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The main purpose of this study is to explain the combined effects of host country weak network ties and absorptive capacity on the innovative foreign knowledge inflows of international high-tech small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Data are drawn from the two largest and most authoritative German Federal Government census-databases of biotech and nanotech SMEs. A structured survey questionnaire was administered and regression analysis adopted.

This study demonstrates weak network ties in the host country and developing absorptive capacity produce a combined effect that positively influences international high-tech SMEs innovative foreign knowledge inflows. Also, host country weak network ties and absorptive capacity when considered separately, each respectively, positively influence innovative foreign knowledge inflows.

The results help inform key personnel in international high-tech SMEs about the relevance of host country weak network ties and absorptive capacity for foreign knowledge inflows. In addition, the results help policymakers and think-tanks to promote tailored advice and guidance e.g. those policymakers implementing the EU Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan.

There is a recent call in the literature to combine network theory and absorptive capacity theory to better explain knowledge creation in the context of international high-tech SMEs knowledge sourcing. By addressing this call, the study provides a more refined and comprehensive account of international high-tech SMEs innovative foreign knowledge inflows.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the external macro‐environmental forces along with the internal country‐specific attributes of Argentina as they influence entrepreneurship. The experiences with Argentina's financial crisis of 2001‐2002 have highlighted concerns as to whether the past prosperity can ever be regained. Entrepreneurial ability has received much attention in public discussions as a means to revitalize the lagging economy.

The popular strategic management tool of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) analysis is used to group a number of current and emerging issues for the country. Their impact on entrepreneurship is then evaluated.

Argentina has numerous natural resources that can be developed into new businesses. The slow growth of new venture creation in Argentina can be attributed to the difficulties in obtaining capital financing as well as the new business start‐up licenses and procedures. Further limiting entrepreneurship is corruption, the lack of copyright protection, and difficulty hiring employees. However, the government of Argentina has implemented monetary changes to provide funds and other services for supporting new start‐up companies and a key strength of Argentina for entrepreneurship is the country's resources and products. Major opportunities exist in tourism and investments in the growing wine production industry. The major threat to new venture creation, however, is the current worldwide recession.

Research implications for applying SWOT analysis to a country are discussed. While this tool is largely focused on companies and their issues for strategy development, this paper discusses ways to use the methodology to include ranking or weighting variables in their importance to entrepreneurship. A larger sample of experts is suggested for future research along with surveys of industry leaders to refine the ordering of variables.

Implications for practitioners and policy makers within the country and areas for future research are discussed.

The paper adds value to the existing research about new venture creation and start‐ups in Argentina. In addition, the use of SWOT as a country‐analysis methodology is also extended.

The purpose of the study is to explore potential value conflicts between information security work and whistleblowing activities by analysing attitudes to whistleblowing among white-collar workers in Swedish organisations.

The study is conducted using survey data among (n = 674) Swedish white-collar workers. Statistical analyses are conducted to explore variations in acceptance of whistleblowing and analyse the relationship between acceptance for whistleblowing and information security attitudes and behaviours.

The study finds strong support for whistleblowing in both public and private spheres, and by both private and public sector employees. The study also finds stronger acceptance for intra-organisational whistleblowing, while support for external whistleblowing is low. Finally, the study shows that the whistleblowing activities might be perceived as coming in conflict with information security work, even as the support for including whistleblowing functions in information security practices is high.

With a focus on one country, the study is limited in terms of empirical scope. It is also limited by a relatively small number of respondents and survey items relating to whistleblowing, which in turn affects its explanatory value. However, the study does provide unique new insight into a specific form of “non-compliance”, i.e. whistleblowing, which merits further investigation.

Few studies exist that combine insights from the fields of whistleblowing and information security research. Thus, this study provides a basis for further investigation into attitudes and behaviours linked to whistleblowing in public and private organisations, as well as attendant value conflicts related to information security management and practice.

The importance of co-innovation platforms has been well established, but a valid and reliable instrument to measure the affordances of these platforms for co-innovation behavior has not yet been reported in the literature. A robust, validated instrument to measure co-innovation platform affordances (PAs) will facilitate the conduct of studies across different platforms and contribute to enhanced understanding of co-innovation behaviors, outcomes, and platform design. The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize co-innovation PAs, develop a reliable measurement instrument capturing critical facets of co-innovation, namely ideation, collaboration, and communication, and validate the instrument.

