Evangelia Siachou, Ioanna Papasolomou, Eleni Trichina and Alkis Thrassou
This paper aims to systematically review and evaluate extant literature on knowledge acquisition and transfer in international small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and to identify…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to systematically review and evaluate extant literature on knowledge acquisition and transfer in international small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and to identify the requisite types of knowledge acquired and transferred in this context. The research further determines the mechanisms enabling SMEs to process this knowledge, unpacks the benefits of both knowledge acquisition and transfer for international SMEs and links them to the market success.
Design/methodology/approach
The research has conducted a comprehensive systematic review of existing literature on market knowledge acquisition and its transfer, in the context of international SMEs, utilizing peer-reviewed articles published in top tier journals without any custom range of time.
Findings
The search strategy resulted in 37 reviewed academic articles, whose analysis identifies and elucidates on the best practices of knowledge acquisition and transfer in the context of international SMEs; the type of the knowledge acquired and transferred; the form and mechanism of the intersection of these processes; and the benefits gained. The findings, crucially, also identify and illuminate extant research gaps and insufficiencies and develop a comprehensive research agenda for the way forward.
Originality/value
The present study offers a uniquely comprehensive perspective on a topic of diachronic and, currently, rising significance to scholars and practitioners alike. Transcending its descriptive value, though, it further identifies extant knowledge deficiencies, it distils and consolidates critical knowledge and prescribes avenues for research towards the growth and development of international SMEs and born globals.
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Pasquale Del Vecchio, Gioconda Mele, Evangelia Siachou and Gloria Schito
This paper aims to advance the international marketing debate by presenting the results of a structured literature review (SLR) focusing on Big Data implementation in customer…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to advance the international marketing debate by presenting the results of a structured literature review (SLR) focusing on Big Data implementation in customer relationship management (CRM) strategizing. It outlines past and present literature and frames a future research agenda.
Design/methodology/approach
The research analyzes papers published in journals from 2013 to 2020, deriving significant insights about Big Data applications in CRM. A sample of 48 articles indexed at Scopus was preliminarily submitted for bibliometric analysis. Finally, 46 papers were analyzed with content and a bibliometric analysis to identify areas of thematic specializations.
Findings
The paper presents a conceptual multilevel framework demonstrating areas of specialization emerging from the literature. The framework is built around four coordinated sequences of actions relevant to “why,” “what,” “who” and “how” Big Data is implemented in CRM strategies, thus supporting the conception and implementation of an internationalization marketing strategy.
Research limitations/implications
Implications for the development of the future research agenda on international marketing arise from the comprehension of Big Data in CRM strategy.
Originality/value
The paper provides a comprehensive SLR of the articles dealing with models and processes of Big Data for CRM from an international marketing perspective. Despite these issues' relevance and the increasing literature focused on them, research in this area is still fragmented and underexplored, requiring more systematic and holistic studies.
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Evangelia Siachou and Panagiotis Gkorezis
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of empowering leadership on contextual ambidexterity. To this end, the authors underscore the underlying mechanism of perceived…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of empowering leadership on contextual ambidexterity. To this end, the authors underscore the underlying mechanism of perceived organizational support (POS). Furthermore, to provide more robust insights into this indirect effect, role ambiguity was examined as a moderator.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on a questionnaire survey. Data collected from 219 employees working in three IT small-and-medium enterprises located in Greece.
Findings
The findings indicated that empowering leadership is positively related to contextual ambidexterity through POS and, further, this indirect association is contingent on role ambiguity.
Originality/value
The study provides more insights into the important role of leadership in generating contextual ambidexterity. Thus, moderated mediation framework that has empirically tested considers both how and when empowering leadership affects contextual ambidexterity and provides important implications for both theory and practice.
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Ilias Vlachos and Evangelia Siachou
The purpose of this paper is to identify workplace factors with an impact on lean performance (LP). This can lead to better LP outcomes, thus facilitating organizations to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify workplace factors with an impact on lean performance (LP). This can lead to better LP outcomes, thus facilitating organizations to smoothly move from the conventional to lean management.
