Radical innovation, market forces, political and business relationships

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haowen Chen ◽  
Heng Liu ◽  
Han Cheung
Keyword(s):  
Demand Uncertainty ◽  
Radical Innovation ◽  
Transitional Economies ◽  
Market Forces ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technological Turbulence ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Managerial Ties ◽  
Business Ties

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the relationships between radical innovation, market forces and political/business relationships in China by combining social capital theory and contingent theory. The paper focuses on how two types of managerial ties (i.e. business and political ties) impact firms’ capacity for radical innovation. It also examines the different moderating effects of market forces (i.e. demand uncertainty, technological turbulence and competitive intensity) on the linkage of managerial ties with radical innovation in the Chinese transitional context. Design/methodology/approach – A systematic literature review on managerial ties, radical innovation and market forces in emerging markets provides the theoretical foundation of our conceptual model and hypothesis. Using a survey sample of 119 Chinese firms, the authors conduct a regression analysis on the theoretical model and hypotheses. Findings – The results show that business ties have an inverted U-shape effect on radical innovation, while political ties have a positive impact on radical innovation. Furthermore, the market forces in transitional economies (i.e. demand uncertainty, technological turbulence and competitive intensity) have different moderating effects on the relationships between two types of managerial ties and Chinese firms’ radical innovation. Research limitations/implications – This study adopts its data set from the Chinese context. It would be necessary to replicate this research in other transitional economies because of specific differences between China and other transitional economies. Practical implications – Findings from our study indicate that firms which wish to succeed in radical innovation may need to adapt their tie-based strategies according to different market settings. Originality/value – The paper is original in its comparative investigation of the effect of business ties and political ties on radical innovation in contingent transitional market environments using a combination of social capital and contingent theories.

Creating competitive advantage through network ties, entrepreneurial orientation and intellectual capital

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chih-Hsing (Sam) Liu
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Entrepreneurial Orientation ◽  
Competitive Advantages ◽  
Organizational Capital ◽  
Network Ties ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Managerial Ties ◽  
Business Ties

PurposeThis study attempts to explore how a cultural and creative firm's competitive advantages can be maintained through the accumulation of intellectual capital and entrepreneurial orientation. Another goal of this study is to identify the different mechanisms of network ties to explore the interrelationships between organizational capital and competitive advantage in the context of Taiwan and China.Design/methodology/approachStudy 1 and study 2 settings are applied, and 786 samples (i.e., 418 samples from Taiwan and 368 samples from China) are used to examine the proposed model.FindingsStudy 1 reveals that entrepreneurial orientation may influence the organization capital through human capital and social capital, which discloses the mutual relationships of intellectual capital. Further, the results of study 2 confirm the mediating role of intellectual capital that links the relationships between entrepreneurial orientation and competitive advantage. Specifically, this study also discovered that firms with more network or political ties (e.g. the Chinese samples) and business ties (e.g. the Taiwanese samples) tend to amplify the effects of organizational capital on competitive advantage.Practical implicationsAccording to our empirical results, cultural and creative managers should build a learning mechanism to encourage and develop entrepreneurial orientation and intellectual capital capacities and to provide means of understanding of customers' changing expectations. Hence, in enhancing entrepreneurial orientation and intellectual capital cultural and creative firms can develop a competitive advantage over competitors. Our findings also offer new insight to support further studies of the benefits of managerial ties for firms operating in Guanxi cultural settings in Chinese contexts.Originality/valueMost previous studies on tourism strategies have disregarded the impacts and different roles of government (e.g. political ties) and business (e.g. business ties) forces on cultural and creative firms' competitive advantages, suggesting a need to address social network issues in response to dynamic tourism environments. Therefore, this study examines differences in network ties and the differences observed between China and Taiwan in the context of Chinese cultural and creative firms.

