Towards a wide definition of innovation: product, process, organisation and marketing

Innovation can’t be reduced to its strictly technological aspect. Differentiate between product, process, marketing and organizational innovatio

Open perseverance: the sensemaking narrative of startup entrepreneurs

The irruption of startups and entrepreneurs has transformed the economic landscape. Entrepreneurs propose innovative business models that must progressively respond to the viability triad, the complex and uncertain process by which an idea becomes a product. Based on the theoretical and practical contributions of Dervin's sensemaking methodology, the objective of this study is to understand the narrative of entrepreneurs in their creation of meaning, identify the uncertainties, identify the practices used to address these uncertainties, and thus obtain a deep knowledge of the sensemaking mechanisms. The results of 43 interviews with entrepreneurs are presented in the form of a narrative composed of four stages and three major gaps, illustrating the practical ways in which entrepreneurs overcome uncertainty and create metastable sense

The Impact of Individual Relationships on Performance and Reformation of R&D Alliances

Purpose: To examine how trust, conflict, commitment and communication affect R&D alliance performance, the individual’s satisfaction with the alliance and their intention to collaborate with the same partners in the future. Design/methodology/approach: Empirical research. Findings: Trust, conflict, commitment and communication are positively related to alliance performance, although trust and communication are the characteristics with the strongest fit. In addition, successful alliances influence positively on individual satisfaction and raise the willingness to reform the alliance with the existing alliance members. Originality/value: This study has enriched current understanding of the relationship among individual relations, alliance performance and reformation in R&D alliances

Innovation Management Practices, Strategic Adaptation, and Business Results: Evidence from the Electronics Industry

This research contributes to the understanding of how different practices of innovation management are related to mid- and long-term growth and profitability. Governments and regional development agencies invest relevant budgets to foster innovation in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and improve their innovation management practices to make them more competitive. Nevertheless, it is not clear what impact these practices have on a company's performance over a long period of time. We propose a model to audit and classify innovation practices and empirically test the impact of innovation practices on the firms’ long–term financial performance, using a broad sample of companies in the electronics sector. Our empirical results show that, within a regional context, companies that are similar in terms of size, position in the value chain, and ownership structure follow similar innovative practices. Furthermore, the use of a systematic approach for innovation leads to revenue growth but does not necessarily increase profit or productivity

Giant and time-dependent magnetocaloric effect in high-spin molecular magnets

We have measured and calculated the magnetocaloric effect in macroscopic samples of oriented high-spin molecular clusters like Mn12 and Fe8 as a function of the temperature and both the intensity and the sweeping rate of the applied magnetic field. We have observed a high magnetic entropy variation around the blocking temperature of the magnetic moment of molecules and calculated the shift of the entropy variation and cooling temperature, with the sweeping rate of the magnetic field.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

