Guoyou Qi, Hailiang Zou, Xie X.M. and Saixing Zeng
Threats from the informal sector have become an important concern among formal firms. As a response to these threats, formal firms can adopt product innovation (PI) and marketing…
Abstract
Purpose
Threats from the informal sector have become an important concern among formal firms. As a response to these threats, formal firms can adopt product innovation (PI) and marketing innovation (MI) strategies to differentiate themselves. The purpose of this paper is to examine how firm-level technical capability and external institutional quality affect firms’ reactions to the threats from informal firms by adopting innovative activities.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on attention-based view (ABV), an empirical study is conducted by using firm-level data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey in 2013.
Findings
The findings indicate that when faced with competition from informal firms, formal firms will intensify their innovation activities in both MI and PI, and their technical capability mitigates the competitive threats from informal sectors and thus weakens the impact of informal competitors on the level of product and marketing innovations. Moreover, it is found that the improvement of institutional quality reduces formal firms’ urgency to introduce new products when facing informal competitors. However, this improvement strengthens the impact of informal rivalry on formal firms’ innovation in marketing methods.
Originality/value
Previous studies that investigate the influence of informal threats are focused on technological innovation (e.g., PI and process innovation) strategies, but little knowledge is provided on non-technological innovative strategies, such as marketing strategies (e.g., MI and organizational innovation). This study contributes to the innovation literature by delving into the circumstances under which PI and/or MI is adopted to counter informal rivals. The findings enrich ABV by investigating how inter-firm resource similarity and marketing commonality strengthen top managers' attention to competition from informal firms.
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G. Kaltenpoth, W. Siebert, X‐M. Xie and F. Stubhan
Flip chip test boards with and without plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition silicon nitride moisture barrier coatings were exposed to high humidity and temperature cycling…
Abstract
Flip chip test boards with and without plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition silicon nitride moisture barrier coatings were exposed to high humidity and temperature cycling conditions. The effect of the stress developed in these environments was investigated and evaluated. The influence of the barrier layers on the extent of underfill delamination and degradation in flip chip assemblies was inspected by C‐mode Scanning Acoustic Microscopy. The moisture barrier layers studied show their potential to enhance the reliability of flip chip assemblies in humid environments.
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Lakhvinder Singh and Dinesh Dhankhar
The concept of information and communication technology (ICT) has extensively used among travel and hospitality organization in the contemporary world. The present study discovers…
Abstract
The concept of information and communication technology (ICT) has extensively used among travel and hospitality organization in the contemporary world. The present study discovers tourism and hospitality business reactions toward ICT-based marketing usage and investigates its relationship with functional competencies and profitability among tourism and hospitality business organizations in India. With a quantitative approach, the study found an extensive usage of ICT-based marketing in tourism and hospitality organizations was noted from descriptive tables. The application of regression analysis indicated positive and significant impact of ICT-based marketing on functional competencies and profitability of tourism and hospitality organizations in India. A positive and significant correlation was also noted among these two due to adoption of ICT-based marketing. This study provides insights to formulate comprehensive ICT-based marketing strategies to fulfill growing customer needs.
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Tsun Jin Chang, Shang Pao Yeh and I‐Jan Yeh
This study purports to examine the effects of a joint reward system (JRS) under a new product development (NPD) setting by identifying four neglected aspects of JRS that contains…
Abstract
Purpose
This study purports to examine the effects of a joint reward system (JRS) under a new product development (NPD) setting by identifying four neglected aspects of JRS that contains a procedural view (participation of reward decision and reward contingent on NPD phases) and a monetary view (risk‐free to participate and over‐reward incentive) in a conceptual model, and then to empirically test their effects on knowledge sharing and NPD performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Using regression analysis, the proposed model was tested on 233 valid respondents (112 in R&D, 50 in marketing, and 71 in manufacturing), including 92 from electronics firms, 87 from semiconductor firms, 29 from biotechnology firms, and 25 from pharmaceutical firms in Taiwan.