The construct of PAs was conceptualized based on the findings from two case studies of co-innovation networks and the key characteristics of social mediating technology affordances. The measurement items newly developed via a case study underwent a two-round exploratory analysis to ensure face validity and content validity. The resulting instrument was subjected to a pilot study and a field study to establish the necessary reliability and validity.

The findings of the study reveal that co-innovation PAs have three distinctive components, namely ideation, collaboration, and communication. Furthermore, the results of the study suggest that PAs are most appropriately operationalized as a second-order construct comprising all three components. The empirical results from the field study show a high degree of confidence in both translation validity and criterion-related validity.

Drawing from co-innovation and affordances literature, this study develops and validates a general instrument to measure co-innovation PAs. The result is a reliable and parsimonious instrument with 12 items. The authors believe that the instrument can contribute significantly to future empirical investigations of co-innovation behavior on virtual platforms.

Product-service innovation (i.e. servitization) is providing opportunities to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to offer services that are directly coupled to their products. Despite scholarly efforts on servitization in domestic markets, the determinants of international product-service innovation remain unclear. Therefore, this study draws insights from dynamic capability (DC) view and aims to examine the international human capital and international product-service innovation relationship. Specifically, the authors argue that the effect of international human capital on international product-service innovation is mediated by international inter-organizational marketing capability (IIMC) and moderated by international market complexity.

The authors test the conceptual model using structural equation modeling on a sample of 211 SMEs operating in United Arab Emirates (UAE) – an emerging market economy.

The results show that IIMC mediates the relationship between international human capital and international product-service innovation. The authors further found that the indirect relationship between international human capital and international product-service innovation is strengthened when international market complexity increases in magnitude.

This study advances the knowledge on international servitization by examining international human capital and IIMC as the determinants and international market complexity as a moderator. Data collection in the UAE contributes to empirical research on international servitization from emerging markets.

This study highlights the impact of attaining and incorporating knowledge and building relationships with other firms in US apparel production.

Producers of apparel and sewn products operating within a US state form the sample for this mixed methods exploration. Study 1 involves a qualitative analysis of the producers highlighting knowledge in interorganizational discussions. Study 2 quantitatively measures responses from 38 producing firms. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression was used to measure associations, and simple slopes were computed to examine interactions.

The knowledge exchanged, according to participants in study 1, was limited, thus warranting further examination. Results from study 2 revealed strong associations among knowledge absorptive capacity, social interaction and people-oriented culture with network ties. A two-way interaction effect was found for absorptive capacity and social interaction, indicating association between social interaction and network ties was more positive at higher levels of absorption capacity and vice versa.

Findings provide theoretical and applied support for building network ties. This research operationalizes complicated-to-measure constructs critical to the empirical measurement of junctions from two theoretical frameworks, in the context of a specific industry. Though acceptable for exploratory research, additional work is needed to refine reliability measures and to examine a national sample.

This study links elements of social capital- and knowledge-based views of the firm necessary for reviving US apparel production. Broader outcomes from this research include job creation providing support and growth in the US sewn apparel and goods industry that will drive US economy.

This paper aims to extend the topics from a 2007 paper to stimulate debate on strategic issues vital for the long-term success of supply chains (SCs). The authors upgraded from SC process modelling towards SC business model management; from information to knowledge transfer and from the maturity of SC to dynamic capabilities. The paper attempts to identify and connect the elements of SC business model and the key issues for development of dynamic capabilities to enable future redesign of business models.

The paper develops two frameworks showing the elements of an SC business model and the interconnection of those elements and dynamic capabilities. The use of these frameworks is demonstrated in a case study of Post of Slovenia. The case uses both primary and secondary data gathered from interviews, publicly accessible articles and internal reports.

An SC should develop the elements of its business model in such a way that it will be able to continually change its existing or add a new business model from the AS-IS state to a currently unpredictable “TO-BE” state as a response to currently unknown changes in its business model.

The selection of the elements in the frameworks is partly arbitrary. A single case study was conducted.

SCs should not simply focus on improving the maturity/efficiency of current processes but can use the findings to carefully design their current business model and develop dynamic capabilities for future changes.

This paper summarises and extends the recent literature through the dynamic capabilities approach and business model management and proposes two frameworks and identifies topics relevant for future development of the SCM field.