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Article
Publication date: 13 June 2020

Does knowledge management enhance or impede innovation speed?

Haili Zhang, Xiaotang Zhang and Michael Song

The purpose of this study is to develop a theoretical model for examining how innovation speed mediates the relationship between knowledge management (KM) and performance…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop a theoretical model for examining how innovation speed mediates the relationship between knowledge management (KM) and performance and empirically tests the proposed model using data collected in the USA and China over three years.

Design/methodology/approach

To avoid common method bias and increase ability to draw causal effects of KM on performance, data were collected over three years. KM data were collected by survey; innovation speed data were collected in the following year; and sales growth and gross margin data were collected over the next three years. After merging the three data sets, the final empirical data used for this study contained data from 354 USA and 647 Chinese firms. Multiple regression analyses were used to test the research hypotheses. Sobel mediation tests were performed to test the mediating effects of innovation speed on the relationship between KM and performance.

Findings

Innovation speed has a U-shaped relationship with performance in both US and Chinese firms. Knowledge generation has an inverted U-shaped relationship with innovation speed in both US and Chinese firms. Knowledge dissemination increases innovation speed in US firms but not in Chinese firms. While knowledge application increases innovation speed in the US firms, it decreases innovation speed in Chinese firms.

Originality/value

This study is among the first to propose and empirically test the KM-innovation speed-performance relationship. This paper advances the KM literature by demonstrating that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between knowledge generation and innovation speed and that there is a U-shaped relationship between innovation speed and performance. In addition, this study contributed to the cross-national study of KM.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 24 no. 6
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-08-2019-0460
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

  • Firm performance
  • Knowledge management
  • Knowledge dissemination
  • Knowledge application
  • Innovation speed
  • Knowledge generation

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Article
Publication date: 26 February 2020

Pure or ambidextrous strategy? A study of responsive and proactive market orientations in industrial firms

Yejing Wang, Haili Zhang and Michael Song

The purpose of this study is to investigate the environmental conditions (i.e. competitive intensity) under which a pure strategy or an ambidextrous strategy of…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the environmental conditions (i.e. competitive intensity) under which a pure strategy or an ambidextrous strategy of implementing responsive market orientations (RMOs) and/or proactive market orientations (PMOs) is more advantageous for firm’s performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing upon the market orientation (MO) and strategy literatures, the authors test the study’s model empirically using a sample of 308 US-based firms operating in industrial markets. All measurement items are taken from the widely used maturity scale which has been confirmed in the literature.

Findings

The empirical results suggest that when the competitive intensity is high, pursuing a purity strategy of RMO while decreasing PMO is the best course of action. On the other hand, balancing between RMO and PMO (implementing a strategy of ambidexterity) can increase firm’s performance in a low competitive intensity environment.

Research limitations/implications

This study aims to contribute to the existing MO literature in several ways: first, this study advances the MO literature by emphasizing the moderating role of competitive intensity on the effects of different MO strategies (purity or ambidextrous MO strategy); second, this study focuses on the firms operating in industrial markets and informs managers on how to adopt RMO and PMO under different level of competitive intensity; third, this study is the extended research of the prior study published in this journal (Wang et al., 2013), which examined the environmental antecedents of adopting RMO and PMO.

Practical implications

First, firms operating in industrial markets should increase RMO, while at the same time decrease PMO, in a highly competitive intensity environment. Second, companies should pursue both RMO and PMO at the same time in a low competitive intensity environment. Balancing between RMO and PMO can improve firms’ performance in a low competitive intensity environment.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the industrial business and marketing literature by sharpening the theoretical understanding of the impact of RMOs and PMOs on firm’s performance. It also offers practical insights to managers of industrial firms on when to adopt RMOs and/or PMOs under different levels of competitive intensity.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 35 no. 6
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-04-2019-0152
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

  • Firm performance
  • Competitive intensity
  • Proactive market orientation
  • Responsive market orientation

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Article
Publication date: 10 April 2020

Can cognitive biases be good for entrepreneurs?

Haili Zhang, Hans van der Bij and Michael Song

While some studies have found that cognitive biases are detrimental to entrepreneurial performance, others have conjectured that cognitive biases may stimulate…

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Abstract

Purpose

While some studies have found that cognitive biases are detrimental to entrepreneurial performance, others have conjectured that cognitive biases may stimulate entrepreneurial action. This study uses a typology of availability and representative heuristics to examine how two patterns of biases affect entrepreneurial performance. Drawing on ideas from cognitive science, this study predicts that various levels of biases in each pattern stimulate entrepreneurial behavior and performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A profile-deviation approach was employed to analyze data from 253 entrepreneurs and zero-truncated Poisson regression and the zero-truncated negative binomial regression to test hypotheses.

Findings

This study finds some positive associations between a particular level of cognitive biases in each of the two patterns and entrepreneurial behavior and performance. Results show that the patterns of biases often stimulate and never hurt entrepreneurial behavior and performance. The opposite holds for a lack of cognitive biases, which hurts and never stimulates entrepreneurial behavior and performance.

