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The purpose of this study was to examine students’ innovation capability in virtual team projects from the COVID-19 pandemic era.

The researchers conducted an empirical study and the data were collected from a total of 308 participants engaging in virtual team projects. A structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to assess the relationship of the conceptual framework.

The findings showed that virtual team culture positively influenced propensity to innovate. Also, knowledge management and communication influenced propensity to innovate through the mediation of support for innovation.

Developing a strategy for propensity to innovate in any organization demands that project team members should be able to seamlessly communicate. Developing knowledge management, communication and support for innovation strategy in a virtual team may prepare an organization for permanently different post-pandemic events and the future turbulent business environment.

This study highlights innovation capability for the propensity to innovate, a topic that is not widely researched, especially in the context of virtual teams.

The aim of this paper is to analyze the relationships between distribution strategies and the level of innovation propensity in the winemaking industry. It intends to identify the existence of patterns around the way wineries innovate and the way distribution channels are used. These determinants can support or constrain wineries’ behaviors in their strategic choices related to distribution channels.

The sample comprised 191 Italian small- to medium-sized enterprises in the wine industry. First, a two-step cluster analysis was used to identify patterns in the level of innovation propensity and differences in distribution channel strategies. Second, the research question was tested using multinomial logit regression.

Five clusters of innovation propensity were identified, varying from “no propensity to innovate” to “propensity for radical innovation”, and three clusters of distribution channel strategies were found. A significant negative relationship between innovation propensity and distribution channel strategies was revealed. This means that the greater the propensity to innovate, the smaller the need for a wholesale distribution option.

As with most research, there are limitations to this study. First, the sample is from only one country. A second limitation is the sample size (191 Italian firms). A sample including large firms can be used to further validate the findings. Linked to the sample, another possible limitation is that all respondents were small- and medium-sized enterprises from a single industry.

This study contributes to the current innovation research by showing the existence of a negative relationship between innovation propensity and the choice of distribution channel in the wine industry. This knowledge is precious to entrepreneurs and managers in the wine sector, allowing them to better consider not only the type of strategies related to distribution channels but also the importance of building the firm’s propensity to innovate into the strategic decision-making process. Furthermore, the paper provides an opportunity for practitioners to reflect upon the fact that changing the distribution channel is more than just changing the outlet for their product; it might also require a revision in their innovation propensity to better facilitate the process.

There are also social implications, in particular providing an advantage for consumers. The major advantage is based on the fact that consumers are now aware that the level of innovation propensity in a wine industry is directly linked to the type of distribution channel adopted. Therefore, wines with low-innovation propensity are most likely found to adopt wholesale distribution strategy, while the more innovative wineries adopt the wine expert and direct distribution channels.

For the first time, a cluster analysis approach was used to review different typologies of Italian wineries based on their propensity toward to innovation and subsequent distribution strategies. This study further explains the direct relationship between innovation propensity and the strategic choice toward between long or short distribution channels.

Diversity of people, knowledge and resources has been identified as a determinant of firms' growth. This paper focusses on innovation propensity as a critical dimension of firm's growth path, aiming to analyse the effects of the firm's horizontal educational diversity (HED) on the propensity to conduct different technological innovation activities (TIAs). In addition, considering the evidence showing that these effects are neither direct nor linear, the authors analyse the moderating role of the firm's organizational practices oriented to knowledge sharing (KS) on the association between HED and the adoption of TIAs.

Following the theoretical arguments of the resource-based view (RBV), the evolutionary economics and the dynamic capabilities approach and related empirical evidences, the authors proposed four hypotheses regarding the effect of HED on TIAs and the moderating role of work organization practices oriented to promote KS. Empirically, the authors calculated different HED diversity indexes capturing two basic dimensions: variety and balance. Hence, using instrumental variables and panel data techniques to control endogeneity biases, the authors tested the proposed hypotheses using a data set of Uruguayan manufacturing firms between 2004 and 2015.

In line with previous evidence, results showed idiosyncratic context effects. The authors found a robust, linear, positive and significant relationship between HED and TIAs, but the effect can only be consistently associated with the adoption of internal or external research and development (R&D) activities. Moreover, the moderating role of work organization practices oriented to promote KS is positive and significant when firms engage in TIAs. For technological innovations that only involve the acquisiton of technology (AT), a positive effect is also observed but always associated to organizational practices oriented to promote KS.

