Patrick McNamee, Dolores O’Reilly and Brendan McFerran
Often businesses fail, or fail to reach their true potential, for strategic rather than operational reasons. This type of failure may be caused because the key decision makers in…
Abstract
Often businesses fail, or fail to reach their true potential, for strategic rather than operational reasons. This type of failure may be caused because the key decision makers in such firms are not well informed about the strategic landscape in which their firm operates. A military analogy is used to show that successful military campaigns are often predicated upon having accurate maps. Similarly, competitive strategies followed by firms are likely to be more successful if key decision makers possess accurate strategic maps which display the location of their own and rival firms. In other words, those firms which have detailed knowledge of their strategic landscapes are likely to enjoy significant competitive advantage, while firms which are in ignorance of their strategic landscape are less likely to be able to navigate a route that will confer sustained competitive advantage. A firm’s strategic landscape is analysed in terms of: the firm’s true competitive position, the industry conditions under which the firm and its competitors operate and the core strategies that firms in the industry are following. This paper analyses an approach to strategic mapping developed by a major new independent strategic database called CAM (Competitive Analysis Model). This database has been built to aid small firms improve their results through generating accurate strategic maps. These maps enable client firms to assess their strategic locations and performances longitudinally, sectorally and cross‐sectionally. Finally, CAM clients appear to have outperformed similarly structured non‐CAM firms.
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Patrick McNamee, Dolores O'Reilly, Helen Shiels and Brendan McFerran
With over 2,000 participating firms, CAM‐Benchmarking Ltd (http://www.cam‐benchmarking.com) is one of the world's largest strategy benchmarking databases for small and medium…
Abstract
With over 2,000 participating firms, CAM‐Benchmarking Ltd (http://www.cam‐benchmarking.com) is one of the world's largest strategy benchmarking databases for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). This paper draws upon CAM data to show that in a geographical region suffering from the deleterious economic effects of peripherality real progress to convergence (in terms of firm performance) can be achieved through benchmarking. More specifically the paper shows that comprehensive benchmarking data can be used to close the information gap that small firms, relative to large firms, often have, and through this process boost individual firm, and hence overall regional, performance.
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Helen Shiels, Ronan McIvor and Dolores O'Reilly
The phenomenon of the Internet has forced businesses and organisations to examine their existing business practices and adopt new methods of working, both for existing and…
Abstract
The phenomenon of the Internet has forced businesses and organisations to examine their existing business practices and adopt new methods of working, both for existing and potential customers. This paper presents an analysis of a pilot study of 24 SMEs, which seeks to elicit the various determinants of employing ICTs and the level of sophistication of use. The paper analyses the approach used to facilitate the introduction and implementation of new technologies, with a view to achieving integration with business processes. The discussion, based on the initial findings, examines the circumstances for ICT success and strategic effects resulting from implementation and use of such technologies. A conceptual model provides a framework for determining the level of sophistication of SMEs in their exploitation of ICTs. The findings highlight that characteristics of the firm and industry sector are contributory factors to the extent of adoption and exploitation of ICTs by SMEs, to support business processes.
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Susana Pasamar, Mirta Diaz-Fernandez and Ma Dolores de la Rosa-Navarro
There is some research showing that leadership behaviors could be important antecedents to learning, but knowledge is scarce on the impact of which leadership styles support…
Abstract
Purpose
There is some research showing that leadership behaviors could be important antecedents to learning, but knowledge is scarce on the impact of which leadership styles support exploitative and explorative learning. The purpose of this paper is to hypothesize that transformational leadership – more concerned with innovation – will encourage generalist human capital (HC), while transactional leadership – more focused on the efficiency of existing operations – will promote specialist HC.
Design/methodology/approach
To test the hypotheses, the authors adopt a structural ambidexterity approach as the authors consider that organizations need units working on both types of learning.
Findings
The results show the versatile role of transformational leaders, who are able to promote both types of HC and, in turn, both types of organizational learning. The authors have also found that marketing departments are more willing to explore than production departments.
Originality/value
This study highlights the relevance of considering the department as a unit of analysis (structural ambidexterity approach), the significant role of transformational leaders in organizational learning and the mediating role of HC.
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Juan Gabriel Cegarra-Navarro, Eva Martínez Caro, Aurora Martínez-Martínez, Maria Dolores Aledo-Ruiz and Eusebio Martínez-Conesa
This paper aims to investigate the relationship between relational capital produced by universities and knowledge structures, which include both the capacities and competencies…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the relationship between relational capital produced by universities and knowledge structures, which include both the capacities and competencies that students have learned and the capabilities they have put into practice.
Design/methodology/approach
To analyse research data and test the proposed model, partial least squares structural equation modelling (SmartPLS 3.2.9) is used on a sample of 125 students of a Spanish university.
Findings
The results of the study demonstrate that the creation of relational capital by universities will depend largely on how students’ capacity is supplemented and merged with students’ competency to develop synergies that increase the students’ capability to give an additional value to the community members.
Originality/value
This study allows an in-depth analysis of the cause and effect link between the knowledge structures and support the members of higher educational institutions to understand how to achieve relational capital in universities.
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Chandrasekararao Seepana, Antony Paulraj and Palie Smart
While the performance benefits of relational resources and managerial ambidexterity have been widely discussed in coopetition literature, there is only limited evidence that…
Abstract
Purpose
While the performance benefits of relational resources and managerial ambidexterity have been widely discussed in coopetition literature, there is only limited evidence that illustrates the underlying relationships between these relational resources and managerial ambidexterity. Against this background, this paper aims to investigate how managerial ambidexterity moderates the innovation ambidexterity effects of relational resources (i.e. reciprocal investments and complementary resources).
