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The purpose of this paper is to develop an instrument that measures a set of dynamic drivers for managing innovation capability; and to validate this instrument in the agri-food sector.

Based on the innovation drivers identified after an extensive literature review, a measurement instrument was developed and then empirically validated through collecting preliminary data from 434 Greek agri-food companies. Exploratory factor analysis was applied, while their validity was confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis.

The analysis of the data confirms a valid measurement instrument of innovation drivers which consists of five drivers, namely, collaboration, environmental dynamism, knowledge orientation, quality orientation, and process management. The level of the five innovation drivers by the sample companies is deemed high, though not, however, excellent.

A research challenge is to understand how the five innovation drivers are associated with agri-food business performance taking into consideration the role of environmental uncertainty. Moreover, it is worth validating this measurement instrument using multiple indicators for innovation drivers.

The main contribution of this paper is that it develops a valid measurement instrument that can be used by agri-food companies as a self-assessment tool and a benchmarking tool. In doing so, suitable strategies can be selected in order for an agri-food to improve its innovation capability.

The proposed model provides plausible guidelines that advance innovation management research in the agri-food companies.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which the five European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model enablers, as the latent factor “enabler excellence,” are associated with business performance, taking into consideration the mediating role of innovation in this relationship.

The analysis followed in order to investigate the relations among the various constructs of the proposed model includes an initial exploratory factor analysis, followed by confirmatory factor analysis and finally structural equation modeling.

According to the study findings, “enabler excellence” and innovation performance directly contribute to business performance. Moreover, this paper concludes that innovation performance partially mediates the effect of excellence enablers on business performance.

This study does not separate between radical and incremental innovation; thus, it would be very interesting to explore this issue in future research. Moreover, it might be useful for researchers to reassess the proposed relationships examining the mediating role of organizational culture.

This study offers clear implications for managers, proving that they should give higher emphasis on quality management (QM) and the four dimensions of innovation in order to achieve increased performance.

Based on the multidimensional structure of the EFQM model, this empirical study determines the contribution of QM to business performance taking into consideration the role of innovation performance as a mediator in this relationship.

Given that the literature in terms of business ambidexterity is continually growing, the of this paper is to identify the future research suggestions made by several authors with regard to ambidexterity and to group them into meaningful themes.

A systematic literature review (SLR) of peer reviewed journal articles in the field of ambidexterity was conducted. A total of 128 relevant articles were selected, which were published in 58 journals over the past 2 decades (2000–2021).

The plethora of the future research suggestions made by several authors with regard to ambidexterity are analytically presented. Moreover, based on these suggestions, meaningful future research themes were revealed and these were further classified into three broad categories, namely “factors influencing the adoption of ambidexterity and its success”, “the types of ambidexterity” and “the effects of ambidexterity”.

The subjectivity of grouping the future research suggestions into themes as well as not examining the interrelationships among these themes, are limitations of the present study. Based on these limitations, future literature review studies can be conducted.

As this is a SLR focusing on developing future ambidexterity research themes, there are no direct practitioner implications. However, practitioners may benefit from future research prompted by this SLR.

This study contributes to management literature by suggesting future research not only on organizational ambidexterity like previous studies, but also on four different approaches to ambidexterity.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the dimensions of innovation on manufacturing firm performance taking into consideration the moderating role of environmental uncertainty among these relationships.

A research study was carried out using a sample of 580 Greek manufacturing firms. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied to extract and validate the latent factors. K-means cluster analysis was also applied in order to group the responding firms. Finally, the structural relationships among the latent factors were determined through structural equation modeling.

According to the study findings, only three dimensions of innovation performance directly contributes to business performance. Moreover, this paper shows the differential effects of firm innovativeness on business performance under the influence of environmental uncertainty.

The sample of the responding firms which is limited to the Greek manufacturing sector and the subjective business evidence coming from only one firm representative constitute the main limitations of the present study.

Firms can properly manage innovation dimensions. In case of high uncertainty, they should focus on product, marketing and process innovation, while in case of low uncertainty the focus should be on process, organization and product innovation.

Based on the multi-dimensional structure, this empirical study determines the contribution of innovation performance to business performance taking into consideration the role of environmental uncertainty as moderator on this relationship.

The present study focuses on two basic determinants of company innovation, namely, quality practices of top management and process quality management. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of these determinants on product and process innovation. Determining the impact of these dimensions of innovation on the market performance of a company is also an aim of the present study.

A research study was carried out on a sample of 433 Greek manufacturing and service companies. Data were obtained through a structured questionnaire from the chief executive officers of the companies. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses are applied to extract and validate all the latent factors considered in the suggested model, while their relationships are determined through structural equation modeling.

The analysis of the empirical data shows that both the dimensions of company innovation examined in the present study (product and process innovation) are positively influenced by the quality practices of top management and process quality management. Improving these two dimensions of company innovation, in turn, results in increased market performance.

First, the sample of the responding manufacturing and service Greek companies which includes both small and medium-sized enterprises and large companies and which operate in circumstances of financial crisis; second, the subjective data collected from only one company representative; and third, the examination of only two factors influencing company innovation, are the main limitations of the present study. Based on these limitations, future research studies are recommended.

The empirically validated theoretical model of the present study can guide the policy makers of a company to select a quality management and innovation strategy through which the company can lay the foundations to increase its market performance, and thus, overcome the current economic downturn and financial crisis. Researchers can also use the suggested valid model as an assessment tool, a benchmarking tool and a tool for the design of their future research studies.

