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1 – 10 of over 97000Yi Su and Yuehan Yan
This paper aims to focus on the characteristics of a two-tier network featuring internal subject cooperation and external embedded cooperation in the context of regional…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to focus on the characteristics of a two-tier network featuring internal subject cooperation and external embedded cooperation in the context of regional innovation systems (RISs) and explore the influence of network characteristics on knowledge emergence.
Design/methodology/approach
Using social network analysis, a two-tier internal and external cooperation network of a RIS is constructed. A negative binomial regression method is used to explore the effects of the characteristics of these two-tier internal and external networks on knowledge emergence, the moderating effect of the cooperation knowledge base in this context is investigated and grouping and quantile regressions are used to conduct heterogeneity analysis.
Findings
The scale of the internal cooperation network has a positive effect on knowledge emergence, and the betweenness centralization of the internal cooperation network has an inverted U-shaped effect on knowledge emergence. The scale and structural holes of the external embedded network have an inverted U-shaped effect on knowledge emergence. Furthermore, the internal cooperation knowledge base weakens the influence of the external embedded network on knowledge emergence.
Practical implications
This research may enlighten policymakers with respect to improving the scale and structure of the RIS cooperation network and matching the embedded network based on the internal cooperation knowledge base to promote knowledge emergence.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the study of knowledge emergence by exploring the influence of a two-tier network structure and scale characteristics on knowledge emergence in RISs. This paper also extends the framework of relevant research by integrating the internal cooperation knowledge base into the analysis of externally embedded cooperation and knowledge emergence.
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Saroja Kumari Wanigasekara, Muhammad Ali and Erica French
Networking behaviours are important for a range of work outcomes. Little empirical evidence of how internal vs external networking behaviours influence job commitment and job…
Abstract
Purpose
Networking behaviours are important for a range of work outcomes. Little empirical evidence of how internal vs external networking behaviours influence job commitment and job performance exists and whether political skills moderate these relationships. Using theories of social capital and personal initiative, this study examines the effect of internal and external networking behaviours on job commitment and job performance in the context of political skills.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a sequential mixed-method research design with a four-month time lag, Study 1 data on networking behaviours, political skills and work outcomes were collected via a survey of middle managers and their supervisors from ten private sector organisations operating in Sri Lanka. Study 2 data were collected via interviews of a set of middle managers and their supervisors.
Findings
Study 1 findings indicate a positive relationship between internal networking behaviours and both job commitment and job performance. The authors also found a moderating effect of political skills on internal networking behaviours and job commitment. Study 2 findings explained, strengthened and extended results of Study 1.
Practical implications
Middle managers can use these research findings to understand how internal networking behaviours improve their job commitment and job performance. These managers can use their political skills and internal networking behaviours to improve their job commitment. They can also advance their career through improved job commitment and job performance. Senior managers and human resource managers should facilitate and encourage internal networking behaviours. Training and development managers should develop middle managers' networking behaviours and political skills.
Originality/value
This study provides pioneering evidence of how internal networking behaviours impact middle managers' job performance and job commitment, and how internal networking behaviours improve job commitment for middle managers with high political skills.
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Fabienne Chedid, Canan Kocabasoglu-Hillmer and Jörg M. Ries
The importance of the supply network to firm performance is well documented. Until now, the firm and its suppliers have been conceptualized as single entities. Yet, multinational…
Abstract
Purpose
The importance of the supply network to firm performance is well documented. Until now, the firm and its suppliers have been conceptualized as single entities. Yet, multinational corporations (MNCs) are composed of a complex, geographically dispersed internal network of subsidiaries. The supply and internal networks are inherently linked. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the interaction of these networks on firm-level financial performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Building on supply network, internal network and dual embeddedness research, the authors investigate the interaction of these networks using supply network data from FactSet and internal network data from Orbis. We assess the impact at the MNC level, using measures of firm-level financial performance, physical proximity between the two networks and geographic dispersion of the internal network.
Findings
The results show that the performance effect of physical proximity of the firm with its supply network is negatively moderated by the geographic dispersion of the firm's internal network. This effect can be traced back to the diminishing marginal profitability of a firm's assets. Moreover, the benefits of dual embeddedness to the individual subsidiary come at a cost at the firm-level due to the operational challenges of managing a complex subsidiary network.
Research limitations/implications
This study is the first to investigate the supply and internal networks of MNCs simultaneously.
Originality/value
The paper extends supply network literature by considering the internal network of the focal firm and its suppliers. This paper is one of the first studies that offer an understanding of the interaction between supply and internal networks of a focal firm and the effect on financial performance.
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Although social networks play an important role in individual ambidexterity, few studies have examined the impact of salespeople's social networks on sales-service ambidexterity…
Abstract
Purpose
Although social networks play an important role in individual ambidexterity, few studies have examined the impact of salespeople's social networks on sales-service ambidexterity. The purpose of this paper is to explore how salespeople's internal and external social networks affect sales-service ambidexterity.
Design/methodology/approach
The unique data of 331 salespeople from 39 units in retail banking industry and insurance industry were collected, and the hierarchical linear model was adopted to test the hypotheses. Finally, the alternative measure of the dependent variable and the alternative estimation method were adopted for robustness test.
