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1 – 10 of 14Sam Solaimani, Tijl van Eck, Henk Kievit and Kitty Koelemeijer
Lean Startup (LS) has gained considerable traction in the startup scene, especially within digital firms where the concept finds the concept's genesis. However, there are more and…
Abstract
Purpose
Lean Startup (LS) has gained considerable traction in the startup scene, especially within digital firms where the concept finds the concept's genesis. However, there are more and more calls in the entrepreneurship literature to study LS's application beyond the digital context. The purpose of this study is to explore the applicability of LS within the largely under-researched context of non-digital entrepreneurs. To structure the authors' understanding of the participating entrepreneurs' cognitive and behavioural logic, effectuation theory is applied.
Design/methodology/approach
To explore how LS is applied in non-digital settings, this study analyses the LS approach of 15 Dutch brick-and-mortar and click-and-mortar Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and startups.
Findings
This study provides empirical evidence that non-digital entrepreneurs pursue an effectual logic in their LS approach. However, the entrepreneurs' LS approach appeared to be contextualised to the non-digital contexts' inherent constraints and trade-offs. Such contextualisation calls for a particular set of skills and competencies, including applying mixed-methods cross-validation, affinity and passion for craftsmanship and aesthetics, inferring from limited, qualitative, and often skewed data, establishing an empathetic collaborative relationship with customers and suppliers, and leveraging prior market knowledge and experience.
Originality/value
This study advances the current understanding of the LS applicability and gives a more nuanced account of how LS is practised in the context of non-digital firms, the challenges entrepreneurs involved in non-digital firms need to overcome, and the skills and competencies they need to possess. In practical terms, the findings help non-digital entrepreneurs and coaches to be more heedful of the contextual peculiarities when employing LS.
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Sam Solaimani, Jack van der Veen, Durward K. Sobek II, Erdogan Gulyaz and Venu Venugopal
Increasingly, a firm’s innovation capability has become one of the key frontiers of competitive advantage. The Lean philosophy has a well-proven reputation for its focus on…
Abstract
Purpose
Increasingly, a firm’s innovation capability has become one of the key frontiers of competitive advantage. The Lean philosophy has a well-proven reputation for its focus on process efficiency and effectiveness, and therefore, is often applied in various areas of innovation. Such wide and ever-increasing applicability also has resulted in an incoherent corpus of literature on Lean innovation. The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize an integrative view on Lean innovation management.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a systematic literature review, the key Lean principles and practices useful in the context of innovation management are identified and synthesized into an all-inclusive framework. By means of three illustrative cases (i.e. public hospital, electronics company and avionics manufacturer), this paper elaborates on how the proposed framework can be applied.
Findings
A total of 88 publications are analyzed, leading to 34 Lean principles and practices relevant to innovation management, which are further integrated into a comprehensive model, dubbed the “Leanovation” framework.
Originality/value
This study is the first attempt to advance the understanding of various interrelated and interdependent components of Lean innovation management in a holistic way.
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Behrooz Rasuli, Mehdi Alipour-Hafezi and Sam Solaimani
Implementing and maintaining Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) program at a national level encounters numerous difficulties in particular from technical, legal, business…
Abstract
Purpose
Implementing and maintaining Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) program at a national level encounters numerous difficulties in particular from technical, legal, business, and financial perspective. Business model (BM) is a tool to help to address business-driven challenges, such as business feasibility and viability, as one of the important aspects. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the BM practiced by different national Electronic Theses and Dissertations (NETDs) cases.
Design/methodology/approach
BM of seven NETDs programs have been studied through an online questionnaire; besides, programs’ websites were observed and related documents were examined. Business model canvas (BMC) was used to describe the business rationale behind the selected cases.
Findings
Most of the NETDs programs lack a documented BM. The main value of these programs is sharing ETDs which is offered to academics through online channels; skillful staff and proper hardware/software are their main resources to do so. Furthermore, their key activities are developing hardware/software and negotiating with ETDs owners as their key partners. All these activities required huge cost which is generally covered by public funding.
Originality/value
This study pioneers in applying BM concept into field of NETDs. Therefore, the major contribution of this study is to provide an analysis of NETDs programs’ BM through BMC. Furthermore, the paper provides recommendations on how ETDs could be implemented in a cost effective, sustainable, and viable way.
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Sam Solaimani and Jack van der Veen
In the ever-increasing dynamics of global business markets, firms must use all possible sources to innovate continually. This study aims to explore how supply chain innovation can…
Abstract
Purpose
In the ever-increasing dynamics of global business markets, firms must use all possible sources to innovate continually. This study aims to explore how supply chain innovation can be fostered through joint efforts between firms and their supply chain partners.
Design/methodology/approach
At least two areas advocate innovation through external relations, namely, supply chain collaboration and open innovation. This study aims to provide a holistic insight into how vertical and horizontal partnerships can be implemented to help supply chains become more innovative, building upon commonalities and differences between the two areas.
