scholarly journals R&D alliance partner attributes and innovation performance: a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulio Ferrigno ◽  
Giovanni Battista Dagnino ◽  
Nadia Di Paola

Purpose Drawing upon the importance of research and development (R&D) alliances in driving firm innovation performance, extant research has analyzed individually the impact of R&D alliance partner attributes on firm innovation performance. Despite such analyzes, research has generally underestimated the configurations of partner attributes leading to firm innovation performance. This research gap is interesting to explore, as firms involved in R&D alliances usually face a combination of partner attributes. Moreover, gaining a better understanding of how R&D partner attributes tie into configurations is an issue that is attracting particular interest in coopetition research and alliance literature. This paper aims to obtain a better knowledge of this underrated, but important, aspect of alliances by exploring what configurations of R&D alliance partner attributes lead firms involved in R&D alliances to achieve high innovation performance. To tackle this question, first, this study reviews the extant literature on R&D alliances by relying on the knowledge-based view of alliances to identify the most impactful partner attributes on firms’ innovation performance. This paper then applies a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to explore the configurations of R&D alliance partner attributes that lead firms involved in R&D alliances to achieve high innovation performance. Design/methodology/approach This study selects 27 R&D alliances formed worldwide in the telecom industry. This paper explores the multiple configurations of partner attributes of these alliances by conducting a fsQCA. Findings The findings of the fsQCA show that the two alternate configurations of partner attributes guided the firms involved in these alliances to achieve high innovation performance: a configuration with extensive partner technological relatedness and coopetition, but no experience; and a configuration with extensive partner experience and competition, but no technological relatedness. Research limitations/implications The research highlights the importance of how partner attributes (i.e. partner technological relatedness, partner competitive overlap, partner experience and partner relative size) tie, with regard to the firms’ access to external knowledge and consequently to their willingness to achieve high innovation performance. Moreover, this paper reveals the beneficial effect of competition on the innovation performance of the firms involved in R&D alliances when some of the other knowledge-based partner attributes are considered. Despite these insights for alliance and coopetition literature, some limitations are to be noted. First, some of the partners’ attributes considered could be further disentangled into sub-partner attributes. Second, other indicators might be used to measure firms’ innovation performance. Third, as anticipated this study applies fsQCA to explore the combinatory effects of partner attributes in the specific context of R&D alliances in the telecom industry worldwide and in a specific time window. This condition may question the extensibility of the results to other industries and times. Practical implications This study also bears two interesting implications for alliance managers. First, the paper suggests that R&D alliance managers need to be aware that potential alliance partners have multiple attributes leading to firm innovation performance. In this regard, partner competitive overlap is particularly important for gaining a better understanding of firm innovation performance. When looking for strategic partners, managers should try to ally with highly competitive enterprises so as to access their more innovative knowledge. Second, the results also highlight that this beneficial effect of coopetition in R&D alliances can be amplified in two ways. On the one hand, when the partners involved in the alliance have not yet developed experience in forming alliances. Partners without previous experience supply ideal stimuli to unlock more knowledge in the alliance because new approaches to access and develop knowledge in the alliance could be explored. On the other hand, this paper detects the situation when the allied partners are developing technologies and products in different areas. When partnering with firms coming from different technological areas, the knowledge diversity that can be leveraged in the alliances could drive alliance managers to generate synergies and economies of scope within the coopetitive alliance. Originality/value Extant research has analyzed individually the impact of R&D alliance partner attributes on firm innovation performance but has concurrently underestimated the configurations of partner attributes leading to firm innovation performance. Therefore, this paper differs from previous studies, as it provides an understanding of the specific configurations of R&D alliance partner attributes leading firms involved in R&D alliances to achieve high innovation performance.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Parneet Kaur ◽  
Navneet Kaur ◽  
Paras Kanojia

