Coopetition and innovation. Lessons from worker cooperatives in the Spanish machine tool industry

This is an electronic version of the accepted paper in Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing[EN] Purpose – This paper aims to investigate how the implementation of the inter-cooperation principle among Spanish machine-tool cooperatives helps them to coopete–collaborate with competitors, in their innovation and internationalization processes and achieve collaborative advantages. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a multi-case approach based on interviews with 15 CEOs and research and development (R&D) managers, representing 14 Spanish machine tool firms and institutions. Eight of these organizations are worker-cooperatives.. Findings – Worker -cooperatives achieve advantages on innovation and internationalization via inter-cooperation (shared R&D units, joint sales offices, joint after-sale services, knowledge exchange and relocation of key R&D technicians and managers). Several mutual bonds and ties among cooperatives help to overcome the risk of opportunistic behaviour and knowledge leakage associated to coopetition. The obtained results give some clues explaining to what extent and under which conditions coopetitive strategies of cooperatives are transferable to other types of ownership arrangements across sectors. Practical implications – Firms seeking cooperation with competitors in their R&D and internationalization processes can learn from the coopetitive arrangements analyzed in the paper. Social implications – Findings can be valuable for sectoral associations and public bodies trying to promote coopetition and alliances between competitors as a means to benefit from collaborative advantages. Originality/value – Focusing on an “ideal type” of co-operation -cooperative organisationsand having access to primary sources, the paper shows to what extent (and how) strong coopetitive structures and processes foster innovation and internationalization

Mediation effects of trust and contracts on knowledge-sharing and product-innovation: evidence from the European machine tool industry

This is an electronic version of the accepted paper in European Journal of Innovation Management, Vol. 21 Issue: 2, pp.274-293 (2018)[EN] This paper analyzes the mediating role of contracts and trust on the generation of product innovations stemming from buyer-supplier knowledge-sharing among the members of the supply chain. Together with the individual effects of trust and contracts, their joint effect is examined in order to determine whether these are complementary or alternative mechanisms of safeguarding and control

Collaborative relationships with customers: generation and protection of innovations

This is an electronic version of the accepted paper in Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing[EN]Purpose: To discover the key elements for generating and protecting innovations based on the customer‐supplier relationship in industrial sectors Methodology: Exploratory qualitative study performed using semi‐structured interviews with CEOs and innovation managers of 22 industrial firms and institutions from the machine‐tool (MT) industry Findings: Key forms of knowledge must be shared by the two agents. Producers have to obtain in‐depth knowledge about customers’ needs and customers need knowledge on producer's absorptive capacity. Producers distinguish between three types of customer: reference customers, necessary for innovations with greatest scope, clientes amigos or test users, required to test innovations currently being developed, and traditional customers, associated with incremental innovations. The traditional means of protecting innovations is the detailed contract between customer and supplier; patents are used for innovations of greater technological scope, as a form of defense against third‐party patents and as a signaling element of absorptive capacity. Originality: The paper draws on the direct experience of executives from companies whose innovation is based on a close relationship with customers, in order to answer questions to which the literature has yet to provide definitive answers: What sort of information to be shared is relevant for the generation of innovations? Are all customers equal or are there profiles that contribute more effectively to the development of innovations? What attitude and mechanisms are most effective for protecting the knowledge and competitiveness generated through knowledge‐sharing

Implementation of a nursing competency assessment system in public hospitals

Numerous problems are frequently observed when nursing competency assessment systems (NCAS) are implemented. How to effectively implement a nursing competency assessment system, according to academic and practical contributions, is poorly reported in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to present a set of recommendations for public hospitals and nursing management in order to facilitate the implementation of a NCAS. To achieve this objective we have revised the existing literature and conducted a Delphi study with nursing managers and human resource managers of the public hospitals of the Basque Health Service. The results are that the implementation of a NCAS requires a well-planned strategy that managers must consider before implementing any NCAS. This strategy must include, at minimum, the following aspects: communication, training, leadership, and content where the NCAS is concerned. The context of the organisations and the cultural dimensions may also influence the results of the application of the system

The effect of cultural context on the efficiency of best practices in human resource .