Anàlisi econòmica financera de les empreses gaseles de la Catalunya Central

Objecte: El present treball reflecteix l'anàlisi econòmica financera de les empreses gaseles de la Catalunya Central. S'han considerat les empreses gaseles per ser les empreses tractores de l'economia d'un territori i per tant ens interessa veure la seva salut empresarial en el període analitzat. L'estudi posiciona aquestes indústries i presenta els principals indicadors econòmics i financers per tal de diagnosticar la salut d'aquestes empreses en el període 2008-2012 mitjançant una anàlisi a curt i llarg termini, una anàlisi de resultats i una anàlisi dels canvis patrimonials i dels fluxos d'efectiu d'aquestes empreses gasela. Disseny/metodologia: Les dades utilitzades provenen dels estats comptables d'aquestes empreses de la base de dades SABI en el període 2008-2012, en concret, es recull una mostra d'empreses industrials de les comarques de la Catalunya Centralque tenen un mínim de 5 treballadors, que tenen un creixement de les vendes en els últims anys d'un 6% i que tenen una rendibilitat econòmica mínima d'un 5% sobre les que es porta a terme l'anàlisi econòmica financera mitjançant l'estadística descriptiva oportuna i una anàlisi de regressions arribant a uns resultats i conclusions. Aportacions i resultats: L'estudi permet assenyalar que les empreses gaseles en aquest període gaudeixen d'una bona salut econòmica i financera, amb un reduït nombre d'empreses que concentren gran part de les vendes. Són empreses amb un creixement equilibrat ja que tenen una gestió eficient dels actius, una gestió financeraprudent (excepte per les empreses de menys número dels treballadors) i una bona gestió de les despeses. Són empreses solvents, amb un endeutament acceptable, però de mala qualitat,i una rendibilitat dels actius amb tendència a l’alça i dels recursos propis més moderada. Limitacions: Seria convenient ampliar la mostra a altres comarques i arribar a dades actuals per confirmar els canvis de tendència en l'anàlisi econòmica i financera. Implicacions pràctiques: Permet valorar la projecció d'aquestes empreses en els últims anys a Catalunya, per prendre les oportunes decisions econòmiques al respecte. Implicacions socials: Els resultats permeten posar de manifest situacions a corregir per part de les empreses per poder seguir ben posicionades. Valor afegit: Per aquestes empreses dóna informacions econòmiques i financeres rellevants de la salut empresarial per assumir els reptes de futur i el manteniment de la seva posició

Ryhmäytyminen yläkoulun seitsemäsluokkalaisten kuvaamana

Yläkouluun siirtyminen on tavallisesti nuorelle uusi ja jännittävä asia. Murrosiän kynnyksellä oleva nuori on usein epävarma itsestään sekä yksilönä että osana yhteisöä, ja se osaltaan voi vaikeuttaa uuteen kouluympäristöön sulautumista. Ryhmään, kuten koululuokkaan liittyminen on osa ryhmän syntyprosessia eli ryhmäytymistä, jossa epämääräisestä joukosta ihmisiä tulee yksi kokonaisuus. Joskus ryhmäytymisen tukemiseksi joudutaan käyttämään ryhmäyttämistä, joka perustuu erilaisiin toiminnallisiin tehtäviin, kuten tutustumis- ja luottamusharjoituksiin. Pohjana tutkimukselle on käytetty teoriatietoa nuoren kehityksestä, kouluympäristöstä sekä ryhmän muotoutumisesta. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää, miten tietty luokka oppilaita on ryhmäytynyt yläkoulun ensimmäisen lukuvuoden aikana. Lisäksi tutkimuksessa on selvitetty miten luokkahenki luokassa on muuttunut ja mitä luokkahengen parantamiseksi on tehty. Tutkimuskohteena olivat Iitin yläkoulun erään seitsemännen luokan oppilaat ja heidän luokanvalvojansa. Oppilaat kirjoittivat lukuvuoden aikana kaksi ohjattua kirjoitelmaa ja luokanvalvoja vastasi luokkaa koskeviin kysymyksiin kirjallisesti kaksi kertaa lukuvuoden aikana. Tutkimus oli laadullinen ja kirjoitelmien perusteella laadittiin kuvaus oppilaiden ja luokanvalvojan näkemyksistä ryhmäytymisestä ja luokkahengestä. Tutkimustulosten mukaan luokassa oli ryhmäydytty jonkin verran jo ensimmäisen lukuvuoden aikana ja että luokkahengessä oli havaittu sekä positiivisia että negatiivisia muutoksia. Sekä oppilaat että luokanvalvoja olivat pyrkineet kuitenkin parantamaan luokkahenkeä omalta osaltaan.It is always a new and amazing thing for a young person to move from primary school to secondary school. The teenager is usually unsure about himself or herself and it can be very hard to try to take place in a new community like in a new school class. Some-times they have to use some special processes to make pupils to become the group members in schools. The study was qualitative. The purpose of this study was to solve how a certain class of pupils had become to a complete group during the first school year and how the class spirit had changed. Pupils wrote two essays about their class and the form teacher also answered twice to some questions concerning the class. The results showed that there had been some changes in the group and class spirit during the first school year. They had also tried to make the class spirit better

