The roles of absorptive capacity and cultural balance for exploratory and exploitative innovation in SMEs

This study investigates whether balanced forms of organizational cultures moderate the effects of potential and realized absorptive capacities (ACs) to simultaneously generate exploratory and exploitative innovations. Using empirical survey data collected from 138 small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), we applied partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modeling (SEM) combined with mediation and moderation analyses to test our hypotheses. Our results show that the effects of potential AC on organizations' exploratory and exploitative innovations are fully mediated by the organizations' realized AC. The positive effects of realized AC on innovation are contingent on the overall cultural balance of the organization, which, however, does not affect the strong link between potential AC and realized AC. We thus provide novel empirical insights into the multi-dimensional nature of AC and the importance of cultural equilibrium for both exploratory and exploitative innovation, which is of particular importance for ambidextrous SMEs facing dynamic markets

CULTURAL CONFLICTS AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING: AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF SINO-AUSTRIAN PROJECTS

This paper provides an exploratory analysis of cultural conflicts that potentially hinder knowledge sharing in the context of cross-national and knowledge-intensive projects including Austrian and Chinese project members. We firstly give an overview of central cultural concepts from a national viewpoint, highlight typical conflicts in projects, and discuss key factors that stimulate knowledge sharing. Next, we provide results gained from a series of interviews with practitioners and academics, and an exploratory workshop on global knowledge sharing held in Hong Kong. From the qualitative analysis, we posit six central cultural conflicts that emerged over task responsibilities, attitudes, work execution, power, communication, and time-orientation. We consequently classify these conflicts, discuss their causal placements within Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and suggest implications for knowledge sharing. Our research findings provide more groundwork for better understanding cultural conflicts and implications for knowledge sharing in the context of Sino-Austrian project

The Impact of Social Information System Governance, Utilization and Capabilities on Absorptive Capacity and Innovation : A Case of Austrian SMEs

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of the following article: E Limaj, E W N Bernroider, and J Choudrie, 'The impact of social information system governance, utilization, and capabilities on absortive capacity and innovation: a case of Austrian SMEs', Information & Management, Vol 53(3): 380-397, April 2016, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2015.12.003. This manuscript version is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License CC BY NC-ND 4.0 ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.The study aims to understand the influence of social information systems (SIS) on absorptive capacity (AC) and innovation in Austrian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). For this purpose, a framework was developed and empirically tested using a nationwide, mixed-mode survey on a random sample of 138 SMEs of knowledge-intensive industries. The results show that the backbone of SIS utilization is SIS governance. SIS capabilities mediate the positive effects of SIS utilization on AC components, which build on each other and mediate the positive effects of SIS capabilities on innovation. Our findings provide a number of useful implications for research and industry.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Examining Digital Technology Constrains on Higher Education in Developing Countries Through the Lens of the Capability Approach

This paper uses the capability approach to examine constraints that potentially hinder students to tap into the full potential of digital technologies in the context of higher education in a developing country. We start with an overview of Sen’s capability approach and related conversion factors, and discuss how digital technologies influence students’ capability development. Then, we provide results gained from analyzing qualitative data collected among developing country students. The eight key constraints that emerged from the analysis (dependence on technology, procrastination, teacher’s habit, lack of institutional policies, limited internet access, lack of university infrastructure, inaccurate information, and mass of information) are described and further classified. This research provides a renewed digital technology constraint notion and exemplary evidence highlighting the connotation of these constraints for students pursuing higher education in the context of a developing country

Understanding the Different Priorities of Web 2.0 Technologies for Knowledge Acquisition and Assimilation for Developing an Organization\u27s Potential Absorptive Capacity

The aim of this paper is to explore the relative importance of web 2.0 tools for an organizations\u27 ability to identify and assimilate valuable external information. Theoretically, we relate these knowledge processing abilities to organizational absorptive capacity. As the usage of Web 2.0 tools to manage knowledge in organizations is becoming common practice, we need to understand which tool supports what kind of knowledge processing activity best. For this purpose, we developed a research model linking a Web 2.0 taxonomy with multiple criteria feeding into Potential Absorptive Capacity (PACAP). Based on the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), we allowed experts with different roles and backgrounds to assess the relative importance of different Web 2.0 tools. Our results offer valuable implications for conducting effective knowledge-acquisition and assimilation practices in organizations based on peer-driven networking and knowledge sharing in the Web 2.0 world

Facing Legacy Information System Modernization in Scaling Agility in the Banking Industry: Preliminary Insights on Strategies and Non-technical Barriers

Banks are increasingly attempting to scale agility to speed-up innovation of digital applications. One major aspect of this challenge is the modernization of legacy information systems (IS), which still uphold core business operations accountable for profit generation. As a result, banks are struggling to apply a successful mechanism to address the required transition to a more agile organization at scale (“scaling agility”). This short paper builds on procedures of the general inductive approach, which we used to analyse data gathered from seven preliminary interviews with professionals in the banking industry concerned with scaling agility. In this context, we currently offer two main contributions. First, we describe strategies to either retain or replace legacy IS. Second, we present important non-technical barriers to legacy IS modernization. Additionally, this short paper presents a two-staged research design comprising a completed first stage and an on-going second stage, which is intended to conclude this study

Understanding the Different Priorities of Web 2.0 Technologies for Knowledge Acquisition and Assimilation for Developing an Organization's Potential Absorptive Capacity

ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to explore the relative importance of web 2.0 tools for an organizations' ability to identify and assimilate valuable external information. Theoretically, we relate these knowledge processing abilities to organizational absorptive capacity. As the usage of Web 2.0 tools to manage knowledge in organizations is becoming common practice, we need to understand which tool supports what kind of knowledge processing activity best. For this purpose, we developed a research model linking a Web 2.0 taxonomy with multiple criteria feeding into Potential Absorptive Capacity (PACAP). Based on the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), we allowed experts with different roles and backgrounds to assess the relative importance of different Web 2.0 tools in regard to their value for each assessment dimensions. Results show that while Wiki-based tools followed by Web conferences and Blogs are most important for external knowledge acquisition, Email based strategies become most important for assimilating knowledge internally. Our results offer valuable implications for conducting effective knowledge-acquisition and assimilation practices in organizations based on peer-driven networking and information sharing in the Web 2.0 world