Determinants of investing in innovative activities by agri-food and KIBS firms in rural areas: An exploratory analysis

Using a database on innovation activities by Spanish firms, we perform an exploratory analysis on a frequently overlooked area of research: innovation investment decisions by small firms in rural areas where socio-economic indicators are weak. We focus on two quite different sectors of interest there, agri-food and t-KIBS firms, to explore how the regional context influences the capacity and the nature of innovation. Following the TOE approach as a conceptual framework, we perform a multivariate statistical analysis based on MCA and PCA combined, to identify the most relevant factors among a list of 73 indicators in four broad domains, including innovation decisions as well as organisational, technological and environmental determinants. The exploratory results obtained suggest an open field of research. Thus, we observe a distinctive behaviour of marketing innovation by agri-food firms that is related to former ICT experience, while services innovation by t-KIBS would be related to the objective of entering new market niches. Some results confirm previous results for SMEs outside rural areas, such as financial constraints, lack of qualified personnel, and strong competition being relevant barriers to invest in R & D by t-KIBS firms. Contrariwise, we dispute the assertion that agri-food firms are primarily oriented towards product and process innovation: what comes together is product and organisational innovation

Evaluation Methodology: Measurement of Drivers of Business Success and Failure

Report for BIS from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) that seeks to identify the key drivers of business success and failure through a review of existing literature. Looks at the extent to which these drivers can be measured, aiming to enhance the validity of evaluations of economic impact of projects, programmes and policies on businesses. Aims to inform future work undertaken by the department to evaluate the impact of government interventions on the business community, helping to identify a set of business characteristics that would ideally be employed as matching variables or control variables within future evaluations

Determinants of innovation by agri-food firms in rural Spain: an MCA PLS-SEM analysis

[Abstract]: The development of a sustainable rural world must have an innovative agri-food industry as one of its bases. This article offers a comprehensive analysis of the main drivers of innovation by small and medium agrifood companies in Spain. A combined multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is performed to identify the key factors among 63 indicators in the domains of the technology-organisation-environmental approach. The results suggest an open field of research. Positively related to innovation are firm capacities and financial resources. Moreover, agri-food firms innovate in products, processes or marketing in order to increase sales, enter new markets, or increase the quality of their products. On the contrary, most of these firms did not innovate to reduce costs or time of response, meet regulatory compliance or maintain employment. Authorities should be aware that smaller and younger agri-food firms face more restrictions to innovate, and firms feel public policies could help to meet market demand as a driving force of innovation. On the contrary, essential objectives of regional development such as environmental compliance and maintaining employment seem to depend solely on public action.Agencia Estatal de Investigacion (Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades) [RTI2018-100702-B-I00]; European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/FEDER)European Commissio

An Appraisal of the Motivators for and Inhibitors to Information Communication Technology (ICT) Use and Adoption by SMEs in Nigeria

The use of Information and communication technology (ICT) to gain competitive advantage has become a key strategic issue amongst organisations in the fast globalizing environment. This research aims to identify and recommend strategies that would assist in stimulating and increasing ICT adoption and use by Nigerian SMEs. This study on the appraisal of the motivators for and inhibitors to the use and adoption of ICT by SMEs in Nigeria. Present arguments suggests that for SMEs to survive and remain competitive in the current highly competitive business environment, there is the need to adopt and use ICT to attain some level of competitive advantage. To be able to achieve the above aim, this study adopted the qualitative research approach and a study of seven selected SMEs in Nigeria. Interviews were conducted with owner/managers with a view to get a better and deeper understanding of various level of government influence on ICT adoption. The research identified key factors that act as drivers of ICT adoption amongst SMEs in Nigeria. Summary of the factors that affect ICT adoption include: - Electricity/Power Challenges. - Finance and cost of High cost of hard/software. - Lack of focused policies. - Corruption. Recommendations: - As (SMEs) are among the greatest supplier of labour, there is the need for government to provide the necessary support and infrastructures. - Government needs to create more awareness on ICT benefits and adoption. - ICT should be introduced in all schools, colleges and universities and made compulsory

