Is past performance a guarantee for current results? The influence of learning on business performance in manufacturing

Purpose This paper investigates the relationship between past performance and the development of operational capabilities in manufacturing firms, focusing on the role of intra- and inter-organisational learning mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on a survey database collected in 208 manufacturing plants in 15 countries from three industries: electronics, machinery and transport components. The authors developed a model and tested the study hypotheses using the structural equation modelling technique with two-stage analytical procedures. Findings In the analysis of the overall sample, the study findings support prior literature by suggesting that firms with successful experiences may become complacent and less motivated to engage in learning, leading to a decline in performance. However, high-performance firms overcome the “success trap” by engaging supply chain partners. In contrast, low-performance firms exhibit limited learning from past poor performance, leading to organisational inertia and further declines in their current performance. Practical implications This research provides practical guidance for managers in developing operational capabilities, highlighting collaboration with suppliers as an essential element for high-performance firms. Originality/value This study focuses on the little-researched topic of how past performance influences the development of operational capabilities in manufacturing firms. The authors highlight the path for developing capabilities in high- and low-performance firms based on intra- and inter-organisational learning mechanisms

COMPETENCIES OF THE INNOVATIVE ORGANIZATION: A STUDY OF BUSINESSES OF THE INSTITUTO PAULISTA DE EXCELÊNCIA DA GESTÃO AND FUNDAÇÃO NACIONAL DA QUALIDADE

Gerir a inovação tem sido o desafio de boa parte das organizações, uma vez que demanda competências específicas às empresas que quando bem geridas podem significar ganho competitivo, mas quando não podem representar estagnação e perda de mercado. Com base nisso, o artigo tem como objetivo identificar lacunas na gestão de inovação de empresas do Instituto Paulista de Excelência da Gestão e da Fundação Nacional da Qualidade com base na metodologia do Fórum de Inovação da FGV/EAESP, que tem como base cinco competências da organização inovadora: liderança e intenção estratégica; meio inovador interno; pessoas; processos de inovação; e resultados. Para tanto, foi realizado um estudo quantitativo. O método de pesquisa adotado foi a survey. Como análise estatística foi realizada análise fatorial confirmatória, purificação dos dados, de acordo com os indicadores de confiabilidade, análise do modelo estrutural e análise de regressão. Foi enviado questionário online para todas as empresas do Instituto Paulista de Excelência da Gestão e da Fundação Nacional da Qualidade e obtido um total de 93 respostas válidas. Os resultados demonstraram que as competências “meio inovador”, “pessoas” e “processos” são responsáveis pelo desempenho obtido na competência “resultado”. Apenas a “liderança” não apareceu como determinante do resultado. Como contribuição, o artigo chama a atenção para a dificuldade das organizações gerarem resultado de inovação e o coloca como consequência de competências que o antecedem.Managing innovation has been a challenge for most organizations, as it requires specific skills of companies that when well managed, can result in gains in competitiveness, but when not well managed, can lead to stagnation and loss of market share. In this context, this paper aims to identify gaps in the management of innovation of companies of the Instituto Paulista de Excelência da Gestão and Fundação Nacional da Qualidade São Paulo Institute of Management Excellence and National Quality Foundation], based on the methodology of the Innovation Forum of the FGV/EAESP, which is based on five competencies of the innovative organization: leadership and strategic intent; internal innovative environment; people; processes of innovation; and results. For this purpose, a quantitative study was carried out. A survey was adopted as our research method. We then performed confirmatory factor analysis, data purification, according to the reliability indicators, analysis of the structural model, and regression analysis. An online questionnaire was sent to all the companies of the Instituto Paulista de Excelência da Gestão and Fundação Nacional da Qualidade, and 93 valid responses were received. The results showed that the competencies “innovative environment”, “people” and “processes” are responsible for the performance obtained in the “results” competence. Only “leadership” competence did not appear as a determinant of the results. As a contribution, the paper draws attention to the difficulties faced by organizations in creating the result of innovation, placing it as a consequence of the competencies that preceded it

Regional Cluster, Innovation and Export Performance: An Empirical Study

Abstract Regional clusters and innovations in product and processes are found in the literature as important determinants of firms' export performance. However, this relationship is still controversial and very highly constrained by industry, and by regions. Based on a more integrative perspective, the aim of the present article is to investigate the role of agglomeration economies of a regional cluster on the export performance of firms. Furthermore, we will test the mediating effect of innovation and the extent by which the technological intensity of the industry can perform a moderating effect between the constructs. Based on a sample of 100 export companies operating in the manufacturing industries, we use structural equation modeling to estimate the determinants of export performance. The results reveal that the agglomeration economies of a regional cluster have been found determinant factors of the export performance, as well as a significant source to generate innovations by firms. However, we found no evidence between the innovations in products and processes and export performance. The results have also shown that there are no differences among technological intensity of the industries, suggesting that the firms will access agglomeration resources of regional cluster in a complementary way to their internal resources

The development of quality capabilities in Brazilian breweries: A Co-evolutionary approach

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have few internal resources compared to large firms. They may rely more on external partners to access the resources needed for developing their quality capabilities. How do the interactions between internal and external environments affect a firm's ability to develop its quality capabilities? This paper explores how firms that differ in size and have different characteristics regarding their internal resources interact with the external environment to develop their quality capabilities by adopting a co-evolutionary approach. A multiple case study was employed in four high-quality breweries in Brazil, including one plant belonging to a multinational firm and three SMEs. The findings suggest that internal resources play an important role in determining the co-evolutionary paths of firms when it comes to developing their quality capabilities. The large firm takes advantage of past corporate decisions and challenges in its plants worldwide to develop its capabilities mainly internally. On the other hand, SME breweries actively engage with the environment based on higher levels of multi-directional causalities, non-linearity, and feedback, which affect the co-evolutionary paths of these firms. This study also provides managers with guidance on how to implement strategies that help firms develop their quality capabilities

Measurement of the Ωc0\Omega_c^0 lifetime at Belle II

We report on a measurement of the $\Omega_c^0$ lifetime using $\Omega_c^0 \to \Omega^-\pi^+$ decays reconstructed in $e^+e^-\to c\bar{c}$ data collected by the Belle II experiment and corresponding to $207~{\rm fb^{-1}}$ of integrated luminosity. The result, $\rm\tau(\Omega_c^0)=243\pm48( stat)\pm11(syst)~fs$, agrees with recent measurements indicating that the $\Omega_c^0$ is not the shortest-lived weakly decaying charmed baryon