Design/methodology/approach
The direct effects of training, knowledge acquisition and organizational culture are empirically investigated using data from 126 managers employed at a global company, which recently has improved its LP. Study’s hypotheses were analyzed with hierarchical regression models.
Findings
The findings suggest that not all of the aforementioned workplace factors holistically affect LP. Only organizational culture is associated to the four LP variables (i.e. continuous improvement, waste, ergonomy and product quality). Training and knowledge acquisition offer partially effects on LP with training to contribute mostly to predicting continuous improvements. Knowledge acquisition alone, has significant yet negative impact on both continuous improvement and ergonomy. Even more, when training is combined with knowledge acquisition the results are different.
Originality/value
As this study highlights the impact of workplace practices on LP, attributes mainly importance to the distinct effects that each of the aforementioned factors has on the four distinct LP variables. Although the study results reflect a particular case, its recommendations could facilitate practitioners to achieve better lean outcomes.
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Evangelia Siachou, Panagiotis Gkorezis and Faith Adeosun
The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between empowering leadership and volunteers' service capability in the context of nongovernmental organizations…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between empowering leadership and volunteers' service capability in the context of nongovernmental organizations. In doing so, the mediating role of intention to share knowledge was highlighted.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from volunteers from two non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating in Greece through a web-survey tool. To test our hypotheses, we used bootstrapping analysis.
Findings
Our study provides support for the positive effect of empowering leadership (EL) on volunteers' service capability. In addition, we highlighted volunteers' intention to share their knowledge as an underlying mechanism that explains the above relationship.
Originality/value
The present study highlights the important role of EL in increasing service capability in the context of NGOs. Even more, the mediating role of intention to share knowledge provided new knowledge into why EL affects employees' extra-role behavior and more specifically, service capability.
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Sheshadri Chatterjee, Ranjan Chaudhuri, Demetris Vrontis and Evangelia Siachou
The purpose of this study is to explore the negative consequences of human resource analytics applications using the privacy calculus approach.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the negative consequences of human resource analytics applications using the privacy calculus approach.
Design/methodology/approach
By using the existing literature and privacy calculus theory, a theoretical model has been developed. This model helps to examine the benefits and risks associated with HR analytics applications. The theoretical model was validated using the partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique with 315 respondents from different organizations.
Findings
HR analytics provides multiple benefits to employees and organizations. But employee privacy may be compromised due to unauthorized access to employee data. There are also security concerns about the uncontrolled use of these applications. Tracking employees without their consent increases the risk. The study suggests that appropriate regulation is necessary for using HR analytics.
Research limitations/implications
This study is based on cross-sectional data from a specific region. A longitudinal study would have provided more comprehensive results. This study considers five predictors, including other boundary conditions that could enhance the model’s explanative power. Also, data from other countries could improve the proposed model.
Practical implications
The proposed model is useful for HR practitioners and other policymakers in organizations. Appropriate regulations are important for HR analytics applications. The study also highlights various employee privacy and security-related issues emerging from HR analytics applications. The study also discusses the role of leadership support for the appropriate usage of HR analytics.
Originality/value
Only a few research studies have explored the issues of HR analytics and its consequences. The proposed theoretical model is the first to consider the negative consequence of HR analytics through privacy calculus theory. In this perspective, the research is considered to be novel.
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Ranjan Chaudhuri, Sheshadri Chatterjee, Demetris Vrontis, Antonino Galati and Evangelia Siachou
In the post-COVID-19 era, the hospitality industry is rapidly moving towards digitalization, which requires employees to upgrade their knowledge and skills. Some employees resist…
Abstract
Purpose
In the post-COVID-19 era, the hospitality industry is rapidly moving towards digitalization, which requires employees to upgrade their knowledge and skills. Some employees resist those changes and refuse to upgrade their knowledge, skills and ways of doing things. Therefore, there is a need to understand this unexplored area and so this study examines employee intentions to embrace digital technology from the perspective of upgrading their skills and knowledge. The study investigates the moderating role of the employees' resistance to change motive (RCM) on their intention to embrace digital technology, especially in the post-COVID-19 pandemic scenario.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is conducted using dynamic capability view (DCV) theory and status quo bias (SQB) theory. Drawing on the existing literature in this area, a theoretical model is developed, which is validated using the structural equation modelling technique to analyse data from hospitality industry employees.