Findings
The results indicated that risk‐free to NPD project members is the most salient aspect of JRS on knowledge sharing and NPD performance. Joint determination of reward allocation was found to be a favorable JRS for only marketing and NPD performance. Rewards contingent on NPD phases have shown conflicting results between R&D and marketing. No relationship was found for over‐reward incentive on knowledge sharing and NPD performance. Despite the mixed effects of JRS, knowledge sharing is a strong predictor of NPD performance.
Originality/value
This study extends understanding of the complexities of rewards on knowledge sharing and NPD success by decomposing and testing four unique aspects of JRS, which sheds a new light on NPD researches.
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Does multinational expansion affect product innovation performance? If so, does such a relationship between international diversification and performance vary depending upon the…
Abstract
Does multinational expansion affect product innovation performance? If so, does such a relationship between international diversification and performance vary depending upon the size of the firm? Focusing on the learning and experiential advantages associated with international diversification, we attempt to find answers to these critical questions from a cross‐national perspective. Based on a survey of 179 US and 250 Chinese firms, we find that international markets are important for both US and Chinese firms, but to a greater extent among US firms. The results also indicate that new product performance can vary significantly depending upon international diversity. While US firms can generally expect better new product performance with a growing level of international diversification, Chinese firms may experience deteriorating performance after a certain threshold level. Finally, the firm size effects appear to be significant among Chinese firms, but not in the US sample.
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Hyun Shin, Jongtae Shin, Shijin Yoo, Joon Song and Alex Kim
– The purpose of this paper is to present a new perspective on the marketing-R & D interface by modelling firms that develop new products in a duopolistic market.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a new perspective on the marketing-R & D interface by modelling firms that develop new products in a duopolistic market.
Design/methodology/approach
By using a game-theoretic modelling approach, this study examines strategic delegation, through which the marketing and R & D managers of each firm are given authority over pricing and new products’ quality levels.
Findings
Interestingly, the study finds that the case where two managers with conflicting incentives negotiate (the horizontal coordination case) might produce a better financial outcome than when the managers’ decisions are perfectly coordinated by a profit-maximizing CEO (the vertical control case). In addition, the study identifies several conditions that guarantee horizontal coordination’s generation of higher profit, such as high (or low) sensitivity to the quality (or price) of a new product. The paper further shows that two competing firms may select horizontal coordination as a Nash equilibrium.
Practical implications
These findings provide new insights into the role of marketing-R & D interaction under strategic delegation, which may allow rival firms to “spend smart” on R & D, avoid excessive (and unnecessary) quality competition, and thus enhance the profitability of new products. Such insights would be useful for any firms under budget constraints.
Originality/value
To the authors’ knowledge, this paper represents the first attempt to analyze how delegation interacts with the conflicting incentives of marketing and R & D managers, which in turn affects the quality investment decisions, competitive intensity, and, ultimately, the financial outcomes of new products developed competing firms.
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Yuanqiong He, Xiu-Hao Ding and Kunpeng Yang
Teamwork is important for innovation, but it often incurs conflicts. Previous literature has reported inconsistent relationships between conflicts and team performance. The…
Abstract
Purpose
Teamwork is important for innovation, but it often incurs conflicts. Previous literature has reported inconsistent relationships between conflicts and team performance. The purpose of this paper is to clarify this relationship and explore how to improve team innovation using conflict management styles.
Design/methodology/approach
This study collects data in China and the survey covering 436 participants from 126 project teams. Then, structure equation model by AMOS and moderated regression analyses are used for hypotheses testing.
Findings
This study finds that cognitive conflict and affective conflict have positive and negative effects on team innovation separately, and cognitive conflict positively affects affective conflict, with the total effect of cognitive conflict on team innovation being negative. Moreover, this study suggests that cooperative conflict management styles and dominating style (one of competitive conflict management styles) moderate the relationship between cognitive conflict and affective conflict negatively and positively.