This paper revisits the analysis of workforce diversity for a relatively less explored context. This research contributes to the field by linking HED and work organization practices to understand firm's innovation propensity in a developing context. Moreover, while other studies have focussed only on top management or R&D team diversity, the authors have analysed the whole professional's workforce. It allows the authors to discuss the effects of diversity on innovation propensity in the light of the ongoing debate on the effects of innovation in employment.

Even though innovation is widely understood as a critical success factor, little is still known about the top management ability to steer small firms’ innovativeness. In an attempt to fill such gap, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between strategic orientation and propensity to innovate of a representative sample of Italian small-sized organizations.

Secondary data collected from the Community Innovation Survey performed in Italy by the Italian Institute of Statistics were investigated. Data concerned a representative sample of 5.833 units of analysis. Ad hoc logistic regression models were designed to illuminate the relationship between small firms’ propensity to innovate and their strategic orientation.

The outputs of logistic regression models suggested that strategic aims, strategic goals and awareness of environmental threats influenced the propensity of small firms to innovate. On the one hand, the desire to expand the current market share and to open new markets aroused product innovation; on the other hand, the need to increase organizational flexibility boosted process innovation.

This study relied on secondary data; therefore, it was not possible to tailor the process of data collection to the specific purposes of this research. Besides, findings are not generalizable at either the European or worldwide level.

This is one of the first attempts to exploit the potential of multiple logistic regression models to shed light on the relationship between small firms’ strategic orientation and their propensity to innovate.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect of technological cooperation with suppliers (TCS) and the firm size on propensity to develop product innovations and on propensity to radical innovations.

The study uses data from Business Strategies Survey (ESSE in Spanish). The final sample was composed by 1,952 companies representing the Spanish manufacturing industries. Some control variables were introduced: age, propensity to export and sector technological intensity level. Logistic regression analyses were adopted to analyze the data.

The results indicate that those firms that cooperate technologically with suppliers have a greater propensity for product innovation and, specifying, for radical innovations; and the larger firm size, greater the propensity to product innovations. However, radical product innovations depend of some characteristics of firms and environment.

The sample just focusses on Spanish manufacturing companies. Small firms will benefit more from the TCS.

Some characteristics of firms and environment can originate some rigidity and take a more conservative attitude. In this sense, large and small firms, as well as, the oldest firms have a more conservative attitude when they carry out radical product innovations.

The study contributes to product innovation literature and also to the debate regarding firm size and innovation. It distinguishes between radical and incremental innovations. Indeed, some characteristics of firms (such as size or age) and environment should be considered when the firms carry out the innovation process.

This paper aims at investigating the link between inter-organizational relationships and innovation, discussing whether the probability to detect a greater innovation propensity of organizations increases with or without collaborative partnerships.

Drawing on secondary data provided by the Italian Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) about a representative sample of 8,967 Italian firms, three multinomial logit models and four logit models have been estimated, in an attempt to examine the effects of inter-organizational relationships on different types of organizational innovation.

A positive and statistically significant relationship between inter-organizational relationships and organizational innovation emerged from all the models which were arranged for the purpose of this study. Several categories of partners, including suppliers, universities and firms belonging to the same holding group, were found to be more effective in fostering the probability of organizational innovation. Interestingly, geographical proximity did not seem to influence the organizational propensity to innovate.

Even though further developments are needed to disentangle the complex link between inter-organizational relationships and organizational innovation, the former are likely to positively affect the innovation ability of organizations. From this point of view, it could be argued that partners perform as catalysts, which boost the knowledge creation process underlying the emergence of organizational innovation.

This is one of the first attempts to exploit the potential of multinomial logit models and logit models to investigate the effects of inter-organizational relationships on the propensity of organizations to innovate.

The purpose of this paper is to explore technology acceptance and use behavior of IS innovations by entrepreneurs. To measure the perception of IS innovations by entrepreneurs the authors review unified theory of acceptance and use of technology and the entrepreneurial potential model, empirically compare the two models, develop a new model that integrates elements from the two models, and then empirically validate the new model (technology adoption decision and use (TADU)) in a technology acceptance context.

