Search results

This research aims at examining the role of the managing director in the development of dynamic capabilities at SMEs.

The paper used a mixed‐methods approach and conducted case studies at 13 SMEs. The primary sources of data were semi‐structured interviews, which were supplemented by quantitative data from a postal survey and content analysis of the companies' websites.

The paper suggests that managing directors “enact” in the development of dynamic capabilities, if they believe that dynamic capabilities are a source of competitive advantage. If they do not appreciate the importance of dynamic capabilities they can get trapped in a vicious circle.

This research focuses especially on small firms, and it is unlikely that the findings can be applied to large firms.

The key managerial implication is the threat of a vicious circle if the development of dynamic capabilities is neglected.

This paper draws the dynamic capabilities framework and the enactment concept together, suggesting that managerial decisions and behavior affect dynamic capabilities at an organizational level, which then drives firm performance.

Web services promise a step change in business‐to‐business application models and practices. But how do we measure web services' performance? Because web services are so new, and implementations so few, the purpose of this paper is to take internet performance as a proxy for web services performance.

The authors surveyed 106 e‐business SMEs to identify key drivers for internet performance, and then predicted web services performance.

Surprisingly, it was found that while business resources and IT resources positively impact internet performance, dynamic capabilities do not. Also, there appear to be significant firm size effects.

The implications of these findings for the strategic management of web services are discussed, and in particular, managers' need to balance resources and capabilities in volatile business environments.

Two key developments exert an important influence on the nature of human resource management (HRM) in South Africa (SA). The first is two seemingly conflicting imperatives, sometimes and arguably wrongly juxtaposed: that of developing a high-growth, globally competitive economy with fuller employment and the sociopolitical imperative of redressing past structural inequalities of access to skilled, professional, and managerial positions, as well as ownership opportunities. The first development is the related influences of globalization and multinational corporations (MNCs), information technology, and increased competition, which have become very prominent in postapartheid SA. South Africa has a dual labor market, with a well-developed formal sector employing some 8.5 million workers in standard or typical work and a growing informal labor market. In the case of the formal, knowledge-based economy, the World Wide Web, and increasing communication that the Internet has made possible, has influenced changes at the organizational level. A second development is that these changes and changing patterns of employment are having a dramatic impact on HR policies within organizations. In a knowledge-based economy, organizations rely on knowledge that is embedded deeply in the individual and in the collective subconscious. It is the property of an individual and cannot be taken away from that person (Harrison & Kessels, 2004). He or she would agree to put it in the service of the collective whole, which is known as organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). In technology-driven advanced firms in SA, there are several themes among the various models of citizenship behavior: helping behavior, sportsmanship, organizational loyalty, organizational compliance, initiative, civic virtue, and self-development (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, & Bachrach, 2000). Many of these themes overlap with the common competencies demanded by advanced MNCs. Thus OCBs rest upon a recognition of mutuality of interest and of responsibility between the organization and the individuals. Increasing globalization and worldwide competition and the knowledge-based economy have their greatest impact on business strategies, process, and practice involving, among others, management of human resources. In this chapter we examine factors influencing the management of human resources in SA and their impact on human resource practices in organizations.

This research endeavors to conduct a thorough and holistic analysis of the foundational elements that empower the cultivation of dynamic capabilities in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The purpose of this study is to determine whether these capabilities have a noticeable impact on the sustainable performance of these enterprises. The study aims to support future research efforts in understanding this phenomenon by filling this knowledge gap and presenting a conceptual framework, thereby enhancing the scholarly discourse in this field.

The study consists of a systematic review of 126 articles meticulously chosen through a series of screening stages employing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. This examination is conducted within the organized framework of antecedents, decisions and outcomes-theory, context and methods (ADO-TCM), ensuring a structured and comprehensive analysis.

The study uncovers significant insights, identifying four key antecedents: resource base, organizational learning, managerial expertise and external environment management. These factors are instrumental in fostering dynamic capabilities within the enterprise, leading to sustainable entrepreneurial success and a competitive advantage over rivals.

By comprehending the mechanisms by which dynamic capabilities are established within the enterprise, this study provides a valuable resource for entrepreneurs, professionals and managers, offering them practical insights to leverage.

This systematic literature review is the initial attempt to explain how dynamic capabilities can be used to enhance and accomplish sustainable performance in the context of MSMEs.

