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The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it aims to analyze the individual influence of different knowledge management practises (KMP) on firm performance. Second, it aims to analyze the mediating role of organizational learning (OL) between each KMP and performance.

A telephone-survey was applied in 2018 to the managers of 400 Spanish firms. The data retrieved was analyzed by using multiple regression analysis.

Knowledge generation (KG) and knowledge flow (KF) promote firm performance, while there is not a direct association between knowledge storage and performance. OL mediates the relationship between KG and performance, as well as between KF and performance.

First, this research confirms that not all the KMP have a direct effect on firm performance, thus, future research would need to differentiate between different KMP. Second, this paper is pioneering in providing empirical evidence that OL mediates the KMP – performance relationship. Third, the empirical study was performed in a context non-researched yet by the literature considering KMP individually: Spain.

First, besides the results managers should focus their efforts in practises related to KG and application. Second, OL mediating suggests that managers should invest in managerial commitment to promote a shared culture, shared vision, open-mind to new ideas and a lot of dialogue.

This is the first study that investigates how KMP contribute to firm performance by incorporating the mediating impact of OL. The results will help organizations to identify the KMP improving the performance.

The purpose of this paper is to explore to what extent different obstacles (financial, knowledge, market, and perception) affect the propensity of Mexican family firms to engage in innovation activity. Second, it examines whether the perception of these obstacles differs between two subgroups of family firms, considering levels of ownership and family management control.

Information was gathered through a CIS methodology-based questionnaire applied to 161 CEOs of Mexican family firms. Binomial logistic regressions were performed identifying obstacles that were truly relevant for the family firm subgroups in the sample.

For subgroup 1, knowledge and market factors were significant and negatively related to the propensity to engage in innovation activities; for subgroup 2, only market factors were relevant. The results also show how the tenure of the CEO, the number of generations involved, and the family involvement in management and non-management positions affect the results obtained.

Implications for family business scholars embrace the assessment criteria of different family business definitions. While the implications for managers and policy makers include the recognition of the factors that affect innovation in Mexican family firms in order to design and implement adequate strategies to overcome them.

This study addresses some of the raised demands in the literature. First, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first attempt to explore the factors hampering innovation in family firms in Latin America. Second, this study was undertaken in response to the call for exploring variations in innovation behavior across different family business types in regards to ownership and family management control. Moreover, this study responds to the call to analyze financial and non-financial factors separately and to expand the geographical areas, sectors, and sizes of family firms, more specifically in Latin America.

En este trabajo se explora hasta qué punto los diferentes obstáculos (financieros, de conocimiento, de mercado y de percepción) afectan a la propensión de las empresas familiares en México para participar en actividades de innovación. En segundo lugar, se examina si la percepción de estos obstáculos se diferencia entre los dos subgrupos de empresas familiares, considerando los niveles de propiedad y el control de la gestión familiar.

La información se obtuvo a través de un cuestionario basado en la metodología CIS aplicado a 161 CEOs de empresas familiares mexicanas. Se llevaron a cabo regresiones logísticas binomiales para la identificación de los obstáculos verdaderamente relevantes para los subgrupos de empresas familiares en la muestra.

Para el subgrupo 1, los factores de conocimiento y de mercado fueron significativos y negativamente relacionados con la propensión a participar en actividades de innovación; para el subgrupo 2, sólo los factores de mercado fueron relevantes. Los resultados también muestran como la permanencia del director general, el número de generaciones que participan, y la participación de la familia en puestos directivos y no directivos afectan los resultados obtenidos.

Implicaciones para los investigadores en empresas familiares incluyen los criterios de evaluación de diferentes definiciones de empresa familiar. Mientras que las implicaciones para gerentes y responsables políticos incluyen el reconocimiento de los factores que afectan a la innovación en las empresas familiares mexicanas con el fin de diseñar e implementar estrategias adecuadas para superarlas.

Este estudio aborda algunas de las demandas planteadas en la literatura. En primer lugar, en la medida del conocimiento de los autores, se trata del primer intento por explorar los factores que dificultan la innovación en empresas familiares en Latinoamérica. En segundo lugar, este estudio se llevó a cabo en respuesta a la llamada para explorar variaciones en el comportamiento innovador entre diferentes tipos de empresas familiares considerando los niveles propiedad y el control de la gestión familiar. Por otra parte, este estudio responde al llamado para analizar los factores financieros y no financieros por separado y para expandir a otras áreas, sectores geográficos y tamaños de empresas familiares, más específicamente en América Latina.

