Measuring technological level of organisations: methodological approaches and assessment

foresight ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 416-442
Author(s):  
Galina Sagieva ◽  
Maxim Kotsemir

Purpose The paper aims to present the results of the first Russian pilot study on technological level of organisations upon the answers of 2,500 respondents out of nine sectors of economy to a broad specialised questionnaire. The purpose of the study is to assess the technological level of organisations on the basis of qualitative information that comprehensively reflects its most important characteristics, as well as identify factors that affect the technological level of production. Design/methodology/approach It offers a look at which methodological approaches were developed and what the survey shows on characteristics of the application of technology (the scope and extent of the application, level of technology, the problems solved by applying specific types of technology) and the application of intellectual property rights. Findings The paper also highlights some interesting findings that suggest that the majority of national organisations tend to pursue technological self-sufficiency strategies and quite a large part of them are not active in either domestic or foreign Science & Tecnology markets. Originality/value An originality lies in the proposed methodological approaches of the study, in the selected indicators of progressivity and the scale of application of technology related to the level of production capacities of the surveyed medium and large enterprises and organisations. This identifies significant incentives for organisations to increase their technology level as well as competitive advantages for the respondents themselves and for their competitors.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Jiang ◽  
Chaofan Chen ◽  
Qingxin Lan ◽  
Zhaoyi Zhu

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze whether China's exports can effectively improve the global competitiveness of other BRICS countries' exports from the perspective of intra-BRICS export trade.Design/methodology/approachThis paper extends the multinational trade model and analyzes the mechanism of the technological upgrading effect from the perspective of dynamic general equilibrium theory. In addition, this paper uses the export panel data of 217 products with three-digit SITC codes from China to other BRICS member countries from 2000 to 2016 and constructs a dynamic empirical model for parameter estimation.FindingsThe results show that China's exports to other BRICS member countries can effectively promote the technological improvement of other BRICS member countries' export products. In particular, the formal establishment of the BRICS organization in 2010 has significantly improved the efficiency of China's export technology optimization.Originality/valueIn the background of the prevalence of anti-globalization and the proliferation of protectionism, this paper proves that the deepening of trade cooperation between other BRICS members with China can help optimize their own international trade competitiveness and allow China's development dividend to benefit more countries and people.


2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 530-542
Author(s):  
Samsir Samsir

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of leadership orientation on competitive advantage with innovation as a mediating (intervening) variable. Design/methodology/approach Quantitative methods (Creswell, 2010) are used as the study design. It is an explanatory research with the purpose of explaining the phenomenon or pattern of correlation between concepts (Kothary, 2004). SMEs (small and medium entrepreneurs) of typical food products of Riau domiciled in Kepulauan Meranti Regency are the focus of this study; the sample size included 258 respondents. Findings There is a significant effect of leadership orientation on innovation. Higher leadership orientation will result in higher innovation. There is a significant effect of innovation on competitive advantage. Higher innovation will result in higher competitive advantage. Innovation as a mediation variable in the relationship between leadership orientation and competitive advantage indicates that higher leadership orientation will cause a higher competitive advantage, if the mediated innovation is also higher. Originality/value The originality of this research lies in innovation as a mediating (intervening) variable and a complement of a previous study by including the indicator that measures the variables of the research so that research results can be completed and detailed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 378-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naiara Barbosa Carvalho ◽  
Luis Antonio Minim ◽  
Moysés Nascimento ◽  
Gustavo Henrique de Castro Ferreira ◽  
Valéria Paula Rodrigues Minim

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the demographic characteristics and habits of craft beer consumers, as well as to identify the motivational factors for consumption. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through questionnaires applied to 316 Brazilian craft beer consumers, and results were evaluated descriptively and by multivariate statistics. Findings The results of the survey revealed that there is a growing market segment with different buying habits and behaviors compared to traditional beer consumers. Demographically, it was found that these consumers are an attractive part of the beer market in terms of age, schooling and, more importantly, in terms of income, factors that indicate the probability of continued growth in the sector. Research limitations/implications The research was limited to craft beer consumers in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte/MG, Brazil. Practical implications The results obtained are important, as they can help new craft breweries, as well as help established industry managers to create strategies related to marketing four Ps in order to increase the consumption of its products, with competitive advantages to the market. Originality/value This research presents the characteristics of the consumers of craft beer, a market segment in evident rise in Brazil, about which there are few studies. In addition, it provides valuable information to both the new beverage manufacturers as well as to the already established entrepreneurs in the market so that they can increase the consumption of their products in a strategic way.


