Search results
1 – 10 of 184In this paper I begin to answer the neglected question of “When to downsize?” Specifically, is downsizing and the associated reskilling of workforces an appropriate response to…
Abstract
In this paper I begin to answer the neglected question of “When to downsize?” Specifically, is downsizing and the associated reskilling of workforces an appropriate response to technological discontinuity? Based on past organizational literature written about technological discontinuity, downsizing, and reskilling, I develop a theoretical framework that indicates when downsizing following a technological discontinuity will increase organizational effectiveness. Propositions are developed based on this framework. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for managers and future researchers.
Mikko V.J. Heikkinen and Sakari Luukkainen
Mobile peer‐to‐peer communications is an essential phase in the evolution of mobile communications technologies, motivating this research which aims to focus on how established…
Abstract
Purpose
Mobile peer‐to‐peer communications is an essential phase in the evolution of mobile communications technologies, motivating this research which aims to focus on how established industry stakeholders and new entrants can adapt themselves to the new situation.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on existing literature, the authors identified three distinctive evolution paths for mobile peer‐to‐peer communications and developed an analysis framework for their comparison. The authors validated the analysis by conducting a questionnaire study among domain experts, and analyzed its results using statistical analysis.
Findings
Internet‐driven evolution has high value proposition, is profitable and has subscription fees as an important revenue model. Telecom‐driven evolution creates value, leverages markets, leverages competence, is likely to encounter regulatory intervention and benefits all customer segments. Proprietary evolution has a successful revenue model, results in alliances of competitors and is competence‐enhancing to mobile device vendors.
Research limitations/implications
Future work consists mainly of analyzing quantitatively the implications of the new technologies when they become readily available and evaluating the value analysis framework in other applicable cases.
Practical implications
Internet‐driven evolution enables new business opportunities to independent service operators and equipment vendors by enabling opportunities in profiting from sales of advanced devices and networks. Telecom‐driven evolution benefits mostly incumbent mobile network operators. Proprietary evolution enables limited competition against incumbent actors by independent service operators.
Originality/value
This study is one of the first journal publications on mobile peer‐to‐peer communications from a holistic techno‐economic point of view, beneficial to both academics and practitioners.
Details
Keywords
Benny Hutahayan and Stefanus Yufra
The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of creative destruction as mediation between the speed of innovation and competitiveness of food small and medium enterprises…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of creative destruction as mediation between the speed of innovation and competitiveness of food small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Creative destruction that is competence-based and market-based is usually done by incumbent enterprises to create barrier to entry and widen the distance with similar businesses, then the role of creative destruction as a mediation to strengthen the competitiveness is investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
To test this, data were collected from 161 SMEs that is the food SME population in Great Malang covering three areas namely Malang Municipality, Malang Regency and Batu Municipality. warp partial least square-structural equation modeling (WarpPLS-SEM) was applied because parameter estimation with WarpPLS-SEM is very efficient because it has greater statistical requirements than other covariant-based methods, which is more likely to deliver results that match the population condition (significant if that is in fact significant in the population).
Findings
The pace of innovation development is very important to improve the competitiveness of food SMEs. The idea of innovation is quickly realized and products that enter the market faster have a greater chance to improve competitiveness through profit and productivity. The pace of innovation development enhances the competitiveness of food SMEs. This study proves that competitiveness can be increased once the pace of innovation development is followed by creative destruction. Creative destruction in this case is done through increased competence and maintain the innovations that have been achieved by food SMEs. Increased business competence could be conducted through cost efficiency enhancing product quality and improving worker skill. It is conducted while maintaining the achieved innovation to strengthen the market network customer service and innovation in product packaging. The government’s role is proven not to strengthen the relationship of the pace of innovation development and competitiveness of food SMEs. The role of the government is reflected through credit facilities business licensing promotion marketing and training. These have been carried out by the government. Nevertheless, these activities do not generate widespread impact in strengthening the pace of innovation development to enhance the competitiveness of food SMEs.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitation of this study is that it analyzes processed foods and innovations in general. Future research should investigate one type of processed food based on the typology of innovation so as to provide more effective and efficient recommendations.
