Made in Vietnam

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 581-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thuy Phung Minh Thu ◽  
Joris Knoben ◽  
Patrick Vermeulen ◽  
Dat Tho Tran
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Product Innovation ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
External Knowledge ◽  
Sources Of Knowledge ◽  
Research Institutes ◽  
Collaborative Knowledge ◽  
Different Sources

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to simultaneously test the association between three different sources of knowledge (internal, collaborative and regional) and innovation. This study aims to expand the insights by assessing these associations in the context of a rapidly developing and liberalizing economy; Vietnam. By conducting this study with Vietnamese data, the authors can assess whether the association between different sources of knowledge and innovation shows systematic differences to those in advanced economies.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the authors utilize data from two main sources: The World Bank Enterprise Survey and the Innovation Capabilities Survey. These firm-level surveys comprise non-agricultural formal and private sector firms. For Vietnam, 300 manufacturing firms have been included in the sample. The authors use a series of binary logistic regression models to analyze the data.FindingsThe analyses reveal that internal R&D has a strong positive association with product innovation. In contrast to findings in Western economies, not all kinds of collaborative knowledge sources have a significant association with innovation. Only collaborative knowledge gained from inside the supply chain is positively related to product innovation. Unexpectedly, negative effects from using too much external knowledge were also found.Research limitations/implicationsDue to the cross-sectional nature of the data causality could not be inferred from the study. Moreover, a relatively large number of the measures were dichotomous due the large number of missing observations for more detailed measurements of the variables.Practical implicationsWhen developing their innovation strategy firms in developing countries should take into account that collaborating with partners useful, but only if they collaborate within the supply chain. As such, firms should increase their interaction with suppliers and customers and put their efforts on the development of customized solutions for them.Social implicationsThe Vietnamese Government could implement policies that help to enhance the quality of universities and research institutes. In most developed countries, universities and research institutes are vital sources of knowledge for innovation whereas they are not in Vietnam.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the growing body of literature on firm-level innovation in developing countries. It identifies several core differences between the drivers of innovation in developed and developing contexts. Surprisingly, a feature that was expected to differ, the negative effect of over-search of external knowledge on innovation, was also found in Vietnam.

scholarly journals Do firm-level barriers to construction product innovation adoption vary according to position in the supply chain?

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Rose ◽  
Karen Manley ◽  
Kristian Widen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Product Innovation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
New Product ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Road ◽  
Contextual Determinants ◽  
Construction Product

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine product innovation as a means of addressing infrastructure shortages in developed economies and to improve the sustainability of infrastructure. The obstacles to product innovation in the road industry are compared between different types of participants in the supply chain to provide guidelines for interventions to improve innovation rates.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory study uses descriptive data from a large scale survey of the Australian road industry. The three top-rated product innovation obstacles for the following four types of participants are examined: contractors, consultants, suppliers and clients.FindingsThe four groups were found to disagree about the relative importance of the obstacles. Contractors and suppliers ranked “restrictive price-only tender assessment” used by clients as their number one obstacle, while consultants thought there was too much emphasis by the clients on direct costs compared with whole-of-life costs. On the other hand, clients felt suppliers do not do enough thorough testing prior to proposing a new product and disagreed with suppliers about who should carry the risk of new product failure.Research limitations/implicationsThe conceptual framework was found to yield novel insights with significant policy implications. The construction-specific contextual determinants that were integrated by the authors into a broad innovation diffusion process proved useful in categorising road product innovation obstacles across the four surveyed supply chain groups – without overlap or omission. The new framework also proved useful in ordering the key obstacles across groups for interpretation and discussion. In disaggregating product obstacles according to groups, these contextual determinants were proven to be mutually exclusive and to represent important focal points in promoting the uptake of product innovation in construction. Although the current study has usefully provided quantitative data concerning construction innovation obstacles, there are limitations due to its reliance on descriptive statistics. Future work by the authors is proposed to analyse the relationships between innovation obstacles and supply chain partners using inferential statistics to further develop and validate these early findings. The current study is an interim step in this work and an important contribution in identifying and addressing firm-level barriers seen to be constraining construction product innovation.Practical implicationsResults suggest there is a need for government clients to carefully consider the differing perspectives across the supply chain when developing strategies to encourage the adoption of mutually-beneficial innovative products on their construction projects. Inclusive focus groups examining the drivers, configuration and benefits of collaborative procurement systems are recommended to reduce innovation obstacles.Social implicationsSociety relies on urban infrastructure for daily living and the current study contributes to stretching infrastructure investment dollars and reducing the environmental impact of infrastructure provision.Originality/valueNo previous study has compared the perception of product innovation obstacles across different road industry supply chain partners. This is a significant gap, as differences in opinions across the supply chain need to be understood to develop the shared expectations and the improved relationships required to improve product innovation rates. Product innovation is important because it has been shown to improve efficiency (potentially addressing the road investment gap) and reduce deleterious environmental impacts.

