Search results

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect of a bundle of work–family policies on employee’s job satisfaction and (affective) organizational commitment, by using work–family enrichment and conflict as explanatory.

Empirical study is conducted with a sample of 322 employees from 30 Spanish firms that have been granted with the “Flexible Firm Award” or have been certified as “Family Responsible Firms.” Structural equation modeling is used to test hypotheses.

The results show that the higher the use of work–family policies the more positive effects on work–family enrichment and conflict, and that job satisfaction is positively related to (effective) organizational commitment.

This is a cross-sectional study which may limit the establishment of causal relationships.

Work–family policies may constitute a relevant management tool to balance work and family life by making employees more interested in their jobs, enhancing their well-being and reducing the conflicts between work and family domains. The positive role of work–family enrichment contributes to enhance employees’ job satisfaction and, at the same time, to increase their organizational commitment. Managers should pay attention at how work–family policies are justified because they may influence differently on their outcomes on satisfaction and commitment.

There are two main original contributions of the paper. First, the authors study the joint effect of work–family policies on different dimensions of enrichment and conflict. Second, the authors analyze the relationship between different dimensions of enrichment and conflict on job satisfaction and organizational commitment.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between agile production (flexible production technology) and absorptive capacity.

We use a database of 1,864 Spanish industrial firms from the Survey of Business Strategies (the largest Spanish database of its kind). Our theoretical approach is based on the resource-based view and the dynamic capabilities perspective. The methodology includes descriptive statistics analysis and lineal regression with moderator effect.

High-agile firms with greater absorptive capacity are more innovative and better performers than low-agile firms. Absorptive capacity moderates the relationship between flexible production technology and innovation performance.

This is a cross-sectional study, which may limit the establishment of causal relationships. We give evidence to the importance of studying absorptive capacity in the agile production implementation process.

There are several managerial implications. First, agile production systems should be integrated into the firm’s innovation system because the continuous improvement of agile production has to be reinforced by the outputs of external knowledge and in-house innovation activities. Second firms that use external sources of knowledge to improve production processes could leverage that benefit better, not only in Operations but also in innovation performance. The adoption of flexible production technology cannot be kept apart from the firm´s organizational learning processes based on external knowledge. Our results also support the contribution of clusters of collaborative firms to improve their production processes throughout absorptive capacity and thus the implementation of agile production systems.

This is the first study, to the best of our knowledge, has involved the role of absorptive capacity, as an internal capability/competence, to influence the relationship between agility/flexible technology and innovation performance.

Analizar la relación entre producción ágil (tecnología flexible de producción) y capacidad de absorción.

Se utiliza una base de datos de 1.864 empresas españolas manufactureras de la Encuesta de Estrategias Empresariales (la mayor base de datos española de este tipo). Nuestro enfoque teórico está basado en la teoría de recursos y capacidades dinámicas. La metodología incluye análisis estadístico descriptivo y regresión lineal con efecto moderador.

Las empresas ágiles con mayor capacidad de absorción son más innovadoras y obtienen mejores resultados que las empresas menos ágiles. La capacidad de absorción modera la relación entre tecnología de producción flexible y los resultados de innovación.

Es un estudio de corte transversal lo que limita el establecimiento de relaciones causales. Ese evidencia la importancia de estudiar la capacidad de absorción en el proceso de implantación de la producción ágil.

Hay varias implicaciones de gestión. La primera es que los sistemas de producción ágil deberían integrarse en el sistema de innovación de la empresa porque la mejora continua de la producción ágil ha de reforzarse con los outputs del conocimiento externo y las actividades internas de innovación. La segunda es que las empresas que utilizan fuentes externas de conocimiento para mejorar los procesos de producción podrían apalancar mejor ese beneficio, no solo en Operaciones sino también en resultados de innovación. La adopción de tecnología de producción flexible no puede mantenerse al margen de los procesos de aprendizaje organizativos basados en el conocimiento externo. Nuestros resultados también apoyan la contribución de los cluster de empresas colaboradoras para mejorar sus procesos de producción mediante la capacidad de absorción y con ello la implantación de sistemas de producción ágil.

No es aplicable

Este es el primer estudio, en la medida de nuestro conocimiento, que ha considerado el papel de la capacidad de absorción, como competencia/capacidad interna, para influir en la relación entre tecnología flexible e innovación.

Capacidad de absorción, Tecnología flexible de producción, Innovación

Trabajo de investigación

Analisar a relação entre produção ágil (tecnologia de produção flexível) e capacidade de absorção.

Um banco de dados de 1.864 empresas de manufatura espanholas é usado no Business Strategies Survey (o maior banco de dados espanhol desse tipo). Nossa abordagem teórica é baseada na teoria de recursos e capacidades dinâmicas. A metodologia inclui análise estatística descritiva e regressão linear com efeito moderador.