Originality/value
This is the first known analysis of innovation speed and creative destruction for SMEs of food sector.
Details
Keywords
Stefanus Yufra M. Taneo, Djumilah Hadiwidjojo, Sunaryo Sunaryo and Sudjatno Sudjatno
This study aims to examine the role of creative destruction and knowledge creation which is a mediation between the speed of innovation and the competitiveness of food small- and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the role of creative destruction and knowledge creation which is a mediation between the speed of innovation and the competitiveness of food small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Creative destruction and the creation of competency-based and market-based knowledge are usually carried out by companies in power to create barriers to entry and expand distance with similar businesses, so the role of creative destruction and knowledge creation as mediation to strengthen competitiveness is investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
The data in this study were collected from 161 UKM which are the population of food UKM in Malang, covering three regions, namely, Malang City, Malang Regency and Batu City. Warp Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (WarpPLS-SEM) has greater statistical requirements than other covariance-based methods, which are more likely to give results that are in accordance with the conditions of the population (significant if it is actually significant in the population) so that it is very efficient.
Findings
It is very important for the pace of innovation development to improve the competitiveness of food SMEs. Innovation ideas are quickly realized and products that enter the market faster have greater opportunities to increase competitiveness through profits and productivity. The pace of innovation development increases the competitiveness of food SMEs. This study proves that competitiveness can be increased once the pace of innovation development is followed by creative destruction and knowledge creation. In this case, creative destruction is done through increased competence and maintain the innovations that have been achieved by food SMEs. Increasing business competence can be done through cost efficiency, improving product quality and improving worker skills. This is done while maintaining innovation achieved to strengthen market networks, customer service and innovation in product packaging. The basis of organizational learning is knowledge creation; this point is missing in organizational learning theories. The focus here is on the creation of knowledge as a process, a missing factor in theories about learning organizations.
Research limitations/implications
This study has limitations that this study analyzes processed foods and innovations in general. Future research should investigate one type of processed food based on an innovation typology so that it can provide more effective and efficient recommendations.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first known analysis of innovation speed and creative destruction for SMEs of food sector.
Details
Keywords
This research aims to address how a firm can mobilise resources through interfirm relationships to bridge technological discontinuities.
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to address how a firm can mobilise resources through interfirm relationships to bridge technological discontinuities.
Design/methodology/approach
This research adopts a processual single case study to undertake an empirical investigation from the perspective of a technology-bundled net as the research boundary.
Findings
This research produces three key findings. First, mobilising resources across firm boundaries to create an adequate bundling of product, process and marketing technologies is the cornerstone of bridging technological discontinuities. Second, resource mobilisation between firms in the transition to a new technological trajectory is affected by the sediments accrued in the existing (old) trajectory. Third, technological discontinuities may be competence-enhancing, and their radical effects may originate from non-technical causes.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the research of radical innovation from an interaction and networks perspective and also by focusing on resource mobilisation taking place in the transition from an existing technological trajectory to a new one. In particular, this paper takes into account the relatedness of resources and the influences of past interaction underpinning an old trajectory in the bridging of technological discontinuities.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to examine how and why outsiders, rather than incumbents, are able to take advantage of technological discontinuities.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how and why outsiders, rather than incumbents, are able to take advantage of technological discontinuities.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper employs a case study of a single innovation that transformed the technology of Formula 1 motor racing.
Findings
The findings show how social capital made up of “weak ties” in the form of informal personal networks, enabled an outsider to successfully make the leap to a new technological regime.
Practical implications
The findings show that where new product development involves a shift to new technologies, social capital can have an important part to play.
Originality/value
It is widely accepted that radical innovations are often competence destroying, making it difficult for incumbents to make the transition to a new technology. The paper's findings show how the social capital of outsiders can place them at a particular advantage in utilizing new technologies.
