Understanding employees’ intrapreneurial behavior: a case study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper insight into the organizational factors and personal motivations of intrapreneurs that may foster intrapreneurial behaviors of employees in a new technology-based firm (NTBF). Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes a qualitative approach to explore organizational and individual antecedents of employees’ intrapreneurial behavior. A single case study was conducted on the basis of semi-structured interviews with the founders and top managers of the firm and with intrapreneurial employees. Findings – Results show that intrapreneurial projects may arise in firms whose top managers support corporate entrepreneurship (CE) in a non-active manner. Intrapreneurial behaviors of employees can emerge despite the lack of time and limited resources available for undertaking projects. Moreover, work discretion and mutual confidence and the quality of the relationship between employees and top managers are the most valued factors for intrapreneurs. Practical implications – Based on the intrapreneurial projects studied, this paper helps to contextualize intrapreneurs’ perception of organizational support and the personal motivations for leading projects within an NTBF. Originality/value – Traditionally, the literature has mainly focused on the top-down implementation of entrepreneurial projects within large firms. This paper contributes to the understanding of the combination of firm- and individual-level factors that facilitate intrapreneurial behaviors of employees. It also illustrates the contextual conditions and the firms’ orientation on CE within an NTBF

Employees' proactive behavior and innovation performance. Examining the moderating role of informal and formal controls

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the degree to which employees’ proactive behavior contributes to innovation performance in firms operating in high-technology sectors. Despite the benefits of these behaviors for individuals and organizations, few studies have analyzed the contextual conditions that enable firms to capture their value in order to improve innovation performance. Drawing on the interactionist perspective, the authors also examine the extent to which informal and formal controls, such as perceived support for innovation and innovation process formalization, can facilitate the contribution of proactive behaviors to improve innovation performance (product and process innovation). Design/methodology/approach – Based on an empirical study with a sample of 173 firms operating in chemical and information technology service sectors, hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the relationship between employees’ proactive behavior and innovation performance, and the moderating effects of informal and formal controls. Findings – The results reveal a positive and significant association between proactive behaviors and product and process innovation performance. Both control mechanisms positively moderate the association between proactive behavior and product innovation, but no moderating role was found for process innovation. Moreover, rather than inhibiting innovation performance, innovation process formalization is positively associated with innovation. More specifically, a curvilinear relationship was found, which implies that when the level of formalization is high, it is able to improve product and process innovation. Practical implications – The findings suggest that managers should consider proactive behavior in selection processes and performance management, and should cultivate a climate to support innovation and establish formal controls for innovation as a way to channel employees’ initiatives into product innovation. Originality/value – This study contributes to the theoretical and managerial understanding of the extent to which proactive employees and organizational controls are able to enhance innovation in a technologically dynamic context

The link between Quality Management and Innovation Performance: A content analysis of survey-based research

Previous contributions have reported contradictory findings about the effects of Quality Management (QM) on innovation performance. The purpose of this paper is to critically appraise methodological issues in the literature concerning the link between QM and innovation performance, in order to reveal possible differences in the research design which may explain the heterogeneity of the findings. Through a content analysis of peer-reviewed journal articles on this topic from 1994 to 2016, the authors compare the research designs used, and identify the most prevalent practices in conducting survey-based research. In addition, cross-tabulations are used to analyze the relationships between methodological issues and type of findings. The main findings can be summarized as follows: some papers report incomplete information about methodological issues; they focus on the organizational level of analysis and see higher managers as common informants; there is a lack of research which combines surveys with other methods, as well as of longitudinal designs; and the way QM and innovation performance are measured conditions the findings obtained in the articles reviewed. The characteristics revealed in this analysis provide a platform to assist scholars in developing future stances in this and similar fields of research

Drivers and internalisation of the EFQM excellence model

Purpose Although the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model has been widely adopted throughout Europe, a thorough examination of the factors that contribute to the internalisation of the model (i.e. a substantive adoption) has been neglected in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to present a model that analyses the drivers of the real internalisation of the EFQM excellence model, with a focus on the role of motives for adoption, and appraisal and compensation systems. Design/methodology/approach An empirical study was carried out based on a sample of Spanish organisations that had been awarded EFQM recognition. Structural equation models, cluster analysis and ANOVA were used to examine the research questions. Findings Internal motives concerning the creation of a participative style are the main driver of internalisation. Moreover, having an appraisal system-oriented towards the development of employees helps the substantive adoption of the EFQM model. These findings reinforce the importance of the soft elements of the EFQM model. Originality/value This study enhances evidence about the motives for adoption and their influence on the internalisation of the EFQM model. It analyses internalisation in a novel context, EFQM recognised organisations, and contributes to the debate about the efficacy of the EFQM model to performance improvement, by unveiling the factors that could foster the internalisation of the model within the organisational routines

The impact of hard and soft quality management and proactive behaviour in determining innovation performance

