Jorge Moreno-Gómez, Diana Escandón-Charris, Ana Moreno-Charris and Luis Zapata-Upegui
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of the process innovation on export propensity in knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) firms and non-KIBS firms in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of the process innovation on export propensity in knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) firms and non-KIBS firms in Colombia.
Design/methodology/approach
For the empirical application, the authors use a unique primary data set drawn from the Global Competitiveness Project (GCP: www.gcp.org) that includes information for 57 Colombian KIBS for 2019. The authors use a binary choice model to test the proposed hypotheses on the relevance of KIBS and process innovation in explaining export propensity.
Findings
The results showed a positive relationship between KIBS and business size with an export propensity, but this relationship is non-meaningful. Also, the findings showed a negative and non-significant relationship between a process innovation and business age with the probability to export. On the other hand, the evidence state that KIBS firms encourage the relationship between propensity to export and process innovation, which is to say that they are highly effective to increase the propensity to export. Finally, the industry increases the probability of export propensity.
Originality/value
This study offers a new insight relating to KIBS, process innovation and their contribution to increasing export propensity. The findings of this paper offer relevant information to government policymakers to design strategies that promote export activity in Colombia.
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Alberto Arenal, Claudio Feijoo, Ana Moreno, Cristina Armuña and Sergio Ramos
Academic research into entrepreneurship policy is particularly interesting due to the increasing relevance of the topic and since knowledge about the evolution of themes in this…
Abstract
Purpose
Academic research into entrepreneurship policy is particularly interesting due to the increasing relevance of the topic and since knowledge about the evolution of themes in this field is still rather limited. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the key concepts, topics, trends and shifts that have shaped the entrepreneurship policy research agenda during the period 1990–2016.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses text mining techniques, cluster analysis and complementary bibliographic data to examine the evolution of a corpus of 1,048 academic papers focused on entrepreneurship-related policies and published during the period 1990–2016 in ten relevant journals. In particular, the paper follows a standard text mining workflow: first, as text is unstructured, content requires a set of pre-processing tasks and then a stemming process. Then, the paper examines the most repeated concepts within the corpus, considering the whole period 1990–2016 and also in five-year terms. Finally, the paper conducts a k-means clustering to divide the collection of documents into coherent groups with similar content. The analyses in the paper also include geographical particularities considering three regional sub-corpora, distinguishing those articles authored in the European Union (EU), the USA and South and Eastern Asia, respectively.
Findings
Results of the analysis show that inclusion, employment and regulation-related papers have largely dominated the research in the field, evolving from an initial classical approach to the relationship between entrepreneurship and employment to a wider, multidisciplinary perspective, including the relevance of management, geographies and narrower topics such as agglomeration economics or internationalisation instead of the previous generic sectorial approaches. The text mining analysis also reveals how entrepreneurship policy research has gained increasing attention and has become both more open, with a growing cooperation among researchers from different affiliations, and more sophisticated, with concepts and themes that moved the research agenda forward, closer to the priorities of policy implementation.
Research limitations/implications
The paper identifies main trends and research gaps in the field of entrepreneurship policy providing actionable knowledge by presenting the spectrum of both over-explored and understudied research themes in the field. In practical terms the results of the text mining analysis can be interpreted as a compass to navigate the entrepreneurship policy research agenda.
Practical implications
The paper presents the heterogeneity of topics under research in the field, reinforcing the concept of entrepreneurship as a multidisciplinary and dynamic domain. Therefore, the definition and adoption of a certain policy agenda in entrepreneurship should consider multiple aspects (needs, objectives, stakeholders, expected outputs, etc.) to be comprehensive and aligned with its complexity. In addition, the paper shows how text mining techniques could be used to map the research activity in a particular field, contributing to the challenge of linking research and policy.
Originality/value
The exploratory nature of text mining allows us to obtain new knowledge and reveals hidden patterns from large quantities of documents/text data, representing an opportunity to complement other qualitative reviews. In this sense, the main value of this paper is not to advise on the future configuration of entrepreneurship policy as a research topic, but to unwrap the past by unveiling how key themes of the entrepreneurship policy research agenda have emerged, evolved and/or declined over time as a foundation on which to build further developments.