Purpose Based on 9,281 firm-level survey data on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India, this study aims to investigate how access to different finance sources and collateral requirement facilitates the firm’s innovation activity across industries. Design/methodology/approach This paper used ordered logit regression models using Stata software for explanatory variables to measure the impact of explanatory variables on firm innovation performance. Firms’ innovation performance is measured through the aggregate innovation index obtained by adding up the no. of “new-to-firm” activities. Findings The empirical results reveal that external sources of funding impact innovation activity than other financing sources. Also, the requirement of collateral for financing impacts innovation performance significantly. This paper finds that firms funded by state-owned banks or government agency are more actively engaged in innovation activities. The firm’s size, ownership structure and location of the firm also show the varying innovation performance. This paper found variation in innovation performance across industries as well. Practical implications First, the present study underlines the significance of funding sources. Second, minimizing the need for collateral to obtain external finance boosts small firms’ innovation activity and will also trigger overall economic growth. Finally, while making policies for ownership transformation of state-owned institutions, policymakers should discuss these policies’ impact on innovative firms. Originality/value What facilitates innovation performance in an emerging market is missing in the literature for MSMEs, largely due to lack of data. It is reasonable not to generalize innovation knowledge in large firms to small firms because of the constraints, particularly MSMEs face.


2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 432-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henri Tapio Inkinen ◽  
Aino Kianto ◽  
Mika Vanhala

Purpose – Recent empirical studies have suggested that knowledge-based issues are closely related to companies’ innovation performance. However, the majority of research seems to be focused either on static knowledge assets or knowledge processes such as knowledge creation. The purpose of this paper is to concentrate on the conscious and systematic managerial activities for dealing with knowledge in firms (i.e. knowledge management (KM) practices), which aim at innovation performance improvements through proactive management of knowledge assets. The study explores the impact that KM practices have on innovation performance. Design/methodology/approach – The authors provide empirical evidence on how various KM practices influence innovation performance. The results are based on survey data collected in Finland during fall 2013. The authors use partial least squares to test the hypothesized relationships between KM practices and innovation performance. Findings – The authors find that firms are capable of supporting innovation performance through strategic management of knowledge and competence, knowledge-based compensation practices, and information technology practices. The authors also point out that some of the studied KM practices are not directly associated with innovation performance. Originality/value – This study adds to the knowledge-based view of the firm by demonstrating the significance of the management of knowledge for innovation performance. Furthermore, the division of KM practices into ten types and the provision of the validated scales for measuring these add to the general understanding of KM as a field of theory and practice. This study is valuable also from managerial perspective, as it sheds light on the potentially most effective KM practices to improve companies’ innovation performance.


2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (10) ◽  
pp. 2148-2171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Ponsiglione ◽  
Adelaide Ippolito ◽  
Simonetta Primario ◽  
Giuseppe Zollo

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the configuration of factors affecting the accuracy of triage decision-making. The contribution of the work is twofold: first, it develops a protocol for applying a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) in the context of triage decision-making, and second, it studies, through two pilot cases, the interplay between individual and organizational factors in determining the emergence of errors in different decisional situations. Design/methodology/approach The methodology adopted in this paper is the qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). The fuzzy-set variant of QCA (fsQCA) is implemented. The data set has been collected during field research carried out in the Emergency Departments (EDs) of two Italian public hospitals. Findings The results of this study show that the interplay between individual and contextual/organizational factors determines the emergence of errors in triage assessment. Furthermore, there are some regularities in the patterns discovered in each of the investigated organizational contexts. These findings suggest that we should avoid isolating individual factors from the context in which nurses make their decisions. Originality/value Previous research on triage has mainly explored the impact of homogeneous groups of factors on the accuracy of the triage process, without considering the complexity of the phenomenon under investigation. This study outlines the need to consider the not-linear relationships among different factors in the study of triage’s decision-making. The definition and implementation of a protocol to apply fsQCA to the triage process in EDs further contributes to the originality of the research.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadegh Farivar ◽  
Osveh Esmaeelinezhad

