out activities aimed at maintaining relationship with customers even if they do not invest time in market research in order to find potential and new clients.

Practical implications

The study suggests that management consulting firms should adopt a systematic and strategic approach to communication and should develop a complete and integrated digital communication strategy, as well as to rethink the consulting business model.

Originality/value

There are no previous studies that provide insight into the everyday practice of marketing and communication of small management consulting services in today's dynamic and changing economic environment.

Details

The TQM Journal, vol. 36 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2731

Keywords

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