Pedro Mendonça Silva, Victor Ferreira Moutinho and Vera Teixeira Vale
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between product innovation and network and their export performance, particularly in trade fair context. Moreover, this…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between product innovation and network and their export performance, particularly in trade fair context. Moreover, this paper conducts a comparative study among services/industrial small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and considers the home-country context. Innovation and internationalization are stagnant themes in the recent literature on trade fairs, so they require to be renewed.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical study includes a survey with 341 SMEs’ respondents separated into both industrial/producer and service/other. A conceptual model was developed and examined from three different perspectives: Model A encompasses all surveyed SMEs, Model B includes only industrial/producer SMEs and Model C comprises service/other SMEs. Data analysis happened in two steps. The first step included the structural equation model (SEM) and the assessment of hypotheses (from three different perspectives). Thus, it was possible to make a comparative analysis between the models. In the second step, the ordered logit model (OLM) is used to study relationships between control variables and the criteria variable export performance.
Findings
The SEM’s results confirm a conceptual model about a dynamic trajectory that SMEs, mainly industrial/producer, can take advantage of: innovate to networking and networking to export. The results allowed to verify when comparing services/industrial SMEs that the tangibility which characterizes the innovation of industrial SMEs' products contributed significantly to the performance of business networks and exports. The study also reveals, through the OLM, two catalysts for the success of the SME’s export performance: export experience and continued participation in trade fairs. The OLM results also reveal that the size of the companies is not relevant, so trade fairs are marketing tools accessible to any company, regardless of their size. Finally, the study considered home-country context of the surveyed SMEs, which allowed additional interpretations to be drawn.
Research limitations/implications
The study does not reflect the individual's personality in his network capacity and the export performance was measured based on the level of satisfaction and not on real sales results. However, the study provides relevant practical implications and can support future studies.
Practical implications
The study offers important implications for SME. The results reveal that presenting product innovations at trade fairs is a useful tool for SMEs to create networks, which facilitates their export performance, especially for industrial SMEs residing in small economies such as Portugal. This study is also relevant for business associations of industrial SMEs and/or public or semi-public SME promotion agencies.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature on trade fairs, suggesting a new innovation, networking, export (INE) framework to reflect on the participation in international trade fairs. So, this research especially combines product INE performance in a particular context – international trade fairs for SME. It also considers the home-country context of the SMEs, which adds depth to the study. Finally, the comparative study also provides insightful implications for industrial SMEs on how to improve the export performance from trade fairs by leveraging innovation and networking.
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Mauricio Losada-Otálora and Linda Alkire (née Nasr)
Grounded in Transformative Service Research, the purpose of this paper is to explore the mechanisms by which bank information transparency influences consumer’s financial…
Abstract
Purpose
Grounded in Transformative Service Research, the purpose of this paper is to explore the mechanisms by which bank information transparency influences consumer’s financial well-being (FWB). The authors propose that customer attitudes toward the brand and the subjectively perceived ability of individuals to deal with the financial challenges explain the enhancement of FWB driven by bank information transparency.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted to test the proposed hypotheses. In total, 400 bank customers of five commercial banks in Colombia were approached and asked to fill out a pen and paper questionnaire. Serial mediation analysis was applied to test the hypotheses.
Findings
This research shows that bank information transparency can uplift the FWB of customers. Furthermore, the positive effect of bank information transparency on the FWB occurs because the shared information improves the positive attitudes toward banks and the perceived financial self-efficacy of customers.
Research limitations/implications
This paper heeds the call of current literature for improved explanations of the relationship between attempts to inform consumers about financial services and their FWB.
Practical implications
This research shows that managers who embrace the challenging task of improving the FWB of their customers should design strategies for more transparent information sharing with their customers. However, these strategies should be designed not only to deliver information to customers but also to increase the perceived disclosure, accuracy and clarity of shared information.
Originality/value
This pioneering study aims to explain the effects of bank information transparency on the FWB of consumers by drawing on interdisciplinary literature. This research is important as many banks aim to increase their information transparency without a clear understanding of the effects of these actions on consumers and therefore in many instances their efforts fail. A key contribution of this study is identifying concrete mechanisms (i.e. brand attitudes and self-efficacy) that help managers to improve customers’ FWB via information transparency. Accordingly, the authors offer suggestions for better information transparency strategy implementation.
