Social Capital in University Business Incubators: dimensions, antecedents and outcomes

Producción CientíficaWhile many universities around the world have devoted resources to create University Business Incubators (UBIs), the literature has neglected the study of the social capital acquired by the entrepreneurs located in university incubators. The current work analyses how incubator managers can contribute to the development of both incubator and incubatee social capital as well as the influence of social capital to the success of incubatee businesses. The empirical study is based on survey data collected from incubatees on Spanish and Dutch UBIs. The findings reveal that the entrepreneurial profile of the university and the incubator manager proactivity are critical to build a collective social capital amongst the entrepreneurs. Results indicate that the collective social capital foster the individual social capital. However, only entrepreneurs’ relationships with external agents (bridging social capital) are relevant to their businesses whereas internal relationships (bonding social capital) have not a significant effect.Castilla y León (proyecto VA112P17)Fondo europeo de desarrollo regional (proyecto VA112P17)Ministerio de economía, Industria y competitividad (proyecto ECO2017-86628-P

Learning and relationship orientation: an empirical examination in European museums

Producción CientíficaThe purpose of this paper is to assess the interrelations between learning orientation, innovation strategy, relationship orientation and economic and social performance in the management of cultural organizations such as museums. We first provide a review of the literature addressing the main constructs involved in the research: learning orientation, innovation, relationship orientation and performance and we detail the model’s hypotheses reflecting the interrelations amongst the proposed variables. Building on extensive literature, a model is developed and empirically tested using survey data collected from 491 European museums in Spain, France, Italy and the United Kingdom. Data are analyzed through structural equation modelling. In the present study, evidence is found to support the positive and significant link between learning orientation and internal (organizational innovation) as well as external (relationship orientation) changes in museums. Further, we find that organizational innovation and relationship orientation aid the introduction of greater technological developments in these organizations. We also find evidence to support the idea that learning orientation, innovation strategy and relationship orientation impact the economic and social performance of museums. Findings clearly show that achieving organizational objectives through learning processes necessarily entails the introduction of internal changes –innovation-, and external relationships –relationship orientation.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (SEJ2007-67095/ECON

Dual effect of sensory experience: engagement versus diversive exploration

Producción CientíficaPurpose. The objective of this work is to examine the dual effect of sensory experiences on customer behaviour in the context of retailing. Based on the theoretical framework of the optimal stimulation level theory, the authors propose that sensory experiences reinforce satisfaction, engagement, and loyalty, but increase customers’ diversive exploration and curiosity for other experiences and may eventually led to reduced loyalty. Design/methodology/approach. A self-administrated online questionnaire was distributed via email to 1,000 households in a Spanish town, and 325 usable responses of supermarket customers were collected. The hypothesized relationships were tested using the partial least squares approach. The analysis is extended with an experiment in online fashion stores that explores whether a varied sensory experience reinforces consumers’ diversive exploration. Sixty-eight students participated in the study. Hierarchical regression analysis is performed to analyse the results of the experiment. Findings. Findings support the notion that a pleasant sensory experience increases customer satisfaction and therefore their engagement and behavioural loyalty (exclusivity) towards the retailer whilst also generating more ambitious consumer expectations vis-à-vis the shopping experience and thus encouraging them to search for new retailers and, so, to be less loyal. Research implications. This research warns of the risk of increasing customers’ expectations and reducing their loyalty; hence indicating that satisfaction is not enough. Retailers should consider offering new experiences and so surprising customers every so often by attempting to curtail the effect of satiation or over-arousal. Originality/value. The novelty of this study is the proposal of a twofold effect of sensory experience on loyalty; a positive effect, through satisfaction, and a negative effect, through the search for new experiences.Junta de Castilla y León (proyecto VA112P17)Ministerio de Economía, Industria y competitividad (proyecto ECO2017-86628-P

