Abundance - A new window on how disruptive innovation occurs

The economic philosophy of abundance has provided a new portal to view disruptive innovation. After decades of the world's middle class shrinking and the poor becoming poorer the abundance concept has created an interest in the "Rising Billion" transforming the poor into a more viable economic force and grow a worldwide vibrant middle class throughout the developed, developing and underdeveloped world. The abundance concept provides a new set of potential problems that are spurring new opportunities. The 21st century grand challenges have been enumerated by many but include at least six key basic human necessities: healthcare; water, education; food generation, energy, and the environment. The key to "Abundance" is to better understand the disruptive innovation phenomena, and how it can be used for social change. Scholars have utilized different perspectives to explain innovation phenomenon, but literature on disruptive innovation can benefit from a coherent theoretical framework that can explain origins of disruptive innovation and the role of scarcity/abundance in that process. In this paper, we provide one such theoretical framework to better explain and understand the relationship among scarcity, abundance, and innovation concepts from a market perspective. More specifically, this paper address the need to understand how radical or disruptive innovations occur to create a more abundant world and what market conditions motivates innovators, especially in communities enduring poverty and scarcity of resources such as the "Bottom Billion" and the shrinking middle class to do so. We build a theoretical model of disruptive innovation in a resource-constrained environment by integrating arguments from the theory of social capital, disruptive innovation and entrepreneurial action, and social innovation

Innovation in small firms: Does family vs. non-family matter?

Small firms are the backbone of our economy. These firms need to innovate to thrive and compete. However, research on innovation in small firms, especially non-technology and less knowledge-intensive firms, is lacking. In this study, we explore antecedents of innovation in such firms. We build and test a theoretical model that links employee training, employee commitment, family employees, and emphasis on learning to innovation in small firms. We also argue that a small-firm owner’s perception about his firm being a family firm or a non-family firm will influence the relationship between predictors and firm innovation

Financial performance enhancing strategies: Small family firms vs. small non-family firms

Advancing prior research on the key determinants of firm financial performance, we identify the internal performance-enhancing strategies (i.e., raising employee commitment and investment in employee training) and external performance-enhancing strategies (i.e., boosting the learning orientation and adopting an emphasis on marketing). We argue that these performance-enhancing strategies will be positively associated with sales and profits, for both small family firms and small non-family firms, yet the effect will be stronger for family firms that often lag behind in these management domains. We test our hypotheses on a sample including 36 family firms and 28 non-family firms. While some hypotheses received support (e.g., investment in employee training was positively associated with sales in family firms), other hypotheses did not receive support (e.g., employee commitment was not associated with sales in family firms, and emphasis on marketing was negatively associated with sales in family firms). We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our study and outline directions for future research on firm financial performance

Marketing strategies in family firms

Branding and reputation plays an important role in determining firm behaviour and outcomes. These well-known marketing concepts have attracted attention of family firm scholars as well. However, despite the significant growth in family firm literature over the last two decades, the application of marketing theories and concepts in family firm context is limited. Thus, there is an urgent need for a better understanding of reputation, branding, communication, and marketing perspectives in family firms. The goal of this special issue is to enhance our understanding of marketing strategies in family firms. This special issue features 5 articles that represents the work of 12 scholars from five different countries

Analyzing the relationship between green innovation and environmental performance in large manufacturing firms

Abstract Extant literature suggests that green intellectual capital (GIC), green human resource management (GHRM), and green innovation (GI) impacts the environmental performance of firms. In this paper, we argue that the relationship between GIC, GHRM, GI and environmental performance is more complex than previously suggested. We propose that neither GIC nor GHRM are directly related to environmental performance. We argue instead that GI mediates the relationships between GIC, GHRM, and environmental performance. Further, we suggest that environmental strategies are directly related to environmental performance, while also moderating the relationship between GI and environmental performance. We tested our proposed model on a sample of 244 large manufacturing firms. The results of a structural equation modeling analysis provide support for most of our hypotheses

Blockchain technology and startup financing: A transaction cost economics perspective

Cryptocurrencies (e.g., Bitcoin, EOS, Etherum, Litecoin, and others) are disrupting the traditional banking and financial systems. The cryptocurrencies are based on a set of technologies commonly referred to as blockchain technology. The potential effect of blockchain technology on institutional economics is profound. Already, blockchain technology-based applications in supply chain management, marketing, and finance are decentralizing and streamlining vital institutional functions. In this paper, we examine the economics of blockchain technologies as it pertains to transaction costs in startup financing. We draw upon the theory of transaction cost economics and the transactional nature of blockchain technology to propose a model to demonstrate how and why blockchain technology based applications are effective. We then apply the model to demonstrate how blockchain technology can be used to overcome many problems inherent in startup financing. For example, information asymmetry and transaction costs involved with matching an entrepreneur with an investor and the terms of the financing deal are some of the fundamental issues in entrepreneurial financing. We explain how a financing system based on blockchain technology can ameliorate the problems and lead to a more effective and decentralized entrepreneurial financing process

Women-led SMEs: Innovation and collaboration → performance?