Improving radical innovation in China’s manufacturing firms

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 1034-1054 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Shen ◽  
Nan Mei ◽  
Yu Gao
Keyword(s):  
Radical Innovation ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Technological Capability ◽  
Marketing Capability ◽  
Business World ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Managerial Ties ◽  
Internal Capabilities ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Business Ties

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the proper matches between institutional business ties (to state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and to banks) and firm capabilities (technological capability and marketing capability) in impacting the radical innovation of manufacturing firms in China. Design/methodology/approach Using the samples of 208 manufacturing firms in China, this study runs three regression models to test all hypotheses. Findings Ties to SOEs and ties to banks are positively related to radical innovation of manufacturing firms in China. Further, the technological capability and marketing capability have different functions on moderating the relationship between institutional business ties and radical innovation. Practical implications The results imply that managers of manufacturing firms should strive to establish close connections to those organizations that are set-up by government in China. In addition, managers should cautious about the synergies between different institutional business ties and different internal capabilities, and properly matching them to develop radical innovation. Originality/value This study enriches and extends the managerial ties literature by going beyond previous narrow focus on either business ties or political ties to address a particular type of organization that is set-up by the governments but operate in the business world. The findings of proper ties-capabilities matches provide nuanced understandings to dynamically manage external resources and internal capabilities for the synergetic benefits (e.g. radical innovation). This study also offer a theoretical paradigm (i.e. resource management model) for manufacturing firms to lessen the striking tension between the urgent needs for radical innovation and the hostile ground for conducting radical innovation.

Taking a prospector local-market focus and foreign subsidiary performance: evidence from China

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 569-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Po-Yen Lee
Keyword(s):  
Business Environment ◽  
Local Market ◽  
Chinese Market ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Impact Performance ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Managerial Ties ◽  
Market Focus ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Business Ties

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships among taking a prospector local-market focus, managerial ties (business ties and political ties) and performance in the Chinese market.Design/methodology/approachThis study, using a sample of 371 Taiwanese subsidiaries of multinational corporations (MNCs) in China, applies regression analyses to investigate the following questions: does taking a prospector local-market focus negatively impact performance? Do managerial ties (business ties and political ties) positively impact performance? Do these managerial ties positively moderate the effect of the taking a prospector local-market focus on performance?FindingsTaking a prospector local-market focus negatively impacts the performance of MNC subsidiaries. Business ties positively impact the performance of MNC subsidiaries, as do political ties. Finally, the impact of a prospector local-market focus on performance is positively moderated by business ties.Practical implicationsThe Chinese market is still aguanxiexchange business system and political connections usually require significant investment in exchange for advantageous market conditions. Thus, political ties must be carefully considered by MNC subsidiaries when they employ a prospector local-market focus in the Chinese business environment.Originality/valueFirst, this study clarifies the key relationship between the strategic choice of taking a prospector local-market focus and performance of MNC subsidiaries in the Chinese market. Second, it identifies the moderating role of managerial ties (political and business ties) in influencing the relationship between a prospector local-market focus and subsidiary.

The effect of political and business ties on firm performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 778-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parinaz Sami ◽  
Farajollah Rahnavard ◽  
Alireza Alavi Tabar
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Product Innovation ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Managerial Ties ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Business Ties

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the mediator role of product innovation in the relationship between political and business ties (independent variables) and firm performance (dependent variable). Design/methodology/approach In this study, research hypotheses were tested using the structural equation modeling method. Findings The findings from 267 manufacturing companies in Iran show that business ties have an effect on firm performance through product innovation, while the role of innovation is not proved as a mediating variable in the relationships between political ties and firm performance. In addition, business ties have an effect on product innovation and firm performance, whereas political ties have no such effect. Practical implications These results provide useful points for developing economies, theoretically and practically. Originality/value Despite the increasing attention to the role of managerial ties (political and business ties) in improving product innovation and firm performance, there is no study conducted on the mediating role of product innovation in the relationship between managerial ties and firm performance.

