Technological collaboration : bridging the innovation gap between small and large firms

This paper analyses technological collaboration as an input to the innovation processes of SMEs. Technological collaboration may be a useful mechanism to offset some of the weaknesses in SMEs resource endowments and bring their innovation capabilities closer to that of their large counterparts. The results, based on a large longitudinal sample of Spanish manufacturing firms, show that technological collaboration is a critical factor in improving the capabilities and innovativeness of SMEs. While a general bridging of the gap between the innovativeness of SMEs and large firms was observed, the most significant advance was in product rather than process innovations

Novelty of product innovation : the role of different networks

In the current competitive scenario, firms are driven to introduce products with a higher degree of novelty. Consequently, there is a growing need to understand the critical success factors behind radical innovation. Specifically, this work empirically and theoretically analyses the role of different types of collaborative networks in achieving product innovation and, more precisely, the degree of novelty. Using a longitudinal data of Spanish manufacturing firms, our results show that the continuity on the co-operative strategy, the type of partner and the diversity of collaborative networks are critical factors in achieving a higher degree of novelty in product innovatio

The internet: strategy and boundaries of the firm

Many advantages have been ascribed to the Internet. Although it lacks the necessary elements to be regarded as a strategic resource, the Internet seems to be a useful tool to provide support for business strategies.In this work we discuss how the Internet can be used to support the development of capabilities and define firm boundaries. Using a sample of Spanish firms, empirically analysed, we find positive relationships between the use of the Internet and product differentiation, as well as the introduction of organizational changes. In addition, we present evidence that the Internet reduces both internal coordination costs and transaction costs as a result of the positive relationships found between the use of the Internet, the degree of vertical integration and the establishment of technological agreements with suppliers and customers

Beyond formal R&D : taking advantage of other sources of innovation in low- and medium-technology industries

This study deepens our knowledge of critical success factors in the innovation process of low- andmediumtechnology (LMT) industries. To accomplish this, it explores howthe innovation process in LMT firms may depend on non-formal R&D activities and the use of external sources. The empirical analysis is based on a representative panel of Spanish manufacturing firms. The results strongly support the view that non- R&D activities such as design, the use of advanced machinery and training are crucial to understanding the innovation process of any firm. The study finds, however, that the impact of these activities is especially important in LMT industries, particularly for the achievement of product innovations. The empirical evidence also reveals the importance of external sources such as the use of consultants, the hiring of personnel, collaboration agreements and external R&D, with the greatest differences between LMT and high-technology (HT) firms being observed in process innovationsPublicad

Service innovation in manufacturing firms : evidence from Spain

The ways in which manufacturing firms come to offer services to customers – servitisation or servicisation – are attracting considerable attention. This paper examines an innovation survey of Spanish firms in order to investigate one aspect of this phenomenon: the introduction of new or improved services by manufacturers. Specifically, the paper analyses the determinants of service innovations in manufacturers and determines whether they differ from those of product or process innovations in these same firms. The study finds that almost 20 percent of the firms in the sample have introduced such services in the recent past and that important differences exist between service and product (goods) innovations, with service innovations being particularly related to human resource development and closer links to customers. This suggests that service innovation by manufacturers has much in common with the innovation patterns detected in service sector firms. Intriguing differences across manufacturing sectors are also noted, with the lowest- and highest-tech sectors reporting more service innovations than the medium-tech sectorsPublicad

Does R&D offshoring lead to SME growth? Different governance modes and the mediating role of innovation

In this article, we address the role of R&D offshoring strategies in the sales growth of small - and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We propose that different governance modes of R&D offshoring - insourcing versus outsourcing - may lead to growth, but that they differ in their effects. In turn, we argue that innovation mediates the relation between international R&D sourcing strategies and sales growth. Based on a large database of SME manufacturing enterprises in Spain, we find that offshore outsourcing positively affects sales growth both directly and indirectly, while offshore insourcing only affects sales growth indirectly via innovation results. The analysis reveals different contributions of each governance mode to sales growth and the mediating role of innovation in the relation between R&D offshoring and firm growth