Empresas ágeis com maior capacidade de absorção são mais inovadoras e obtêm melhores resultados que empresas menos ágeis. A capacidade de absorção modera a relação entre a tecnologia de produção flexível e os resultados da inovação.

Trata-se de um estudo transversal que limita o estabelecimento de relações causais. Isso mostra a importância de se estudar a capacidade de absorção no processo de implementação da produção ágil.

Existem várias implicações de gerenciamento. A primeira é que os sistemas ágeis de produção devem ser integrados ao sistema de inovação da empresa, porque a melhoria contínua da produção ágil deve ser reforçada com os resultados de conhecimento externo e atividades internas de inovação. A segunda é que as empresas que usam fontes externas de conhecimento para melhorar os processos de produção podem aproveitar melhor esse benefício, não apenas nas operações, mas também nos resultados da inovação. A adoção de tecnologia de produção flexível não pode ser mantida fora dos processos de aprendizagem organizacional baseados em conhecimento externo. Nossos resultados também apoiam a contribuição do agrupamento de empresas colaboradoras para melhorar seus processos de produção através da capacidade de absorção e com isso a implementação de sistemas ágeis de produção.

não aplicável

Este é o primeiro estudo, na medida do nosso conhecimento, que considerou o papel da capacidade de absorção, como competência / capacidade interna, para influenciar a relação entre tecnologia flexível e inovação.

Capacidade de absorção, Tecnologia de produção flexível, Inovação

Trabalho de pesquisa

The purpose of this paper is to analyze in a sample of Spanish manufacturing firms the relationship between agile manufacturing and the firm’s management capacities related to innovation and production flexibility. Complementarily the survey addresses the implementation of agile production and its measurement.

For data collection, a survey through mail to operations and human resource managers of manufacturing firms and telephonic interviews with managers from 25 selective firms was carried out. The population of the study included firms from the Sistema de Análisis de Balances Ibéricos database with NACE codes 24–32 and at least 200 employees. Quantitative methods (linear hierarchical regression and mean differences) were used to test research hypotheses, and a qualitative method (interview analysis) was used to analyze an implementation and measurement model of agile production.

The results of the study show that high-agile firms use more intensively a comprehensive set of agile facilitators (design, manufacturing and supply). They also innovate and cooperate externally more on innovation than low-agile firms. The authors have found that external technological cooperation moderates the firm’s production flexibility.

The implications of this research indicate, on one hand, that firms interested in implementing agile production should focus on the agility management of supply chains, the skills and knowledge development of human resources and in the implementation of agile manufacturing technologies. On the other hand, firms in less cooperative environments should focus more on their internal manufacturing systems to reinforce the relationship between production flexibility and agility that offers broader scenarios to compete under this production paradigm. The main limitations of the research design are the use of cross-sectional data and the use of managerial perceptions to assess most of the variables.

This paper offers a model of agile production implementation that it is complemented with measurement indicators to analyze the firm’s evolution toward agility. The combination of multivariate analysis and managers’ interviews to obtain and validate results creates a value for managers interested in agile production.

The study analyzes the relationship between human resources (HR) flexibility and absorptive capacity (AC) of knowledge in a sample of Spanish manufacturing firms. The purpose of the research is to analyze if firms with greater AC are more flexible than other firms and to assess the implications of different combinations of HR flexibility and AC for innovation.

The study sample consisted of 1,666 Spanish industrial firms in 2015 compiled from a large set of statements from the Survey of Business Strategies (SBS) questionnaire. The methodology includes a cluster analysis and a case study of selected firms. First, a k-means clustering analysis was carried out to explore how homogeneous are the SBS firms according to several HR flexibility and AC measures. The authors complement the clustering itself with some descriptive statistics for each cluster. Second, the statistical analysis is followed by a selection of case studies from industrial firms in different positions regarding innovation, AC, and HR flexibility. The information for the cases studies comes from secondary sources such as corporate governance reports and statements of managers and employees from company websites and public reports.

The empirical evidence indicates that some combinations of HR flexibility and AC are positively related to innovation outputs whereas others are not. Firms with greater AC, R&D effort and innovation outputs have less “bad” HR flexibility (external numerical flexibility from temporary employees and temporary help agencies) and more “good” HR flexibility (internal and external functional flexibility). On the contrary, firms with minimum or non-existent innovation and AC efforts have the highest levels of temporary employment and do not hire external R&D experts.

The limitations of the cross-sectional nature of the study make the authors cautious about any proposition that may suggest a causal relationship among the studied variables.

Managers should pay attention to the different implications of each HR flexibility dimension for innovation activities since innovative companies value more those HR flexibility dimensions that contribute to the dispersion of knowledge within the firm.