The extant literature has reported mixed results on the relationship between Quality Management (QM) practices and innovation performance. Most of the studies carried out to date have proposed a direct relationship between QM and innovation, while neglecting the potential variables that may influence this relationship. In order to advance in this line of research, this paper develops a model of relationships between QM, understood as a multidimensional construct (hard QM and soft QM), and innovation performance (product and process innovation), which examines the mediator role of employee proactive behaviour in these relationships. The proposed model is examined using empirical data from ISO 9001 certified firms in high technology manufacturing and service sectors. The findings from structural equation modelling show the direct influence of the hard QM dimension on product and process innovation, while the effects of the soft QM dimension are channelled via proactive behaviour. The conclusions of the present study highlight the facilitating role of QM practices and proactivity for innovation

In search of the optimal proportion of temporary contracts in the Spanish industry

La generalización en España de la contratación temporal como práctica de flexibilidad laboral ha suscitado un intenso debate acerca de si ésta ejerce un efecto positivo o negativo sobre la productividad laboral; existen argumentos teóricos y estudios empíricos que defienden ambos efectos. En este trabajo conciliamos estas dos posturas aparentemente contrapuestas proponiendo la existencia de una relación curvilínea en forma de U invertida entre temporalidad contractual y productividad laboral. Observamos como el uso de contratos temporales produce un efecto positivo sobre la productividad laboral, pero un abuso lo transforma en negativo. Los profesionales de recursos humanos deberían advertir que cuanto mayor es la utilización menor es la utilidad de la contratación temporalThe generalisation of temporary contracts in Spain as a practice designed to bring about labour flexibility has generated lively debate over whether they have positive or negative effects on labour productivity. According to some theoretical arguments and empirical studies, these contracts have both positive and negative effects. In this study we reconcile these two apparently opposing points of view by suggesting that there is an inverted U-shaped curve between temporary contracts and labour productivity. We find that the use of temporary contracts has a positive effect on labour productivity, but their overuse is negative. Human resources professionals should note that the higher is the use; the lower is the usefulness of temporary contract

Personal and organizational background of corporate entrepreneurs: new technology-based firm evidence

The role of corporate entrepreneurs as employees who generate value for the company and as drivers of innovation and entrepreneurial initiatives is recognized in the literature on entrepreneurship. The purpose of this study is therefore to determine which personal factors characterize corporate entrepreneurs and to analyze which organizational factors have favored the development of intrapreneurial initiatives among corporate entrepreneurs, in the context of a new technology-based firm. Adopting a qualitative approach, this study presents a case study based on surveys and interviews of corporate entrepreneurs and top executives. The results show that corporate entrepreneurs are characterized by having a strong need to learn and grow, and they do not follow the status quo as their peers do. Projects promoted by corporate entrepreneurs can arise even in a context where managers support entrepreneurial initiatives in a non-proactive way, and despite the lack of time and limited resources to execute such projects. Furthermore, corporate entrepreneurs highlight work autonomy, managerial support and rewards as main factors supporting their initiatives.El papel de los emprendedores corporativos como empleados que generan valor para la empresa, así como impulsores de la innovación y de las iniciativas emprendedoras, es reconocido en la literatura sobre emprendimiento. El propósito de este estudio es conocer las características personales de los emprendedores corporativos y analizar en qué medida las organizaciones pueden apoyar y fomentar las iniciativas emprendedoras de estos empleados en el contexto de una nueva empresa de base tecnológica. A partir de un enfoque cualitativo, el trabajo presenta el estudio de un caso basado en entrevistas con los emprendedores corporativos y los altos directivos de la empresa. Los resultados muestran que los emprendedores corporativos se caracterizan por tener una fuerte necesidad de aprender, crecer y replantearse el statu quo . Los proyectos impulsados por los emprendedores corporativos pueden surgir incluso en un contexto en el que los directivos apoyan las iniciativas emprendedoras de forma no proactiva, a pesar de la falta de tiempo y de recursos limitados para ejecutar dichos proyectos. En este contexto, los emprendedores corporativos destacan la autonomía en el trabajo, el apoyo por parte de los directivos, así como las recompensas como los principales factores de apoyo a sus iniciativas

The Brain-Heart Connection: Frontal Cortex and Left Ventricle Angiotensinase Activities in Control and Captopril-Treated Hypertensive Rats—A Bilateral Study

The model of neurovisceral integration suggests that the frontal cortex (FC) and the cardiovascular function are reciprocally and asymmetrically connected. We analyzed several angiotensinase activities in the heart left ventricle (VT) of control and captopril-treated SHR, and we search for a relationship between these activities and those determined in the left and right FC. Captopril was administered in drinking water for 4 weeks. Samples from the left VT and from the left and right FC were obtained. Soluble and membrane-bound enzymatic activities were measured fluorometrically using arylamides as substrates. The weight of heart significantly decreased after treatment with captopril, mainly, due to the reduction of the left VT weight. In the VT, no differences for soluble activities were observed between control and treated SHR. In contrast, a generalized significant reduction was observed for membrane-bound activities. The most significant correlations between FC and VT were observed in the right FC of the captopril-treated group. The other correlations, right FC versus VT and left FC versus VT in controls and left FC versus VT in the captopril group, were few and low. These results confirm that the connection between FC and cardiovascular system is asymmetrically organized