Listen to the market: Do its complexity and signals make companies more innovative

This paper analyzes four modes of innovation that differ in their scope of newness – innovation generation and adoption–, and in their degree of change –radical and incremental innovations. Building a theoretical model based on the Market Orientation (MO) and contingency theory literatures and utilizing a unique sample of innovating firms, we find that MO positively influence the number incremental generation and adoption of innovations. We also find that environmental complexity moderates the relationship between MO and radical and incremental innovation generation and adoption. That is, we have found that high environmental complexity enhances the introduction of radical and incremental internally generated innovations and harms the introduction of incremental innovation adoptions for market oriented firm. These findings add to the innovation and MO literatures. Our results also have important implications for both commercial activities and R&D policies adopted by firms.taking place in this sector enhances its potential as a showcase for processes of anticipation and adaptation to the environment. In addition, the paper aims to shed some light on the question of whether strategy potentially moderates the MO-performance link. Finally, the principal implications of our findings are discussed.Market orientation, environmental complexity, innovation

Looking For Good International Partnerships: Bodegas Pirineos Ltd., A Case Study Within The Spanish Context

In an economic context increasingly more dynamic, complex, and globalized, those companies which are able to find first-rate business partnerships and to manage efficient relationships with them have a greater guarantee of success and profitability in their activity. Their products will get the desired standards of quality and firms will be able to distribute and to sell these products adequately. For local and national markets firms use to have enough knowledge, but their position will be more complicated if they decide to expand their business abroad. Capability and unawareness of the market structures, language are some of the most important limits for international expansion. In this context firms must dedicate resources to look for capable partnerships. Although trust or partnership image could be understood as key-factor for election, decisions involve greater risk and uncertainty. If selection is satisfactory firms will desire to build relationships with these partnerships and cooperation and commitment will arise. In other case, firms will look for other alternatives, when available. Furthermore, the smallest firms have fewer resources than bigger firms and, therefore, the management these situations could be more complicated: power-dependence relationships are unfavorable. Now wine is a fashionable product. Once local and national markets are mature, international markets are fundamental for the wineries expansion. But international distribution seems pretty complicated. While production must be near vineyards, consumption could be localized wherever consumers are. Firms do not have enough resources to distribute their production directly, and peculiarities of each country or region must to be considered: legal aspects, languageBig international wine distribution use to be controlled by few and powerful enterprises in each country, while small and specialized distributors have fewer scope. Therefore, dependence relationships for wineries could arise. This paper, by analyzing a specific Spanish case, Bodega Pirineos Ltd., identifies those factors that a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) company assesses when choosing and deciding on building up a relationship with a specific international partnership that distributes its products. Sometimes distributors are understood as suppliers of services. Image, trust, communication, and cooperation are considered as prior elements, while commitment arises when relationships are satisfactory. When partnerships do not satisfy our firm, new alternatives are looked for. But if there is no more alternatives and Bodega Pirineos depends on this partnership it uses to maintain the relationship hopping new options arise. Some implications for other wineries or other SMEs firms could be derived from this paper

Looking for performance: how innovation and straregy may affect market orientation models

Despite 20 years of research into various aspects of the ‘Market Orientation’ (MO) construct, dubiety persists regarding the existence, nature and significancy of the relationship between market orientation and firm performance. In order to get more evidence some authors suggest including innovation in MO models. Debate also continues to examine whether organizational strategy is an antecedent or a consequence of MO, whilst some argue that strategy moderates the MO-performance relationship. Furthermore, there are sectors of industry and geographies where the phenomenon has received very little investigation, even of an exploratory nature. This study aims to explore the MO-performance relationship and to value the effect of innovation in MO-performance models in a sector where MO was virtually unknown: the Spanish real estate industry. The magnitude of the shifts taking place in this sector enhances its potential as a showcase for processes of anticipation and adaptation to the environment. In addition, the paper aims to shed some light on the question of whether strategy potentially moderates the MO-performance link. Finally, the principal implications of our findings are discussed.Market orientation, innovation, performance, strategy, real estate sector

Hospitality and travel brands : the nature and implications of user generated content

This paper discusses hospitality and travel brands

Post-purchase sharing of service experiences : a multi-country study

This paper discusses post-purchase sharing of service experiences

How cross culture affects the outcomes of co-creation

Purpose: The aim of this study is two-fold. Firstly, to examine the outcomes of co-creation from a customer perspective using well-recognised customer management variables (customer satisfaction, loyalty and word-of-mouth (WOM). Secondly, to assess potential cross-cultural differences that may exist within the context of co-creation. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire was completed in the banking services industry, and the final valid sample comprised individuals from the UK and Spain. Multi-sample analysis was carried out using PLS software. Findings: Co-creation has a direct influence on customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and WOM; co-creation activities lead to cumulative customer satisfaction, which also affects customer loyalty and positive WOM. Furthermore, the results show that the direct relationships between co-creation and loyalty and WOM are more powerful for British consumers than Spanish consumers, who need to feel satisfied prior to demonstrating loyalty and engaging in positive WOM. Practical implications: Firms can use co-creation as a strategic tool if they provide trustworthy collaboration spaces. Furthermore, firms need to adapt the way they interact, listen and respond to customers in different cultural contexts. Trustworthy collaboration spaces and adapting to cultural differences can result in customers who are more satisfied, loyal to the company and more likely to carry out positive WOM, which can ultimately lead to future business. Originality/value: This study provides insights into co-creation from a customer perspective. Although much service research has examined the drivers of customer co-creation, literature that analyses the consequences of customer co-creation is still scarce. Moreover, this is the first study to provide empirical evidence of cross-cultural differences within the context of co-creation