Social Media Technologies' Use for the Competitive Information and Knowledge Sharing, and Its Effects on Industrial SMEs' Innovation

The effective use of technologies supporting decision making is essential to companies? survival. Recent studies analyzed social media technologies (SMT) in the context of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), contributing to the discussion on SMT benefits from the marketing perspective. This article focuses on the effects of SMT use on innovation. Our findings provide empirical evidence on the positive effects of SMT use for acquiring external information and for sharing knowledge and innovation performance

Mediating Entrepreneurial Creativity - The Effect of Human Resource Practices on Innovation

This research aims to evaluate the link between human resource practices (HRPs) and innovation with mediating effect of entrepreneurial creativity. This research uses the hierarchical analysis to examine data collected from entrepreneurs running 172 small and medium enterprises. The results show that (a) HRPs have a positive and significant effect on entrepreneurial creativity; (b) HRPs have statistically significant impact on innovation. These results provide empirical evidence that entrepreneurial creativity mediates the relationship between HRPs and innovation. Also, the findings provide evidence that the mediating role of entrepreneurial creativity causes improving employees' innovation. Also, the findings provide evidence that the mediating role of entrepreneurial creativity cause improving employees' innovation. By providing a cross-sectional examination of our model, we showed that HRPs and entrepreneurial creativity are of essence in shaping an innovative context. A comprehensive view on the triggers and outcomes of entrepreneurial creativity and innovation are needed, as the traditional unidirectional cause-effect rationale short in explaining how these concepts relate to one another and to entrepreneur experiences of HRPs

Organizational factors and process capabilities in a KM strategy: toward a unified theory

This study aims to examine the role of knowledge management (KM) enablers on KM activities in the context of Malaysian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The effects of organizational culture, transformational leadership, organizational structure, and technology utilization as infrastructural KM enablers are examined on KM activities as knowledge acquisition, knowledge conversion, application, and protection. A total of 227 responses from SMEs’ top management are used to assess the measurement and structural models applying partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results show that technology utilization and organizational structure are two main factors in KM activities (all structural relationships are supported). Surprisingly, organizational culture is only associated with knowledge conversion and protection and the findings indicate no relationships between organizational culture and knowledge acquisition and application. The results also indicate a positive relationship between transformational leadership and knowledge acquisition and the hypotheses on the association between transformational leadership and knowledge conversion, application, and protection are rejected. The results of importance-performance map analysis (IPMA) imply that technology utilization has the highest importance on knowledge acquisition, conversion, and protection while organizational structure has the highest importance on knowledge application. The results of IPMA also show that organizational culture has the highest performance on all KM activities. This study is amongst the few that examines the structural relationships between organizational factors and KM activities in a SME context

Does Web 2.0 utilisation lead to knowledge quality, improvisational creativity, compositional creativity, and innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises? A sense-making perspective

A few attempts were made to investigate how sense making is triggered through Web 2.0 utilisation and how it enables the accomplishment of key organisational outcomes. The objective of this research is to examine the structural relationship between Web 2.0 utilisation, knowledge quality (KQ) aspects, improvisational creativity, compositional creativity, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) innovativeness in an emerging market–Malaysia. Built upon sense-making theory, this study proposes that sense making is a progression of four formative constructs. Empirical analyses are based on a sample from SMEs’ top management (N = 358, response rate= 21) using partial least squares approach. The findings indicate that Web 2.0 utilisation influences business entities’ sense-making activities in the way they realise the intrinsic value of knowledge and take action to apply the organisational knowledge. These sense-making activities are conducive to improvisational and compositional creativity of SMEs as well. Contributions, managerial implications, and limitations are discussed. © 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

Neuromanagement: implementación alternativa en la gestión organizacional

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the historical evolution of neuromanagement and identify the management tools that have been developed within this discipline. Design/Methodology: A qualitative methodology was employed, focusing on a systematic review of databases using the keyword “neuromanagement” (in both English and Spanish). Additionally, the references in each retrieved book, thesis, and website were examined. The collected information was critically analyzed to identify patterns, trends, discrepancies, or gaps in existing knowledge regarding neuromanagement. Findings: the origin of neuromanagement is closely related to the application of neuroscience to the already established field of neuroeconomics. Also, different levels of development of the discipline were found across the countries under analysis, with North American countries applying neuromanagement, European nations conducting rigorous research on the matter, and Latin American authors mainly publishing review studies. A total of 33 neuromanagement tools were identified, mostly consisting of behavior models designed to achieve specific outcomes, along with some neuroscientific tools for measurement, manipulation, and prediction. Conclusions: It is concluded that there is no clear demarcation between neuroeconomics and neuromanagement, leading to a lack of precision in the origin, application, and definition of neuromanagement. Furthermore, despite the majority of documents being scientific articles, the number of articles in which neuromanagement tools are developed and applied is limited, and data on their direct application in organizational management are even scarcer. Originality: This study is notable for its attempt to apply the concept of neuromanagement to organizational management. Furthermore, although previous research has predominantly focused on a specific area, this study takes an interdisciplinary approach, integrating concepts and methods from seemingly divergent fields. This holistic approach, indeed, allows for a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the phenomenon under study.Objetivo: el objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar el desarrollo histórico del neuromanagement y recopilar las herramientas de gestión desarrolladas dentro de esta disciplina. Diseño/metodología: metodología de tipo cualitativa, la cual se centró en una revisión sistemática en bases de datos con la palabra clave «Neurogestión» (en inglés y español), y el proceso de indagación de las referencias de cada artículo en libros, trabajos de grado y páginas web. Asimismo, se evaluó críticamente la información recopilada, identificando patrones, tendencias, discrepancias o lagunas en el conocimiento existente sobre el neuromanagement. Resultados: El origen del neuromanagement tiene relación con la aplicación de la neurociencia a la ya establecida neuroeconomía. Se halló un diferente grado de desarrollo en los países revisados, de forma general, en América del norte se aplica, en Europa se realiza investigación rigurosa y en Latinoamérica se realizan trabajos de revisión. Se hallaron 33 herramientas de Neurogestión correspondientes, en su mayoría, a modelos de comportamiento diseñados para obtener resultados determinados y algunas herramientas neurocientíficas de medición, manipulación y predicción. Conclusiones: se concluye que no existe una clara delimitación entre la neuroeconomía y la Neurogestión, lo que causa que el origen, la aplicación y la definición del neuromanagement sean imprecisos. Además de esto, pese a que la mayor cantidad de documentos encontrados corresponde a artículos científicos, la cantidad de estos, en los que se desarrollan y/o aplican herramientas de Neurogestión, es limitada, y, más escasa aún, su aplicación directa en la gestión empresarial. Originalidad: Este estudio se destaca por su enfoque innovador en la intersección del concepto neuromanagement con la gestión organizacional. Mientras que investigaciones anteriores se han centrado exclusivamente en un área específica, este estudio aborda el tema desde una perspectiva interdisciplinaria, integrando conceptos y métodos de campos aparentemente divergentes. Esta aproximación holística permite una comprensión más completa y profunda del fenómeno estudiado

