FIRM DETERMINANTS IN NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTION: A STUDY THROUGH SURVIVAL ANALYSIS

The literature has broadly discussed the advantages obtained by pioneer firms under the concept of “first mover advantages”. However, less attention has been paid to the study of the factors that determine entry timing. The present paper analyzes the firm’s determinants in the introduction of a product innovation. The results obtained for the Cox regression in the case of the Italian ceramic tiles industry show that technological resources and firm size have a positive and significant influence on the likelihood of the innovation being introduced, while other factors, i.e. financial and marketing resources, have no influence on the adoption of the innovation.survival analysis, determinants of entry timing, resources, first mover advantages.

Univariate Versus Multivariate Modeling of Panel Data: Model Specification and Goodness-of-Fit Testing

Two approaches are commonly in use for analyzing panel data: the univariate, which arranges data in long format and estimates just one regression equation; and the multivariate, which arranges data in wide format, and simultaneously estimates a set of regression equations. Although technical articles relating the two approaches exist, they do not seem to have had an impact in organizational research. This article revisits the connection between the univariate and multivariate approaches, elucidating conditions under which they yield the same—or similar—results, and discusses their complementariness. The article is addressed to applied researchers. For those familiar only with the univariate approach, it contributes with conceptual simplicity on goodness-of-fit testing and a variety of tests for misspecification (Hausman test, heteroscedasticity, autocorrelation, etc.), and simplifies expanding the model to time-varying parameters, dynamics, measurement error, and so on. For all practitioners, the comparative and side-by-side analyses of the two approaches on two data sets— demonstration data and empirical data with missing values—contributes to broadening their perspective of panel data modeling and expanding their tools for analyses. Both univariate and multivariate analyses are performed in Stata and R

External knowledge search for innovation: the role of firms' innovation strategy and industry context

Purpose – This paper aims to analyze the extent to which the influence of external knowledge search on innovation performance is contingent on both a firm’s innovation strategy and the industry context in which it operates. Design/methodology/approach – The paper adopts a contingent approach that centers analysis on the influence of situational factors, either exogenous or endogenous to the organization, as determinants of the external knowledge search in promoting the firm’s innovation performance. The empirical study is based on a large sample of 18,955 firms operating in 29 industries that belong to 13 European countries. Findings – This analysis reveals that a broad knowledge search is more effective for firms that innovate in new goods, while a deeper knowledge search is more effective for firms that innovate in new services. The results of this study also indicate that external knowledge search varies across industries, with search depth being used more in industries in which the knowledge development process is cumulative and appropriable, while the external breadth search is preferred in industries with a high level of technological opportunity. Originality/value – The current approach implies recognizing that the knowledge search strategies may not always be effective, and that firms should align the search strategy to both internal and external factors. Analyzing the influence of these factors can help managers to better choose the type of knowledge search (e.g. intensive or extensive search) that best aligns with the firm’s innovation objectives

HR flexibility and firm performance in professional service firms

Human resource (HR) flexibility emerges as the most critical source of flexibility for professional services firms (PSFs), given that the success of these companies depends on the knowledge, expertise and behaviors of their employees. Nonetheless, few empirical studies have analyzed the extent to which the characteristics of the workforce explain the results of this type of firm. This study attempts to advance in this line of research by analyzing the influence of HR resource flexibility dimensions (skill flexibility – SF and behavior flexibility – BF) on PSF performance. It also examines whether HR coordination flexibility (CF) strengthens the effect of SF and BF on performance. Matched data from 97 general managers and 291 professionals in a sample of Spanish PSFs is used to test the hypotheses through structural equation modeling methodology. The study demonstrates that employee BF has a significant effect on the development of new services in PSFs. The moderation model shows that HR CF increases the influence of BF on the development of new services. Contrary to what was expected, no significant relationship between SF and PSF performance was found

External knowledge acquisition and innovation output: an analysis of the moderating effect of internal knowledge transfer

Numerous studies highlight the advantages of accessing knowledge from outside the firm as a means of enhancing the firm’s innovation efforts. However, access to external knowledge is not without organisational problems, including rejection of external knowledge by firm members or difficulties in applying such knowledge to the firm’s operations. Based on the knowledge management literature, this paper analyses the conditions within the firm that favour external knowledge acquisition, and focuses on internal transfer as a key variable for the successful integration of external knowledge in the innovation process. Our results demonstrate that internal knowledge transfer intensifies the influence of external knowledge acquisition on innovation output. Specifically, achieving an environment within the firm that favours knowledge integration into the innovation process depends to a large extent on the willingness of knowledge users to share and assimilate knowledge, and on th

Invertir en recursos humanos y resultados empresariales: ¿causa o efecto?