The missing links of sustainable supply chain management and green radical product innovation between sustainable entrepreneurship orientation and sustainability performance

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebenezer Afum ◽  
Kassimu Issau ◽  
Yaw Agyabeng-Mensah ◽  
Charles Baah ◽  
Essel Dacosta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Product Innovation ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Radical Product ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain Management ◽  
Sustainability Performance

Purpose Anchored on the natural resource-based view and stakeholder theories, this study aims to investigate the mediating roles of sustainable supply chain management and green radical product innovation (GRPI) in the link between sustainable entrepreneurial orientation (SEO) and sustainability performance. Design/methodology/approach The comprehensive research model developed in this study is empirically tested by using data garnered from 248 managers of Ghanaian small and medium-sized enterprises. Partial least square structural equation modeling is applied as the methodological technique to test all the hypothesized relationships. Findings Results of the study indicate that SEO has a direct significant positive impact on environmental performance and social performance but not financial performance. However, through sustainable supply chain management and GRPI (both mediating variables), SEO tends to have significant impact on all sustainability performance dimensions (environmental, financial and social performance). Originality/value This study offers fresh empirical evidence by developing a unified research model that validates the specific mediation role of sustainable supply chain management between SEO and green radical product innovation, as well as the mediating roles of both sustainable supply chain management and GRPI between SEO and sustainability performance dimensions.

How firms accumulate knowledge to innovate – an empirical study of Vietnamese firms

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Duy Quoc Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Knowledge Acquisition ◽  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Open Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovative Performance ◽  
External Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Depth ◽  
Exploratory Innovation ◽  
External Knowledge Acquisition

PurposeOrganizational innovations are closely associated with organizational knowledge, and thus a firm builds its knowledge base to enhance its innovative performance. However, insights into this process are still limited, especially in the context of firms in developing countries. Building on the dynamic managerial capabilities literature and open innovation paradigm, this paper attempts to fill this gap by developing and empirically testing a model that investigates how firms in developing countries accumulate knowledge to innovate.Design/methodology/approachA model of a firm's knowledge accumulation and innovation is proposed in which it specifies relationships among absorptive capacity, knowledge breadth, research and development (R&D), knowledge depth, exploratory innovation and exploitative innovation, and then it is empirically tested by using the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique based on the surveyed data of Vietnamese firms.FindingsThe results indicate that absorptive capacity positively influences both knowledge breadth and knowledge depth, knowledge breadth positively influences R&D, R&D positively influences exploratory innovation and knowledge depth, and knowledge depth positively influences exploratory and exploitative innovation.Practical implicationsThe study proposes an “acquire and develop” open innovation model for firms in developing countries in which firms acquire external technologies and then develop R&D (develop and design) capability to adapt acquired technologies to their local conditions to create new organizational-specific capabilities and exploratory innovation.Originality/valueThis study argues that external knowledge acquisition is beneficial to innovative performance of firms in developing countries via renewing their knowledge base. Furthermore, the study provides the unique evidence that novel external knowledge acquisition and internal R&D are fit to each other in the fit-as-mediation form in which novel external knowledge acquisition is mediated by R&D to positively influence exploratory innovation.

Access to skilled labor, institutions and firm performance in developing countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 328-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charilaos Mertzanis ◽  
Mona Said
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Technological Progress ◽  
Skilled Labor ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Development Institutions

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of access to skilled labor in explaining firms’ sales growth subject to the controlling influence of a wide range of firm-specific characteristics and country-level economic and non-economic factors. Design/methodology/approach The analysis uses a consistent and large firm-level data set from the World Bank’s Enterprise Surveys that includes 138 developing countries. An instrumental variables model with a GMM estimator is used for estimating the impact of access to skilled labor on firm performance. In order to obtain more robust estimators, the analysis introduces country-level controls reflecting the influence of economic and institutional factors, such as economic and financial development, institutional governance, education and technological progress. Findings The results document a significant and positive association between access to skilled labor and firm performance in the developing world. The explanatory power of access to skilled labor remains broadly robust after controlling for a wide range of firm-specific characteristics: sectoral and geographical influences matter. The results also show that the association between labor skill constraints and firm performance is mitigated by country-level factors but in diverse ways. Development, institutions, education and technological progress exert various mitigating effects on firm-level behavior regarding access to skilled labor. Originality/value The paper’s novel contribution is threefold: first, it uses joint firm, sector and country-level information to analyze the role of access to skilled labor on firm performance; second, it uses consistently produced information at the firm level from 138 developing countries; and, third, it considers the controlling impact of a wide range of country-level factors that reflect a country’s overall development, institutions and evolution.

