Daniele Giampaoli, Massimo Ciambotti and Nick Bontis
The purpose of this paper is to empirically test the link between knowledge management practices, problem-solving processes and organizational performance.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to empirically test the link between knowledge management practices, problem-solving processes and organizational performance.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses survey data from 112 leading Italian companies. To test the structural relations of the research model, we used the partial least squares method.
Findings
Results show a strong relationship between knowledge management practices and intermediate activities of creative problem solving and problem-solving speed. In addition, creative problem solving has a direct impact on both organizational and financial performances, whereas problem-solving speed has a direct effect only on financial performance.
Research limitations/implications
The focus on top Italian firms limits the generalizability of results.
Practical implications
This study provides empirical evidence of the importance of knowledge management practices for problem-solving activities and firm performance.
Originality/value
The present paper fills an important gap in the extant literature by conceptualizing and empirically testing the relationship between knowledge management, problem-solving processes (creative problem solving and problem-solving speed) and firm performance. This study is the first ever to study these relationships within the Italian context.
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Selena Aureli, Daniele Giampaoli, Massimo Ciambotti and Nick Bontis
The purpose of this paper is to empirically test the knowledge-intensive process of creative problem-solving and its outcomes.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to empirically test the knowledge-intensive process of creative problem-solving and its outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses survey data from 113 leading Italian companies. To test the structural relations of the research model the authors used the partial least square (PLS) method.
Findings
Results show that work design and training have a positive direct impact on creative problem-solving process while organizational culture has a positive impact on both creative problem-solving process and its outcomes. Finally creative problem-solving process has a strong direct impact on its outcomes and this, in turn, on firms’ competitiveness.
Practical implications
This study suggests that managers must highlight the problem-solving process as it affects a firm’s capability to find creative solutions and therefore its competitiveness. Moreover, the present paper suggests managers should invest in specific knowledge management (KM) practices for enhancing knowledge-intensive business processes.
Originality/value
The present paper fills an important gap in the BPM literature by empirically testing the relationship among KM practices, multistage processes of creative problem-solving and their outcomes, and firms’ competitiveness.
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Nick Bontis, Massimo Ciambotti, Federica Palazzi and Francesca Sgro
The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence of the relationship between intellectual capital (IC) and economic performance, with focus on social cooperative…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence of the relationship between intellectual capital (IC) and economic performance, with focus on social cooperative enterprises (SCEs) that work in non-profit sectors.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was developed and administered in Italy. A final sample of 151 SCEs participated in the study. Data were collected on IC measures, social enterprise activities and economic and mission-based performance outcomes.
Findings
Two hypotheses that proposed a positive association between IC sub-components (i.e. human capital, structural capital and relational capital) and the economic and mission-based performance of SCEs were tested. Findings highlight that human capital contributes to explain economic performance which is positively affected by the presence of graduate employees and value added per employee. However, economic performance is negatively affected by the yearly training per employee. In addition, human and relational capital contribute to explain mission-based performance which is positively affected by yearly training, the value added per employee and the quality of relationships with customers. However, mission-based performance is negatively affected by the relationships’ quality with the reference territorial community. Therefore, relational capital would seem to affect only mission-based performance, and human capital influences both dimensions of corporate performance. Structural capital does not affect social cooperatives’ performance.
Practical implications
Some of the results in this study are particular to this research setting. It is therefore important for senior leaders of SCEs to take the results of general IC literature with a grain of salt. Whereas most of the academic literature generally supports the positive relationship of all IC sub-components (i.e. human, structural and relational capital) with performance outcomes, this is not the case in this particular study.
Originality/value
This is the first empirical study that has examined the linkages between IC sub-components and performance outcomes in SCEs in Italy.
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Daniele Giampaoli, Francesca Sgrò, Massimo Ciambotti and Nick Bontis
This study aims to provide empirical evidence on the linkage between knowledge management (KM), intellectual capital (IC), planning effectiveness (PE) and innovation performance…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to provide empirical evidence on the linkage between knowledge management (KM), intellectual capital (IC), planning effectiveness (PE) and innovation performance in Italian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Design/methodology/approach
Survey data from 172 Italian SMEs was collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using structural equation modeling (partial least square).
Findings
Results show that KM practices have a positive direct impact on each IC component which influences PE. Finally, structural capital and PE have a positive direct impact a firm’s ability to innovate.
Research limitations/implications
For researchers, this paper fills an important gap in the academic literature by conceptualizing and empirically testing the link between IC and PE. The main practical implication of this study is that developing intangible resources is of particular importance for strategic decision-making in SMEs. The focus on Italian SMEs limits the generalizability of the results.
Originality/value
This study provides empirical evidence on how KM and IC interact and mutually drive PE. Second, results shed light on the importance of IC to enhance a firm’s ability to reach its goals. Finally, the focus on SMEs enriches the extant literature in the field confirming the vital role of KM and IC in managerial decision-making.
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Selena Aureli, Massimo Ciambotti and Alessandro Dragoni
The aim of this work is to investigate the key factors that lead to a successful deal in the case of acquisitions of Western companies by multinationals from emerging countries…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this work is to investigate the key factors that lead to a successful deal in the case of acquisitions of Western companies by multinationals from emerging countries (EMNCs).
