Identification of Exogenous and Endogenous Factors Affecting Competitiveness: An Application to the Spanish Furniture Industry

In this paper we study what type of exogenous (related to the external structure) and endogenous (related to the firm) aspects affect industry´competitiveness. The framework is used to asses competitiveness of organizations in the Spanish furniture industry. In doing so, we deep in the theoretical concepts related: in one hand, the industrial sinergical concentration and, in the other hand, literature concerned to resources and capabilities. In this way, we apply a conceptual framework developed by the authors in order to identify the critical aspects that can influence competitiveness and, then, describe the results. The applicability of the model is analyzed in the Spanish furniture industry, specifically in the Valencian Community, where is mainly concentred. From the results obtained we are able to conclude that the method is effective in identifying both exogenous and endogenous aspects.

A Methodological Proposal to Evaluate the Sinergical Industry Concentration

This study deals with the firms’ competitiveness in traditional industries. We understand traditional industry as the one that has transmitted its knowledge generation after generation, and it also has some specific characteristics, such as not being a new industry because its activities have been carried out for many years, to have small and medium sized businesses with little or no presence of transnational firms or having little investment on technology and activities of research and development. The objective of this paper is to present a methodological process for the study and evaluation of the impact of the sinérgic geographical concentration of an industry in its competitiveness. The geographical concentration is a factor of great importance, facilitates the exchange and the cooperation among research centers, among the clients and the suppliers of the region, and it promotes research in the industry (Porter, 1998). On the other hand, the specific concentration of activities in a concrete zone attracts the specialized knowledge. The importance of the geographical concentration and the evidence of the existence of industrial clusters has been studied in an extensive manner through time; Saxenian (1996) analyzed the organization and the characteristics of the electronic firms of Sillicon Valley, Glasmeier (1991) the Swiss clocks, Faulkner and Anderson (1987) the film industry in Hollywood, Scott (1991) the electronic-aeroespacial industry in the south of California, and Abrupt (1982) studied the organization of firms in the north of Italy. Following Kaplan (1986), it turns out to be difficult to imagine that theories in the field of management can be verified, if the test is not carried out inside its context. These tests should serve not only to describe the existence or not of procedures, but also to deduce and to contrast how and why certain practices have to be carried out. If the intention of the researcher is to generate a theory, taking into account the theoretical framework and the key questions to answer are how they are created and how they influence the geographical concentration in the competitiveness of an industry, the most appropiate would be to carry out an explanatory type case study. Some cases will be studied according to Rouse and Daellenbach, (1999). The study of cases to be carried out follows the model proposed by Pérez (1998). The method that will be used in this study, interviews in depth, is classified as direct obtaining of data. The type of interview used is the so call interview of open answers (King, 1994). This technique combines the advantages of the use of closed questionnaires along the qualitative interviews. In the paper, we present an instrument to evaluate the impact of the geographical concentration.

The Importance of Local Aspects in Traditional Industries’ Competitiveness: an Overview of the State of the Art

The process of globalization of the economy has modified the productive activity, enlarging the level of rivalry among firms. If it wants to respond with success to this new situation, a high competitiveness level should be maintained. The word is to the order of the day, with an implicit meaning of progress and advance, although it is not easy to find a definition of it. Many authors have tried this theme in depth. As Pérez (2001) indicates, there are four factors that determine the success of a business: the region where it is located, the industry to which it belongs, the cluster, and its own resources. According to other authors, the succes or failure of a business will be determined by the resources, the capacities and the strategies applied. There are many authors that affirm that competitiveness is a very located process, based on aglomerations of firms organized around one or various related industries, that converge. (Porter, 1985, 1998, Grant, 1996b, Mintzberg 1999). Some other affirm that the strategy of the firms must be based on internal resources, having these the main importance upon the market (Grant, 1996b). According to Grant (1996b), it is more advisable for the businesses that they become competitive based on its endogenous factors. The capacity of reaction of a firm requires not only a deep knowledge of the environment, but it also depends on the function of management, and the degree in which the culture of the organization affects the profit of value and the obtention of benefits of the business. Although these two theories, the external one the internal one have been presented like different alternatives for the study of an industry, other authors consider them complementary (Henderson, 2000), since, while the first one focuses its attention on the structure of the industry, the second does it in the fact that the capabilities (abilities, investments, knowledge, etc.) developed by an organization are the ones that build an strong competitive advantage. The study has focused on the macroeconomic focus, distinguishing also the internal and external aspects of it. Some of the most accepted models by the scientific comunity are presented within the external focus. The analysis of the geographical variable as base of a sinergic action of the businesses and of the related agencies established in an specific surroundings, the cluster, has been considered as part and development of the competitive strategy Finally both theries have been opposed and a new theoretical model, based on the adaptation of the main two currents that currently exist, has been proposed.