Findings
The results indicate that employees' dynamic capability plays a significant role in employees' upgrading their skill and knowledge capabilities, and this significantly improves employee intention to embrace digital technology. It also finds that the employee RCM plays a significant role in the relationship between upgrading skill capability and their knowledge capability to relation to embracing digital technology.
Originality/value
The findings could be used by hospitality managers to better understand employee intentions with regard to adopting digital technology, challenges faced and the way forward.
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John Israilidis, Evangelia Siachou and Stephen Kelly
This paper explores critical failure factors (CFFs) in the context of knowledge sharing. It provides further insights into what can cause knowledge- sharing failures, inflexible…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper explores critical failure factors (CFFs) in the context of knowledge sharing. It provides further insights into what can cause knowledge- sharing failures, inflexible knowledge-sharing strategies and ineffective knowledge- sharing mechanisms. It also examines how practitioners can reduce or even mitigate such dysfunctions.
Design/methodology/approach
A case-based inductive approach was conducted. Data were collected from two studies applying mixed methods. The first data set included nine in-depth, semi-structured interviews with highly skilled personnel from an aerospace and defense organization. The second data source included 375 successfully completed questionnaires from participants employed at the same organization.
Findings
The paper identifies six CFFs with an impact on knowledge sharing. It also reveals that managing organizational ignorance can play a key role in generating new knowledge and averting failure. Study findings provide insights into the importance of identifying these failures when sharing knowledge and propose relevant mitigation strategies.
Originality/value
This paper identifies a range of empirically validated CFFs that complement the extant work on the complexity of knowledge sharing and have hitherto not been seen in the literature. It also provides a more nuanced understanding of why both organizations and their people often fail to share knowledge by exploring the role of organizational ignorance.
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John Israilidis, Evangelia Siachou, Louise Cooke and Russell Lock
The purpose of this paper is to identify individual variables with an impact on knowledge sharing and explore the under-discussed construct of employees’ ignorance. This can…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify individual variables with an impact on knowledge sharing and explore the under-discussed construct of employees’ ignorance. This can enhance the knowledge-sharing process and facilitate the development of greater intellectual capital.
Design/methodology/approach
Eighty-four dependent variables affecting knowledge sharing are analyzed and classified into 11 categories. In addition, the direct effect of employees’ ignorance on knowledge sharing is introduced and empirically investigated in a case study of a multinational organization operating within the aerospace and defense industry.
Findings
The findings suggest that employees’ ignorance may negatively affect their intention to share knowledge, thus leading to poor decision-making and communication in organizations. Employees’ ignorance could also limit the organizational ability to repel external threats, implement innovation and manage future risks.
Originality/value
A classification scheme based on different categories of employees’ ignorance is developed, providing tailor-made recommendations for practitioners facing different types of ill-informed organizational scenarios. Further, the need to shift the emphasis away from the management of knowledge to the management of ignorance is also an important contribution of this paper.
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Evangelia Siachou and Panagiotis Gkorezis
The present study aims to contribute to the limited empirical research regarding the individual level antecedents of absorptive capacity (AC). In this vein, the authors examined…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study aims to contribute to the limited empirical research regarding the individual level antecedents of absorptive capacity (AC). In this vein, the authors examined the impact of employees' psychological empowerment (PE) dimensions on their AC. Moreover, the authors explored the magnitude of the relationship between one of PE four dimensions, namely competence, and AC compared to that of the rest three dimensions of PE.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors collected data from 100 private employees working in two manufacturing organizations. In order to investigate the hypotheses, the authors conducted hierarchical regression and usefulness analysis.
Findings
As predicted, the present results showed that all four PE dimensions affected employees' AC. Furthermore, competence demonstrated the strongest impact among all PE dimensions.
Research limitations/implications
Data were drawn from two manufacturing organizations located in specific geographical area. Thus, this may constrain the generalizability of the results. Also, the cross-sectional analysis of the data cannot directly assess causality.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first empirical study examining the relationship between PE and AC.