How dynamic capabilities change ordinary capabilities: Reconnecting attention control and problem‐solving

Research Summary Building on the attention-based view of the firm, we elaborate the concept of dynamic capabilities and identify two constitutive elements: attention control and problem-solving. We show empirically that the control element of dynamic capabilities regulates how organizations (dis-)engage attention on operational versus change-oriented tasks. On this basis, we develop a process model of how control and problem-solving interact to reconfigure resources and thus modify ordinary capabilities. We study the adoption of lean management in the R&D unit of a large U.S. corporation. Our longitudinal case study identifies obstacles that organizations have to overcome to establish effective dynamic capabilities that enable their adaptation to changing environmental circumstances. Managerial Summary “The vast majority of all change initiatives fail”: We hear this statement a lot in our interactions with practitioners. In this article, we suggest an explanation of why achieving persistent, behavioral change is hard: attention to change processes is difficult to maintain over an extended period of time. Initiatives start, then fade away. By studying the interplay of control mechanisms (that keep organizational attention on the long-term goals) and problem-solving tools (that identify what and how to change in the short term), we provide a framework that can generate actionable implications for executives. In particular, we focus on the decisive and yet underestimated role played by key performance indicators in sustaining attention on change initiatives

Introduction: knowledge generation and innovation diffusion in the global automotive industry—change and stability during turbulent times

This introduction to this special section establishes the context within which automotive firms cope with turbulence caused by globalization, new governmental regulations, and advances in electronics, communication, and drive train technologies. While exploring change, the papers in the special section also report on stability, e.g. in the central role of Original Equipment Manufacturers in system integration and their resulting dominance over product architecture and supply chain dynamics. We apply the lens of change and stability to two stages of the innovation lifecycle: (i) knowledge generation; and (ii) the diffusion of innovations. The papers, organized along these dimensions, help us understand how and why automotive firms are changing their ways of innovating, but also why past patterns of innovative behavior persist. We close with an outlook on future research topics to complement this special sectio

Completing the market orientation matrix: The impact of proactive competitor orientation on innovation and firm performance

The concept of market orientation comprises four components: customer and competitor orientations, each with a proactive and responsive dimension. Studies have considered both responsive and proactive customer orientation. Competitor orientation, however, has been investigated more narrowly. Research has focused specifically on its responsive dimension, a firm's posture of quickly responding to its competitors' actions and their offerings; but has largely disregarded proactive competitor orientation, a firm's posture towards altering the market's competitive behavior in its favor. This study investigates the role of responsive and proactive competitor orientation on influencing innovation and firm performance, as well as the mediating effects of technology and learning orientation. Utilizing a unique dataset that combines primary and time-lagged secondary data from 306 firms, we find that both responsive and proactive competitor orientation are observable drivers of performance in the market, but in notably different ways. Proactive competitor orientation drives innovation performance, directly and through technology orientation. Responsive competitor orientation, instead, enhances firm performance through learning orientation. By providing insights about the proactive side of competitor orientation, this study supplements and completes the so called “market orientation matrix”. This framework provides guidance for leaders to develop and manage a practical application of, and future research on market orientation

Consumer preferences for electric vehicles in Germany

Purpose. Analyze the preference for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) as opposed to hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) or normal combustible vehicles (NCVs) in Germany. Design. Survey of 400 respondents who stated their preference for one of the three vehicles and considered purchase price, driving range, fuel costs, emissions, refueling availability, refueling time, acceleration and policy incentives. Binary and multinomial choice logit models are applied. Main findings. We find strong evidence that previous experience of driving a BEV and car sharing are significant factors to state a preference for electric cars. Other factors such as driving range, purchase price, gender, ecological awareness and incentives such as tax exemptions also influence the choice. Originality. The preference for BEVs among German customers would increase if granted the opportunity of a driving experience and, more intensely when combined with car sharing opportunities. Increasing the availability of car sharing of electric vehicles seems an excellent way to penetrate the market

The relationship between telework and job characteristics: A latent change score analysis during the COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a sizable proportion of employees conducted home-based telework to contain virus spreading. This situation made it possible to investigate the relationship between telework and job characteristics. Many positive and negative associations between telework and job characteristics have been proposed in the literature, but most studies relied on cross-sectional data as well as narrow samples (e.g. employees voluntarily choosing to telework). Repeated measures designs investigating the association between telework intensity and job characteristics using less selective samples are currently rare. To address this research gap, we collected data at two time points in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 479) and investigated if change in telework intensity was associated with change in 19 job characteristics using structural equation modeling. Our analyses showed that—in contrast to several prior cross-sectional studies—telework intensity had a small to moderate association with only two out of the 19 job characteristics: Work scheduling and decision-making autonomy. Hence, the study challenges the previously assumed manifold positive and negative associations between telework intensity and job characteristics and adds to the debate about the role of telework intensity as an antecedent of work design. Future studies should investigate the generalizability of the findings to non-pandemic work contexts