Role of evolving Web Technologies in the discovery of Entrepreneurial Opportunities in technology-based organisations

Information and communication technologies are inspiring and enabling entrepreneurial endeavours yet our understanding of how entrepreneurial opportunities are discovered, especially influenced by the web technologies, is limited. The advent of web technologies (especially Web 2.0 and Web 3.0) has enabled the creation of internet giants such as Facebook and Twitter on one hand, while empowered the existing online businesses such as Amazon and eBay on the other. However, there is limited research that investigates the role of web technologies for entrepreneurial opportunities discovery (EOD). The findings of a systematic literature review reveal that prior EOD research has mostly investigated different factors such as prior knowledge, social capital and systematic search in isolation. Most of these studies did not investigate the role of technology in EOD indicating a dearth of research. The study used qualitative multiple case studies research methodology including semi-structured interviews, informal observations and archival review to collect data. The qualitative case study methodology was chosen because little was known about the phenomenon under investigation, and the purpose of the study was to develop a theory of entrepreneurial opportunity discovery in the context of web technologies. The research findings revealed several factors that influence entrepreneurial opportunity discovery in technology-based organisations and shed light on the enabling role of web technologies for EOD. The extensive data and information accumulated on the web can be exploited by companies to find entrepreneurial opportunities. The findings of present research can stimulate and encourage the use of web technologies for EOD, which has so far not been used to its full potential

Role of evolving Web Technologies in the discovery of Entrepreneurial Opportunities in technology-based organisations

Information and communication technologies are inspiring and enabling entrepreneurial endeavours yet our understanding of how entrepreneurial opportunities are discovered, especially influenced by the web technologies, is limited. The advent of web technologies (especially Web 2.0 and Web 3.0) has enabled the creation of internet giants such as Facebook and Twitter on one hand, while empowered the existing online businesses such as Amazon and eBay on the other. However, there is limited research that investigates the role of web technologies for entrepreneurial opportunities discovery (EOD). The findings of a systematic literature review reveal that prior EOD research has mostly investigated different factors such as prior knowledge, social capital and systematic search in isolation. Most of these studies did not investigate the role of technology in EOD indicating a dearth of research. The study used qualitative multiple case studies research methodology including semi-structured interviews, informal observations and archival review to collect data. The qualitative case study methodology was chosen because little was known about the phenomenon under investigation, and the purpose of the study was to develop a theory of entrepreneurial opportunity discovery in the context of web technologies. The research findings revealed several factors that influence entrepreneurial opportunity discovery in technology-based organisations and shed light on the enabling role of web technologies for EOD. The extensive data and information accumulated on the web can be exploited by companies to find entrepreneurial opportunities. The findings of present research can stimulate and encourage the use of web technologies for EOD, which has so far not been used to its full potential

A performance measurement framework to enhance the success and survival of retail micro, small and medium enterprises

The study sought to investigate the performance measurement practice of retail Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Zimbabwe and to develop a performance measurement framework for monitoring and managing the performance of retail MSMEs in developing countries. The performance measurement framework may enhance the chances of success and survival of these retail MSMEs. The framework was developed based on a review of the literature and an empirical study. Questionnaires were administered to 373 owner/managers of which only 189 responded. Interviews were held with 20 senior employees in the accounts/finance departments of MSMEs. Stratified random sampling was employed to select the 20 senior employees interviewed. Interviews were also held with eight (8) owner/managers who were purposively selected from the 189 MSMEs who participated in the study. It was established that most of the MSMEs do not measure the CSFs identified from the literature review. The study identified innovation, management of costs, and management of customers, management of competitors, market scanning, employee motivation, and management of regulators as the factors that need to be measured and monitored if MSMEs are to succeed. The performance measurement framework which emerged from the study focused more on measurement of non-financial performance rather than financial performance. Most owner/managers interviewed indicated that the proposed performance measurement framework can be used to enhance the performance of MSMEs. The study recommends that a confirmatory study such as structural equation modelling should be carried out in order to test the cause-effect relationship between the CSFs identified in this study. The study also recommends a longitudinal study where the researcher will assess the performance measurement practices of the retail MSMEs over time rather than relying on the perceptions of owner/managers and employees of the MSMEs. Keywords: Critical success factors, MSMEs, performance measurement,Management AccountingD. Phil. (Management Accounting