Design/methodology/approach
This study forwards various hypotheses that are grounded within the theoretical tenets of the relational view and the dynamic capabilities perspective. To test the hypotheses, this study uses survey data provided by 313 firms that pursue horizontal coopetition relationships.
Findings
The research findings offer important insights in that while reciprocal investments lead to innovation ambidexterity, complementary resources do not result in such benefits. Additionally, managerial ambidexterity complements the relational resources to develop innovation ambidexterity if and only if both managerial exploration and exploitation are applied simultaneously.
Originality/value
As opposed to widely-held beliefs, this study finds that firms' use of complementary resources is not likely to lead to innovation ambidexterity even though such resources can help in developing strong relationships. In addition, although often overlooked, managerial ambidexterity plays a vital role in transforming relational resources into useful innovations for firms involved in coopetition relationships. It is crucial for firms that their managers balance their ambidextrous activities of exploration and exploitation so as to develop innovation ambidexterity.
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Thomas D. Beamish and Nicole Woolsey Biggart
This article traces the regimes of worth that defined energy for centuries as a productive force of human and animal labor, an understanding that transformed in the 18th century…
Abstract
This article traces the regimes of worth that defined energy for centuries as a productive force of human and animal labor, an understanding that transformed in the 18th century to an “industrial-energy” regime of worth supporting an economy of mass production, consumption, and profit and more recently one centered on market forces and price. Industrial and market energy and the conventions and institutions that support them are currently in a period of discursive and material ferment; they are being challenged by different higher order principles of worth. We discuss eight emergent energy justifications that argue what kind of energy is – and is not – in the best interests of society.
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Dolores Rando Cueto, Carmen Jambrino-Maldonado, Gloria Jiménez-Marín and Patricia P. Iglesias-Sánchez
Organizational happiness has received exponential attention in recent years. To offer an over-view for future research gap, this article produces a comprehensive review by…
Abstract
Purpose
Organizational happiness has received exponential attention in recent years. To offer an over-view for future research gap, this article produces a comprehensive review by combining bibliometric analysis and interviews to key authors in the field. The main objective of this paper is to show the state of research regarding the environment in the management of happiness in organizations: the evolution of scientific activity, current trends in authorship, topics and future setting research agenda.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodological process focuses on a mixed method. A systematic review of the relevant literature; bibliometric analysis and network mapping in the Web of Science and Scopus data-bases; bibliometric network analysis of authorship, citation and co-occurrence of key words in scientific publications.
Findings
The results reveal that happiness management is gaining importance and, moreover, more than half of the publications about happiness management are related to the environment in which the organizations are immersed. Therefore, the study provides some research directions and insists on role of environment to better understand the theoretical and practical perspectives. Likewise, bibliometric analysis and interviews allow to measure quality, impact, productivity and scientific evolution which are increasingly valued in order to identify the main concepts and topics that are considered key, drivers of research and those gaps that should be addressed in future research work for the conceptual framework of happiness management in organizations.
Originality/value
Conclusions are drawn that promoting corporate social responsibility strategies, aimed at fostering sustainability and care for the environment result in the well-being of organizations and the performance of their workers are highlighted.
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Dolores Botella-Carrubi, Samuel Ribeiro-Navarrete, Klaus Ulrich and Cristina Blanco González-Tejero
Business growth is one of the most studied areas over the years. However, with the current uncertainty and entrepreneurial dynamism it becomes relevant to consider new variables…
Abstract
Purpose
Business growth is one of the most studied areas over the years. However, with the current uncertainty and entrepreneurial dynamism it becomes relevant to consider new variables such as entrepreneurial skills and competencies that influence its development. Accordingly, this research refers to the impact that the individual's skills have on the entrepreneurial environment. For this purpose, a survey has been developed of employees of different organizations considering the variables of high degree of proactivity in the employees' attitude, entrepreneurial training, innovation, previous experience or risk aversion.
Design/methodology/approach
The research has been conducted through fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and the result shows the differences between the combination of variables for business growth through the consideration of sales growth and profit.
Findings
The results of this research provide new insights that allow the development and boosting of business growth.
Originality/value
The main contribution of this work is to pay attention to the human team of startups and show the role that this has in their growth.
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Dolores Modic, Ana Hafner, Nadja Damij and Luka Cehovin Zajc
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate innovations in intellectual property rights (IPR) databases, techniques and software tools, with an emphasis on selected new developments…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate innovations in intellectual property rights (IPR) databases, techniques and software tools, with an emphasis on selected new developments and their contribution towards achieving advantages for IPR management (IPRM) and wider social benefits. Several industry buzzwords are addressed, such as IPR-linked open data (IPR LOD) databases, blockchain and IPR-related techniques, acknowledged for their contribution in moving towards artificial intelligence (AI) in IPRM.
Design/methodology/approach
The evaluation, following an original framework developed by the authors, is based on a literature review, web analysis and interviews carried out with some of the top experts from IPR-savvy multinational companies.
Findings
The paper presents the patent databases landscape, classifying patent offices according to the format of data provided and depicting the state-of-art in the IPR LOD. An examination of existing IPR tools shows that they are not yet fully developed, with limited usability for IPRM. After reviewing the techniques, it is clear that the current state-of-the-art is insufficient to fully address AI in IPR. Uses of blockchain in IPR show that they are yet to be fully exploited on a larger scale.
Originality/value
A critical analysis of IPR tools, techniques and blockchain allows for the state-of-art to be assessed, and for their current and potential value with regard to the development of the economy and wider society to be considered. The paper also provides a novel classification of patent offices and an original IPR-linked open data landscape.