The efficiency of High Performance Work Systems has been a special object of study for the last two decades. Analysis of their behaviour has involved the consideration of Several factors that supposedly moderate their efficiency, among which internal company factors stand out. However, contextual perspective has not been considered in great detail. In this regard, we go about our analysis incorporating cultural context as a possible moderating variable. From a sample of foreign affiliates of Spanish multinational companies, the results recommend that this variable be more closely considered in future investigations.Best practices; HPWS; human resources; cultural context; multinational enterprises

Análisis de la eficacia del coaching ejecutivo: un estudio desde la perspectiva del coachee

[EN] Executive coaching has become one of the principal leadership development strategies of our time. However, this is a field of HRD that has been discussed far more often in professional than academic literature and further research is required. This work analyses the relation existing between the main explanatory factors of executive coaching effectiveness and the different types of results that can be achieved. This study also provides an empirical test of the effectiveness of executive coaching using the first three levels of Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model (1975). Responses from 176 executives are analyzed, assessing their perceptions of their latest experience of executive coaching. Structural modelling is used to match factors affecting the success of executive coaching to its results. The resulting model highlights the influence exercised by the coach, and to a lesser extent the coachee and the process, on coachee satisfaction. It also shows how the coach influences the coachee’s learning. The results also suggest that there is a positive relationship between satisfaction, learning and behavioral change, as Kirkpatrick suggests. The development of a final focus group, in which human resources managers, coachees and coaches took part, contributed to improvements in the discussion and interpretation of the results. In the light of these results, the implications for the professional and academic area are considered.[ES] El coaching ejecutivo se ha convertido en una de las principales estrategias de desarrollo directivo de nuestros tiempos. Sin embargo, es un campo del área de desarrollo de RR.HH. en el que predomina la literatura profesional sobre la académica y que está necesitado de más investigación. Este trabajo analiza la relación existente entre los principales factores explicativos de la eficacia del coaching ejecutivo y los diferentes tipos de resultados que se pueden alcanzar. Este estudio aporta además una prueba empírica de la eficacia del coaching ejecutivo utilizando los tres primeros niveles del modelo de evaluación de Kirkpatrick (1975). Se analizan las respuestas de 176 directivos valorando sus percepciones acerca de su última experiencia de coaching ejecutivo. Se utiliza modelización estructural para relacionar factores que inciden en el éxito del coaching ejecutivo con los resultados del mismo. El modelo resultante pone de relieve la influencia que ejercen el coach, y en menor medida el coachee y el proceso, sobre la satisfacción del coachee. También muestra cómo se materializa la influencia ejercida por el coach sobre los aprendizajes del coachee. Asimismo, los resultados sugieren la existencia de una relación positiva entre satisfacción, aprendizaje y cambio de comportamiento, tal y como sugiere Kirkpatrick. Un focus group final en el que han tomado parte directivos de recursos humanos, coachees y coaches ha contribuido a la mejora de la discusión e interpretación de los resultados. A la luz de estos resultados, se plantean implicaciones para el ámbito profesional y académico.We wish to express our most sincere thanks to all the managers and coaches who collaborated in this research, either by answering the questionnaire, or through their active participation in the validation stages of the questionnaire, the pre-test and testing of results. The authors received financial support for the research from the University of the Basque Country, University-Society grant (Ref.: US12/07), FESIDE foundation (Research grant, 2015) and the European Coaching School