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The purpose of the paper is to explore the degree to which the drug industry is changing from a product orientation to a more strategic category captain management (CCM) approach.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to explore the degree to which the drug industry is changing from a product orientation to a more strategic category captain management (CCM) approach.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on secondary research sources.
Findings
The paper shows that the drug industry is starting to move toward a more strategic approach to partner with downstream customers as opposed to a sales‐oriented approach.
Practical implications
The paper suggests that there is another fundamental way to compete for the drug industry, more as partners than just suppliers.
Social implications
There are significant social implications. The drug industry has been battered for serious faults regarding regulatory issues. The industry has come under scrutiny for questionable marketing conduct. By providing more than just physical product and hard sell tactics, CCM can serve as an alternative model for the drug industry to compete.
Originality/value
The paper is unique in that timing is ripe for this kind of analysis. To the best of the author's knowledge, there is no research to date on the issue of substantial ways that the pharmaceutical industry can change its business model.
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Yvonne Ai-Chi Loh and Arul Chib
This paper presents a framework to measure the digital divide by considering a more comprehensive index of information and communication technology (ICT) predictors. The authors…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper presents a framework to measure the digital divide by considering a more comprehensive index of information and communication technology (ICT) predictors. The authors also address the conceptual and methodological problems in the digital divide field, given that its focus has been shifted from technological access to higher-order divides over the years. The proposed framework is hypothesized and tested in the context of unemployed and underemployed residents in Singapore.
Design/methodology/approach
Through a quantitative survey, 302 unemployed and underemployed workers were asked what ICT “access”, “usage” and “appropriation” meant to them. Factor analyses were deployed to identify the underlying, granular dimensions of ICT access, usage and appropriation.
Findings
The factor analyses revealed an interesting breakdown of the main factors of ICT access, usage and appropriation. The authors found that one's purpose for which technology is accessed, used and appropriated determines how each of the levels of ICT assets is defined. Thus, the authors propose new operational definitions for ICT access, usage and appropriation based on the analyses.
Originality/value
This study aims to provide a more robust measure of the digital divide from access, capabilities to outcomes. The authors hope that this framework, besides complementing current digital divide models, can be applied to different types of participants.
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Pawan S. Budhwar and Yehuda Baruch
This paper examines and discusses the developments in the field of career management, bringing in the international perspective. In particular, the paper explores career…
Abstract
This paper examines and discusses the developments in the field of career management, bringing in the international perspective. In particular, the paper explores career management practices in 108 Indian organizations. A factor analysis procedure suggested five groups of practices: formal planning, formal active management, developmental, career stages and assessment. These are found to be associated with certain organizational and cultural characteristics. The research has both theoretical and practical implications.
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Naser Khdour, Ra'ed Masa'deh and Atef Al-Raoush
This study aims to assess the impact of organizational storytelling on organizational performance by undertaking telecommunication companies located in the Middle Eastern nation…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to assess the impact of organizational storytelling on organizational performance by undertaking telecommunication companies located in the Middle Eastern nation of Jordan.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative design has been adopted to identify the impact of organizational storytelling on organizational performance, recruiting 460 employees at managerial levels from three telecom companies (Umniah, Zain and Orange). A step-wise regression analysis has been applied to analyze the data collected using a close-ended structured questionnaire.
Findings
A total of 284 male and 176 female employees took part in the study. The study has found a positive and significant impact of organizational learning, change management, corporate culture, training and development and leadership and indicated that these determinants positively related to organizational performance. Findings showed a positive and significant impact of organizational storytelling on organizational performance based on its components.
Practical implications
This study has contributed to identifying the impact of organizational storytelling on organizational performance in the telecommunication sector in Jordan.
Originality/value
This study is among the few to analyses the impact of organizational storytelling based on training and development, change management, corporate culture, organizational learning and development and leadership on the organizational performance of telecom companies in Jordan.