Author(s):  
Vítor da Conceição Gonçalves ◽  
Fernando Ribeiro Mendes ◽  
Idalina Dias Sardinha ◽  
Ricardo Rodrigues

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the contribution of the Porter Report toward increasing the competitiveness of the Portuguese economy and highlights the factors that affected its operationalization. Design/methodology/approach – This paper considers the contributions of the Porter Report, entitled “Building the Competitive Advantages of Portugal”, presented in 1994, particularly with regard to the recommended clusters and public policies, as well as the assessment and warnings provided by Michael Porter in 2002, examining both in the present perspective. Findings – Although Michael Porter, in 2002, made a critical judgment about the country’s evolution since the 1994 report, it is clear that, on the one hand, the recommended development model attracted high attention and had positive repercussion in academic and business circles, while on the other hand, some of the objectives were achieved, albeit at a slower pace than would have been desirable. Political and economic context and the time period are relevant for all technological and geostrategic changes, among others. The accuracy of the diagnosis and the development model proposed by Michael Porter is confirmed and the difficulty in its implementation is highlighted. Originality/value – The analysis of the Portuguese evolution after Porter’s recommendations is instrumental in understanding the competitiveness and development challenges faced by a small peripheral economy in the European integration process. Understanding these difficulties and successes is of utmost importance in improving the definition and in the implementation of policies focused on the competitiveness of countries and regions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 1108-1121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos M. Jardón

Purpose Subsistence small businesses (SSBs) do not seek the maximum benefit; they only seek a benefit that enough satisfies their basic needs. In consequence, a dual behaviour of companies is expected and possibly the competitiveness of these companies is different. The purpose of this paper is to study the dual behaviour of SSBs and the differences about their competitive advantages. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained by conducting surveys with owners and managers of wood processing companies located in a region of Misiones (Argentina). The results were checked by interviews in 2012 and 2015. The research uses principal component analysis and K-means to classify the different behaviour and MANOVA analysis to study the relationships. Findings The findings suggest two types of SSBs and show that competitive advantages are different into two groups of companies. Research limitations/implications The data used refer to a certain period of time, with interviews in next periods. Sample is in a particular region and sector and generalisations should be done carefully. The variables are measured with subjective questions. Practical implications The findings suggest instruments to change the strategy of unsatisfied SSBs to grow. Social implications The growth of SSBs is very important in poorest areas. The paper suggest governments’ politics that facilitate a stable environment for improving competitiveness of SSBs. Originality/value SSBs are very important in developing countries, but they are not sufficiently studied. The research shows the importance of satisfying principle in the competitiveness of subsistence entrepreneurs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 228-240
Author(s):  
James Rupert Fletcher

Purpose A growing body of research seeks to include people with dementia as both participants and co-designers. It is also increasingly recognized that dementia research must pay greater attention to informal care, provided by family and friends in non-institutional settings, because this is the situation of most people affected by dementia. Accessing these kinds of naturalistic care sites through meaningfully inclusive studies can be challenging for researchers in many fields. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach This paper describes a methodology designed to facilitate meaningful inclusion and access to hard-to-reach dementia care networks. It describes the implementation of this methodology in the field, the problems that emerged and the lessons learned. Findings A two-step sampling approach was used. People with dementia were sampled through organizations unrelated to dementia. Care networks were sampled through ecomapping with people with dementia. The strategy successfully accessed the desired population, but it was labour-intensive and biased the sample in several respects. Originality/value It is hoped that this outline will encourage further reflection and discussion regarding methodological approaches to complex sampling and recruitment issues in dementia research.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lino Markfort ◽  
Alexander Arzt ◽  
Philipp Kögler ◽  
Sven Jung ◽  
Heiko Gebauer ◽  
...  