Details
Keywords
Alice Lam and Jean‐Paul Lambermont‐Ford
Facilitating knowledge sharing within organisations is a difficult task: the willingness of individuals to share and integrate their knowledge is one of the central barriers. This…
Abstract
Purpose
Facilitating knowledge sharing within organisations is a difficult task: the willingness of individuals to share and integrate their knowledge is one of the central barriers. This paper aims to develop a motivation‐based perspective to explore how organisations resolve the social dilemma of knowledge sharing.
Design/methodology/approach
The analysis builds on a three‐category taxonomy of motivation, adding “hedonic” motivation to the traditional dichotomy of “extrinsic” and “intrinsic” motivation. It uses case studies gleaned from the literature to explore the interactive effects between the different motivators in two different types of knowledge‐intensive organisations: professional bureaucracy and operating adhocracy.
Findings
Within a professional bureaucracy, the social dilemma of knowledge sharing may be overcome through normative motivation, with provision of hedonic motivation through extrinsic incentives such as training and career progression. In an operating adhocracy where interdependent teamwork is vital, it may be overcome through normative alignment reinforced by intensive socialisation. Extrinsic motivators that align with hedonic motivation may also reinforce the propensity for knowledge sharing. In both organisational types, financial extrinsic incentives do not appear to be relevant on their own, and may “crowd out” other motivators.
Research limitations/implications
The cases reported were chosen from the existing literature and, although many were not designed specifically to address motivational issues, suggestive conclusions are drawn. Most of the cases were drawn from organisations rooted in the Anglo‐American context and thus care would be needed in generalising the findings to organisations in other contexts.
Originality/value
The paper represents the first attempt to apply a three‐category taxonomy of motivation to examine knowledge‐sharing behaviour in organisations. It highlights the interaction between the different motivators and provides a basis to integrate further the work of social psychologists and socio‐economists on incentives and motivation in the context of knowledge sharing.
Details
Keywords
Nixon Kamukama, Diana Susan Kyomuhangi, Richard Akisimire and Laura A. Orobia
The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of competitive advantage in the relationship between managerial competence and financial performance of commercial banks…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of competitive advantage in the relationship between managerial competence and financial performance of commercial banks in Uganda.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional survey was employed using 22 fully licensed and operational commercial banks in Uganda. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, zero order correlation and hierarchical regression analyses. Further, the bootstrap method was used to test the mediation effect of competitive advantage. All the analyses were performed using SPSS v21.
Findings
The findings reinforce the important position of managerial competence on financial performance of commercial banks. First, managerial competence enhances firms’ competitive advantage. Second, managerial competence has an indirect effect on financial performance through competitive advantage. Overall, managerial competence and competitive advantage are strong predictors of financial performance of commercial banks.
Research limitations/implications
The study employed only a single research methodological approach, therefore future research could be undertaken using a mixed approach and triangulate to compare findings. Furthermore, the findings from the present study are cross-sectional, considering the limitations there in, a longitudinal approach should be explored.
Practical implications
Emphasis should be put on improving the knowledge and skills of managers so as to attain a competitive edge in the market and thus register increased profits. This will help practitioners make legitimate decisions and conclusions that can foster business growth.
Originality/value
A mediation effect of competitive advantage in the relationship between managerial competence and financial performance was tested; previous studies have tended to test the direct effects.
Details
Keywords
This paper discusses the export behaviour of firms from Nigeria against the backdrop of the aggregate findings from previous empirical studies, which originate mainly from the…
Abstract
This paper discusses the export behaviour of firms from Nigeria against the backdrop of the aggregate findings from previous empirical studies, which originate mainly from the economically advanced countries. Based on the analysis of survey data from 78 Nigerian‐based manufacturing firms (34 exporters and 44 non‐exporters), a number of internal factors were identified as influential drivers of positive export performance. Among these are decision makers’ previous experience, international contacts and orientation, and firm‐specific competencies relating to planning orientation, adoption of innovative technologies, foreign market information search, and managing channel relationships. The remarkable consistency between these findings and previous evidence from studies undertaken in more developed economies is discussed. Also highlighted is the need to improve the overall effectiveness with which appropriate competence‐enhancing support is targeted at firms, mainly SMEs, in less performing developing regions.
Details