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Article
Publication date: 6 June 2008

Peter Baloh, Sanjeev Jha and Yukika Awazu

The purpose of this paper is to uncover the mechanisms of organizations managing innovation outsourcing to business partners. In a business environment characterized by the…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to uncover the mechanisms of organizations managing innovation outsourcing to business partners. In a business environment characterized by the development of deep, niche expertise in a particular domain, business partnerships can provide a source of innovative rejuvenation by outsourcing the innovation to business partners who have complementary skills and expertise. This paper addresses a critical challenge which the organizations are currently facing: how do you manage outsourcing of innovation to business partners effectively while maintaining your strategic competitiveness?

Design/methodology/approach

Exploratory multiple case studies of over 30 innovative European and US companies were done. It involved 50 semi‐structured interviews with senior executives from research and development, product management, information technology, and marketing.

Findings

The paper identifies three complementary models of managing outsourcing of innovation to business partner: acquisition, strategic alliances, and open source (OS). Based on these, a three‐dimensional “Co‐Innovation Space” is proposed that can help in analysis and planning of current and future innovation projects.

Research limitations/implications

Although the research is carefully designed, it is an exploratory study and has the limitation of generalizability of the findings. Nevertheless, findings from multiple case studies from diverse organizations shed a light to current innovation and strategic alliance literature.

Practical implications

Partnerships can open the door to multiple knowledge sources. Accessing and integrating information from these sources can greatly enhance knowledge base of organizations and can help fuel sustainable innovation. The models proposed in this study provide a lens to examine existing innovation project portfolios and/or to plan for future innovation programmes.

Originality/value

This study is probably among few to study such a large, diversified, and geographically scattered group of organizations. Although exploratory and preliminary, this makes the findings of the study insightful.

Details

Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal, vol. 1 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8297

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Book part
Publication date: 29 November 2023

Abstract

Details

The Emerald Handbook of Research Management and Administration Around the World
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80382-701-8

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Article
Publication date: 12 October 2015

Giustina Secundo, Remy Magnier-Watanabe and Peter Heisig

This study aims to identify and compare the knowledge and information retrieval needs from past projects and for future work among Italian and Japanese engineers. Engineering…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to identify and compare the knowledge and information retrieval needs from past projects and for future work among Italian and Japanese engineers. Engineering work, which is knowledge-intensive, is all the more critical as it both uses and generates knowledge for product and process innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses data collected from engineers in Italy and Japan from an online survey using open-ended questions in their native language. Answers were then translated into English and coded into pre-determined categories; statistical analyses including factor analysis were conducted.

Findings

For knowledge to be retrieved from past work, both Italian and Japanese engineers identified mainly experiential and systemic knowledge assets. For knowledge to be captured for future work, both groups picked experiential as well as conceptual knowledge related to the competitive environment of the firm absent from knowledge needs from past work. Finally, this research uncovered almost twice as fewer meta-categories for knowledge needs to be captured for future work compared to knowledge to be retrieved from past projects, as the former are by nature speculative and, therefore, difficult to foresee.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited to the engineering domain and to two countries. Further research should extend the scope beyond these two countries.

Practical implications

The study identified information and knowledge needs that could help inform the design of procedures to capture and document engineering work and the development of supporting information systems.

Originality/value

This research contributes to an increased understanding of the substance of information and knowledge needs in a knowledge-intensive environment such as engineering work and product/service development.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 19 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

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Article
Publication date: 5 September 2017

Halima Egberongbe, Barbara Sen and Peter Willett

Organizations constantly evaluate their activities to ensure that they are attaining their management goals. Maturity assessment enables organizations to examine their…

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Abstract

Purpose

Organizations constantly evaluate their activities to ensure that they are attaining their management goals. Maturity assessment enables organizations to examine their capabilities, support innovation and evaluate development. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the maturity statuses of a selection of Nigerian university libraries in a study to investigate their quality management (QM) approaches. The study provides recommendations for means to attain the required statuses in academic library development.

Design/methodology/approach

The study involved a multisite case study in which interviews were conducted with 15 university librarians (or their representatives) and ten focus groups were conducted with non-management library staff. The resulting qualitative data were analyzed using an aspect of framework analysis – charting, while a maturity model from the field of project management (Prince 2 Maturity Model, P2MM) was used to assess maturity in QM of the libraries.

Findings

The results of the maturity assessment indicate a basic knowledge of the concept of QM implementation among the libraries. The scores obtained on the P2MM capability scale placed the libraries studied mainly on Level 1 (awareness level) of the model.

Practical implications

This paper demonstrates that the culture of QM in academic libraries in Nigeria is at a low level with considerable potential for development. It is suggested that future adoption of quality maturity models to assess performance and organizational effectiveness would aid improvements for value-added services.