The authors propose a framework to analyze the combination of HR flexibility and AC most suitable to different types of firms. Based on the statistical analyses and the case studies, the authors propose some strategic implications useful for the management of human resources. The matrix's framework analyzes the firm's innovation strategies according to the interactions between AC and the mix of HR flexibility dimensions.

This paper develops a framework to study the potential feasibility to telework knowledge tasks and jobs. The model analyzes the knowledge tasks according to four basic knowledge processes: generation; codification; storage; and transfer. This taxonomy is used together with the distribution of productive work time of knowledge workers to ellaborate groups of knowledge tasks that are more suitable to be teleworked.

To develop a model that assess the feasibility to telework new product activities.

Literature review of innovation and telework to find criteria relevant to use telework in new product development activities.

The first stage of the model assess the feasibility of telework in new product development activities according to four criteria: importance of teamwork, need of using equipment and laboratories, intensity of data processing, and frequency of meetings. The second stage assess the level of knowledge in each new product development activity. The model analyses the knowledge tasks according to four basic knowledge processes: generation, codification, storage and transfer. The third and final stage assess the distribution of productive work time of new product development employees to obtain groups of new product development activities suitable to be teleworked.

Firstly, to enlarge the taxonomy of variables that define each one of the four basic knowledge management processes included in the model. Secondly, to test empirically with case studies and surveys the working time requirements of knowledge tasks. The number of knowledge tasks included in the analysis could also be enlarged in future studies.

The framework provides an aid to research and managerial application of telework in new product development activities. The methodology developed in the paper may be useful for preliminary analysis of teleworking implementation projects. It may also help to the adoption of information and communication technologies for the company's new development processes.

The adoption of teleworking among knowledge processes arises the question whether teleworking may be used in the company's innovation activities. The methodology proposed in the paper wants to contribute to this topic by developing a framework adapted to the different activities in the new product development process.

This article analyses the moderation effect of co‐operation on electronic data interchange (EDI) adoption, and the influence of EDI use on the co‐ordinating activities in the automotive supply chain. The empirical results from a survey of 116 Spanish automotive suppliers indicate that EDI adopters perceive more operational benefits, more external pressure and mutual understanding, and fewer technical and organisational difficulties than do non‐adopters of EDI. The use of EDI is greater among suppliers that perceive more strategic benefits and fewer cost and organisational difficulties, have a proactive management, are less dependence on suppliers, and adopt EDI earlier. Co‐operation is a moderator of organisational difficulties for EDI adoption and use, and strategic benefits for the use of EDI. The results also show that companies use EDI to become more co‐ordinated with suppliers and customers.

This paper aims to analyze the relationship between labour flexibility and innovation performance.

This paper is a review of theoretical perspectives to analyze this relationship. A postal survey of a sample of Spanish manufacturing and service firms was conducted and this was subject to nonparametric analysis.

High‐innovative Spanish firms are more flexible than low‐innovative firms although the comparison across industries and type of innovation indicates that not all flexibility dimensions are statistically significant in their relationship to innovation performance.

The study's single country setting could limit the generalizability of the findings. Longitudinal as opposed to cross‐sectional data are needed for studying the causal assumptions suggested by this research.

Given the differences of flexibility dimensions found across industries and type of innovation firms should use flexibility capabilities to complement innovation capabilities. On the other hand, some flexible managerial practices should be adopted as early as possible because they appear to be global in knowledge‐intensive firms and do not have differences across sectors and type of innovation.

This paper combines in the same analysis the relationship of internal and external flexibility with innovation performance, and their managerial implications.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the moderator effect of inter‐organizational cooperation in the relationship between workplace flexibility and innovation performance.

Postal survey to a sample of manufacturing and service firms. Hierarchical regression.

It was found that innovation performance is positively associated to internal functional flexibility, and negatively to external numerical flexibility and outsourcing. Inter‐organizational cooperation moderates the relationships between functional flexibility, external numerical flexibility and outsourcing with innovation performance.

The study's single country setting could limit the generalizability of the findings. Longitudinal as opposed to cross‐sectional data are needed for studying the causal assumptions reported here.

The results of this study suggest that high‐cooperation firms may compensate the negative impact of external flexibility and perform better than low‐cooperation firms. External knowledge and cooperation can be complementary. Managers should take into account that the benefits from external workplace (e.g. access to new knowledge) may be enhanced in the context of inter‐organizational cooperation.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that tests whether inter‐organizational cooperation moderates the relationship between external numerical flexibility and innovation performance. The paper also investigates and applies internal and external flexibility in a single study which allows to compare how each of them impacts innovation performance.

This paper shows the results of a survey to Spanish employees about labour mobility and its determinants. Job non‐related factors are more significant than job related factors to explain the employees’ labour mobility. The employee's perceptions about job satisfaction, pay fairness, and work‐family conflict are more explanatory of labour mobility than traditional job‐related factors like pay or social benefits.