Findings
This study proposes a conceptual framework for supply chain innovation based on the following three ambidextrous capabilities: purpose (i.e. knowledge exploration and exploitation), span (horizontal and vertical collaboration) and orientation (i.e. incremental and radical innovation). With five propositions, the link between the three ambidextrous capabilities and supply chain innovation is explained. The implementation of the framework is articulated through an illustrative real-life case.
Originality/value
The concept of open innovation in supply chain settings is progressively essential yet under-researched. This study is an early attempt to draw on the available theories and literature on open innovation and supply chain collaboration and elaborates how supply chains can facilitate and adopt a more open approach toward innovation.
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Jayaraman Rajagopalan and Sam Solaimani
The practice of lean management (LM) principles has given firms, from a variety of sectors, quantum jumps in productivity and performance. India is at the cusp of a major leap in…
Abstract
Purpose
The practice of lean management (LM) principles has given firms, from a variety of sectors, quantum jumps in productivity and performance. India is at the cusp of a major leap in economic growth, and adoption of LM is a must for ramping up the rate of growth of the GDP speedily, if the government is really intent on achieving its objective of becoming the third or fourth largest economy soon. This paper aims to study the status of implementation of LM in the LM Leaders (LML’s) in the Indian industry, to understand if they are ready to accept the challenges ahead.
Design/methodology/approach
This is an exploratory research study. To study the level of maturity of LM in Indian industry, the authors selected the LM Leaders in the Indian industry (LMLII). By using a well-known survey instrument – the Lean Self -Assessment Tool (LESAT), Version 2.0 – designed and developed by MIT, the authors conducted a longitudinal survey over the period 2013 to 2016, a four-year duration. Surveys were conducted every year.
Findings
Survey results show an improvement in the overall average of “current state” scores between the years 2013 and 2016, indicating that LMLII’s have improved upon their LM adoption during these years. However, there is a striking gap between “where the industry wants to be” and “where it currently is”. This could drive future improvements. Based on the survey results, this paper draws lessons and proposes action points on how to improve the adoption and diffusion of LM principles and practices in the LMLII. Factors which need to be addressed to reinvigorate the practice of LM have been identified and classified as urgent, immediate and short term.
Research limitations/implications
While many “snapshot” studies have been done to study LM in Indian industry, a longitudinal study has not been done. Moreover, previous studies administer questionnaires to one company (case study method) or a group of companies in a sector of the industry. Thus, there was a research gap. A longitudinal study will help us take a holistic approach. In addition, studying LMLII will provide data from the most serious adopters of LM. Both these will add value to the current research on LM in Indian industry. The results will also help the LMLII’s to further improve the practice of LM in a systematic and rigorous way. However, as the study is limited to the LMLII, it would not be possible to apply the knowledge to the Indian industry as a whole. For doing so, one would need a larger, more representative sample.
Practical implications
Using this paper, LMLII’s can develop practices which will improve customer satisfaction and reduce waste in manufacturing. They can ramp up LM intensity to make further quantum jumps in performance.
Social implications
LM, in addition to improving the output/input ratio (producing more for less), also emphasises waste reduction, customer satisfaction and efficient operations. All these three factors are essential for sustainable and happy society.
Originality/value
The work is original. This is the first longitudinal survey of lean practices in the Indian industry to study cross-sectional practices, and the results will propel the Indian industry to intensify the practice of LM.
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Sam Solaimani and Harry Bouwman
The creation of a service is enabled by a “strategic‐level” business model (BM), while the implementation or execution of the service is described by “operational‐level” business…
Abstract
Purpose
The creation of a service is enabled by a “strategic‐level” business model (BM), while the implementation or execution of the service is described by “operational‐level” business processes (BPs). In many innovation projects, especially trans‐sector projects, a lack of alignment between the strategic “what to do” and the operational “how to do it” is often a severe obstacle undermining BM viability and feasibility. The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework that identifies the generic horizontal and vertical inter‐organizational and intra‐organizational interaction components to bridge BM with underlying BPs, with the aim of improving the alignment between the two levels.
Design/methodology/approach
This conceptual paper identifies a theoretical gap between strategic BM and operational BPs. Building on existing literature the authors synthesize various theoretical concepts to create a generic framework to analyze the theoretical gap.
Findings
The proposed conceptual framework is useful in innovation projects, especially in complex scaled‐up trans‐sector innovation projects, where numerous BPs stemming from multiple actors from diverse industries should support a collective BM. This framework can be used as an analytical basis for further research into BM/BP alignment.
Practical implications
There are many BM theories and concepts, and BP ontologies available. The proposed alignment framework can be used to bridge the gap between the BM theories and concepts such as BMO Canvas and BP tools and ontology's (e.g. ARIS, ArchiMate or BPMN).
Originality/value
Through a novel integration of a number of relevant theoretical concepts, a generic conceptual BM/BPs alignment framework is proposed and the practical implications and applications of the proposed framework are presented.