The purpose of this paper is to empirically test a research model exploring the complex links between internal and external manufacturing flexibility capabilities (IF and EF) and competitive advantage (CA).

A survey approach with responses from 266 Spanish manufacturing firms from different industries was used. Structural equation modelling and SPSS macro PROCESS were used to test the hypotheses.

Manufacturing flexibility (MF) is a dual-dimensional concept composed by IF and EF, which are complementary and hierarchical in its development. Contrary to previous assumptions, IF does not always express its final competitive effect through EF, which only partially mediates the IF–CA relationship. Thus, IF and EF independently can positively enhance a firm's CA, being the direct effect of the IF being stronger than EF.

This study offers practical insights supporting a guide for prioritising flexibility capabilities through the holistic MF implementation, thus assisting managers wishing to formulate MF strategies seeking efficiency and customer value advantages relative to competitors.

The main novelty of this work is to explore for the first time the direct and indirect role of IF on CA, enlarging the assumptions of the flexibility funnel framework (FFF) and the strategic view of MF. The study is also unique due to both the depth and breadth of the investigation of the basis of the use of resource-based theory (RBT) and by employing a recent and comprehensive MF conceptual systematisation to guide the measurement approach.

The implementation of business excellence models is becoming a key competitive priority for companies, but the type of results they obtain by implementing such models and the importance of such results remain open issues. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the results obtained by companies that implement the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) excellence model, with a focus on their importance and nature.

An empirical study was conducted in 68 Spanish firms that were immersed in the process of implementing EFQM. The methodology consists of a descriptive analysis and factor analysis in order to determine which groups of results are the most important. Finally, clusters of firms are analyzed to establish their profile in relation to these groups, using cluster analysis.

This study shows that the main results of the implementation of EFQM are an improvement in the external image of the company and an increased efficiency of internal processes. In addition, the results can be grouped into internal results, human resources results and economic results, with the first group being the most important. Finally, the results show that there are three groups of firms, categorized according to their results orientation: highly results-oriented, moderately results-oriented and minimally results-oriented.

Companies are in a better position to anticipate and solve the problems that may arise during the implementation process if they understand the results of the implementation of EFQM, along with the motivations for and barriers to the implementation. Also, this research shows that the bodies promoting and motivating quality should make a special effort to emphasize the importance of non-financial results in companies that implement EFQM.

This paper extends the knowledge in the field of business excellence models by developing an instrument to measure implementation results from the perspective of quality managers who were specifically appointed to lead the implementation of the EFQM excellence model in companies.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of the factors that influence small to medium-sized family enterprises (SMFEs) innovation decision.

This paper utilises an original data set of 73 SMFEs employing 5-249 people to run binomial logistic regression model which considers the joint effect of both internal and external factors.

The results confirm, on the one hand, a significant and positive relationship between the long chief executive officer (CEO) tenure, the prospector and analyser strategic orientation, and the innovation decision in the Spanish family firms. On the other hand, the results confirm a significant and negative relationship between the risk taking, the cost of innovation, the lack of qualified personnel, a customer indifference towards innovation, and the innovation decision in the Spanish SMFEs.

The results contribute to the development of theoretical and knowledge bases, as well as offering results that will be of interest to research and policy communities. The results are limited to a small sample size, single survey, using cross-sectional data.

The findings have a bearing on business innovation strategy for policy makers. The results suggest that policy measures that promote long CEO tenures, and the prospector and analyser strategic orientation may have the greatest impact in terms of helping to facilitate innovation decision.

A novel feature of the model is the consideration of the joint effect of both internal and external factors in SMFEs.

The purpose of this study is to identify the impact of human and structural capital on profitability of major airlines and examine whether region, capital ownership and control and strategic alliance play a clustering effect on profitability.

Using information from the top 30 airlines worldwide, in particular human and structural capital proxies, a linear model is regressed. Test of hypotheses were performed towards the identification of the influence emerged from variables, such as region, capital ownership and control and strategic alliances, on intellectual capital drivers and profitability.

Turnover is driven by human and structural capital factors, namely: employee expenses and benefits; size of board of directors; intangible assets; codeshare agreements; and passenger traffic. Airlines profitability does not depend on region, capital ownership and control or strategic alliance in which the company is integrated.

In spite of the limitations, we underline the range of time under analysis and the sample size. However, the current approach can be replicated over time and based in other rankings, structured on different metrics and approaches.

The empirical results provide both an understanding of how independent variables positively affect the performance of airlines and offer some explanation as to the relationship between key characteristics of firms and profitability.