The data used to test the hypothesis are collected from 1,200 entrepreneurs in Malaysia. The research model was analyzed using structural equation modeling.

The results indicate that perceived desirability and perceived feasibility have significant effects on entrepreneurs’ intention to adopt and use innovations. Propensity to use is an important factor that has a significant effect on individual behavior. The precipitating events that happen in the time lag between intention and behavior will disrupt entrepreneurs’ inertia and induce a change in their behavior, encouraging them to seek the best opportunity available.

Understanding the individual, technological, and environmental factors that significantly affect IT adoption behavior can support policy makers in providing guidance on the adoption and usage of IT innovations by entrepreneurs.

This study proposes a TADU model with six core determinants of intention and usage – perceived desirability, perceived feasibility, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions and two new moderators, precipitating events and the propensity to act.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the limits of stakeholder governance and to contribute a better comprehension of the relationships between corporate social performance (CSP) and corporate financial performance (CFP) through the development of a dynamic model that links together innovation and change, stakeholder cohesion, and competitive advantage.

The approach takes the form of theory building through the development of eight testable propositions.

Stakeholder cohesion may have a “dark side” to the extent that it results in inertia and resistance to change, thus reducing propensity to innovation and change. The latter, in turn, are vital for both competitive advantage and stakeholder cohesion itself. Therefore, propensity to innovation and change is the pivotal variable that helps to explain the complex, non‐linear, often inextricable relationships between CSP and CFP. Furthermore, external (environmental dynamism) and internal (firm culture) variables moderate, respectively, the impact of innovation and change on firm performance and the impact of firm performance on its propensity to innovation and change.

The paper represents a first attempt to use system dynamics to improve the comprehension of the relationships between CSP and CFP and, from a practical point of view, to interpret the economic crisis as a consequence of a too high level of stakeholder cohesion.

This paper analyses the relationship between subjective well-being (SWB) and perceived organisational culture (POC) with the individual propensity to innovation (IPI).

To empirically test the hypotheses, the sample and data were collected through a cross-sectional survey with 614 professionals who work in Technological Knowledge-Intensive Business Service (T-Kibs) in Brazil. For data analysis, the authors applied the partial least squares path modelling (PLS-PM) algorithm.

The results identify that employees' perception of the organisational culture has a direct and indirect impact on the IPI. The perception of employees about the dimensions of clan and adhocracy of organisational culture influences the SWB of employees, which has a significant relationship with the individual propensity to innovation. Also, the perception of a market culture has a direct impact on the individual propensity to innovate. The results showed that the adhocracy culture has a more significant influence on the SWB of the female gender.

This work contributes to the expansion of scientific studies in the area of innovation, in addition to managerial contributions due to the identification of the factors that influence the IPI.

In an increasingly turbulent and competitive environment, open innovation could be critical for a firm’s success, favoring organizational flexibility and accelerating innovation processes. However, sharing innovation projects with external partners often requires changes in traditional organizational behavior and visions of CEOs. The purpose of this paper is to theorize and empirically verify how the CEO turnover and some socially relevant characteristics of the old and the new CEO may impact firms’ propensity toward open innovation under an integrated agency-resource dependence view and social identity perspective.

The empirical analysis was carried out on 264 companies drawn from 16 developed European markets included in the S&P Europe 350 Dow Jones index over the years 2006-2015. To test the predictions, the authors adopted regression analysis by employing the panel two-stages least squares model and the ordinary least squares econometric model.

Consistently with the predictions, the authors found that CEO turnover stimulates open innovation. Particularly, the results suggest that the organizational identity rationale may motivate a divergent propensity between insider and outsider new CEOs, with outsiders more prone to open innovation. The higher tendency of new outsider CEOs to undertake innovation projects jointly with external organizations prevails also within firms that experienced a long tenure of the former CEO, thereby suggesting that a new outsider CEO appears able to renovate corporate strategic directions also in highly orthodox organizational cultures.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that theorizes why CEO turnover might impact the propensity of the firm toward open innovation. The authors use an integrated agency-resource dependence perspective, and the results from the empirical analysis mostly support the predictions. Moreover, the authors adopt the social identity theory to show that the organizational identification of the CEO matters in the decision of engaging in open innovation.