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Fernando Pinto Hernández, Isabel Rodríguez Iglesias and Ana María Moreno Adalid
The purpose of this study is to assess whether Catalonia’s 2023 Housing Law, aimed at controlling rental prices in high-demand areas like Barcelona, successfully reduced rental…
Abstract
="abstract-subheading">Purpose
The purpose of this study is to assess whether Catalonia’s 2023 Housing Law, aimed at controlling rental prices in high-demand areas like Barcelona, successfully reduced rental prices. By comparing pre- and post-policy trends in Catalonia with those of other Spanish regions, the study seeks to determine the effectiveness of the policy in achieving its stated objectives while accounting for external economic factors.
="abstract-subheading">Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a Differences-in-Differences methodology to evaluate the impact of Catalonia’s 2023 Housing Law on rental prices. Catalonia is treated as the experimental group, while other Spanish regions serve as the control. The model accounts for macroeconomic variables such as gross domestic product (GDP) and inflation and uses administrative data on actual rental prices to ensure precision. The approach allows for a robust analysis of whether the rent control policy effectively influenced rental price trends compared to the control regions.
="abstract-subheading">Findings
The findings suggest that while rental prices in Catalonia experienced a slight decline following the implementation of the 2023 Housing Law, the reduction was not statistically significant compared to other regions. Macroeconomic factors, particularly GDP growth and housing supply, played a more substantial role in shaping rental price trends than the rent control measure itself.
="abstract-subheading">Research limitations/implications
The analysis is limited by the short post-treatment period (2023 to 2024), which may not fully capture the law’s long-term effects. Future research should extend the timeframe and investigate additional outcomes, such as housing quality, tenant mobility and broader socioeconomic impacts.
="abstract-subheading">Practical implications
The study highlights that rent control measures alone may not be sufficient to reduce rental prices in high-demand areas. Policymakers should integrate rent control with strategies to increase housing supply, such as incentives for new construction and urban planning improvements, to ensure sustained affordability.
="abstract-subheading">Social implications
Rent control policies may provide short-term relief for tenants but risk being ineffective in the absence of a sufficient housing supply. A comprehensive policy approach is necessary to achieve long-term affordability, particularly for low- and middle-income households in high-demand urban areas.
="abstract-subheading">Originality/value
This paper offers empirical evidence on the limited impact of Catalonia’s 2023 Housing Law, emphasizing the importance of addressing structural issues like housing supply in conjunction with rent control policies. The study contributes to the ongoing debate on housing affordability and provides valuable insights for urban policymakers.
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Aurora Martínez-Martínez, Juan Gabriel Cegarra Navarro, Alexeis García-Pérez and Ana Moreno-Ponce
The dynamics of tourism as both an activity and an industry, combined with the growing concerns about the environment, call for continuous efforts in seeking new approaches, tools…
Abstract
Purpose
The dynamics of tourism as both an activity and an industry, combined with the growing concerns about the environment, call for continuous efforts in seeking new approaches, tools and perspectives for the acquisition of environmental knowledge by organisations in the hospitality sector. The purpose of this research is to examine the relationships between environmental knowledge, organisational learning and business performance in the context of the tourism industry. Emphasis is made on understanding the process of updating the environmental knowledge base of an organisation through appropriate learning processes within the business.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a structural equation model, feedback received from 87 companies from the Spanish hospitality sector in a longitudinal study consisting of two distinct phases in 2008 and 2014 was studied.
Findings
The results of the analysis indicate that environmental knowledge has a positive impact on business performance. Also, the study found that a review of the levels of awareness about environmental problems across the organisation is required at regular intervals (in this research, six years after the initial analysis).
Practical implications
The focus on the hospitality sector makes this research relevant for a significant number of hotels and their supply chains around the world.
Originality/value
The research has addressed the challenges of sustainability and environmental performance from a perspective not previously covered in the extant literature, an approach further improved by the longitudinal nature of this study, performed over a period of six years.
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Vanessa Diaz-Moriana, Ana M. Moreno-Menendez, José C. Casillas and Unai Arzubiaga
Based on the socioemotional wealth (SEW) perspective, this paper aims to focus on the mixed-gamble logic to study the process of internationalization of family firms.