Originality/value

This study examines patterns of cognitive biases of entrepreneurs instead of single biases. The study broadens the perspective on the heuristics and cognitive biases of entrepreneurs by examining patterns of biases emanating from the availability and the representativeness heuristic that make a difference for entrepreneurial behavior and performance. The study also brings the “great rationality debate” closer to the entrepreneurship field by showing that a normative rule based on statistics and probability theory does not benefit entrepreneurial behavior and performance.

Details

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 26 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-03-2019-0173
ISSN: 1355-2554

Keywords

  • Cognitive science
  • Profile-deviation approach
  • Cognitive biases
  • Entrepreneurial behavior
  • Entrepreneurial performance

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Article
Publication date: 4 November 2019

Do power distance and market information foster or impede performance of Chinese new ventures?: The moderating role of market growth

Haili Zhang and Michael Song

The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating effects of market growth on the relationships between power distance and new venture performance and between market…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating effects of market growth on the relationships between power distance and new venture performance and between market information utilization in new ventures and new venture performance in China.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses content analyses and OLS regressions.

Findings

First, power distance and market information utilization have positive effects on Chinese new venture performance. Second, in a low market growth environment, increasing power distance increases Chinese new venture performance. Third, in a high market growth environment, increasing power distance decreases, not increases, Chinese new venture performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the market orientation literature by examining the moderating effects of market growth on the market information utilization-performance relationship in China. This study also adds to the existing understanding of power distance and market information utilization in contingency theoretical perspective.

Practical implications

Chinese new ventures operating in a high-growth market should reduce power distance. However, when operating in the low market growth industry, Chinese new ventures should increase power distance. While all Chinese new ventures should use market information to make decisions, the roles of market information are more important for Chinese new ventures operating in high market growth industries than for those operating in low market growth industries.

Originality/value

This study examines the moderating effects of market growth on the positive relationship between power distance and Chinese new venture performance and the positive relationship between market information utilization on Chinese new venture performance in the same model.

Details

Chinese Management Studies, vol. 13 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/CMS-04-2018-0472
ISSN: 1750-614X

Keywords

  • China
  • Power distance
  • New venture performance
  • Market growth
  • Market information utilization

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Article
Publication date: 5 July 2011

Preparation of anatase nano‐TiO2/xanthan gum composite (NTX) and rheological study of the interior wall coatings using NTX as additive

Haili Zhang, Fuzhen Tian, Song Chen, Qinghua Guo, Fen Liu and Donglan Sun

The purpose of this paper is to develop a kind of novel and high‐performance rheological additive, an eco‐friendly composite of anatase nano‐TiO2 particles and xanthan gum…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a kind of novel and high‐performance rheological additive, an eco‐friendly composite of anatase nano‐TiO2 particles and xanthan gum (NTX), for interior wall coatings.

Design/methodology/approach

NTX was prepared through heating and refluxing the mixture of TiO2 hydrosol and xanthan gum, and five interior wall coating samples were fabricated with different NTX contents. The morphology of nano‐TiO2 hydrosol and NTX were characterised with TEM, and the stability and rheological properties of these coating samples were studied.

Findings

TEM images showed a core‐shell structure of NTX, and that nano‐TiO2 particles in it were encapsulated by xanthan gum, which was anticipated to weaken Van der Waals force among nano‐TiO2 particles thus preventing the aggregation of nano‐particles. All of the five coating samples were found to be non‐Newtonian pseudo‐plastic fluid, and showed excellent stability and thixotropic property.

Research limitations/implications

This paper focused on the preparation, the characterisation of NTX additive and the study of the rheological behaviours of the coating samples with NTX. Some other aspects, such as coating durability, photocatalytic ability and film properties, will be studied in the future.

Practical implications

It was proven that NTX was an effective eco‐friendly rheological additive for interior wall coatings. Consequently, this paper threw light on developing eco‐friendly interior wall coatings.

Originality/value

A kind of novel and effective rheological additive was developed for interior wall coatings in the study reported in the paper. A method was also developed to introduce functional nano‐particles into coating in a good dispersion state.

Details

Pigment & Resin Technology, vol. 40 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/03699421111147335
ISSN: 0369-9420

Keywords

  • Anatase nano‐TiO2
  • Xanthan gum
  • Eco‐friendly
  • Core‐shell structure
  • Rheological properties
  • Additives
  • Coatings technology

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Article
Publication date: 20 February 2020

Online Community Value Co-creation: Differences in Firms’ Strategies and Moderating Conditions

Haili Pan

Many companies strengthen their interaction with consumers by establishing online communities and bring convenience to value co-creation with consumers. Some companies use…

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Abstract

Purpose

Many companies strengthen their interaction with consumers by establishing online communities and bring convenience to value co-creation with consumers. Some companies use economic and social strategies to stimulate consumer value creation. However, the way to increase the effectiveness of such corporate strategies remains unclear. To address this challenge, this study investigates the impact patterns of economic and social strategies that influence consumers' value co-creation behaviour in firm-hosted online communities (FOCs). Moreover, the effective conditions for the value co-creation of the two strategies are explored.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from an FOC were collected for electronic communications products. A total of 1,305 second-hand data records on value co-creation activities were obtained. Then, an econometric model was built and Stata14.0 software was used for data analysis.