The present study contributes to the literature by determining a valid model that describes simultaneously the relationships between quality management factors, product and process innovation and market performance. This is also the first study reflecting Greek companies’ efforts to withstand the current downturn and penetrate the market through innovation.

The main purpose of this study is to provide a relatively integrated perspective on the role of market orientation, strategic flexibility and technological capability as multiple organizational capabilities and their potential effectiveness in promoting business model innovation (BMI) and business performance.

To achieve this objective, an empirical survey was conducted among 379 firms in Greece. Initially, exploratory factor analysis and then confirmatory factor analysis were applied. Finally, the structural relationships among the latent factors were determined through structural equation modeling.

The results show the positive effect of market orientation on strategic flexibility and technological capability. Strategic flexibility drives firms to BMI and then business performance. Furthermore, it is essential that firms build up technological capability to be effective in BMI and business performance.

Data were collected at only one point in time from one country, Greece. This might pose limitations on the generalizability of our results. Future research could also explore how organizations develop strategic flexibility and BMI capabilities in different environmental contexts and organizational structures.

This study sends the message that companies focusing on market orientation and technological capability can led to higher strategic flexibility and BMI capabilities, which in turn act as a catalyst for business improvement.

The proposed model provides plausible guidelines that advance the research on multiple organizational capabilities in companies.

The objective of this study is to improve the food supply chain performance taking into consideration the fundamental concepts of traceability by combining the current frameworks, its principles, its implications and the emerging technologies.

A narrative literature review of already existing empirical research on traceability systems was conducted resulting in 862 relevant papers. Following a step-by-step sampling process, the authors ended up with 46 final samples for the literature review.

The main findings of this study include the various descriptions of the architecture of traceability systems, the different sources enabling this practice, the common desirable attributes, and the enabling technologies for the deployment and implementation of traceability systems. Moreover, several technological solutions are presented, which are currently available for traceability systems, and finally, opportunities for future research are provided.

It provides an insight, which could affect the implementation process of traceability in the food supply chain and consequently the effective management of a food traceability system (FTS). Managers will be able to create a traceability system, which meets users' requirements, thus enhancing the value of products and food companies.

This study contributes to the food supply chain and the traceability systems literature by creating a holistic picture of where something has been and where it should go. It is a starting point for each food company to design and manage its traceability system more effectively.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model and examine the relevance of a set of five dynamic drivers to building and sustaining the innovation capability of agri-food firms.

The empirical data were acquired through a recent study of 436 Greek agri-food firms. Regression analysis was employed to examine the correlation between innovation drivers and each of the four innovation capability dimensions, namely, product innovation, process innovation, organizational innovation and marketing innovation.

The findings verify that quality orientation and process management are the two most important innovation drivers. However, the impact of learning orientation, collaborations and environmental dynamism on a firm’s agri-food innovation capability is yet to be investigated.

This study has not investigated how firms’ characteristics form the drivers and barriers to innovation at the company. Moreover, a second limitation is related to the kind of innovation that drivers boost. This research does not separate between radical and incremental innovation.

In order to maintain their sustainable development and enhance their whole innovation capability, agri-food firms should closely relate their innovation capability dimensions to the formulation of a strategy and harmonization of innovation and innovation drivers’ activities.

The main contribution of this paper is that it develops an appropriate research framework (a proposed structural model) for examining the links among the five innovation drivers with each of the four innovation capability dimensions.

The purpose of this study is to build a theory presenting talent development as a driver for innovativeness and strategic flexibility, and how these organizational capabilities affect financial performance.

As a methodological approach, this study uses a rich combination of literature review and exploratory interviews with managers and academicians. Moreover, a conceptual framework is tested by confirmatory factor analysis and finally structural equation modelling using the survey data from 462 Greek firms.

The results show the positive effect of talent development on strategic flexibility and innovativeness. Moreover, strategic flexibility is an influential firm capability for innovativeness and financial performance. This study also reveals the significance of innovativeness on financial performance.

This study explores talent development and two certain organizational capabilities, but many other topics that affect business performance remain unexplored. The role of environmental characteristics could also be examined as a moderator in the proposed relationships.

This study offers clear implications for managers, proving that talent development is a major driving force behind strategic flexibility, innovativeness and financial performance in order for managers to allocate resources, and to develop and execute these capabilities as an integral part of business strategy.

This empirical study contributes to the literature by developing a research conceptual framework of three underdeveloped firm capabilities, investigating and explaining both their correlations and dynamic nature and their role in financial performance improvement.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework to investigate how the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) excellence model enablers influence the four types (product, process, organizational and marketing) of innovation performance of a manufacturing firm.

The study uses survey data from a sample of 580 manufacturing firms in Greece and employs structural equation modeling to test the developed hypotheses.

The results reveal that enablers of the EFQM model are either directly or indirectly associated with the four types of innovation. Furthermore, the findings show that it is essential for a firm to manage all the facilitating enablers included in the EFQM model, since they cannot boost innovation when implemented in isolation.

The sample is limited to one country (Greece). In addition, researchers have to assess the same relationships considering the effect of external factors such as environmental uncertainty. The potential consequences of enablers on innovation performance may be mediated by customer or people results.

The empirical findings of the present study help managers to develop the appropriate quality strategies and allocate the respective resources according to the desired type of innovation.

Based on the multi-dimensional structure of quality, this empirical study determines the contribution of EFQM model enablers to specific innovation performance dimensions of manufacturing companies.