Findings
The results show that the strength of salespeople's internal social networks and the extensiveness of salespeople's external social networks could facilitate sales-service ambidexterity of salespeople separately and synergistically. Salespeople's role breadth self-efficacy partially mediates the influences of internal and external social networks on sales-service ambidexterity, while empowerment climate and transformational leadership positively moderate the aforementioned mediational process by strengthening the relationship between salespeople's role breadth self-efficacy and sales-service ambidexterity.
Practical implications
Practical guidelines are provided for managers to shape ambidextrous salespeople by facilitating salespeople's internal and external social networks, promoting transformational leadership and creating empowerment climate within the unit.
Originality/value
To the best of the author's knowledge, this paper is the first to systematically examine the impact of salespeople's social network on sales-service ambidexterity. Drawing from social cognitive theory and the ambidexterity literature, this research reveals the mechanism of how salespeople's internal and external social networks contribute to sales-service ambidexterity.
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Saroja Wanigasekara, Muhammad Ali, Erica Lynn French and Marzena Baker
Research suggests that engaging in networking behaviors can affect individual work outcomes. However, relatively less is known about how internal versus external networking…
Abstract
Purpose
Research suggests that engaging in networking behaviors can affect individual work outcomes. However, relatively less is known about how internal versus external networking behaviors influence work outcomes, and whether gender moderates these relationships. Drawing on social capital theory and social role theory, the authors propose a positive relationship between employees' internal and external networking behaviors and their work outcomes (job commitment and career success), and the moderating effect of gender. The authors also explore employee preference in networking.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a sequential mixed-method research design with a four-month time lag, Study 1 data on networking behaviors and employee outcomes were collected via a survey of middle managers and their supervisors from 10 private sector organizations in Sri Lanka. Study 2 data were collected via interviews from a sample of those middle managers and their supervisors.
Findings
Study 1 findings indicate a positive relationship between internal networking behaviors and job commitment, and external networking behaviors and career success. The authors also found that internal networking behaviors enhance job commitment. Study 2 findings indicate men and women network differently and benefit differently from that networking but achieve equitable workplace benefits.
Originality/value
This study provides pioneering evidence that internal networking behaviors enhance job commitment among women. It appears that past research did not test the moderating effect of gender for internal versus external networking behaviors separately. Moreover, this study refines the evidence that internal and external networking behaviors differentially impact employee outcomes and explains the processes through a qualitative inquiry.
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This paper aims to draw on the network perspective of organizational innovation to present an argument on how a subsidiary should select innovation behavior.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to draw on the network perspective of organizational innovation to present an argument on how a subsidiary should select innovation behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
In this framework, the paper analyzes middle- and high-level managers of subsidiaries from various industries located in the Chinese Mainland.
Findings
The results suggest the following ideas: internal embeddedness is positively related to exploitation innovation, external embeddedness is inverted-U related to exploration innovation, the availability of alternatives positively moderates the main effects, whereas restraint in the use of power negatively moderates them.
Research limitations/implications
The current study has a few limitations that provide meaningful research directions for future investigations. First, it only considers the industry and ownership as control variables. Second, this study was conducted in the Chinese context.
Practical implications
The analysis of the relationship between embeddedness and innovation behavior also shows that focal subsidiary must dynamically adjust the way of embeddedness on the basis of its strategy, and it can reasonable leverage strategic assets for exploitation innovation or exploration innovation. From the perspective of headquarters, establishing deep embeddedness with a subsidiary and giving it indispensable support are important to promote that subsidiary’s exploitation innovation.
Social implications
The focal subsidiary should establish relationships with more alternative partners and develop relationships with power-advantaged partners through strategies such as a long-term contract, establishing an R&D alliance and entering a joint venture. Besides this, more powerful partners in the internal network should adopt various power usage strategies to promote focal subsidiary exploitation innovation and more powerful partners in the external network should show restraint in the use of power toward any subsidiary in an over-embedded situation. The result shows environment dynamism affects subsidiary exploration innovation more deeply than exploitation innovation. Consequently, managers should recognize the importance of dynamic adaptation to environmental changes and adjust their firms’ innovation behavior accordingly, especially when they are implementing an exploration innovation strategy.
Originality/value
The extent of embeddedness in an innovation network shapes the subsidiary innovation behavior, and this effect is moderated by power. The focal subsidiary should dynamically and strategically adjust its innovation behavior considering various its type and level of embeddedness.
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Shelly Y. McCallum, Monica L. Forret and Hans-Georg Wolff
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships of internal and external networking behaviors of managers and professionals with their affective, continuance, and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships of internal and external networking behaviors of managers and professionals with their affective, continuance, and normative commitment.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were obtained from 335 managers and professionals of a health system who completed a survey on networking behavior and organizational commitment. Correlation analyses and multiple regressions were performed to test our hypotheses.
Findings
The results showed that networking behavior focussed within an individual's organization was positively related with affective commitment and normative commitment. Networking with individuals outside of an individual's organization showed a significant negative relationship with normative commitment. Contrary to expectations, networking externally was not related to affective commitment, and neither internal nor external networking behaviors were related to continuance commitment.
