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11 – 20 of 36Marco Bettiol, Chiara Burlina, Maria Chiarvesio and Eleonora Di Maria
Defined as local manufacturing systems, industrial districts have been recognized as particularly important for the location of firms’ manufacturing activities intertwined with…
Abstract
Defined as local manufacturing systems, industrial districts have been recognized as particularly important for the location of firms’ manufacturing activities intertwined with innovation processes. The debate on the internationalization of production has stressed the low value related to manufacturing within value chain activities (smile framework), emphasizing the need to focus on high value-added activities (R&D or marketing). Following multinational enterprises’ internationalization strategies, also district firms have progressively offshored their production phases in the past years. However, recent studies focused on backshoring have revamped the attention on the domestic control of production for firms’ competitiveness. This chapter explores district firms’ location choices for manufacturing activities between local and global. Based on an empirical analysis of about 260 Italian district firms specialized in mechanics, furniture, and fashion and supported by a case study investigation, our results show that despite district internationalization processes, a non-negligible amount of firms still carry out – in-house or through outsourcing – production activities at district level. Larger firms couple district production and long-term upstream outsourced internationalization activities. The district system confirms its role of pooling specialized competences and product know-how, being decisive for firms’ innovation and responsiveness to national and international markets. Backshoring, instead, is a very limited phenomenon and linked to upgrading strategies.
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Marco Bettiol, Mauro Capestro, Eleonora Di Maria and Stefano Micelli
Industry 4.0 technologies are promising to increase manufacturing companies' performance through the new knowledge that such digital technologies allow to create and manage within…
Abstract
Purpose
Industry 4.0 technologies are promising to increase manufacturing companies' performance through the new knowledge that such digital technologies allow to create and manage within the firm boundaries and through customer interactions. Despite the great attention on the Industry 4.0 adoption paths, little is known about the relationships with previous waves of digital technologies, namely, information and communication technologies (ICTs), and how different groups of both types of technologies link to knowledge and its related performances.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employed a quantitative research design using a survey method. Submitting the questionnaire to entrepreneurs, chief operation officers or managers in charge of the operational and technological processes of Italian manufacturing firms, 206 respondents stated that their firm has adopted at least one of the seven Industry 4.0 technologies investigated.
Findings
The findings of the study highlight the positive relationship between ICT and Industry 4.0 technologies in terms of both intensity and groups of technologies (Web-based, Management and Manufacturing ICT; Operation, Customization and Data-processing 4.0), and how technologies affect knowledge-related performances in terms of products and processes, job-learning, product-related services and customer involvement.
Originality/value
This study is one of the first attempts to link groups of ICT to groups of Industry 4.0 technologies and to explore the effects in terms of knowledge-related performances as a measure of technology use. The study shows strong path dependency among ICT, Industry 4.0 and knowledge performance, enriching the literature on technological innovation and knowledge management.
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Valentina De Marchi, Eleonora Di Maria and Stefano Ponte
This paper aims at enriching the literature on international business (IB) studies to include insights from Global Value Chain (GVC) analysis to better explain how MNCs can…
Abstract
This paper aims at enriching the literature on international business (IB) studies to include insights from Global Value Chain (GVC) analysis to better explain how MNCs can orchestrate a global network organization. A first important contribution of the GVC literature is that it shifts the focus from single firms to their value chains, providing instruments to study how activities are split and organized among different firms at the industry level, and how MNCs can implement different governing mechanisms within a network-based setting. The GVC literature also highlights that retailers (as global buyers) often act as ‘lead firms’ in shaping the trajectories of global industries, while IB studies have so far focused predominantly on manufacturing firms. A fine-grained analysis of alternative forms of governance characterizing value chains can offer additional elements in explaining how MNCs can manage their network relationships in a global scenario. Finally, through their focus on upgrading, GVC studies suggest that knowledge flows and innovation dynamics taking place within value chains are as important as those taking place within the MNC’s organizational border. We conclude by arguing that these insights can help the IB literature to examine the challenges and opportunities MNCs face in engaging with suppliers and to explain the dynamic evolution of orchestrating global activities at the global level.
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Hafiz Muhammad Naeem and Eleonora Di Maria
The use of modern technologies of the fourth industrial revolution, commonly known as “Industry 4.0” (I4.0), is believed to have considerable potential for product customisation…
Abstract
Purpose
The use of modern technologies of the fourth industrial revolution, commonly known as “Industry 4.0” (I4.0), is believed to have considerable potential for product customisation. In this context, this paper aims to explore whether or not using these technologies impacts customer participation (CP) in a firm's new product development (NPD) process.
Design/methodology/approach
To empirically test the proposed relationships, the authors collected the North Italian manufacturing firms' data and applied regression analysis.