Human performance, particularly that of the warfighter, has been the subject of a large amount of research during the past few decades. For example, in the Medline database of medical and psychological research, 1,061 papers had been published on the topic of “military performance” as of October 2003. Because warfighters are often pushed to physiological and mental extremes, a study of their performance provides a unique glimpse of the interplay of a wide variety of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on the functioning of the human brain and body. Unfortunately, it has proven very difficult to build performance models that can adequately incorporate the myriad of physiological, medical, social, and cognitive factors that influence behavior in extreme conditions. The chief purpose of this chapter is to provide a neurobiological (neurochemical) framework for building and integrating warfighter performance models in the physiological, medical, social, and cognitive areas. This framework should be relevant to all other professionals who routinely operate in extreme environments. The secondary purpose of this chapter is to recommend various performance metrics that can be linked to specific neurochemical states and can accordingly strengthen and extend the scope of the neurochemical model.

The United States defense industry has had a long history of unethical and illegal business practices. Recent polls find that most Americans believe that their nation’s weapon acquisition system is one of the worst managed activities in the public or private sectors and the defense industry is neither efficient nor honestly managed. Although the defense acquisition process has been the subject of many reform efforts, it is reasonable to ask whether these reform efforts have had any success. The Defense Industry Initiative on Business Ethics and Conduct, commonly known as DII, is the defense industry’s selfgoverned program responding to the concern regarding ethical business practices in defense procurement. This study is to assess the Defense Industry Initiative on Business Ethics and Conduct in an attempt to find the perceived impact of this self-governed compliance program.

Hiking is a popular tourism activity across the globe. Although hiking is considered a “soft” adventure activity with little risk and challenge, hikers are also confronted with dangerous situations where risky behavior can lead to fatalities. This study aims to understand the moderating role of hiking motives on hikers’ precautionary behavior, while providing implications for destination management organizations.

This study conducted a 3×2 between-subjects online experiment (N = 181), manipulating the on-site information and visibility of potential hazards. Moderation analyses (SPSS PROCESS) were applied to derive the differences between the hiking motives of competitiveness/exhibitionism, playing to the limit and sociability on precautionary behavior.

The findings can inform effective hiking trail signage efforts, helping identify potential indications of risky behavior. The findings also importantly underline the moderating role of playing to the limit and competitiveness as they regard the risk perception–precautionary behavior relationship.

The implications of this study are directed toward destination management organizations, and how to promote precautionary hiking behavior based on hikers’ motivations.

我们进行了一个3x2的主体间在线实验（N = 181）, 操纵了现场信息和潜在危险的可见性。应用调节分析（SPSS PROCESS）得出远足动机 “竞争/展示主义"、"娱乐无极限 “和 “社交能力 “在防范行为上的差异。

徒步旅行是世界各地流行的旅游活动。尽管徒步旅行被认为是一种基于户外的软性探险活动, 没有什么风险和挑战, 但徒步旅行者也面临着危险的情况, 危险的行为可能导致死亡。本研究旨在了解徒步动机对徒步者防范行为的调节作用, 并为目的地管理组织提供启示。

研究结果可以为有效的徒步旅行的标识工作提供参考, 帮助识别潜在的危险行为迹象。重要的是, 研究结果还强调了 “发挥极限 “和 “竞争 “的调节作用, 因为它们关系到风险认知和预防行为。

本研究的意义是针对目的地管理组织的, 即如何根据徒步者的动机来促进防范性的徒步行为。

El senderismo es una actividad turística popular en todo el mundo. Aunque el senderismo se considera una actividad “poco exigente”, que implica poco riesgo y retos, los senderistas también se enfrentan a situaciones peligrosas donde las conductas de riesgo pueden conducir a accidentes fatales. Este estudio tiene como objetivo comprender los roles moderadores de las motivaciones del senderismo en el comportamiento precautorio de los senderistas y proporcionar implicaciones para las organizaciones de gestión de destinos.

Se realizó un experimento en línea 3x2 entre sujetos (N = 181) tratando la información in situ y la visibilidad de los peligros potenciales. Se aplicaron análisis de moderación (PROCESO SPSS) para derivar diferencias entre las motivaciones del senderismo “competitividad/exhibicionismo”, “jugar hasta el límite” y “sociabilidad” en el comportamiento precautorio.

Los resultados reportan sobre la necesidad de realizar esfuerzos en la señalética de las rutas de senderismo que ayuden a identificar posibles indicaciones de comportamiento de riesgo. Es importante destacar que los hallazgos también subrayan el papel moderador de “jugar hasta el límite” y “competitividad”, ya que sugieren una relación entre la percepción de riesgo y el comportamiento precautorio.

Las implicaciones de este estudio se dirigen hacia las organizaciones de gestión de destinos sobre la manera de promover el comportamiento precautorio de senderismo basado en motivaciones de senderistas.