A Conceptual Framework for the Industrial District Analysis: from Knowledge to Resources

Traditional literature on Industrial Districts has remarked the social capital as a core key in the development process of a sustainable territorial competitive advantage. In that concept authors are allocated part of the externalities without being underpined by an integrating conceptual framework. Recent resource-base view and knowledge management theory, as well as intellectual capital approach, can all be use as a conceptual framework to allocate all the industrial district’s special features in a more comprehensive and connected arena. We establish a conceptual framework by integrating different approaches and adapt all of them to specific industrial district case. Moreover, we adapt the SECI knowledge management model to the cluster case as a useful way to understand the tacit knowledge dissemination that occurs in the industrial district.

Technology Transfer between Research Units and Enterprises. An approach to centred model in the impact on territorial strategic targets.

International audienceThe purpose of this paper is to present significant advances on a research project under development by the authors. The project, analyses the bases for a model that evaluates technology transfer between research units and companies; it does it, by trimming the impact on strategic targets, investigation units, companies and the region itself in which they are immersed by analyzing the impact in terms of their development and consequential benefits for the society. It is tried to diffuse the preliminary design of a model, the research method and tools that facilitate the multidimensional approaches that are able to involve actors who are of very different nature (partnerships) and that allow generating and managing knowledge in a participative way. This would encourage an improvement in the dialogue between science and society, defining specific research activities and as a final step, taking actions without losing in mind, the goal of favouring and encouraging the ownership of this knowledge by the territorial actors and the people who eventually will contribute to the improvement of the territorial governance. This model underlines the scientific world and territorial complementary action, the participative research-action activity could be defined as a kind of research behaviour in which researchers and territorial actors are involved in pursue of a double objective: first of all, a scientific one which would be represented by improving the knowledge on a concrete aspect of the territorial structure and/or dynamics; and a second one, that would embrace the acting and resolution of concrete problems of a definite region or territory