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a qualitative paradigm and uses a case study method as a tool of analysis. The case concerns Fondalmec, an Italian unlisted medium-sized joint stock company. The company was acquired in 2007 by the Indian multinational Endurance. Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews and integrated with secondary data retrieved from relevant documents such as annual reports prepared before and after the acquisition.
Findings
Research findings show that EMNCs have some country-specific characteristics, which should be adequately assessed and realigned to the characteristics of the host country and targets’ resources during both the evaluation phase and the integration process.
Research limitations/implications
The research limitation is attributed to there being only one case study analysis.
Practical implications
The study recommends examining the country of origin of the acquirer and suggests EMNCs’ managers to prefer a “light-touch” integration of Western target companies to gain access to their intangible assets and achieve success.
Originality/value
This work differs from much of the existing literature on mergers and acquisitions because it focuses on EMNCs and analyses the target company together with the buyer and their post-operative development strategy. Furthermore, it is one of the few empirical research studies on non-listed companies, which are often overlooked given the greater difficulty of accessing data.
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Massimo Ciambotti, Federica Palazzi and Francesca Sgrò
This paper aims to investigate the link between accounting, religion and art to understand the managerial approach of the Confraternity of Corpus Domini of Urbino and the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the link between accounting, religion and art to understand the managerial approach of the Confraternity of Corpus Domini of Urbino and the phenomenon of art commissioning between 1465 and 1513.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on the interpretive historical method used to understand, through accounting, the managerial role of confraternities within the economic activity of art commissioning. To this purpose, the present analysis is based on a primary source, represented by the book of revenues and expenses, named B1 (1465–1513).
Findings
The analysis has provided evidence of the role of Urbino’s Confraternity in supporting art commissioning and its capacity to invest significant resources in favor of the social, religious and institutional environment of the time. Results show the connection between Urbino’s Confraternity and painters based on their commissioning agreements, the relation between painters and the Ducal Court and, finally, the role of the Duke of Urbino in funding the Confraternity’s initiatives for painters. Thus, this study highlights the major role played by Urbino’s Confraternity in art commissioning, an instrumental part of the Confraternity’s mission.
Originality/value
This paper presents a unique case study that brings out the managerial approach in art commissioning through accounting documents which make activities and links visible.
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Emilio Passetti, Massimo Battaglia, Francesco Testa and Iñaki Heras-Saizarbitoria
This paper aims to analyse the extent to which health and safety action controls, results controls and informal controls affect the integration of health and safety issues into…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyse the extent to which health and safety action controls, results controls and informal controls affect the integration of health and safety issues into management actions, which in turn leads to improve health and safety performance. It also investigates the extent to which those health and safety control mechanisms contribute complementarily to the integration of health and safety issues.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey of 108 Italian non-listed firms tests a set of hypotheses based on complementarity theory and object of control framework.
Findings
Not all the health and safety control mechanisms positively influence the integration of health and safety issues into business practices and external stakeholder relations. Complementarity between health and safety control mechanisms is significant only for higher health and safety performance companies, indicating that the health and safety control mechanisms operate as a package.
Research limitations/implications
The health and safety performance measure could be replaced in future research by improved inter-subjectively testable information, although collecting health and safety quantitative data is difficult. An additional limitation is the response rate.
Practical implications
The findings encourage companies to design and use a comprehensive set of health and safety control mechanisms to promote a healthy workplace.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the management control, sustainability management control and health and safety accounting literature. The paper provides an in-depth interdisciplinary analysis of the effectiveness of different control mechanisms in the context of health and safety that hitherto has rarely been investigated despite the multiple importance of the topic.
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Nicola Raimo, Alessandra Caragnano, Massimo Mariani and Filippo Vitolla
In recent years, policymakers have increasingly pushed firms to disclose non-financial information. In Europe, integrated reporting (IR) is an increasingly adopted tool to fully…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent years, policymakers have increasingly pushed firms to disclose non-financial information. In Europe, integrated reporting (IR) is an increasingly adopted tool to fully comply with the requirements of the Directive 2014/95/EU. This study aims to examine the financial benefits of IR quality and specifically the effect on the cost of debt.
Design/methodology/approach
A manual content analysis is performed to measure the quality of the information contained in integrated reports. A panel regression model is used to test the effect of the IR quality on the cost of debt on a sample of 399 observations (a balanced panel of 133 European listed firms for the period 2017–2019).
Findings
Results demonstrate a negative relationship between IR quality and the cost of debt, showing that firms that provide higher quality integrated reports benefit from access to third party financial resources at better conditions.
Research limitations/implications
The results of this study offer important implications for managers and policymakers. The capacity of IR quality to allow a cost of debt reduction should push managers to a greater propensity towards transparency and the dissemination of high quality integrated reports. In addition, in light of the benefits connected to the IR quality, policymakers should push towards the adoption of IR as a solution to fulfil the regulatory obligations deriving from Directive 2014/95/EU.
Practical implications
Results show the goodness of IR as an ideal solution to fulfil the obligations imposed by Directive 2014/95/EU. The important financial benefits associated with IR quality make the high quality integrated report an ideal tool capable of fulfilling regulatory obligations and at the same time guaranteeing a reduction in the cost of debt.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first work that analyses the relationship between IR quality and cost of debt.