Enpresaren ekonomiarako sarrera

Enpresaren Ekonomiarako Sarrera irakasgaiak honako gaitasun orokor hauek garatu nahi ditu ikaslearengan: 1. Enpresa sistema zabal baten modura ulertzeko gaitasuna. Enpresaren atal guztiak erlazionaturik daude beren artean, baita enpresa bere ingurunearekin ere. Burutzen diren ekintzek enpresaren hainbat arlotan izan dezakete eragina. Are gehiago, enpresaz kanpo gertatzen denak ere enpresaren jardueran izan dezake eragina. 2. Enpresaren egoera analizatzeko gaitasuna. Zer egiten du enpresa batek? Nola garatzen du bere jarduera? Betetzen al ditu bere helburuak? Irakasgaiak enpresa kudeatzeko eredua eskaintzen du, eta ikasleak, horretaz baliaturik, benetako enpresa baten kudeaketa eta egoera analizatzeko gaitasuna garatu behar du, enpresaren ekonomiaren zientziaren proposamenak eta aurkeztutako jardunbide egokiak kontuan hartuz. 3. Enpresaren barnean erabakiak hartzeko gaitasuna. Ikasleak erabaki egokiak hartzeko gaitasuna garatzen du, enpresaren funtzionamendua eta zenbait kudeaketa-teknika ezaguturik. Enpresaren zuzendaritzan erabaki egokiak hartzeko gaitasuna garatzen laguntzea da irakasgaiaren helburu nagusia, enpresaren ekonomiaren oinarriei esker. Gaitasun hori enpresaren azpisistemetan garatu nahi da: zuzendaritza-, giza baliabide-, ekoizpen-, finantzaketa- eta merkataritza- azpisistemetan, hain zuzen ere. 4. Taldeka lan egiteko gaitasuna. Taldeka klasean egindako lanen bidez eta kanpoan egindako enpresa- lanen bidez, ikasleei beren lan-etorkizunean ezinbesteko izango zaien taldeka lan egiteko gaitasuna garatuko da irakasgaian zehar

Nekazaritzako elikagai ekologikoen banaketa politika iraunkorra: adierazle sistema agroekologikoaren proposamen praktikoa

[EUS] Nekazaritza ekologikoko produktuen ekoizpena eta kontsumoa hazi egin da azken urteetan, etengabe eta modu garrantzitsuan. Kontsumitzaileen segmentu berriak sortu dira kezka berriekin: osasuna, ingurumena, bertako produktuak eta bertako ekonomia, … Horrek, lehen sektorearentzat aukera berriak ekarri ditu, nahiz eta ez duen marketina eta komertzializazio erabakien planifikazioa egiteko ohiturarik. Zentzu horretan, marketineko kudeaketarako interesgarriak izan daitezken ikuspegiak aztertzen ditugu lan honetan, ikuspegi holistiko-agroekologikoari arreta berezia zuzenduz, lehen sektorearen beharretara egokitzen delako. Horrez gain, eta nekazaritza ekologikoko produktuen banaketa politikak duen garrantzia azpimarratuz, adierazle sistema iraunkor bat proposatzen dugu, sektoreko erakundeen banaketa politikako erabaki iraunkorren gida gisa ulertuz eta euren kudeaketarako tresna lagungarria izan daitekeela irudiz. Ikerketaren logika eta helburuei jarraituz, adierazle sistema sortzeko landu dugun prozesu metodologiko parte-hartzailea eta egiaztatze prozesu praktikoa azalduko ditugu, baita bertan erabilitako teknikak eta emaitza bera ere, lau helburu, hamabi irizpide eta hogeita hamabost adierazle dituen sistema. Lana biribiltzeko proposamenaren inguruko eztabaida eta bere ekarpen teoriko eta praktikoak jasotzen ditugu.[EN] Production and consumption of organic farm food have continuously and significantly increased during last years. New consumer groups have emerged, inspired by new motivations: health, environment, local food and local economy. This context has created new options for farming activities, despite most of farmers are not used to planning of marketing decisions. The aim of this research is to analyze innovative approaches for marketing management, with special focus on the holistic-agroecological approach and its adaptation to farming activity. In addition, the relevance of organic food marketing policy management is highlighted and, as result, a sustainable indicator system is proposed. These indicators have been introduced as a guide for farms and organizations to help in the sustainable management of organic food marketing strategies. Following the logical and goals of the research, the design of the indicator system has been developed by a participatory process and it has been validated in practice. Used techniques and results are also showed: a system with four goals, twelve criteria and thirty five indicators. As conclusion, we expose the discussion on theoretical and practical proposals