Originality/value

This is the first study to attempt the assessment of quality maturity levels in Nigerian academic libraries for identification of the organization’s positioning in QM and strategy.

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Article
Publication date: 14 March 2015

Chen Ye, Sanjeev Jha and Kevin C. Desouza

Successful innovation depends upon effective communication of the business value of innovation. Yet different stages of the innovation process require different communication…

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Abstract

Successful innovation depends upon effective communication of the business value of innovation. Yet different stages of the innovation process require different communication strategies. Companies who have recognized the different elements of the innovation process are able to target their communication mechanisms to achieve the best results from organizational innovation. In this article, we employ Desouza’s model of intrapreneurship to outline key communication challenges and strategies for addressing them across the five phases of innovation: idea generation and mobilization, idea screening and advocacy, experimentation with ideas, commercialization of ideas, and diffusion and implementation of ideas. The importance of communication to each stage is identified and barriers are noted. Drawing from first-hand interviews, case studies and a literature review, and further refined by presentation of the ideas to various executives, we propose in this article seven communication strategies for organizations to consider across the innovation process. Overall, having a clear understanding of the stages of the innovation process, and the kinds of communication that are most beneficial to each stage provides a clear vision of how to communicate the business value of innovations both internally and to external stakeholders. The effectiveness of communication can determine the success or failure of an innovation project.

Details

International Journal of Innovation Science, vol. 7 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-2223

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Article
Publication date: 9 August 2013

Deborah Richards and Peter Busch

A problem for many organisations today is what is referred to as the “knowing‐doing gap” or the difference between possessing the knowledge and the actual application of it. This

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Abstract

Purpose

A problem for many organisations today is what is referred to as the “knowing‐doing gap” or the difference between possessing the knowledge and the actual application of it. This paper aims to explore the perception that differences exist with regard to soft or tacit knowledge‐knowing and utilisation in the IT workplace, but at the level of gender and ethnic‐culture specifically. Through a statistical examination of electronic survey results from two ICT organisations in Australia, the study explores the validity of such claims.

Design/methodology/approach

Continuing from previous grounded theory research, a series of workplace scenarios testing for such knowledge utilisation were created. After trialling the initial scenarios on a pilot population, they were further refined and made part of an online survey questionnaire. Some 119 employees of two Australian ICT organisations rated how they would deal with soft knowledge situations both in principle and in practice. The sample was not selected along gender or cultural lines beforehand; however statistical analysis was conducted to determine if differences to situation‐handling existed.

Findings

The paper provides empirical insights into how genders and cultures deal with soft knowledge situations in different ways. The findings do tend to support certain stereotypes such as females generally appearing more passive, relationship and high context oriented and less individualistic. Whilst males appeared more achievement‐oriented and individualistic, Anglo‐males were closer to females for relationship and high context ideals.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the limited sample size the research results may lack generalisability. Furthermore criticism of Likert scales also exists, as does the use of language other than English as a representation of ethnic culture.

Originality/value

The study adopts a novel use of soft knowledge inventories when applied to the parameters of gender and culture.

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Article
Publication date: 6 March 2020

Anne Reino, Kärt Rõigas and Merily Müürsepp

This paper elaborates on connections between organisational culture (OC) and financial performance in production and service companies in Estonia.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper elaborates on connections between organisational culture (OC) and financial performance in production and service companies in Estonia.

Design/methodology/approach

This cross-sectional study analyses the organisational culture of 19 SMEs and large service and production companies with 2,256 respondents. The questionnaire based on the Competing Values Framework (CVF) was used to map organisational culture. Six different performance indicators from annual reports in the Estonian Business Register database were used over a four-year period. A confirmatory factor analysis and non-parametric Spearman rank correlation were applied in the study.

Findings

The authors found that OC types are connected to each other and theoretical opposites in the CVF are not mutually exclusive. Strong correlations exit between Clan and Adhocracy cultures, also confirmed by previous studies. Surprisingly, Market and Hierarchy types correlated more strongly in our sample compared to previous studies. As expected, Clan–Adhocracy and Market types exhibited a strong positive correlation with financial indicators, but contrary to the authors’ hypothesis, the Hierarchy type also had positive connections to performance indicators. The Market culture was only significantly related to performance in years when the Hierarchy type was also positively correlated with performance. Correlations that were positive in some years under investigation became insignificant in other years.

Originality/value

First, The authors use multiple objective financial performance indicators to reveal relationships between OC and performance. Second, this study did not only rely on the managers' opinion of OC, but the sample also consists of respondents from all levels of the organisational hierarchy. Third, the authors expand on existing research into the link between OC and performance by exploring a country from the former Soviet Union (FSU), where the number of similar studies is low, but where the specific context has an impact on connections between OC and financial performance of the firms.

