Putting marketing knowledge to use: marketing-specific relational capital and product/service innovation performance

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmela Peñalba-Aguirrezabalaga ◽  
Paavo Ritala ◽  
Josune Sáenz
Keyword(s):  
Service Innovation ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
Relational Capital ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Resources ◽  
External Knowledge ◽  
Marketing Function ◽  
Product Service ◽  
Access To Knowledge

Purpose The importance of integrating both internal and external knowledge into the product/service innovation process has been widely recognized in the knowledge management and innovation literature. Likewise, the role of the marketing and sales function as a driver of innovation has been stressed because of its market-facing role. However, limited research has investigated the complementarity of both internal and external knowledge regarding product/service innovation performance in a marketing context. The purpose of this study is to analyze marketing departments’ role in accessing internal and external knowledge resources (i.e. marketing-specific relational capital [RC]) to reach improved product and service innovation performance. Design/methodology/approach The analysis uses empirical evidence collected by a structured survey of 346 respondents representing marketing and sales functions in Spanish companies. Findings The survey revealed that marketing-specific internal relational capital at the department and inter-department levels, as well as noncustomer external RC, are directly associated with product/service innovation performance. Further, the analyses show that the relationship between customer-specific RC and innovation performance is mediated by other types of RC, making it a fundamental antecedent to the innovation process. Finally, significant differences in marketing-specific RC subcomponents were found between business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) firms. Originality/value This study makes a valuable contribution to marketing and management literature by revealing the types of social interactions in the marketing function that enable access to knowledge sources that promote successful product/service innovation.

Accessing resources for service innovation – the critical role of network relationships

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helena Rusanen ◽  
Aino Halinen ◽  
Elina Jaakkola
Keyword(s):  
Critical Role ◽  
Service Innovation ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Resource Access ◽  
Content Type ◽  
External Resources ◽  
Different Types

Purpose – This paper aims to explore how companies access resources through network relationships when developing service innovations. The paper identifies the types of resource that companies seek from other actors and examines the nature of relationships and resource access strategies that can be applied to access each type of resource. Design/methodology/approach – A longitudinal, multi-case study is conducted in the field of technical business-to-business (b-to-b) services. An abductive research strategy is applied to create a new theoretical understanding of resource access. Findings – Companies seek a range of resources through different types of network relationships for service innovation. Four types of resource access strategies were identified: absorption, acquisition, sharing, and co-creation. The findings show how easily transferable resources can be accessed through weak relationships and low-intensity collaboration. Access to resources that are difficult to transfer, instead, necessitates strong relationships and high-intensity collaboration. Research limitations/implications – The findings are valid for technical b-to-b services, but should also be tested for other kinds of innovations. Future research should also study how actors integrate the resources gained through networks in the innovation process. Practical implications – Managers should note that key resources for service innovation may be accessible through a variety of actors and relationships ranging from formal arrangements to miscellaneous social contacts. To make use of tacit resources such as knowledge, firms need to engage in intensive collaboration. Originality/value – Despite attention paid to network relationships, innovation collaboration, and external resources, previous research has neither linked these issues nor studied their mutual contingencies. This paper provides a theoretical model that characterizes the service innovation resources accessible through different types of relationships and access strategies.

Service innovation in the hotel industry: the dynamic capabilities view

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Babak Ziyae ◽  
Hossein Sadeghi ◽  
Maryam Golmohammadi
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Service Innovation ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Human Labor ◽  
It Training

Purpose Consistent with the dynamic capabilities view tenets, this paper aims to conceptualize a theoretical framework of service innovation in the hotel industry. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a qualitative method with a content analysis approach. The data were collected using a snowball sampling method and semi-structured interviews with 14 experts in Tehran's hotel industry. Findings The findings demonstrate that the most significant factors are using the new technology, keeping up with it, training human labor, being up-to-date and adopting new infrastructures. Results also reveal that improper management and lack of knowledge are the most critical factors behind service innovation failure in the hotel industry. Regarding the infrastructures needed to develop service innovation in the hotel industry, the results show that adopting the newest technology in diverse aspects, human infrastructure, the capital and appropriate space and place are the key factors. Originality/value This paper contributes to the literature by linking the service innovation perspective to the dynamic capabilities view. It explains how hotels can enhance service innovation to gain a competitive advantage. Therefore, both academicians and hoteliers can develop action plans by selecting and managing the service innovation process.

