Ana Burcharth, Mette Præst Knudsen and Helle Alsted Søndergaard
The purpose of this paper is to examine how organisational activities that formally provide employees with work autonomy explain the performance of open innovation (OI).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how organisational activities that formally provide employees with work autonomy explain the performance of open innovation (OI).
Design/methodology/approach
The study reports the results of mediation analyses conducted on the basis of survey data from 307 firms.
Findings
The economic benefits of both inbound and outbound OI are fully captured only if firms provide employees with time, freedom and independence. The results show that employee autonomy fully mediates the relationship between openness and innovation sales, while the adoption of inbound OI is positively associated with the introduction of new products.
Practical implications
The opening of innovation induces managers to provide employees with discretion, as OI requires high levels of flexibility and experimentation.
Originality/value
The paper addresses theoretically and empirically the role of job design in the implementation of OI, while also distinguishing between the effects of inbound and outbound practices on innovation performance.
Details
Keywords
Mette Praest Knudsen and Erik Skov Madsen
The purpose of this paper is to explore the specific practices of management in the dispatching unit and to identify mechanisms for supporting transfer of shop floor knowledge…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the specific practices of management in the dispatching unit and to identify mechanisms for supporting transfer of shop floor knowledge embedded in operating manufacturing equipment.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper applies an inductive and a case study approach for exploring three empirical cases that represent different manufacturing facility relocation processes and differences in the applied managerial practices.
Findings
The paper identifies two important gaps in international production literature when firms relocate equipment to other sites; a time gap (from dismantling to re-assembly of production facilities) and a space gap (from the current to the new site abroad). These gaps are important for understanding why relocation processes are difficult and what management can do to facilitate such processes.
Practical implications
The paper identifies four issues that management faces in the dispatching context when relocating manufacturing facilities.
Originality/value
The paper gives new insights to a limited literature of shop floor knowledge transfer when relocating manufacturing facilities.