Research limitations/implications
First, this study did not consider features of organizations as control variables. Future research can advance in this direction. Second, the data were collected from a single marketing innovation program. Further research might use more diversified teams to test the hypotheses.
Practical implications
Firms should realize that cognitive conflict promotes team innovation directly, but it also harms team innovation through affective conflict. Then, cooperative conflict management styles are effective in weakening the relationship between cognitive conflict and affective conflict.
Originality/value
This study fulfills an identified need to clarify the relationship between conflict and team performance, as well as how conflict management styles moderating the relationship between cognitive conflict and affective conflict.
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X.M. Xie, T.B. Wang, J.Z. Shi, R.Q. Ye, F. Stubhan and J. Freytag
Au/In isothermal solidification technique was evaluated as an alternative method for high performance die attachment. Bonding could be achieved at temperatures between 250°C �…
Abstract
Au/In isothermal solidification technique was evaluated as an alternative method for high performance die attachment. Bonding could be achieved at temperatures between 250°C ‐ 3008C for about five to ten seconds. The microstructures of the bonds were studied and their effects on the reliability analysed. The quality of the bonds depends very much on the surface waviness of the substrate. For high quality substrates, bonding was successfully achieved on 3mm × 3mm dies, which is almost one order of magnitude bigger than the die size achievable for Au/Si eutectic bonding, and the bonds show no obvious degradation after 2,800 cycles between –55°C to 125°C.
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Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to identify the competitive priorities of the manufacturing firms in their internationalization efforts.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured questionnaire survey is conducted involving 569 manufacturing firms in China. The competitive priority in internationalization efforts is gauged by combining the degree of emphasis of manufacturing firms on a certain factor over the past three years and the level of improvement of the factor into an index.
Findings
It is found that “technology level”, “cost control”, and “brand consciousness” are the top three most important factors affecting the competitiveness of internationalization of manufacturing in China. The three bottlenecked factors that impede internationalization include “Internationalization business experience”, “Financing capacity” and “Senior managers with management know‐how”.
Practical implications
With the rapid development of economy globalization, firms in the Chinese manufacturing sector have begun the process of internationalization. As these young firms venture into the foreign markets, they may face some uncertainty and risks which entail a process of learning and adaptation. It is hoped that the empirical findings can shed some insight for improving the process of internationalization of the manufacturing sector.
Originality/value
There is a paucity of internationalization efforts from manufacturing firms in developing countries. By examining the competitive priority of the Chinese manufacturing firms, this study can enrich the body of knowledge on internationalization of manufacturing firms in developing countries.
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H. L. Zou, S. X. Zeng, H. Lin and X. M. Xie
The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate how top executives’ compensation is associated with environmental performance in the Chinese context and how this…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate how top executives’ compensation is associated with environmental performance in the Chinese context and how this association varies with differing levels of industrial competition.
Design/methodology/approach
Combining agency and institutional theories, the empirical study is based on a sample of 698 publicly listed firms in China’s manufacturing sector.
Findings
The authors find that top executives’ cash pay has a positive association, and equity ownership a negative association, with corporate environmental performance. Furthermore, in more competitive industries, both pay and ownership are more strongly associated with environmental performance, indicating that industrial competition plays a moderating role in these relationships.
Practical implications
The findings imply that different incentive schemes can motivate executives toward environmental management in the Chinese context in opposite directions. They highlight the importance of improving regulation in order to motivate firms to engage in further environmental management.
Originality/value
Previous work on the relationship between executives’ compensation and socially responsible activities has mainly focussed on developed countries. This study is set in an emerging economy, and identifies new evidence to show that the effect of executive incentives is institutionally specific. In addition, it explores the effect of industrial competition on executives’ incentives to engage in environmental management, suggesting an explanation for the contradictory evidence found in previous research.