Prioritizing the vaccine supply chain issues of developing countries using an integrated ISM-fuzzy ANP framework

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dheeraj Chandra ◽  
Dinesh Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Analytic Network Process ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Interpretive Structural Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Vaccination Programs ◽  
Network Process ◽  
Key Issues

Purpose Delivering vaccines to the children who need them requires a supply chain that is efficient and effective. In most of the developing countries, however, the unknown and unresolved supply chain issues are causing inefficiencies in distributing vaccines. There is, therefore, a great need in such countries to recognize the issues that cause delays in vaccine delivery. With this purpose, the present study aims to identify and analyze the key issues in the supply chain of basic vaccines required to immunize children in developing countries. Design/methodology/approach Based on a field survey of three states of India, in-depth review of relevant literature and experts’ opinions, 25 key issues were recognized as factors of the vaccine supply chain (VSC) and categorized into five main domains. Using integrated interpretive structural modeling and fuzzy analytic network process approaches, the issues have been prioritized to determine their relative importance in the VSC. In addition, a sensitivity analysis has been performed to investigate the priority stability of the issues. Findings The results of the analysis show that among the five domains of VSC issues, the economic domain with a weight of 0.4262 is the most important domain, followed by the management (0.2672), operational (0.2222), environmental (0.0532) and social (0.0312). Research limitations/implications This study focuses on the prioritization of VSC issues; therefore, the results of the present study can provide direction to the decision-makers of immunization programs of developing countries in driving their efforts and resources on eliminating the most important obstacles to design successful vaccination programs. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, this paper is first to provide a direction to the decision-makers in identifying and managing important issues through the use of an analytical approach.

Developing process and product innovation through internal and external knowledge sources in manufacturing Malaysian firms: the role of absorptive capacity

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 1021-1039 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Ramayah ◽  
Pedro Soto-Acosta ◽  
Khoo Kah Kheng ◽  
Imran Mahmud
Keyword(s):  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Product Innovation ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
Knowledge Sources ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Organizational Capability ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
External Knowledge

PurposeFirms' knowledge-processing capabilities have a central role in achieving innovation performance and competitive advantage. Absorptive capacity capabilities and innovation are viewed as essential for enterprise success. Absorptive capacity is deemed as a highly important organizational capability to recognize value and assimilate both external and internal knowledge in order to enhance firm innovation. The aim of this study is to determine if innovation performance can be improved through absorptive capacity (knowledge acquisition, dissemination and utilization), when it is supported by internal (firm experience) and external knowledge sources (R&D cooperation and contracted R&D).Design/methodology/approachA quantitative methodology based on employing a structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The proposed research model and its associated hypotheses are tested by using Partial Least Squares (PLS) structural equation modelling (SEM) on a data set of 248 manufacturing companies located in the Northern Region of Malaysia.FindingsResults showed that firms' experience is significantly related to absorptive capacity, while for R&D cooperation and contracted R&D findings were mixed. In addition, absorptive capacity was found as a strong predictor of innovation performance.Originality/valueOne of the defining features of competition in many industries has been the extremely rapid pace of technological change, marked by a continuous stream of innovations. Manufacturing firms, therefore, face the challenge of nurturing existing knowledge and developing novel knowledge in order to create new business opportunities. This study makes valuable contributions with regard to understanding the behavioural of manufacturing firms towards process and product innovation.

External knowledge sourcing and innovation in family firms

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manzoor Ul Akram ◽  
Koustab Ghosh ◽  
Rojers P. Joseph
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Product Innovation ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Family Firm ◽  
Content Type ◽  
External Knowledge ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Realized Absorptive Capacity

Purpose This study aims to investigate the external knowledge search behaviors in terms of search breadth and search depth in family firms and the resultant product innovation in Indian context. The authors theorize the mediating role of absorptive capacity (potential and realized absorptive capacity) between knowledge sourcing from external sources and product innovation. Further, the authors examine the moderating role of crucial internal social capital of the family firm in enhancing the use of external knowledge for firm innovation activities. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a quantitative research design taking single informant for collection of data from 151 family small and medium enterprises in automotive sector in India. The authors use structural equation modeling to test hypothesized relationships. Findings The findings indicate that both search breadth and search depth of family firms are positively associated with product innovation in family firms. The authors also find evidence for partial mediating role of potential and realized absorptive capacity in the relationship between search breadth and innovation and search depth and innovation. The results show how family firms learning taking place while scanning external knowledge sources in terms of external absorptive capacity routines. Finally, the authors find that family firm internal social capital positively moderate the relationship between search breadth and depth, and product innovation. Practical implications Family firms need to innovate to remain relevant in the long-run and as such development of superior capabilities is of great significance to them. Family firm managers must be open to external knowledge as such knowledge help them improve the firm level of innovation through absorptive capacity. Further, family firms must realize and act upon the importance of their social capital for the integration and utilization of acquired knowledge. Originality/value This paper is amongst a few papers that take dynamic capability views of innovation in family firms wherein the authors theorize how external search breadth and depth lead to the development of potential and realized absorptive capacity in family firms. The importance of family firm internal social capital as a strong integrating and knowledge sharing mechanism that helps family firms transform external knowledge into innovation is also highlighted.