Details

Baltic Journal of Management, vol. 15 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5265

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 13 July 2012

Mohammad Sadegh Sharifirad and Vahid Ataei

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of organizational culture (OC) on the building blocks of innovation culture (IC) in Iranian auto companies.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of organizational culture (OC) on the building blocks of innovation culture (IC) in Iranian auto companies.

Design/methodology

In total, a sample of six large auto companies were examined and 245 questionnaires completed by employees. A conceptual model was developed and the hypotheses analyzed by using exploratory factor analysis and then the direct and indirect effects of constructs were analyzed by path analysis technique.

Findings

Findings suggest that the constructs of OC correlate with those of IC. These correlations are all positive except for the relations between consistency and organizational learning, as well as of that between consistency and creativity and improvement.

Practical implications

First, this paper has checked the validity of both questionnaires in an Iranian context so that they could be used with more confidence. Second, innovation can flow in the organizations when organizational culture supports it. This research specified those elements which can help managers and executives find the aspects of OC which can increase IC.

Originality/value

The paper serves as a reference for fostering an IC in auto companies. Paying attention to different aspects of OC can have a positive effect on making innovation pervasive in organizations. This research was done for the first time in an Asian context and is literally unprecedented in Iran.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 33 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7739

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Article
Publication date: 4 June 2018

Kaveh Abhari, Elizabeth J. Davidson and Bo Xiao

Co-innovation networks face the important challenge of cultivating collective innovation outcomes while also preserving the interests of individual contributors. Addressing this…

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Abstract

Purpose

Co-innovation networks face the important challenge of cultivating collective innovation outcomes while also preserving the interests of individual contributors. Addressing this challenge requires first understanding and then managing individuals’ perception of co-innovation risks. The purpose of this paper is to provide a meaningful approach to addressing co-innovation risks using a valid and reliable model to assess actors’ perception of risk and examine its effect on actor co-innovation behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

The construct of co-innovation risk from the actor’s perspective was conceptualized based on a case study of a co-innovation network. The measurement items underwent a pilot study and a field study to establish the necessary reliability and validity. This paper also empirically assesses a nomological network that illustrates the effect of risk on co-innovation behavior with a moderating effect of prior experience.

Findings

Co-innovation actors perceived four different individual risks: time, social, intellectual property right, and financial. The empirical results from the field study demonstrate a high degree of confidence in both translation validity and criterion-related validity. Negative effects of perceived co-innovation risk on actors’ continuous intention to ideate, collaborate, and communicate in co-innovation were evident, but prior experience moderated these relationships.

Originality/value

Drawing from co-innovation and individual risk literature, this study develops and validates a general instrument to measure co-innovation risk from the actors’ perspective. The result is a reliable and parsimonious instrument with 15 items, which contributes significantly to future empirical investigations of co-innovation behavior on virtual platforms.

Details

Internet Research, vol. 28 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1066-2243

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Article
Publication date: 7 January 2025

Kutisha T. Ebron, Anthony C. Andenoro, Cheyenne Luzynski and Anne Ngunjiri

In May 2020, Kenya declared Gender-Based Violence (GBV) a health emergency amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Domestic and intimate partner violence typically rises during crises…

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Abstract

Purpose

In May 2020, Kenya declared Gender-Based Violence (GBV) a health emergency amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Domestic and intimate partner violence typically rises during crises, regardless of economic status (Spangaro et al., 2021). Before COVID-19, around 45% of women and girls in Kenya had experienced violence (Musembi et al., 2022). Although Kenya’s constitution has addressed GBV since 2010 and gender equity initiatives have been promoted, the pandemic exacerbated GBV, particularly in rural areas, due to lockdowns and movement restrictions. This study examines the lessons learned from Kenya’s COVID-19 response and proposes policies and processes that integrate ethical leadership to effectively combat GBV and advance gender equity.

Design/methodology/approach

This exploratory phenomenology study involved conducting semi-structured interviews with pregnant women, mothers, policymakers and government representatives.

Findings

The qualitative narratives reveal several critical issues and areas for improvement in addressing gender-based violence (GBV) and related challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya. Both policymakers and pregnant women highlighted a lack of effective leadership, public policy and application of gender equity principles, with deeply ingrained patriarchal norms hindering progress.

Originality/value

This study aims to improve responses to GBV during crises and promote gender equity through ethical leadership. By examining the impacts of COVID-19 on GBV and assessing the influence of intersectoral factors like employment, healthcare and financial aid, it seeks to provide actionable insights for effective interventions. The findings can inform strategies to prevent and address GBV in crises while ensuring inclusivity and justice. This aligns with international initiatives like the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the “Leave No One Behind” agenda, fostering more resilient and equitable communities.

Details

International Journal of Public Leadership, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4929

Keywords

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