New tools for measuring global academic performance

The study is on performance measurement in academia. It aims at developing and validating the measurement scale for the performance of higher institutions. The items were developed based on the extant literature. Data were collected via an online survey in which a questionnaire link was sent to 269 vice chancellors/presidents of the sampled universities. A total of 133 responses were retrieved at the end of the data collection period. This study used proportionate random sampling for sample selection. The goodness of measures was checked via field experts, academicians, and data analysis with SPSS. Overall, the alpha coefficient was .974. The outcome of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) exposed all factors loaded more than 0.50. The results revealed that the instrument was reliable and valid. Hence, the instrument developed was suitable to be used in examining the performance of higher institutions

Innovation diversity and uncertainty in small and medium sized tourism firms

In increasingly uncertain and competitive markets, small tourism firms are often pressured to innovate across a diverse range of innovation types. Innovation diversity creates synergies in that capabilities developed for one type can enhance the outcomes of other types of innovation. This paper defines and examines innovation diversity, and its relationship with small and medium enterprise (SME) performance. It then considers the role of uncertainty and dependence on tourism markets in this relationship. The paper is original in that it first finds that innovation diversity mitigates the negative effect of uncertainty on performance, and second that this relationship is especially strong in more tourism-dependent SMEs. Whereas most research on tourism innovation relies on cross-sectional data, this paper is methodologically novel in using longitudinal data collected from 358 SMEs over a period of 18 months

Innovation diversity and uncertainty in small and medium sized tourism firms

In increasingly uncertain and competitive markets, small tourism firms are often pressured to innovate across a diverse range of innovation types. Innovation diversity creates synergies in that capabilities developed for one type can enhance the outcomes of other types of innovation. This paper defines and examines innovation diversity, and its relationship with small and medium enterprise (SME) performance. It then considers the role of uncertainty and dependence on tourism markets in this relationship. The paper is original in that it first finds that innovation diversity mitigates the negative effect of uncertainty on performance, and second that this relationship is especially strong in more tourism-dependent SMEs. Whereas most research on tourism innovation relies on cross-sectional data, this paper is methodologically novel in using longitudinal data collected from 358 SMEs over a period of 18 months

Social networking in family businesses in a local economy

Small, family owned businesses make considerable contributions to local economies. The importance of social networks to their development is also well established. This paper explores the different types of distinct, but interlocking, social networks of a rural business family, focussing upon the interaction between family, business and friendship networks. It presents a multi-rational logic framework to consider how the differing logics of each of these network influences the development and behaviour of family businesses. The changes in networks over time and between generations of the family are also analysed and gaps or structural holes within the networks identified. Implications for research and policy are then set out.div_BaM32pub4755pub

The role of industry and economic context in open innovation

Using innovation survey data on a sample of UK manufacturing firms, Laursen and Salter (2006) documented a non-monotonous relationship between external search strategies and firm-level innovative performance. We find partially similar results in a combined sample of Nigerian manufacturing and service firms. A major discrepancy is that external search appears not to matter for radical innovation in our sample. Based on multiple research streams including economics of innovation and development economics, we develop and test new hypotheses on sectoral differences and the role of the economic context. We find that in a developing context, a wider range of innovation obstacles implies broader external search and more intense obstacles require deeper search. We explore the implications of these results for management research and theory