Victor G. Alfaro-García, Anna M. Gil-Lafuente and Gerardo G. Alfaro Calderón
Innovation has been recognized as one of the main sources of competitive advantage for organizations and nations. The purpose of this study is to present an innovation management…
Abstract
Purpose
Innovation has been recognized as one of the main sources of competitive advantage for organizations and nations. The purpose of this study is to present an innovation management measurement approach by applying fuzzy techniques to small- and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises.
Design/methodology/approach
This study presents a survey focusing on seven innovation measurement areas: innovation strategy, knowledge management, project management, portfolio management, internal enablers, organization and structure and external enablers. A total of 91 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) located in the city of Morelia, Mexico, participated in the study. Furthermore, the data collected were analyzed under a multi-criteria decision-making approach using the theory of expertons and the induced generalized ordered weighted averaging operator.
Findings
The results show that the most valued areas are innovation strategy, organization and structure, knowledge management and project management. Furthermore, portfolio management, external drivers and internal drivers are the areas with the lowest valuations.
Originality/value
This paper presents an original methodological structure based on an expertise process designed to achieve well-founded results from uncertain and subjective opinions directly from the managers of the surveyed SMEs.
Details
Keywords
Jesús Miguel Rodríguez-Mantilla, Angélica Martínez-Zarzuelo and Víctor León-Carrascosa
In the current education context, quality management has increasingly become a key element and more educational organizations are deciding to implement a Quality Management…
Abstract
Purpose
In the current education context, quality management has increasingly become a key element and more educational organizations are deciding to implement a Quality Management System. Because there are so few studies on the impact that implementation has on educational institutions, the main objective of this paper is to profile educational centers on the basis of their implementation of ISO 9001 quality standards.
Design/methodology/approach
Specifically, this was done by taking a sample of 83 educational centers from four regions of Spain (Comunidad de Madrid, Castilla y León, Andalucía and the Comunidad Valenciana) and analyzing assessments made by teachers and members of the center Management Teams (2,132 subjects in total). The first step was to carry out a number of descriptive and differential studies globally, analyzing 8 broad dimensions: Communication System, Management, Support and Recognition, Learning Process, Quality, Climate, Satisfaction, and External Relations. A cluster analysis was then performed to identify center profiles in terms of the degree of impact from their having implemented ISO 9001 standards.
Findings
The results show that the impact of is greater in educational centers in Comunidad Valenciana and Andalucía with 9–11 years of implementation, with internal financial aid or funding, and at charter centers.
Originality/value
The cluster analysis reveals three clearly differentiated profiles (with high, medium, and low degrees of impact) in the different dimensions evaluated in the study.