MODELO PARA LA GESTIÓN DE CAPITAL INTELECTUAL DE UNA REGIÓN: UNA APROXIMACIÓN

RESUMEN En este trabajo se presenta una aproximación a un modelo para gestionar el sistema de capital intelectual de una región, dadas las grandes transformaciones que están ocurriendo en virtud de la importancia del papel que actualmente juega el conocimiento en el contexto actual de la globalización, la creación de valor, la construcción de capital social, entre otros preceptos del nuevo paradigma competitivo. Inicialmente se resumen los principales conceptos, metodologías y modelos relevantes que han sido publicados recientemente en la literatura sobre capital intelectual, para medirlo y gestionarlo, tanto en las empresas como en las regiones. Es un hecho que la mayoría de los modelos sobre capital intelectual en las regiones han surgido como una extrapolación de los modelos sobre capital intelectual en las empresas. Es por ello que en este trabajo se presenta un punto de vista que trata de darle una concepción más sistémica e integral. Es una primera aproximación que se somete a la discusión de pares académicos y expertos, con el fin de enriquecer la teoría actual, para desarrollar modelos apropiados a nuestras regiones. Más que una metodología de medición, se propone un modelo para conceptualizar y contextualizar el sistema de intangibles que facilite tanto el diseño como la gestión de políticas y herramientas para incrementar el capital intelectual de una región. En nuestro caso particular, el paso a seguir será afinar el modelo para aplicarlo inicialmente en dos regiones específicas: la Comunidad Valenciana en España y el Valle del Cauca en Colombia. PALABRAS CLAVES Capital intelectualModelos para reportar Capital intelectualIndicadoresRegiones ABSTRACT This paper presents an approach to a model for manage the regional intellectual capital system’s, given the big transformations that are happening by the importance of the role that plays, at this moment, the knowledge in the current context of the globalization, the value creation, the social capital construction, among other precepts of the new competitive paradigm. Initially, review the main concepts, methodologies and excellent models that have been published recently in the literature on intellectual capital, to measure it and to manage it, as much in the companies as in the regions. It is a fact that most of the models on regional intellectual capital have arisen as an extrapolation of the models on company’s intellectual capital. Due that this paper presents a point of view that tries to give him a more systemicand more integral conception. It is a first approach that undergoes the discussion of academic and expert couples, with the purpose of enriching the current theory, to develop appropriate models to our regions. More than to measurement methodology, the Model intends to conceptualize and put in context intangible system’s that facilitates ace much the design ace the administration of political and tools to increase the regional intellectual capital. In our particular case, the step to continue will be to tune thepattern to apply it initially in two specific regions: Comunidad Valenciana in Spain and Valle del Cauca in Colombia. KEYWORDS Intellectual capitalIntellectual capital reporting modelsIndicatorsRegion

Gestión de la transferencia de tecnología en una región. Premisas básicas

In this paper we analyze the foundations of a model for managing the technology transfer in a region, focused on the impaet in development and the strategic objeetives of the region, the produetive system and the seientifie technologieal system. Increasingly arises the special care that regions, Countries, companies and organizations should have on the components that leverage and support towards future competitiveness and development, increasing interest in proposing and implementing models to find new management approaches, characterized by the strategic role that is granted to the intangible, value creatíon, allianees and the building of social capital. In addition, to create value, to acrueve and maintain competítíve advantages, we must combine simultaneously: Significant increases in productivity, production of innovation and flexibility. The paper develops concepts related to Drivers of competitiveness and development. technology transfer and relations between enterprises and research units; Models of relationships between research units. enterprises, govenunent (Sabato Triangle. Triple Helix model, New Way of Knowledge Production). Finally, present the foundation of the model based on tbe conformation ofthe GUIES system (Govemment - Research Units - Enterprises - Society)En esta ponencia se analizan las bases de un modelo para gestionar la transferencia de tecnología en una región, centrado en el impacto sobre el desarrollo y los objetivos estratégicos de la región, del sistema productivo y del sistema científico tecnológico. Cada vez más se plantea el especial cuidado que deben tener regiones, países, empresas y organizaciones sobre los componentes que apalancan y respaldan hacia futuro la competitividad y el desarrollo, incrementándose el interés por proponer e implementar modelos para obtener nuevos enfoques de gestión, caracterizados por el papel estratégico que le conceden a los intangibles, la creación de valor, las alianzas y la construcción de capital social. Además, para crear valor, lograr y mantener ventajas competitivas, se deben conjugar simultáneamente: aumentos significativos de productividad, producción de innovación y flexibilidad. En la ponencia se desarrollan conceptos relacionados con: Impulsores de la competitividad y el desarrollo; Transferencia de tecnología y relaciones entre unidades de investigación y empresas; Modelos de relaciones entre unidades de investigación, empresas, gobierno (Triángulo de Sábato, Modelo Triple Hélice, Nuevo Modo de Producción de Conocimiento). Finalmente, se presentan las bases del modelo basado en la conformación del Sistema GUIES (Gobierno - Unidades de Investigación - Empresas - Sociedad