Pleasure in the use of new technologies. the case of e-book readers

Producción CientíficaWe analyse the adoption process of e-book readers and examine how the perception about the advantages of this technology and its incompatibility with consumer values determine the pleasure felt and its effective use. We also propose that consumer involvement with ICTs moderates these effects. Design/methodology/approach –Hierarchical moderated regression analysis is used to test the proposed model with survey data from a sample of e-book reader owners. Findings –Appraisal of the device’s reading features and the possibility for free downloading increases the pleasure found with its use and the extent to which it is actually used, whereas attachment to paper books decreases the emotional feeling, some of these effects being moderated by the individual’s involvement with new ICTs. Pleasure mediates the influence of perceived advantages and attachment to the older technology on the use of the e-book reader device. Practical implications –Two challenges to practitioners are suggested: to overcome the rejection of users less eager to experience pleasure and to use the e-reader, and to find the product’s objective or sensory characteristics that provide pleasure and promote long-lasting use. Originality/value –The study extends previous studies on e-book readers by emphasizing the need to go beyond adoption intention. It analyses effective use as a crucial measure of the true adoption of this technology and incorporates the perspective offered by the appraisal theory of emotion, which explains the key role of pleasure in this process.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (SEJ2007-67095/ECON)Junta de Castilla y León (programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación – Ref. VA181A11-1

Experience Value or Satiety? The Effects of the Amount and Variety of Tourists’ Activities on Perceived Experience

Producción CientíficaIn recent years, destinations have moved from designing products to focusing on creating experiences that engage and involve the tourist. This study explores the role played by the value of tourist experience and of satiety as mediators between experience intensity and variety as well as future visitor behaviour. Although the intensity and variety of the experience leads tourists to feel their experience has been richer and to appraising it positively, it might also bring unwanted consequences such as a feeling of saturation. The empirical study reveals that the extensiveness of the experience improves the perceived experience value, whereas intensiveness reduces the value and causes satiety in the tourist. Moreover, while the experience value reinforces the intention to return, the intention to recommend and the intensification of the experience, the feeling of satiety, on the other hand, reduces the intention to return and even the intention to recommend the destination.Junta de Castilla y León (proyecto VA112P17)Junta de Castilla y León (proyecto VA085G18)Ministerio de Economía, Industria y competitividad (proyecto ECO 2017-85528-P

From post-consumption experience evaluation to online generated content and intensification

En el contexto de los museos, el presente trabajo analiza hasta qué punto la evaluación de la experiencia in situ (satisfacción y valor percibido) que realizan los visitantes refuerza sus comportamientos online a corto plazo (consultar y generar contenido online). Sobre la base de la teoría del equilibrio y de la teoría del nivel óptimo de estimulación, proponemos la existencia de un efecto de la evaluación de la experiencia que adoptará forma de U invertida sobre la intensificación y forma de U sobre la intención de generar contenido online después de la visita. Los resultados indican que la satisfacción fomenta la intención de consumir más contenido, mientras que la percepción de haber alcanzado el máximo valor lo limita (efecto U invertida). Por otro lado, si bien la satisfacción y la percepción de una visita rentable motivan a los visitantes a publicar comentarios, las malas experiencias en los museos no tienen ningún impacto en la generación de contenido online.In the context of museums, this paper analyses to what extent visitor evaluation of the in situ experience (satisfaction and perceived value) drives their short-term online behaviours (visiting online content and generating content in online sites). On the basis of the balance theory and on the optimal stimulation level theory, it proposes that the evaluation of the experience has an inverted U-effect on visit intensification while a U-effect on the intention to generate content after the visit. Findings indicate that satisfaction fosters the intention to consume further content, while the perception of having gained the maximum value limits it (inverted U-effect). On the other hand, while satisfaction and the perception of a profitable visit motivate visitors to post online comments, poor experiences in museums have no impact on the generation of online content

Achieving effective visitor orientation in European museums. Innovation versus custodial