Purpose Recent research highlights the necessity to critically examine the factors that can reduce the relationship between job stressors, such as job demand and burnout, to create healthier workplaces. This study aims to explore how five types of motivations (extrinsic motivation-social, extrinsic motivation- material, introjected, identified and intrinsic motivation), in combination with extraversion trait influence the impact of job demands on job burnout. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a set-theoretic approach named fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to analyze the data collected from 84 employees working in an research and development department of a public organization. Findings Findings revealed two distinct configurations. First, the absence of intrinsic and identified motivations lead to job burnout if extraverted participants suffer from high job demands. Second, non-extraverted participants reported high job burnout in the presence of high job demands, although all five types of motivations drove them. Practical implications This study suggests managers need to consider personalized preventive actions, depending on the level of extraversion trait when they try to motivate their employees who are dealing with high levels of job demands. Originality/value The emerging trend in social science suggests adopting linearity assumptions to study social phenomena is inconsistent with the reality of human behavior. Thus, this study used fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to examine the complex interplay among all five types of motivations, extraversion trait, job demands, which contribute to burnout.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
pp. 00-00
Author(s):  
Khawaja Fawad Latif ◽  
Omar Afzal ◽  
Adeel Saqib ◽  
Umar Farooq Sahibzada ◽  
Waqar Alam

PurposeDrawing on the knowledge-based view, the study aims to investigate the impact of knowledge management enablers (entrepreneurial orientation and knowledge-oriented leadership) on knowledge management processes and project success. The study further ascertains the specific combinations of knowledge management enablers and knowledge management processes that can lead to project success.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data were collected from 222 project workers in information technology projects, and the proposed relationships were assessed through partial least squares structural equation modeling while configuration paths were assessed using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis.FindingsThe study found a significant impact of entrepreneurial orientation and knowledge-oriented leadership on knowledge management processes and project success. The analysis also revealed that knowledge management processes did not significantly impact project success. Moreover, the insights from fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis show a clear pattern of equifinality, in that there are multiple combinations of knowledge management enablers and knowledge management processes that can lead to a successful project.Originality/valueThe current study is one of the earlier studies to provide insights to knowledge-based view by demonstrating the inter-relationship of entrepreneurial orientation and knowledge-oriented leadership with knowledge management processes and project success. To the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first study to assess the impact of knowledge-oriented leadership on project success. With limited studies on impact of entrepreneurial orientation and knowledge-oriented leadership on knowledge management processes, the study enriches the literature on linkage of entrepreneurial orientation and knowledge-oriented leadership with knowledge management processes. Methodological contributions include use of fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to reveal multiple pathways to project success.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 301-318
Author(s):  
Ade Irma Susanty ◽  
Yuyu Yuningsih ◽  
Grisna Anggadwita

Purpose This paper aims to concentrate on the conscious and systematic managerial activities associated with handling knowledge in an organization [i.e. knowledge management (KM) practices] for the purpose of improving innovation performance through proactive management of knowledge assets. This study explores the impact of KM practices on innovation performance in the research and training center of government apparatus. Design/methodology/approach This research provides empirical evidence on how various KM practices influence innovation performance. The results are based on the survey data collected in four areas of research and training centers of government apparatuses in Indonesia. Partial least squares are used to test the hypothesized relationships between KM practices and innovation performance. Findings The study found that IT practices and work organizations are positively and significantly related to innovation performance. This means that better implementation of information and technology will push innovation performance. The study also points out that knowledge-based compensation practice is one of the KM practice variables which is negatively and significantly related to innovation performance. This result shows that innovation performance will decrease by compensating knowledge improvement. Practical implications This study implies that in developing innovation performance, the research and training center should not focus on providing compensation, as it will only increase the costs rather than the innovation performance itself. Originality/value This study adds a knowledge-based view of government agencies by demonstrating the significance of KM for innovation performance. This study is also valuable from a managerial perspective, as it highlights the most effective KM practice to improve organizational innovation performance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1009-1034 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nima Garousi Mokhtarzadeh ◽  
Hannan Amoozad Mahdiraji ◽  
Ismail Jafarpanah ◽  
Vahid Jafari-Sadeghi ◽  
Silvio Cardinali