The research adds value to the current literature by exploring the effects of new intellectual capital drivers on profitability of airlines firms. Focused on a sector that strongly contributes to improve the networking between nations, it provides a new and updated overview.

Variables affecting the innovation performance (IP) in regional innovation systems (RIS) have been widely studied in developed countries, while little information exists for the case of developing countries. Based on the innovation economics theory, this study aims to examine determinants of IP of organizations within the RIS of Medellin/Antioquia, Colombia (South America).

By using nonparametric statistical analyses, this study tests six research hypotheses through a randomly applied questionnaire, responded by 1,005 organizations belonging to the RIS of Medellin/Antioquia.

Results indicate that the economic sector, firm size, level of interaction with different parties and level of interaction with academic partners have a significant impact on IP in the RIS. Nevertheless, the number of employees in research and development and the adoption of new technologies have no significant effect.

Based on the results, this study identifies innovation determinants that managers and policymakers should consider when formulating strategies to improve organizations’ IP. The result of this paper may provide valuable insights for the study of RIS’ determinants and support further research in similar contexts.

This paper contributes to the limited body of knowledge regarding the variables that impact the IP of organizations in a RIS from a developing country. This paper also examines possible explanations for those hypotheses that were not supported, showing differences between developing and developed countries.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the current state of knowledge of family businesses in tourism through a systematic review of international academic literature with an emphasis on Latin America.

The paper opted for a systematic review involving analyzing international academic documents, articles, dissertations and papers that presented both theoretical and empirical research results. The search was conducted from January to April 2019 on online databases and search engines.

Studies are concentrated in strategic planning and competitiveness. Most of them are published since 2014 by Ibero-American countries. Some features are coincident among the varied geographical contexts, as the importance of generational succession planning; search for family welfare throughout the business; and the existence of own capacities and resources. Besides, the owner's objectives and gender involvement differ in the research results of developed countries and emerging economies; some implications for Latin America are analyzed.

The family business has international economic relevance, especially in tourism. Still, the studies in this field are few, even when tourism implies processes and interactions that can influence the development of the companies that integrate their industry. In this way, a compilation of the recent works is carried out, in order to identify how the complex family dynamics with tourism are integrated into the studies, main contributions to the field and knowledge gaps.

Analizar el estado actual del conocimiento de la empresa familiar en el turismo a través de una revisión sistemática de literatura académica internacional con énfasis en Latinoamérica.

El documento sigue una revisión sistemática de artículos académicos, disertaciones y capítulos internacionales, que presentan resultados de investigación tanto teóricos como empíricos. La búsqueda fue realizada de Enero a Abril de 2019 en bases de datos en línea y motores de búsqueda.

Los estudios se concentran en la planificación estratégica y competitividad. La mayoría de ellos son publicados desde 2014 por países Iberoamericanos. Algunos aspectos son coincidentes entre los variados contextos geográficos, como la importancia de la planificación de sucesión generacional; búsqueda del bienestar familiar a través del negocio; y existencia de capacidades propias. Por otra parte, los objetivos del propietario y el involucramiento de género difieren en los resultados de investigaciones de países desarrollados y economías emergentes; algunas implicaciones para América Latina son analizadas.

La empresa familiar tiene relevancia económica internacional, especialmente en el turismo. Aun así, los estudios en este campo son pocos, incluso cuando el turismo implica procesos e interacciones que puede influenciar el desarrollo de las compañías que integran su industria. En este sentido, se llevó a cabo una compilación de trabajos recientes, con la finalidad de identificar como se ha integrado a los estudios la complejidad de la dinámica familiar con el turismo, las principales contribuciones y vacíos de conocimiento.

This paper aims to analyze the influence of innovation-based orientation on hotel performance, how the management’s perception of market turbulence moderates this relationship and the effect of an atmosphere of crisis.

The research carried out used an on-line survey among four-star hotel managers in 52 Spanish cities.

The results obtained indicate that the tendency of a hotel to innovate does not contribute directly and positively on short-term performance. However, it does confirm its importance when improving hotel performance in the medium- and long-term. This work discusses how the perception of technological turbulence influences the willingness to innovate, together with the effect that an economic-crisis-related-pessimistic management view has on marketing performance and long-term results.

Reliable and valid scales, applicable to the hotel sector and useful both for researchers and managers, are provided to measure the tendency to innovate, perceived technological turbulence and company performance. Knowledge regarding innovation is expanded, including a critical factor to increase business profits and competitiveness in uncertain environments. The model proposed is tested in a sector where there is little empirical evidence about the effect of innovation on performance.