Scholars and practitioners recognize the importance of innovation and collaboration for enhancing business performance. Gender diversity also influences business performance, either directly or indirectly. Gender diversity in a board of directors improves companies’ innovative performance and, consequently, their performance. However, research on innovation in women-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is limited, which significantly restricts our understanding of the innovation–performance relationship in such businesses. Thus, in this study, using a sample of 503 women-led SMEs, we show that innovation is not a determinant of businesswomen’s business performance. Our study provides insights into how women-led SMEs deciding to innovate or collaborate are unable to appropriate the benefits suggested in the literature

Who fits into the digital workplace? mapping digital self-efficacy and agility onto psychological traits

Abstract: Today’s rapidly changing and volatile markets demand a novel set of skills from organizations and employees that allows them to agilely adapt to and surmount the ever-evolving challenges posed by the ongoing development of digital technologies and changes in market conditions. Previous research conducted on structured workplaces using traditional industrialist paradigms had established an ideal composition of employee traits. However, today’s contrasting fast-paced environments may have made those profiles obsolete, prompting the need to identify a profile of personalities and interests that enables organizations to assemble a workforce high in digital self-efficacy, which fundamentally drives organizations’ agility. We proposed and evaluated such a model by conducting two studies at international (Study 1, N = 309) and French (Study 2, N = 1,025) publicly traded organizations. The results indicate the personality dimensions openness to experience and emotional stability and investigative and realistic vocational interests are predispositions for the development of digital self-efficacy. Furthermore, we found corroborative evidence for digital self-efficacy to facilitate workforce agility. These findings offer novel insights into those individual psychological traits that foster an agile workforce and make it well-equipped to face the challenges of rapidly changing digital business environments today and in the future

Angiogenic gene expression and vascular density are reflected in ultrasonographic features of synovitis in early Rheumatoid Arthritis: an observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Neovascularization contributes to the development of sustained synovial inflammation in the early stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Ultrasound (US) provides an indirect method of assessing synovial blood flow and has been shown to correlate with clinical disease activity in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. This study examines the relationship of US determined synovitis with synovial vascularity, angiogenic/lymphangiogenic factors and cellular mediators of inflammation in a cohort of patients with early Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients prior to therapeutic intervention with disease modifying therapy or corticosteroids. METHODS: An ultrasound guided synovial biopsy of the supra-patella pouch was performed in 12 patients with early RA prior to treatment. Clinical, US and biochemical assessments were undertaken prior to the procedure. Ultrasound images and histological samples were obtained from the supra-patella pouch. Histological samples were stained for Factor VIII and a-SMA (a-smooth muscle actin). Using digital imaging analysis a vascular area score was recorded. QT-PCR (quantitative-PCR) of samples provided quantification of angiogenic and lymphangiogenic gene expression and immunohistochemistry stained tissue was scored for macrophage, T cell and B cell infiltration using an existing semi-quantitative score. RESULTS: Power Doppler showed a good correlation with histological vascular area (Spearman r--0.73) and angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), Angiopoietin 2 and Tie-2. In addition, lymphangiogenic factors such as VEGF-C and VEGF-R3 correlated well with US assessment of synovitis. A significant correlation was also found between power Doppler and synovial thickness, pro-inflammatory cytokines and sub-lining macrophage infiltrate. Within the supra-patella pouch there was no significant difference in US findings, gene expression or inflammatory cell infiltrate between any regions of synovium biopsied. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound assessment of synovial tissue faithfully reflects synovial vascularity. Both grey scale and power Doppler synovitis in early RA patients correlate with a pro-angiogenic and lymphangiogenic gene expression profile. In early RA both grey scale and power Doppler synovitis are associated with a pro-inflammatory cellular and cytokine profile providing considerable validity in its use as an objective assessment of synovial inflammation in clinical practice