Findings

The effect of economic interaction strategy on the value co-creation in online communities is an inverted U-shaped model, and that of social interaction strategy is relatively stable and is not an inverted U-shaped model. Value creation initiatives introduced by enterprise personnel adopt economic strategies to improve effectiveness. On the contrary, value co-creation activities initiated by consumers use social strategies for the same purpose. Economic strategies are effective for large teams, whereas social strategies may lead to a “free rider” mentality.

Research limitations/implications

This study finds two important factors affecting the value co-creation in FOCs and their effective boundaries. However, other factors may also affect the online community value co-creation. Future research can further explore the intrinsic mechanisms of these strategies for value co-creation.

Practical implications

This article mainly discusses the influence of stimulation strategies on the value co-creation in an actual company community and exhibits good practical significance for the value co-creation activity and management in online communities. Firstly, corporate strategy is effective in communities, but this strategy requires proper control. Secondly, the company strategy must consider appropriate application conditions.

Originality/value

This study deepens the understanding of the impact of economic and social strategies on the value co-creation in FOCs and the effective boundaries of these impact patterns.

Details

Online Information Review, vol. 44 no. 3
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/OIR-09-2018-0276
ISSN: 1468-4527

Keywords

  • Online community
  • Value co-creation
  • Strategy
  • Knowledge share

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Article
Publication date: 27 May 2014

Proposing and validating a five-dimensional scale for measuring entrepreneurial orientation: An empirical study

Hongyun Zhang, Tan Zhang, Haili Cai, Yahui Li, Wayne Wei Huang and Dongming Xu

The purpose of this paper is to help enhance the scholarly conversation about the essential nature of the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) construct, its dimensionality…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to help enhance the scholarly conversation about the essential nature of the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) construct, its dimensionality and measurement. The authors focus on how EO was defined and measured in various contexts, which is the basis for the proposed five-dimensional EO scale (FDEOS).

Design/methodology/approach

Survey was conducted in design industry in China. A pilot test was conducted with 20 Chinese firms. Questionnaires were sent to 1,200 firms. A total of 408 complete and valid questionnaires were received.

Findings

It was found that a behavior aspect of EO as a second-order reflective model had a greater degree of agreement among scholarly community. As a result, a new FDEOS was proposed from behavioral perspective. Data were collected from 408 firms of design industry in a big developing country.

Originality/value

While five-dimensional EO construct is a well-recognized concept in the literature on entrepreneurship, little is known about its measurement. The research reported in this paper provides support for this assertion and develops a new scale, FDEOS, that designed to be neutral with regard to industry context and type of organization.

Details

Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, vol. 6 no. 2
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JEEE-03-2014-0004
ISSN: 2053-4604

Keywords

  • Entrepreneurship
  • Entrepreneurial orientation
  • Psychometric properties

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Article
Publication date: 16 September 2013

Machining parameter optimisation of an aluminium hybrid metal matrix composite by statistical modelling

N. Radhika, R. Subramaniam and S. Babudeva senapathi

The objective of this research is focused on the design of a new hybrid composite as well as to analyse the optimum turning conditions to minimise the surface roughness…

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Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this research is focused on the design of a new hybrid composite as well as to analyse the optimum turning conditions to minimise the surface roughness and work piece surface temperature, thereby increasing the productivity.

Design/methodology/approach

Mechanical properties such as hardness and tensile strength of Al-Si10Mg alloy reinforced with 3, 6 and 9 wt.% of alumina along with 3 wt.% of graphite prepared by stir casting method have been evaluated. The present study addresses the machinability parameter optimisation of Al alloy-9 per cent alumina-3 per centgraphite. Experiments were conducted based on the Taguchi parameter design by varying the feed (0.1, 0.15 and 0.2 mm/rev), cutting speed (200, 250 and 300 m/min) and depth of cut (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mm). The results were then analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Findings

Mechanical properties of the hybrid composite increases with reinforcement content. The surface roughness decreases with increasing cutting speed and conversely increases with increasing feed and depth of cut. The work piece surface temperature increases as cutting speed, feed and depth of cut increases. The ANOVA result reveals that feed plays a major role in minimising both surface roughness and surface temperature of work piece. The cutting speed and depth of cut follow feed in the order of importance, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

The vibration of the machine tool is a factor which may contribute to poor quality characteristics. This factor has not taken been into account in this analysis since major vibrations in the machine are induced due to the machining process.

Practical implications

Design and development of new hybrid metal matrix composites (HMMCs) with a detailed analysis on machining conditions. The findings could help in the production of composite with a higher degree of surface finish. This will enable the adoption of HMMCs as industrial product for mass scale production.

Originality/value

Good quality characteristics were achieved using optimum machining conditions arrived using a statistical modelling.

Details

Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, vol. 65 no. 6
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/ILT-01-2011-0008
ISSN: 0036-8792

Keywords

  • Hybrid metal matrix composites
  • Taguchi parameter design
  • Composite machining
  • Analysis of variance
  • Surface roughness
  • Surface properties of materials
  • Metals

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