Abstract
Purpose
Based on the socioemotional wealth (SEW) perspective, this paper aims to focus on the mixed-gamble logic to study the process of internationalization of family firms.
Design/methodology/approach
The qualitative multiple case study is based on four longitudinal Irish case studies.
Findings
This study proposes that family leaders assess potential SEW gains and losses when facing international strategic decisions. Findings show that family firms build legacy through international practices and, subsequently, gain long-term legitimacy, defined as the transgenerational status and credibility obtained by their family leaders.
Practical implications
Given the importance of international practices for the achievement of legacy, and ultimately legitimacy, practitioners should be aware of the critical role that internationalization could play.
Originality/value
The study develops a framework that contributes to a more fine-grained understanding of the internationalization process of family firms.
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Ana Maria Moreno, Jose A. Zarrias and Jose L. Barbero
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of predictors of growth (entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and environmental hostility) and growth itself on small-firm…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of predictors of growth (entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and environmental hostility) and growth itself on small-firm volatility. The objective is to find out: first, whether growth and volatility possess a similar nature; second, what are the predictors of small-firm volatility.
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaire data were collected from CEOs of 433 Spanish small firms (<500 employees) who provided qualitative as well as quantitative information.
Findings
The authors find that some of the predictors on growth can also be used to predict firm volatility. Specifically, the authors find that firm volatility is influenced by EO and environmental hostility. Growth also influences firm volatility. The authors also find a strong interaction effect of growth and firm size on firm volatility. The authors conclude that although growth and firm volatility are related concepts, they are different.
Originality/value
Growth has concentrated small-firm research during the last 20 years. However, during the last few years, the environment has become very dynamic and small firms need research helping them to deal with such dynamism. There are few studies on firm-level volatility. The research helps understand more the determinants of small-firm volatility.
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The study aims at investigating the impact of organizational learning (OL) on the firm’s performance and knowledge management (KM) practices in a heavy engineering organization in…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims at investigating the impact of organizational learning (OL) on the firm’s performance and knowledge management (KM) practices in a heavy engineering organization in India.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected from 205 middle and senior executives working in the project engineering management division of a heavy engineering public sector organization. The organization manufactures power generation equipment. Questionnaires were administered to collect the data from the respondents.
Findings
Results were analyzed using the exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis techniques. The findings showed that all the factors of OL, i.e. collaboration and team working, performance management, autonomy and freedom, reward and recognition and achievement orientation were found to be the positive predictors of different dimensions of firm’s performance and KM practices.
Research limitations/implications
The implications are discussed to improve the OL culture to enhance the KM practices so that firm’s performance could be sustained financially or otherwise. The study is conducted in one division of a large public organization, hence generalizability is limited.
Originality/value
This is an original study carried out in a large a heavy engineering organization in India that validates the theory of OL and KM in the Indian context.
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Ramon Fisac and Ana Moreno-Romero
The purpose of this paper is to describe the historical institutional context of Spain in the past 40 years and to analyze the influence of institutional factors in the current…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the historical institutional context of Spain in the past 40 years and to analyze the influence of institutional factors in the current model of social enterprise existing in the country.
Design/methodology/approach
This study draws on the theory of historical institutionalism, national-level empirical data and Kerlin conceptual framework (2013) that informs models of social enterprise.
Findings
This paper describe some traits of Spain’s social enterprise that can be explained by the evolution of its institutional context in the past 40 years. It helps to validate, from a historical institutionalistic perspective, aspects of the Kerlin framework for social enterprise models. It also begins to show that the analysis of regional differences in the context should be taken into consideration when examining a country’s social enterprise space.
Research limitations/implications
This discussion paper encourages academics to analyze regional differences in the emergence of social enterprise within a country. The main limitation of the paper is the lack of an “official” definition of social enterprise in Spain.
Originality/value
This paper applies a valuable framework to a country with a unique political and economic history in the past 40 years. It contributes to enrich the research on the emergence and development of social enterprises in a variety of contexts and advances understanding of how regional differences inside a country influence the development of social enterprises.