Findings
Empirical results indicate that, on the one hand, the technologies have their specific and individual impacts, and on the other hand, the firms which use more I4.0 technologies allow more customer participation in their product design and production process. This positive impact is more robust in product design than in the production process.
Practical implications
Managers aiming to benefit from CP should broaden the scope of adopting I4.0 technologies and consider different roles concerning the design and production phases of the new product development process. Recognising the importance and allowing CP in NPD will enable firms to meet the customised demands.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors' knowledge, the proposed relationships of this study have been extensively debated theoretically in the I4.0 context but never empirically tested before. It is one of the few studies which discusses the strategic adoption and the combined use of I4.0 technologies to create more opportunities for product customisation.
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Maria Chiarvesio and Eleonora Di Maria
The purpose of this paper is to compare supply network strategies of district firms (from now on ID) and non‐district (non‐ID) firms with the aim of outlining emerging strategies…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to compare supply network strategies of district firms (from now on ID) and non‐district (non‐ID) firms with the aim of outlining emerging strategies as well as identifying similarities and differences between business models.
Design/methodology/approach
The analysis is based on a quantitative approach: the TeDIS survey focuses on 45 leading Italian districts and SMEs located outside districts (Made in Italy sectors). Results refer to 630 Italian firms.
Findings
There are more similarities than differences between the approach of ID and non‐ID companies to supply networks. ID firms rely more on local systems in terms of supply networks, while non‐ID firms have also invested at national level (subcontracting networks). The global geographical extension of supply networks stresses the ID companies' search for efficiency in addition to value‐added competences. Non‐ID firms have a more hierarchical approach to internationalization than ID firms, but differences decrease as the size of the companies increases.
Research limitations/implications
The study is still preliminary. Future research should explore the relationships between the strategic approach to supply networks of district firms and non‐ID firms in terms of characteristics of the relationship management and aims of relationships, also with a focus on the size of these firms.
Originality/value
Within the existing literature, the original contribution of the paper lies in its comparison of supply network strategies in ID and non‐ID firms based on a significant quantitative analysis.
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Guido Bortoluzzi, Maria Chiarvesio, Eleonora Di Maria and Raffaella Tabacco
The purpose of this paper is to understand whether and how specific capabilities at the firm level can sustain firms during the process of international expansion in emerging…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand whether and how specific capabilities at the firm level can sustain firms during the process of international expansion in emerging markets (EMs).
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative study was carried out, and the authors analyzed data from a sample of 271 manufacturing firms. A logistic regression was used to check for differences in the endowment of resources and capabilities of firms solely focussing on advanced markets (AMs) or extending their international scope to EMs as well.
Findings
Firms that expanded their business in EMs showed a significantly higher endowment of international experience and marketing capabilities compared with firms that focussed only on AMs. The authors found that the size of the firm is irrelevant: even small firms can reach EMs by leveraging an appropriate set of capabilities.
Research limitations/implications
The study is cross-sectional and cannot provide a longitudinal view of the process of capability development. Future research will be needed to detail the process of capability development during the international expansion of firms into EMs.
Practical implications
Regardless of size, firms that plan to enter EMs should develop specific capabilities, especially marketing capabilities, to increase the likelihood of success. Already internationalized firms have a considerable advantage due to the knowledge they have accumulated in other markets.
Originality/value
This paper advances understanding of the process of the international expansion of firms in EMs from a resource-based perspective.
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Marco Bettiol, Eleonora Di Maria and Roberto Grandinetti
The paper aims to analyze the relationships between standardization and creativity in the process of service innovation in knowledge‐intensive business services (KIBS)…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to analyze the relationships between standardization and creativity in the process of service innovation in knowledge‐intensive business services (KIBS), specifically in those specialized in highly creative outputs (KIBS in design and communication). Studies on knowledge management and on service management emphasize the opportunity to gain efficiency through a standardization of services and organizational processes. However, creative activities are characterized by informality and difficulty to be standardized.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopts a qualitative research approach. Two case studies of medium‐size KIBS specialized in design and communication, localized in Bangalore (India) and in Treviso (Italy) are developed to identify how KIBS approach knowledge management both internally and externally and how firms structure the innovation process.
Findings
KIBS can use a suitable knowledge management strategy to balance creative outputs with standardization based on a working method. Standardization can refer to the way the creative effort is organized and managed internally through appropriate organizational processes, with the approach confirmed empirically.
Research limitations/implications
Main limitations are related to the case study and the industry selected. The authors acknowledge the need to compare firms belonging to other industries to strengthen the results.
Originality/value
From a theoretical point of view the paper enriches the research framework concerning knowledge management in services by exploring the relationship between standardization and creativity. From an empirical point of view, the research is able to deepen understanding on the KIBS knowledge management strategies and their impacts on processes of service provision and innovation.
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