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Fatemeh Nikayin and Mark De Reuver
– The purpose of this paper is to study what motivates small businesses to engage in collective action, especially in high-tech industry.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study what motivates small businesses to engage in collective action, especially in high-tech industry.
Design/methodology/approach
Application domain is smart living industry, in which installation companies offer ICT-enabled solutions for smart home services. A survey was conducted among 140 small/medium installation companies in smart living industry which are members of a major Dutch branch organization. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to model and analyse data from the survey.
Findings
The paper found that different types of motivations do not significantly increase the collective orientation of small businesses. Moreover, the current involvement of small companies in smart living projects is not directly related to their collective orientation.
Research limitations/implications
The lack of collaboration is resulting in market fragmentation and lack of technological interoperability. The paper advise policy makers to provide selective incentives to stimulate collaboration and to facilitate knowledge sharing on best practices and collective business cases.
Originality/value
The motivational factors for collective action between small businesses in high-tech sectors have rarely been studied. Although many studies addresses collective action issues on an individual level, the literature lacks an integration of existing theories into a set of testable hypotheses that aim at motivators and inhibitors of inter-organizational collective action.
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Rosalien Alexandra van ’t Foort-Diepeveen, Aikaterini Argyrou and Tineke Lambooy
This paper aims to analyze the barriers discussed in the extant literature as to why women are underrepresented in the corporate top and explains how these barriers interrelate…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyze the barriers discussed in the extant literature as to why women are underrepresented in the corporate top and explains how these barriers interrelate. An understanding of the interrelatedness of the barriers can help develop suitable and effective measures to improve women’s representation.
Design/methodology/approach
The systematic review method was applied. The search resulted in 51 relevant academic articles from multiple disciplines which were used for the analysis.
Findings
Barriers identified include gender stereotypes, bias in recruitment and promotion, devaluation of women, masculine and long-hours organizational culture, work-family issues and the lack of professional support. The interrelatedness of these barriers is analyzed by means of a conceptual framework.
Research limitations/implications
The adopted method requires the use of search engines and search terms and consequently relevant articles may have been overlooked. The study is geographically demarcated to Europe and, hence is only applicable to developing suitable and effective measures in a European context. More research is needed into which measures are appropriate and effective to overcome the barriers identified.
Practical implications
The insights can be used by companies to foster gender equality and by companies and governments to develop appropriate and effective measures to overcome these barriers.
Originality/value
This review contributes to the literature by uncovering the interrelatedness of the barriers. Understanding the interrelatedness is crucial for developing appropriate measures to overcome the barriers and ultimately to achieve gender equality at the corporate top.
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The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of a bibliometric analysis of the evolution and structure of business model research in industrial marketing scholarship…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of a bibliometric analysis of the evolution and structure of business model research in industrial marketing scholarship during the period between 2011 and 2020 and to discuss potential directions for future empirical research.
Design/methodology/approach
Bibliometric methodologies are deployed to objectively evaluate the business model research that has made the most impact within industrial marketing scholarship as well as the prominent scholars and key topics driving the discipline at points in time.
Findings
The findings demonstrate the formative but increasing engagement that industrial marketing scholarship has had with business model literature and the limited but increasing degree that business models have influenced industrial marketing literature. Potential directions for the empirical development of business model literature are argued to lie in the areas of collaboration and coopetition by examining the notion of value within the relationships, interactions and/or networks evidenced in European seaports business models.
Research limitations/implications
Bibliometric analysis is retrospective in nature so developments in the literature appear only after some time has elapsed. Different keyword selection when formulating search strings for sampling may have brought some deviations in the analysis.
Originality/value
Research that investigates the link between business models and industrial marketing is still scarce. This paper is among the few that analyze objectively the evolution and structure of business model literature in industrial marketing scholarship from a longitudinal perspective with a particular emphasis on the period between 2011 and 2020.
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Paola Lara Machado, Montijn van de Ven, Banu Aysolmaz, Alexia Athanasopoulou, Baris Ozkan and Oktay Turetken
Business models are increasingly recognized as a concept to support innovation in organizations. The implementation and operation of a new or altered business model involves the…
Abstract
Purpose
Business models are increasingly recognized as a concept to support innovation in organizations. The implementation and operation of a new or altered business model involves the (re-)design of an organization's business processes and their successful execution. This study reviews and synthesizes the existing body of literature to guide organizations in systematically moving from a business model design to the implementation and operation of the business model through their underlying business processes.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review of the methods that bridge business models and business processes is performed. The selected 34 studies are classified according to the method's characteristics and the support in the design, implementation and operation of business models.
Findings
The results of the systematic review provide an overview of existing methods that organizations can adopt when moving from business model design into the implementation and operation of their business model using processes.
Originality/value
This work provides a comprehensive overview and detailed insight into the existing methods that align business models and business processes. It increases the understanding on how these two concepts can be synthesized to support more effective digital innovation in organizations. Based on the review results, knowledge gaps are identified and an agenda for future research bridging the fields of business models and business processes is proposed.
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