How managerial ties impact opportunity discovery in a transition economy? Evidence from China

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 344-361
Author(s):  
Hai Guo ◽  
Jintong Tang ◽  
Zelong Wei
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Transition Economy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Managerial Ties ◽  
Management Perspective ◽  
Opportunity Discovery ◽  
Optimal Distinctiveness ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Business Ties

Purpose By integrating the resource management perspective and the optimal distinctiveness perspective, the purpose of this paper is to explain how firms configure their managerial ties and competences to identify entrepreneurial opportunities. Design/methodology/approach Using survey data collected from 238 firms in a transition economy, this paper tests a model of firms’ exploration and exploitation competences under which managerial ties promote or constrain opportunity discovery. Findings The paper finds that managerial ties are positively related to opportunity discovery. More importantly, competence exploration strengthens the impact of business ties on opportunity discovery, whereas it weakens the impact of political ties. On the contrary, competence exploitation strengthens the effect of political ties on opportunity discovery, whereas it weakens the impact of business ties. Originality/value First, the findings enrich the social network perspective of opportunity recognition by linking managerial social ties to opportunity discovery in the context of a transition economy. Second, this paper adds to current understanding of the resource management perspective and the optimal distinctiveness perspective by exploring the fit between different managerial ties (business ties vs political ties) and different competences (exploration vs exploitation) in contributing to opportunity discovery.

Relational governance, strategic planning and firm performance

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Volkan Yeniaras ◽  
Ilker Kaya
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Demand Uncertainty ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Business Ties

PurposeWhile there is growing attention to the efficacy of business and political ties in emerging economies, there are not many studies explicitly examining the relations of business and political ties to small and medium enterprises (SME) strategy formation in emerging economies outside of the East-Asian setting. This study attempts to refine the facilitating role of formal strategic planning (FSP) in the relation of business and political ties to financial firm performance.Design/methodology/approachStructural equation modeling and conditional mediation analyses were used.FindingsThe authors show that while business ties are positively related to FSP, political ties are negatively associated with it. In addition, this study provides empirical evidence that FSP positively mediates the relation of business ties to financial performance. Conversely, there exists a negative indirect relationship between political ties and financial performance. This study shows that the demand uncertainty negatively moderates the relation of FSP to financial performance.Originality/valueThe findings offer noteworthy inferences for firm managers and policy makers, who should evaluate the benefits and costs carried by business and political ties.

Performance risk factors in SME strategic planning

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Internal Stakeholders ◽  
Business Ties

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings This research paper concentrates on the links between SME financial performance, business ties, and political ties. Business ties were revealed to be the fundamental microfoundations of formal strategic planning (FSP), by significantly boosting firms' financial performance. However, political ties were revealed to be something to avoid, in emerging market like Turkey, due to their distracting negative influence of firm performance. SMEs can overcome some of the disadvantages of their size by involving positive influence external parties in strategic work, to support internal stakeholders. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Servitization and business performance: the moderating effects of environmental uncertainty

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 803-815 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Longwei Wang ◽  
Jie Gao ◽  
Xin Li
Keyword(s):  
Business Performance ◽  
Demand Uncertainty ◽  
Adjustment Costs ◽  
Manufacturing Firm ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technological Turbulence ◽  
Coordination Costs ◽  
Benefits And Costs ◽  
Moderating Role

Purpose To obtain in-depth explanations of the effects of servitization, this paper aims to analyse the benefits and costs at different servitization levels. The authors also investigate the moderating roles of demand uncertainty and technological turbulence on such effects. Design/methodology/approach The authors use the resource-based view (RBV) and transaction cost economics (TCE) to analyse the varying benefits and costs associated with servitization at its different levels and proposes the hypotheses. Then they use the survey data of 239 Chinese manufacturing firms to empirically test these hypotheses. Findings The interplay among service benefits, adjustment costs and coordination costs results in a nonlinear relationship between servitization and business performance. A negative servitization–performance relationship is observed at low levels of servitization as adjustment costs would be dominant. At moderate servitization levels, a positive relationship is observed because service benefits increase substantially and outweigh the increase in adjustment and coordination costs. As servitization levels further increase, coordination costs become dominant and a negative servitization–performance relationship reappears. The study further shows the significant moderating role of demand uncertainty and the insignificant moderating role of technological turbulence. Research limitations/implications This study provides a nuanced understanding of the curvilinear effects of servitization on business performance in response to the calls for detailed insights from quantitative studies. Practical implications The findings provide guidance on the degree to which the manufacturing firm should extend its service businesses based on demand and technological environments. Originality/value This is one of the pioneering empirical studies applying RBV and TCE to examine the varying benefits and costs across different servitization levels. The findings provide insight into the ongoing discussion about “service paradox” and “deservitization”.