Relative exploration orientation and real options reasoning: survey evidence from Denmark

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claus Højmark Jensen ◽  
Thomas Borup Kristensen
Keyword(s):  
Real Options ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Complete System ◽  
Service Innovation ◽  
Downside Risk ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Chief Financial Officer ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multidimensional Construct ◽  
Product Service

Purpose This paper aims to extend the understanding of how real options reasoning (ROR) is associated with downside risk and how a firm’s portfolio (explore and exploit) of investment activities affects managers’ ability to effectively apply ROR in relation to downside risk. Design/methodology/approach The survey method is used. It is applied to a population of Danish firms, which in 2018 had more than 100 employees. The chief financial officer was the target respondent. Findings This study finds that a higher level of ROR is associated with lower levels of downside risk. ROR’s association with lower levels of the downside risk is also moderated by the level of relative exploration orientation in a negative direction. Originality/value The field of ROR research on downside risk and portfolio subadditivity has been dominated by research focused on multinationality. This paper extends extant literature on ROR by studying ROR as a multidimensional construct of firm action, which is associated with lower levels of downside risk, also when studied outside of a multinationality setting. This is the case when ROR is implemented as a complete system. This paper also applies a framework of exploitation and exploration to show that findings on subadditivity in options portfolios caused by asset correlations extend outside the scope of multinationality and into one of product/service innovation.

Corporate responsibility for employees and service innovation performance in manufacturing transformation

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 580-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lan Li ◽  
Gang Li ◽  
Shui F. Chan
Keyword(s):  
Social Exchange ◽  
Corporate Responsibility ◽  
Control Mechanism ◽  
Service Innovation ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Difficult Time ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine, within a context of manufacturing transformation, whether corporate responsibility for employees (CRE) promotes the service innovation performance (SIP) of the firm; whether this effect is mediated by employee innovative behavior (EIB), and how two control mechanisms (process-control (PC) and outcome-control mechanism) moderate the relationship. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on social exchange and control mechanism theory, this paper establishes a conceptual model and adopts a hierarchical regression analysis to examine the model with a sample of 110 manufacturing firms from China. Findings The study finds that CRE positively affects SIP. EIB mediates such effect. Output-control weakens the effect of CRE on EIB, and PC does not impact on the relationship. Practical implications The findings suggest that, facing tremendous pressure in manufacturing transformation, firms must be cautious in treating their employees. Given that EIB is crucial to improving the SIP, and in turn to meet the ever upgrading customer demands, firms ought to actively take responsibilities to protect employees’ interests, and cautiously adopt control mechanisms. Thus employees could be motivated to involve in service innovation actively. This effect not only benefits employees with a sustainable career but also help the firm survive in this tough transformation period. Originality/value This study is one of the first (if any) research that examining the impact of CRE on SIP and EIB. The findings are an extension of the existing research, and show the explanation potential of corporate social responsibility on EIB and SIP in a difficult time such as manufacturing transformation.

Should my firm adopt cloud computing?

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (10) ◽  
pp. 15-17
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Computing ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Service Innovation ◽  
Small Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Computing Services ◽  
Product Service ◽  
Cloud Computing Services ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Practical Implications

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 factors that determine the propensity of large and small European companies to adopt cloud computing services. The results demonstrate that companies of all sizes can benefit from CC as a strategic vehicle for reducing ICT costs, for achieving product/service innovation, and to save costs on their sophisticated administrative systems. Furthermore some additional factors apply only to small companies. 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.