Evaluating the implementation of E-Government in developing countries: The case of Nigeria

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.E-Government applications have emerged rapidly in the developing world. This is due to its usefulness as an enabling tool to increase efficiency and enhance transparency. This research focuses on insights into the implementation process of e-Government within the context of developing countries. Institutional theory was the change theory applied since it explains why organisational structures and values endure. The neo-institutional theory was adopted by using multi-level approach and multi-stakeholder analysis, and these enable environmental forces to be used with other factors such as organisational and role of network actors. Due to its flexibility, institutional theory has been combined it with other theories and models such as: Lewin’s 3-stage model (deeply enriches understanding of how change occurs as well as the role of change agent); Driver-Barrier model (to assist in recognising the potential drivers and barriers that might influence successful e-Government implementation); Comprehensive Barrier framework (relevant for study of e-Government and information system barriers that could be used as checklist for project planning and evaluation);and Three-Quarter Moon model (developed for e-Commerce adoption and applied the model to e-Government implementation) The research questions and proposed framework were tested and validated by carrying out qualitative analysis using multi-methods approach for data collection. Case study research was adopted with focus on government-to-employee (G2E) within public sector organisations in Nigeria, West Africa. The research collection strategy included an in-depth investigation of organisations’ information systems using both primary and secondary data collection. The series of techniques adopted are questionnaire responses, interviews, document analysis and observation. The research findings suppose that most of the factors – internal and external, and characteristics – benefits, barriers and risks, identified as influential to e-Government implementation are similar to those discussed in existing literature, although some may be specific to the Nigerian public sector context. Based in the findings, the researcher was able to reconceptualise the developed model for e-Government implementation, which was specific to the case study. The model was then extended for application by other countries. A novel subset model – Rectangular Four-Actor-Activity - was also developed for identifying e-Government implementation key actors and their main activities, which is a subset of the holistic framework. The conceptualised model should help managers and academicians to understand the step-by-step guide to e-Government implementing process by ranking and mapping of relevant concepts and factors within the framework, understanding the difference between theory and practice in terms of e-Government implementation. The researcher therefore accomplishes that this study extends to the knowledge in the aspect of e-Government implementation from organisational perspectives, Government-to-Employee (G2E); thus contributing to the Information System (and e-Government implementation) literature through reviewing the range of studies using a wider multi-level and multi-method approach. This includes combining institutional theory with other models. This enables development of a holistic conceptual model for implementing e-Government, including a subset model for e-Government key actors and their main activities throughout the development life cycl

Staring down the lion: Uncertainty avoidance and operational risk culture in a tourism organisation

The academic literature is not clear about how uncertainty influences operational risk decision-making. This study, therefore, investigated operational risk-based decision-making in the face of uncertainty in a large African safari tourism organisation by exploring individual and perceived team member approaches to uncertainty. Convenience sampling was used to identify 15 managers across three African countries in three domains of work: safari camp; regional office; and head office. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in which vignettes were incorporated, to which participants responded with their own reactions and decisions to the situations described, as well as with ways they thought other managers would react to these specific operational contexts. The data were transcribed and qualitatively analysed through thematic coding processes. The findings indicated that approaches to uncertainty were influenced by factors including situational context, the availability and communication of information, the level of operational experience, and participants’ roles. Contextual factors alongside diverse individual emotional and cognitive influences were shown to require prudent consideration by safari tourism operators in understanding employee behavioural reactions to uncertain situations. A preliminary model drawn from the findings suggests that, in practice, decision-making in the face of uncertainty is more complex than existing theoretical studies propose. Specifically, the diverse responses anticipated by staff in response to the vignettes could guide safari tourism management towards better handling of risk under uncertainty in remote locations