This study presents empirical evidence about the «causal» relationship between Organizational Commitment to Employees, OCE (measured by an aggregated index of three indicators: compensation per employee, training expenditures per employee and the proportion of workers without temporary contracts) and two organizational performance measures (Labour Productivity and ROA) using longitudinal research based on a panel of 1,190 Spanish industrial firms and four observation periods (2005-2008). Our results confirm both the traditional view in SHRM, namely, that OCE causes organizational performance, and the reverse causation hypothesis which holds that organizational performance is the cause of OCE.Este trabajo ha obtenido el 1.er Premio Estudios Financieros 2012 en la modalidad de Recursos Humanos. Una cuestión básica pendiente aún de resolución en la literatura de la Gestión Estratégica de los Recursos Humanos es determinar si las empresas invierten en recursos humanos porque les es realmente beneficioso o más bien a la inversa, es decir, cuando tienen beneficios invierten en las personas. Para poder responder a esta cuestión se ha diseñado una investigación de tipo longitudinal en la que se examina la relación causal entre el modelo de Compromiso Organizativo con los Empleados (COE) y los resultados empresariales. A partir de los datos de una muestra de 1.190 empresas industriales españolas durante el periodo 2005-2008, constatamos la existencia de una relación causal recíproca entre el modelo COE y la productividad laboral en la que se observa una retroalimentación positiva entre estas dos variables, es decir, una inversión en recursos humanos genera un aumento de la productividad laboral que, a su vez, genera nuevas inversiones en los empleados. Por otra parte, en el presente estudio se observa también que el COE afecta indirectamente a la rentabilidad económica a través de la productividad laboral. Las implicaciones teóricas y prácticas de estos resultados se dilucidan en este estudio

La generación de confianza en un contexto de intercambio social: la relación supervisor-supervisado

ResumenEl objetivo de este trabajo consiste en averiguar si habituales factores generadores de confianza en contextos organizativos de intercambio económico actúan de igual forma cuando son aplicados en un contexto de intercambio social. Analizando la relación interpersonal supervisor-supervisado y variables como la justicia distributiva, los valores compartidos, la ruptura del contrato psicológico y el empowerment psicológico sobre una muestra de 519profesores universitarios, se concluye que si bien la justicia organizativa y los valores contribuyen a generar la confianza del supervisado, la ruptura del contrato psicológico la disminuye. Respecto del empowerment, las dimensiones «significado» y «autodeterminación» funcionan como antecedentes de la confianza, mientras que la «competencia» y el «impacto» muestran relaciones no significativas con la variable dependiente señalada.AbstractThe aim of this paper is to figure out if common trust generator factors in economic exchange contexts perform equally when they are applied to social exchange contexts. Analysing the relationship supervisor-subordinate and variables such as distributive justice, shared values, psychological contract breach and psychological empowerment on a sample of 519faculties, we conclude that distributive justice and shared values improve subordinate’ trust while psychological contract breach reduce it. Regarding psychological empowerment, we conclude that meaning and self-determination dimensions work out like trust antecedents but competence and impact do not show significant relationships with dependent variable

Performance appraisal and compensation in EFQM recognised organisations: Rhetoric and reality

What type of performance appraisal and compensation systems do quality-driven organisations use? Is there a dominant pattern among these companies? This paper presents the findings of an empirical study conducted on a sample of 180 Spanish organisations that have obtained EFQM recognition. The results, based on cluster analysis and ANOVA, indicate that only one group of organisations use development-oriented systems, and are therefore aligned with approaches recommended in the Quality Management literature. In addition, two other systems are identified, one that evidences inconsistency between performance appraisal and compensation, and another focusing on target achievement.¿Qué sistemas de evaluación del desempeño y remuneración de sus empleados utilizan las organizaciones que trabajan en un contexto organizativo orientado a la Gestión de la Calidad y la excelencia? ¿Existe un patrón dominante entre estas organizaciones? En este artículo se presentan los resultados de un trabajo empírico realizado sobre una muestra de 180 organizaciones españolas que cuentan con un Reconocimiento a la Excelencia según el esquema de la EFQM. Los resultados, basados en análisis clúster y ANOVA, indican que sólo un grupo de organizaciones utiliza sistemas de evaluación del desempeño y remuneración orientados al desarrollo y, por tanto, alineados con lo que desde la literatura sobre Gestión de la Calidad se propone como un enfoque adecuado. Asimismo, se observan otros tipos de sistemas que presentan una falta de coherencia entre la evaluación del desempeño y la remuneración, o que están centrados en la consecución de objetivos.Los autores agradecen la financiación recibida desde la Universitat Jaume I (Ref. P1.1B2013-26), la Generalitat Valenciana (Ref. AICO/2015/029) y el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Ref. ECO2015-66671-P). También agradecemos al CEG su apoyo al proporcionarnos el contacto con las empresas de la muestra

External and internal labour flexibility in Spain: a substitute or complementary effect on firm performance?

The contingent perspective in strategic human resource management maintains that it is necessary to observe the interaction between human resource practices by encouraging external and internal labor flexibility. An issue still to be resolved is whether this fit leads to a complementary or substitute effect on firm performance. In order to contribute to this debate, in this study we examine how the relationship between external labor flexibility and firm performance is moderated by the degree of internal labor flexibility. To do this, we use the Survey on Business Strategies of the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade on a sample of 1,403 Spanish industrial firms. The results show the existence of a substitute effect between the two types of labor flexibility. Using them simultaneously does not lead to greater benefits for firm

Does quality management drive labour flexibility?

This study aims to shed light on the contribution of quality management (QM) to labour flexibility by analysing the influence that QM has on internal and external labour flexibility. The study presents pioneer research in the empirical analysis of how QM impacts on labour flexibility. The hypotheses put forward are tested in an empirical study carried out on a sample of Spanish service companies. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data. The results indicate that QM is shown to have a positive effect on internal flexibility, as it promotes training or job enrichment. However, QM fosters job security with a negative effect on external flexibility