PurposeThe emergence of Internet of Things (IoT) platforms in product companies opens up new data-driven business opportunities. This paper looks at the emergence of these IoT platforms from a business-model perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe study applies a mixed method with two research studies: Study I–a cluster analysis based on a quantitative survey, and Study II–case studies based on qualitative interviews.FindingsThe findings reveal that there is no gradual shift in a company's business model, but in fact three distinct and sequential patterns of business model innovations: (1) platform skimming, (2) platform revenue generation and (3) platform orchestration.Research limitations/implicationsThe results are subject to the typical limitations of both quantitative and qualitative studies.Practical implicationsThe results provide guidance to managers on how to modify the components of the business model (value proposition, value creation and/or delivery and profit equation) in order to enable platforms to advance.Social implicationsAs IoT platforms continue to advance, product companies achieve better performance in terms of productivity and profitability, and more easily secure competitive advantages and jobs.Originality/valueThe paper makes three original contributions: (1) it is the first quantitative study on IoT platforms in product companies, (2) identifies three patterns of business model innovations and (3) offers a first process perspective for understanding the sequence of these patterns as IoT platforms advance.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  

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 conceptual paper concentrates on the strategic use of blockchain as a way of organizations gaining ongoing competitive advantages. Moving deeper into the fourth industrial revolution, the organizational advantages of blockchain implementation are the secure, verifiable, peer-to-peer transparency of agreement or communication mechanisms like smart contracts, since they can enhance organizational efficiency and therefore competitive performance. However, blockchain currently remains in a nascent phase on a practical use level, meaning organizations can now strategically prepare to adopt its capabilities in future. This is done by teams educating themselves about blockchain, and by defining problems that the technology could solve. 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.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wann-Yih Wu ◽  
Li-Yueh Lee ◽  
Nhu Vo Quynh Phan ◽  
Alfiyatul Qomariyah ◽  
Phuoc-Thien Nguyen

PurposeAs the dynamic competition in the global marketplace becomes increasingly severe, multinational firms have no choice but to improve their competitive advantages and enhance productivity through innovation, learning and leadership. One essential issue is the capability of expatriates to support knowledge sharing and transfer from organizations headquarter to their subsidiaries through expatriates; however, there are few studies on this issue. This study attempts to identify the antecedents, consequences and moderators of knowledge sharing.Design/methodology/approachUsing a questionnaire survey approach, data were obtained from 234 expatriates working for Taiwanese multinational enterprises. The hypotheses were tested by SmartPLS 3.0.FindingsThe empirical results indicate that opportunity and ability have a significant impact on expatriates' knowledge sharing. Trust, commitment and social capital also have significant influences on expatriates' collecting and donating of knowledge. The level of tacitness, specificity and complexity of knowledge have a negatively impact on knowledge sharing. Knowledge collecting can positively promote the outcome of knowledge sharing, including learning and growth, internal process, customer satisfaction, and financial performance. Furthermore, organizational support and the richness of transmission channels served as two of the moderators that can amplify the influences of the antecedents on knowledge sharing and the influences of knowledge sharing on outcomes.Originality/valueThe results of this study can provide valuable references for academicians and professionals when deciding how to facilitate knowledge transfer from the company headquarters to subsidiaries through expatriates.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Asselineau ◽  
Gilles Grolleau

Purpose Labeling something as “impossible” can be performative and deprive businesses from promising ideas, by activating limiting mental models and self-fulfilling prophecies. Adopting an “everything may be(come) possible” thinking as the default option can lead businesses to discover unexpected and valuable directions and make the world a better place. This paper aims to propose practical insights to harness the power of “impossible” thinking such as considering impossibility as a current and temporary state, adopting an unconventional mindset and redirecting the reflection on what is needed to make the idea possible. Falling in love with any impossible target is obviously not without downsides. Design/methodology/approach This paper discusses conceptually how adopting an impossible thinking approach can help business to discover unexpected and valuable directions. Findings The authors caution managers on the inappropriate use of the “impossible” label that can be performative, activate a limiting mental model, lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy and deprive businesses from promising ideas. This paper proposes ways by which the power of impossible thinking can be harnessed to make a difference. Research limitations/implications Discarding impossible ideas seems perfectly justified from a logical or cultural viewpoint while constituting simultaneously a bad decision from a business viewpoint. The generalization of authors’ insight must be undertaken with caution, given that harnessing the power of impossible does not mean to fall in love with any impossible idea. Practical implications Learning to not neglect seemingly impossible options and sometimes to reveal them can lead to sustainable competitive advantages. Social implications While generating a competitive advantage for the concerned companies, implementing impossible ideas can also contribute to make the world a better place. Originality/value The authors identify some mechanisms that can make impossible thinking beneficial and profitable for companies. These insights can help managers to nurture an environment that facilitates the emergence of pathbreaking advances.


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