scholarly journals External supply chain flexibility and product innovation performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 1981-2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wai Wai Joyce Ko ◽  
Gordon Liu ◽  
Isaac K. Ngugi ◽  
Chris Chapleo
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Product Innovation ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Informal Control ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Differential Effects ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Normative Integration

Purpose This paper aims to examine the effect of external supply chain (SC) flexibility on the product innovation performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the contingent role of informal control mechanisms in moderating such an effect. Design/methodology/approach This study conducts a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of 236 UK-based SME manufacturers. Findings Inbound supplier flexibility (ISF) has a stronger positive effect on SMEs’ product innovation performance than outbound logistics flexibility (OLF), and that the strength and direction of both effects depend on informal control mechanisms. Lead supplier influence negatively moderates the relationship between ISF and product innovation performance but positively moderates the relationship between OLF and product innovation performance. Normative integration positively moderates the relationship between ISF and product innovation performance. Research limitations/implications This study enriches SC flexibility studies by focusing on understanding the differential effects of ISF and OLF on product innovation performance, as well as the role that contingency factors play in these relationships in the SME context. Practical implications To promote product innovation performance, SME managers should focus on building good relationships with their suppliers rather than their logistics service providers. SME managers should be particularly aware of the different types of informal control mechanisms that govern their SC relationships and adjust their managerial approaches accordingly. Originality/value This study distinguishes between ISF and OLF and examines their impacts on SMEs’ product innovation performance. This study investigates the differential effects of lead supplier influence and normative integration on the relationship between external SC flexibility and SMEs’ product innovation performance.

The finance of innovation in Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 348-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Misraku Molla Ayalew ◽  
Zhang Xianzhi ◽  
Demis Hailegebreal Hailu
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Trade Credit ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Innovative Firms ◽  
Finance Innovation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how firms in developing countries finance innovation. Notably, the study seeks to investigate whether innovative firms exhibit financing patterns different from those of non-innovative ones. It also examines the effect of financing sources on firm’s probability to innovate. Design/methodology/approach The study utilizes firm-level data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey. From 28 African countries, 11,173 firms have been included in the sample. A statistical t-test is used for two independent samples and logistic regression models. Findings The results show that innovative firms, specifically innovative small- and medium-size firms exhibit financing patterns different from non-innovative peers. Further analysis indicates that there is no statistically significant difference between the financing patterns of innovative and non-innovative large firms. In Africa, innovation is mostly financed using internal sources and bank finance. Equity finance and bank finance have shown a higher effect followed by internal finance, finance from non-bank financial institutions and trade credit finance on firms’ probability to innovate. Practical implications The management of innovative firms should reduce dependency on short-term and retained earning financing and increase the use of long-term instruments improve innovation performance. Social implications A pending policy task for African leaders is to design and evaluate reforms to create a strong financial sector that willing to support the innovation process. Originality/value This study contributes to the existent literature on finance of innovation by examining how firms finance innovation activities in developing countries. This study provides evidence on how innovative firms exhibit financing patterns different from non-innovative ones from developing countries.

Antecedents to supply chain innovation

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-171
Author(s):  
Fatma Nur Karaman Kabadurmus
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Innovation Activity ◽  
Market Reforms ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Activities

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine organizational and environmental (competition, capital scarcity and organization of labor) factors that affect firms' innovation activities within the supply chain.Design/methodology/approachThis study empirically examines the factors that affect firms' innovation activities using firm-level data from the last round of Business Environment Enterprise Performance Surveys (BEEPS). The analysis covers major supply chain functions: production, delivery and support systems.FindingsThe study shows that drivers of innovation vary with the type of innovation activity; as such, innovation efforts across supply chain functions should prioritize strategic resources that will create competitive advantages. Our results also reveal that sustainability efforts in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region should prioritize labor market reforms over capital market reforms.Originality/valueCurrent research on innovation and supply chain issues does not explicitly analyze innovations that occur in different sustainable supply chain functions, and empirical studies that focus on the determinants of innovations in the supply chain network are very limited. The data used in this study cover 30 economies in EECA, many of which are low- and middle-income countries, and thus contribute to the implementation of sustainable practices in developing countries.

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