State ownership, firm innovation and the moderating role of private-sector competition: the case of China

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongyan Yang ◽  
H. Kevin Steensma ◽  
Ting Ren
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Market Competition ◽  
New Products ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
State Ownership ◽  
The State ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
Firm Characteristics ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This paper aims to study how state ownership influences the innovation process in terms of allocating resources toward searching for new solutions and converting these efforts into economic value. On one hand, deep pockets of the state provide slack resources that may facilitate risk taking and innovation. On the other hand, soft budgets can create incentive problems and dampen the efficient use of resources. The authors suggest how accounting for competitive context can disentangle these countervailing forces. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a panel of over 240,000 Chinese firms over the years 2004–2008. The broad sample and period afforded substantial variability in terms of state ownership within and across firms. The authors use a two-stage model and a within-firm (i.e. fixed-effects) design, controlling for all time-invariant firm characteristics and the problematic unobserved heterogeneity that can often lead to erroneous inferences. Furthermore, the relatively short window limits the likelihood of time-varying unobserved firm characteristics biasing the empirical results. Findings The authors found that private-sector competition has the opposite effect on the relationship between state ownership and the second step of the innovation process. In industries where there is robust private-sector competition, state ownership diminishes the firm’s ability to convert R&D efforts into economic value. Private-sector competition competes away any advantages state-owned firms may have in terms of developing or accessing the complementary resources needed for commercialization. Ultimately, the inefficiencies of state ownership in terms of relatively undisciplined selection and monitoring of R&D activities outweigh any potential resource advantages derived from state ownership. Originality/value The state remains a prominent player in many economies throughout the world. The authors explored how state ownership of firms influences the resources they expend in searching out new solutions, and their success in converting such resources into economically valuable new products and services. State ownership has potentially countervailing effects on innovation. The authors disentangle these countervailing effects through consideration of how accounting for competitive context could determine whether the beneficial effects of state ownership dominate its detrimental effects for both searching for new solutions and converting these efforts into economically valuable new products. With a focus of market competition as an external force that drives the difference in innovation between SOEs and the private-sector, this study serves as a parallel effort to Jia et al. (2019) who investigate the joint effect of public and corporate governance on SOEs’ innovation performance, and Zhou et al. (2017) who concern the balance of the institution and efficiency logics on the comparative advantage of SOEs over privately owned enterprises in innovation performance.

scholarly journals The mediating role of boreout in the effects of mobbing on service innovation performance

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-213
Author(s):  
Fahri Özsungur
Keyword(s):  
Social Exchange ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Service Innovation ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between mobbing and service innovation performance. In this context, the mediating role of boreout, a new concept in the literature, was examined. Design/methodology/approach This study was conducted with 240 participants recruited in manufacturing companies affiliated with Adana Chamber of Industry in the province of Adana Turkey in November 2019. The research was analyzed by the structural equation modeling method with the social exchange theory basis. Findings Findings revealed that boreout and mobbing were negatively associated with service innovation performance. Mobbing was positively associated with boreout and job boredom. According to the finding of this study, boreout partially mediated the effect of the mobbing on service innovation performance. Originality/value This study reveals the association among mobbing, boreout and service innovation performances of employees of companies operating in manufacturing sector. The findings of this study provide important practical knowledge to businesses and academics regarding the field of management, entrepreneurship and innovation.

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.

Exploring front-line employee contributions to service innovation

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 1346-1365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Karlsson ◽  
Per Skålén
Keyword(s):  
Employee Involvement ◽  
Service Innovation ◽  
Idea Generation ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Positive Contribution ◽  
Product Knowledge ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Value Propositions ◽  
Practice Knowledge

Purpose – This paper aims to study front-line employees’ contribution to service innovation, when they contribute and how they are involved in service innovation. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on a multiple-case study on service innovation in four organizations with extensive front-line employee involvement. The main data collection methods are interviews and observations. Findings – The paper suggests that front-line employees contribute customer knowledge, product knowledge and practice knowledge during five phases of the service innovation process – project formation, idea generation, service design, testing and implementation – and that front-line employee involvement ranges from active to passive. Research limitations/implications – Statistical generalization of the results is needed. Practical implications – The paper reveals that early and active front-line employee involvement in the service innovation process creates conditions for a positive contribution to service innovation. Originality/value – The paper suggests that early and active knowledge contributions by front-line employees to the service innovation process are associated with the creation of attractive value propositions.

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