scholarly journals The interplay between firms’ internal and external capabilities in exploration and exploitation

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (7) ◽  
pp. 1559-1580 ◽  
Author(s):  
César Camisón ◽  
Montserrat Boronat-Navarro ◽  
Beatriz Forés
Keyword(s):  
Radical Innovation ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Incremental Innovation ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Exploration And Exploitation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Positive Effect

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to enrich the explanation of the interplay between internal and external – or district shared – exploration and exploitation capabilities as antecedents of a firm’s radical and incremental innovation. Previous studies do not differentiate between exploration and exploitation in district shared capabilities and how they interact with internal capabilities.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses hierarchical regression analysis to test the quadratic and moderating effects in a sample of 1,019 Spanish firms.FindingsResults show an increasingly positive effect on radical innovation of exploration capabilities, enhanced by shared capabilities in exploration. In the case of incremental innovation, the study finds evidence of an increasingly positive influence of exploitation capabilities and a concave relationship of exploration capabilities. Moreover, shared exploitation capabilities weaken the effect of internal exploitation capabilities and also have a direct effect on incremental innovation. Therefore, the two capabilities are interchangeable in the effect they have on incremental innovation.Practical implicationsDepending on the firm’s innovation strategy, intra-district firms should develop specific capabilities and/or concentrate on adopting the shared capabilities in the destination.Originality/valueThe study furthers the understanding of the relationship between exploration and radical innovation, and between exploitation and incremental innovation, which is more complex than previously depicted. The study also differentiates between exploration and exploitation in shared capabilities, enriching understanding of the competitiveness of district firms.

Network activities as critical sources of creating capability and competitive advantage

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 544-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chih-Hsing Liu ◽  
Angela Ya-Ping Chang ◽  
Yen-Po Fang
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Human Capital ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Innovation Capability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Business Ties

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a new integrated model that combines the concepts of network ties (e.g. political ties and business ties), the organization of internal critical attributes (such as social capital, human capital and innovation capability) and analyses of how those critical attributes influence organization performance and competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach A structural equation model and three-way interactions in moderated multiple regressions was used to test the hypotheses on a sample of 621 cultural and creative industry (CCI) managers in Taiwan. Findings The results indicate that human capital mediates the relationship between social capital and innovation capability. Furthermore, innovation capability also plays a mediating role in connecting the relationships between human capital, competitive advantage and organizational performance. The findings indicate that business ties strengthen the relationship between social and human capital. The level of human capital is at its peak when social capital, business ties, and political ties considerably interact with one another. Research limitations/implications The present study conceptualized the topic and systematized the questionnaire design and data collection, statistical analysis, and report writing. This study performs a systematic analysis to present the research but does not employ in-depth qualitative interviews to analyse the essential attributes of the different entrepreneurial styles. In-depth interviews enable the interviewees to completely depict their feelings, experiences, motivations, emotions and attitudes. Thus, this method can provide an in-depth analysis. Studies can be conducted to analyse the complexity of the processes involved. Practical implications This study determines and emphasizes that networking with various factors to create innovation is the key to enhancing competitive advantage and organizational performance. Innovation is a unique characteristic and a basic kinetic energy that affects various strategic organizational behaviours that positively influence competitive advantage and facilitate organizational performance. Hence, CCI firms need to consider market orientation and innovation in this highly competitive environment. Originality/value To the best of the knowledge, how CCI firms use networking sources to create competitive advantage and organizational performance, thereby promoting the development of the CCIs of Taiwan, has not been analysed in the tourism-related literature. Thus, the present study provides a significant contribution to the human capital literature, in which empirical research analyses the three-way interaction and demonstrates the empirical insights that may be used to study human capital. The findings reported in this study will encourage future researchers to employ multilevel human capital perspectives.

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