Producción CientíficaThe context in which museums operate has evolved considerably over the last few decades, while the challenges they face have increased. The current need for museums to augment their own revenue and improve their performance coupled with the transformation of cultural models towards more experiential services has led many to adopt a consumer orientation in an effort to make museums and their collections increasingly accessible to visitors. This visitor orientation is more than just a wish to bring culture closer to the public, but rather a desire to understand visitors’ demands and thus adapt to their expectations. This paper seeks to explore the relation between visitor orientation and performance in museums. Specifically, the study focuses on technological innovation and tradition as two alternative strategies to respond to visitor expectations. An empirical study was conducted for a sample of 491 European museums. Evidence is found to support the notion that the impact of visitor orientation on economic and market performance depends on how visitors’ needs are perceived and on museums’ commitment to either innovation or tradition and custody. Whereas technological innovation has a positive impact on revenue and economic performance, the impact of custodial orientation is negative. Custodial orientation only proves effective in market terms in large museums but does not prove effective in economic terms, for either small or large museums. This paper offers a guide as to how to deal with visitor orientation in cultural and heritage organizations. Although an orientation to innovate geared towards satisfying visitor needs would seem the logical way for museums to increase visitor numbers, an approach involving too much innovation, often leading museums to becoming shows, has been widely criticized.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Project ECO2012-38552

Towards profitable customized solutions in small firms: a matter of relationships, modularity and expertise

Producción CientíficaPurpose.The decision concerning the degree of product and service customization is crucial, yet has scarcely been studied for small businesses in business-to-business (B2B) contexts. Although such a decision allows relationships with potential customers to be strengthened, it might involve high opportunity costs given the investment required. This paper aims to analyse the profitability of customization undertaken by small businesses in terms of cost–benefit and examine the drivers of profitable customized projects vis-à-vis the ability to strengthen relationships with clients (relationship investment and customer involvement) and the firm’s resources related to processes and technology (expertise and modularity). Design/methodology/approach.To test the proposed hypotheses, data were collected from 140 small Spanish firms involved in two sectors characterized by the offer of customized solutions: information and professional, scientific and technical services. Findings.Analysis reveals that customer involvement in the customized solution, even when it requires investing in equipment, time or human resources has a positive effect on customization and ultimately on profitability, as the cost of this customer interaction is lower than the revenue it provides. Likewise, supplier investment in the relationship allows for a solution that is adapted to the client, although it requires a cost associated with investing in specific assets. Such costs cancel out the positive indirect effect through the customized solution. Finally, expertise enables appropriate use of the flexibility derived from modularity to satisfy customer requirements, with both being key company resources for driving profitability through customized solutions. Originality/value. This study makes a contribution to the domain of customization. The authors extend current knowledge on B2B customization by proving that small firms can use their available capabilities and knowledge to achieve a successful customization strategy.Junta de Castilla y León y the European Regional Development Fund (Project VA219P20)Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Project ECO217-86628-P

The internal mechanisms of entrepreneur´s social capital: A multi-network analysis

Producción CientíficaThe present work addresses how and to what extent the personal and professional relationship networks of small-scale local entrepreneurs help improve their scarce resource endowments. Adopting a mechanistic and functioning oriented view of social capital, the paper suggests the existence of two different mechanisms which may explain the enrichment and entrepreneurial exploitation processes of social capital's resources: (1) the resource mechanism, based on a network's size and diversity, providing quantity and variety of social capital resources, and (2) the exchange mechanism, based on a network's cohesion and relational quality, favouring the interchangeability of these resources among network members. The empirical study individually explores both the personal and professional networks of 958 Spanish entrepreneurs. Findings reveal how the two mechanisms are necessary and mutually complementary, although the resource mechanism proves more advantageous when exploiting personal networks, whereas the exchange mechanism prevails in the case of professional networks.Junta de Castilla y León (proyecto VA085G18)Fondo europeo de desarrollo regional (proyecto VA112P17)Ministerio de Economía, Industria y competitividad (proyecto ECO2017-86628-P

Efficiency of web communication strategies. The case of art museums

Producción CientíficaThe success of a web communication strategy depends on the ability to construct efficient websites which spark the public’s interest and attract visitors. To this end, organizations adopt a range of approaches: content web, transactional web, or interactive web. Such is the case of museums, organizations which are increasingly using innovation in their communication with the public via websites and by building new relationships through new technologies. The present research explores the impact which the approach or orientation to online communication has on online traffic as an indicator of success. The empirical work is based on analyzing information from a sample of the world’s major art museums. Results show content orientation and interaction to be the main drivers of web traffic. Findings also reveal that it is the larger museums, mainly in the US and UK, which have most innovated their websites.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Project ECO2012-38552