Communicationsand Corporate Social Responsibility: A Canvas to Build its Strategy

El papel de las comunicaciones en el mundo empresarial evoluciona hacia un modelo más participativo y consensuado con los stakeholders, debido a que ellos son cruciales para generar impacto en responsabilidad social, mejorar la reputación y mantener vigente una organización en el futuro. Académicos reconocen que el desempeño financiero de la empresa, la relación con los inver- sores, los mercados de capital y la creación de imagen son aspectos en los que día a día tienen mayor influencia los grupos de interés; por esta razón, el propósito de este trabajo es el de crear una herra- mienta que facilite la construcción de un marco de comunicaciones con el fin de ajustarla alineación de la responsabilidad social corporativa (RSC) en la relación empresa-stakeholder. El modelo de “lienzo” propuesto es una formuladinámica para emprender un acercamiento de intereses con los grupos estratégicos de la organización para definir el mejor mecanismo participativo y así lograr esta- blecer una relación de beneficio mutuo dentro de las actividades propias de la RSCThe communication's role in the business world evolves towards a more participatory and consensual model with stakeholders, because they are crucial to generate impact on social res- ponsibility, improve reputation and remain being leaders in the future. Scholars have recognized that financial performance of the company, the investor relations, capital markets and build a brand image are aspects that day by day have greater influence the stakeholders; therefore, the purpose of this work is to create a tool that facilitates the construction of a communications framework to adjust the alignment of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the company-stakeholder relationship. The canvas model proposed is a dynamic formula with the purpose of undertake a rapprochement of interests with strategic groups of the organization in order to define the best participatory mechanism and achieve a mutual benefit relationship within the activities of CS

Technology as a catalyst to innovate training in hospitality and restaurant schools

La atención al cliente es uno de los elementos tractores de las empresas del sector de la hostelería y la restauración. Las personas que forman los equipos de sala son clave para la satisfacción del cliente y para la sostenibilidad del negocio. En las escuelas de hostelería y restauración, las prácticas de servicio y atención al cliente basadas en situaciones reales son indispensables para la formación integral de los equipos de sala. La simulación es una metodología formativa muy apreciada especialmente por su creación de un entorno de aprendizaje seguro, la observación no intrusiva y la importancia de la reflexión individual y en equipo. Por otro lado, la innovación tecnológica aporta día a día nuevas herramientas y utilidades válidas para el entorno educativo. Este artículo, a través de un estudio exploratorio cualitativo, aplicando una metodología combinada de encuesta semiestructurada y card sorting realizada a responsables educativos de escuelas de hostelería y restauración, concluye que la evolución tecnológica cataliza la aplicación de la simulación como metodología activa de aprendizaje relevante en la formación de equipos de sala en las escuelas de hostelería y restauración de la provincia de Barcelona que disponen de restaurante-escuela. Se resalta especialmente la importancia de la evolución de los equipos de grabación y en la facilidad de uso y “universalización” de los equipos.Customer service is one of the driving forces of companies in the hotel and restaurant sector. The people who make up Front Line Employees teams are key to customer satisfaction and business sustainability. In hospitality schools, customer service and attention practices based on real situations are essential for the comprehensive training of FLE teams. Simulation is a highly appreciated training methodology, especially for its creation of a safe learning environment, non-intrusive observation, and the importance of individual and team reflection. On the other hand, technological innovation provides new tools and utilities that are valid for the educational environment every day. This article, through a qualitative exploratory study, applying a combined methodology of semi-structured survey and card sorting carried out on educational managers of hotel and restaurant schools, concludes that technological evolution catalyses the application of simulation as relevant active learning methodology for FLE teams training in hotel and restaurant schools in the province of Barcelona that have a restaurant-school. The importance of the evolution of recording equipment and the ease of use and "universalization" of equipment is especially highlighted