Research limitations/implications
Because data were collected at a single point in time, no statements can be made about causality. Future research is needed assessing both internal and external networking behavior and the three types of organizational commitment across time to help determine direction of causality or whether reciprocal relationships exist.
Practical implications
Organizations that encourage internal networking behaviors may see individuals who are more connected with their colleagues and affectively committed to their organizations. However, encouraging external networking behavior may result in a drop in normative commitment as individuals might identify more with their profession than their employer.
Originality/value
Although previous research has shown that networking behavior is related to job performance and career success measures, the research extends the literature by investigating whether networking is related to attitudinal variables such as organizational commitment. The paper explores whether differential relationships exist between internal and external networking behavior with three types of organizational commitment.
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Yang Cheng, Atanu Chaudhuri and Sami Farooq
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships at the level of plant in a manufacturing network, labelled as networked plant in the paper, between inter-plant…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships at the level of plant in a manufacturing network, labelled as networked plant in the paper, between inter-plant coordination and operational performance, supply chain integration (SCI) and operational performance and inter-plant coordination and SCI.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is developed based on the data obtained from the sixth version of International Manufacturing Strategy Survey (IMSS VI). Specifically, this paper uses a subset of the IMSS VI data set from the 606 plants that identified themselves as one of the plants in a manufacturing network.
Findings
This paper finds that external integration is significantly related to operational performance of networked plant, whereas internal integration is not. As an enabler for external integration, the influence of internal integration on operational performance of networked plant is mediated by external integration. This paper also provides evidence to the purported positive impact of internal integration on inter-plant coordination, as well as the positive impact of inter-plant coordination on external integration. It further suggests that inter-plant coordination can influence operational performance of networked plant through external integration and also mediate the relationship from internal integration to performance through external integration.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the SCI literature and extends the understanding of the impact of SCI on the operational performance by selecting networked plant as a unit of analysis. Besides, this paper distinguishes inter-plant coordination from SCI and investigates the relationship between inter-plant coordination, SCI, and operational performance for the first time.
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Levente Szász, Maike Scherrer and Patricia Deflorin
The purpose of this paper is to offer deeper insight into the relationship between a subsidiary’s internal integration in its manufacturing network and subsidiary-level…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to offer deeper insight into the relationship between a subsidiary’s internal integration in its manufacturing network and subsidiary-level operational performance by taking into account the country context of the respective subsidiary.
Design/methodology/approach
Subsidiary-level information is gathered using the sixth round of the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey, thus including 507 subsidiaries from 22 countries. Country context is operationalised using the Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum.
Findings
The findings reveal that internal integration has a positive influence on operational performance improvement. Country context acts as a moderator on this relationship: subsidiaries in less developed countries are only able to improve their effectiveness (quality, flexibility, delivery), while developed country subsidiaries gain both effectiveness and efficiency (cost, time) benefits from internal integration.
Research limitations/implications
The unit of analysis is the knowledge-receiving subsidiary without taking the characteristics of the sending unit or that of the whole network of subsidiaries into account. Based on the context-dependency of the integration-performance relationship found in this paper, a future research agenda is proposed including further factors (absorptive capacity, knowledge complementarity, organisational practices) that could influence this relationship.
Practical implications
Subsidiary managers in less developed countries should strive to acquire intra-network knowledge related to effectiveness, while managers in developed countries can expect both efficiency and effectiveness benefits.
Originality/value
A large-scale survey encompassing subsidiaries from both emerging and developed countries is used to offer deeper insight into the relationship between internal integration and performance. The paper provides a possible explanation for previous mixed findings on this relationship. The differentiation between efficiency and effectiveness performance shows that country context represents an important factor that moderates the integration-performance relationship.
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Marketing is the area of coexistence of various research traditions with regard to relational phenomena. This study aims to contribute to limiting the gap between these traditions…
Abstract
Purpose
Marketing is the area of coexistence of various research traditions with regard to relational phenomena. This study aims to contribute to limiting the gap between these traditions by testing the influence of network partner knowledge and internal relationship quality on company performance and customer relationship quality.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a research paper where hypotheses are derived from prior studies referring to relationship marketing, B2B networks and internal marketing. The hypotheses are tested by using a sample of 264 companies operating in B2B markets and by structural equation modeling.
Findings
Customer relationship quality is empirically supported here as a factor mediating influence of network partner knowledge and internal relationship quality on company performance. The proposition of this paper is that company ability to deal effectively with a network in which it is embedded (including internal network) is the antecedent of dealing with customer relationships effectively. The moderator effects of the dominant profile of business are also discussed.
Research limitations/implications
The limitations of the research are presented with regard to the sampling method, research technique/scope and cultural context. The research results may be treated as a direction for further studies exploring connections between constructs from various approaches to relational phenomena in marketing.
Practical implications
This study brings strategic insights into knowledge of business relationships, by investigating empirically whether the focal company may benefit from their external and internal relationships.
Originality/value
To the best of the author's knowledge, there has been no study examining the proposed set of inter‐related research constructs so far.
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