Diagnóstico del proceso de I+D y su transferencia en universidades: una aproximación basada en el conocimiento

En las universidades, la gestión del proceso de investigación, desarrollo y transferencia (I+D+T) del conocimiento científico-técnico es una actividad fundamental. No obstante, este proceso, por sus características específicas, no puede ser analizado de forma efectiva mediante los instrumentos convencionales de diagnóstico empresarial. Por ello, estimamos que se requiere una metodología basada en el conocimiento y en el capital intelectual. La finalidad de este trabajo es presentar una metodología de investigación original para el diagnóstico del proceso de I+D+T, mediante la búsqueda de tipos de conocimiento claves que, mediante su incorporación a las actividades del proceso, generan el “Capital de I+D+T”. El orden de presentación seguido es el siguiente: en primer lugar, se identifican los tipos de conocimiento claves; a continuación se validan esos tipos de conocimiento mediante un análisis exploratorio: finalmente, se realiza un diagnóstico del proceso a través de un análisis confirmatorio mediante encuestas a investigadores, empresas e instituciones.In universities, the management of the research, development and transference (R&D&T) process is a very important activity. Nevertheless it cannot be studied with the traditional business diagnostic analysis, because of its specific characteristics. For this reason an intellectual capital methodology is needed. The aim of this paper is to present an original research methodology for the diagnostic of the R&D&T activities that uses key knowledge types that act as drivers for the process, and emphasize the identification of those knowledge types and its implications for the intellectual capital monitoring of the organisation performance. The paper presents the research in the following order: First, identification of key knowledge types is performed; next, validation of these knowledge types through an exploratory analysis is developed; finally, a diagnostic of the process using Intellectual Capital is made through a confirmatory analysis of the results of surveys to researchers, companies and public institutions

The behaviour of enterprises in relation to managers continuous training

Este trabajo ha sido previamente presentado en las XVII Jornadas Luso-Espanholas de Gestao Científica, celebradas en Evora (Portugal) en febrero de 2006.[ES] El presente trabajo analiza el comportamiento de las empresas respecto a la formación contínua directiva desde la perspectiva de la asimetría de información entre éstas y sus directivos, que puede derivar en situaciones de riesgo moral y selección adversa. Sobre esta base teórica se propone un modelo explicativo que toma en consideración las expectativas de generación de capacidad directiva, las expectativas de apropiabilidad de los beneficios derivados de esa capacidad generada, el valor estratégico del directivo para la empresa y la percepción empresarial del esfuerzo que le supone afrontar la formación directiva. El modelo, con un planteamiento de análisis coste-beneficio, sistematiza la influencia de estas variables sobre el grado de proclividad que muestran las empresas hacia este tipo de formación, facilitando un cauce de interpretación de los diferentes comportamientos que exhiben las organizaciones empresariales en esta materia, no siempre coincidentes con las declaraciones formales que realizan.[EN] The present paper aims at analysing firms’ behaviour of managerial training from the viewpoint of information economics. Asymmetric information between organizations and their management may lead to moral hazard and adverse selection. The theoretical literature allows proposing an explicative model that considers the expectations of generating managerial capacities, the expectations of appropriating the benefits of these capacities, the strategic value of managers for firms and finally, the firms’ perception of the efforts that investing in managerial training entail. The above-mentioned model analyses variables’ influences from a cost-benefit oriented viewpoint by systemizing them in order to the degree of proclivity that firms show. In this way, it aims at explaining the existing contradiction between firms’ discourse in favour of firms-provided training and the real behaviour that they usually adopt in fact