PurposeThe experience of successful firms has proven that one of the most important ways to promote co-learning and create successful networked innovations is the proper application of inter-organizational knowledge mechanisms. This study aims to use a resource-action-performance framework to open the black box on the relationship between networking capability and innovation performance. The research population embraces companies in the Iranian automotive industry.Design/methodology/approachDue to the latent nature of the variables studied, the required data are collected through a web-based cross-sectional survey. First, the content validity of the measurement tool is evaluated by experts. Then, a pre-test is conducted to assess the reliability of the measurement tool. All data are gathered by the Iranian Vehicle Manufacturers Association (IVMA) and Iranian Auto Parts Manufacturers Association (IAPMA) samples. The power analysis method and G*Power software are used to determine the sample size. Moreover, SmartPLS 3 and IBM SPSS 25 software are used for data analysis of the conceptual model and relating hypotheses.FindingsThe results of this study indicated that the relationships between networking capability, inter-organizational knowledge mechanisms and inter-organizational learning result in a self-reinforcing loop, with a marked impact on firm innovation performance.Originality/valueSince there is little understanding of the interdependencies of networking capability, inter-organizational knowledge mechanisms, co-learning and their effect on firm innovation performance, most previous research studies have focused on only one or two of the above-mentioned variables. Thus, their cumulative effect has not examined yet. Looking at inter-organizational relationships from a network perspective and knowledge-based view (KBV), and to consider the simultaneous effect of knowledge mechanisms and learning as intermediary actions alongside, to consider the performance effect of the capability-building process, are the main advantages of this research.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haniruzila Hanifah ◽  
Nursyamimi Abd Halim ◽  
Ali Vafaei-Zadeh ◽  
Khaled Nawaser

PurposeManufacturing sectors are identified to be of the foremost importance expected to increase Malaysia's GDP contribution to the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (11th MP). The present study aims to examine the effects of intellectual capital and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on knowledge sharing in manufacturing SMEs. The impact of intellectual capital and EO on firms' innovation performance in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is accordingly investigated by considering knowledge sharing as the mediator.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected via a questionnaire consisting of the owners or top managers of 121 manufacturing SMEs in Malaysia. Partial least square (PLS) was used to analyze the obtained data.FindingsResults indicated that human capital, as well as external relational capital, has a positive correlation with both knowledge sharing and innovation performance mediated by knowledge sharing. It was also shown that knowledge sharing has a significant impact on firm innovation performance. Interestingly, structural capital, internal relational capital and (EO) did not significantly impact knowledge sharing and innovation performance. However, all of these elements are important to influence the firm's innovation performance.Practical implicationsThe study contributes to the literature on intellectual capital, entrepreneurial orientation, knowledge sharing and innovation through developing and testing the possible connections among them. The finding of this study will provide owners and top managers in manufacturing SMEs insight into the variables improving firm innovation performance.Originality/valueThis study provides a basis for researchers to reach more mounting evidence about the practice of knowledge sharing and innovation performance among manufacturing SMEs in Malaysia.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Matias López ◽  
Juan Pablo Luna

ABSTRACT By replying to Kurt Weyland’s (2020) comparative study of populism, we revisit optimistic perspectives on the health of American democracy in light of existing evidence. Relying on a set-theoretical approach, Weyland concludes that populists succeed in subverting democracy only when institutional weakness and conjunctural misfortune are observed jointly in a polity, thereby conferring on the United States immunity to democratic reversal. We challenge this conclusion on two grounds. First, we argue that the focus on institutional dynamics neglects the impact of the structural conditions in which institutions are embedded, such as inequality, racial cleavages, and changing political attitudes among the public. Second, we claim that endogeneity, coding errors, and the (mis)use of Boolean algebra raise questions about the accuracy of the analysis and its conclusions. Although we are skeptical of crisp-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis as an adequate modeling choice, we replicate the original analysis and find that the paths toward democratic backsliding and continuity are both potentially compatible with the United States.


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