The effect of the magnitude and direction of institutional distance on the choice of international entry modes

This paper analyzes the relation between institutional regulative distance and the choice of international entry mode. The study contributes to existing literature by considering the relative positions of the origin and destination countries on this relation, examining the possibility that institutional distance may exert an asymmetric effect. The results, using a database of European firms and multilevel analysis techniques, indicate that entry in countries with lower levels of regulatory development than that of the origin is related to modes that require a lower resource commitment. Conversely, entry in countries with higher levels of regulatory development is related to higher resource commitment modes. These findings suggest that the direction of institutional distance is important for the choice of international entry mode.An earlier version of this paper was awarded with the SMG Copenhagen Prize 2011 for the best paper submitted to the EIBA-conference by a young scholar. This study has been partially supported by financial aid from the Spanish Ministries of Economy and Competitiveness, with the Project ECO2012-36160, and Education, with the FPU program scholarship AP2010-1092.Publicad

Inward-outward connections and their impact on firm growth

Firms can internationalize via two types of operations: inward (related to international supply operations) and outward (related to serving or selling in foreign markets). This paper analyzes variations in growth for firms that adopt different international strategies: those that perform only one type of international operation, and those that undertake both types simultaneously. The study starts from the premise that connections exist between inward and outward operations, connections that give access to related and diverse knowledge. Based on a sample of European SMEs from-different sectors, the empirical findings indicate that undertaking inward and outward operations simultaneously exerts a greater positive effect on turnover growth than performing just one type of international operation. This simultaneous effect is significantly higher when these operations take place in the same foreign country. The findings provide support for the idea that the acquisition-of country-specific knowledge allows firms to boost sales growth.The authors would like to thank the editor and the referees of this paper for their truthful comments and suggestions. This study has been partially supported by financial aid from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, with the Project ECO2012-36160, and Education, with the FPU program scholarship AP2010-1092

Tipos de propiedad y comportamiento estratégico de la empresa

Esta tesis tiene como principal objetivo profundizar en el entendimiento de los efectos de diferentes tipos de propietarios como factor determinante de los objetivos y de las decisiones empresariales en presencia de problemas informativos. La investigacion trata de explicar algunas de las consecuencias que tiene en el comportamiento estrategico de las empresas participadas, la existencia de distintos tipos de inversores estables, bien informados y con capacidad de control, como son los grupos, las familias y las instituciones financieras. Algunas de las principales conclusiones que se desprenden de los estudios realizados son la relacion positiva que existe entre la pertenencia a un grupo y la inversion en recursos intangibles, asi como la relacion contraria con la propiedad familiar. No se evidencian otros topicos relativos a empresas familiares, como menor crecimiento o menor rentabilidad, pero si diferencias de comportamento de empresas familiares en distintas generaciones, asi se observa en el estudio de la expansion internacional, donde la presencia de segundas generaciones favorece la salida a mercados exteriores. Respecto al estudio de la propiedad bancaria, observamos la posible influencia que tiene en la decision de financiacion ajena en las empresas participadas, descentivando la emision de deuda negociable a favor de la deuda bancari

La estrategia de internacionalización de la pequeña empresa familiar

Este trabajo estudia la internacionalización de las empresas familiares. A partir del enfoque de la empresa basado en los recursos, se analiza qué problemas plantea la propiedad familiar para obtener una cantera de recursos adecuada para sustentar la salida a los mercados internacionales. A partir de ahí, el contraste empírico confirma la existencia de una relación negativa entre propiedad familiar e internacionalización medida a través de la actividad exportadora. Igualmente, se confirma cómo la búsqueda de nuevos recursos, tanto a través de la incorporación de nuevas generaciones a la dirección como mediante la colaboración con otras empresas (mediante participación accionarial o alianzas), tiene efectos positivos para la internacionalización de la empresa familiar