Co-operative behavior of handicraft, low- and high-tech micro-firms: Where do they differ?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsin Shafi ◽  
Yongzhong Yang ◽  
Zoya Zoya ◽  
Liu Junrong ◽  
Imran Ur Rahman ◽  
...  

Purpose Though certain characteristics of micro-firms affect the likelihood of their participation in external relationships, how cooperation in craft enterprises differs from low and high-tech enterprises has not been investigated yet. Therefore, this study aims to fill the above gap in the literature. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a descriptive approach by extensively reviewing relevant literature to explore the unique characteristics and nature of micro-firm's co-operative behavior. The theoretical approach of this research is grounded in resource-based view and dynamic capabilities theories. Findings This study finds that handicraft micro-firms possess special and unique characteristics that differentiate them from low- and high-tech firms. Further, handicraft micro-firms' co-operative behavior also differs from other firms in terms of cooperation motives, breadth, depth and factors that inhibit or promote cooperation. Additionally, in small handicraft firms, the co-operation is more informal, personal and through social networks, whereas in the corporate sector, it is more formal, direct and through supply chains. This study also argues that contrary to handicraft and low-tech firms, high-tech firms are more likely to cooperate with external partners and invest heavily in R&D for new product development (often radical in nature). Originality/value This study enriches our understanding of handicraft micro-firms' special and unique characteristics that differentiate them from low- and high-tech micro-firms. This research also provides in-depth knowledge to understand the handicraft micro-firms’ co-operative behavior and how it differs from low- and high-tech firms.

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Carrizo Moreira ◽  
Luis Miguel D.F. Ferreira ◽  
Pedro Silva

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the applicability of the failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) as an effective tool for decreasing failure risk in the early phase of the new product development (NPD), which adds to existing literature on the application of FMEA in NPD.Design/methodology/approachThrough the application of action research (AR) methodology, it was possible to develop a case study examining the use of FMEA to decrease NPD risk in an early phase of NPD execution.FindingsThe importance and immediate gains of identifying NPD failures support FMEA's usefulness for NPD risk decrease. Moreover, its user-friendliness, timeliness and cost advantages facilitate the introduction of FMEA in the early phase of NPD execution.Originality/valueFMEA is a well-known method used in manufacturing companies to identify and correct failures in products, processes and systems. This article explores the lack of practice-oriented evidence on the use of FMEA in the early phase of NPD execution and provides support to its applicability and effectiveness.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Ayala-Cruz

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the implementation and testing of a modified project risk management framework that integrates PMI’s framework with Monte Carlo simulation to improve the effectiveness in high-tech new product development (NPD) projects. Design/methodology/approach The modified framework considers three bodies of knowledge: project management, risk management, and Monte Carlo simulation to produce an enhance project risk management framework. Its application is shown through a case study. Findings Using the integrated framework in a recent case study project and prior NPD projects measures (as benchmarks), it was shown that it could help to enhance risk responses caused by task durations and costs’ uncertainties. The framework proved to be better than segregated generic best practices and was key in providing insight to the issue of early project risk assessment. Research limitations/implications More experimental replications are required for enhancement effectiveness assertions of the framework, through the application of the framework to similar case studies. Furthermore, this could improve its reliability and soundness. Practical implications Future directions for research could include case and empirical studies that include hypothesis’s testing, and the integration of optimization procedure for improved NPD project’s planning and execution. Originality/value This paper outlines a way to close the gap of project risks management planning in NPD’s initiatives. It was motivated by a relatively new tendency in exploring integrated frameworks to deal with complex project risks issues.


2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-24

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 Firms are increasingly partnering with multiple stakeholders to enhance new product development. The inherent diversity within such arrangements can be successfully managed when trust prevails between different partners involved. By utilizing different strategies, organizations are able to build trust and transparency throughout each stage of the collaboration process. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives 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.


2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 122-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarek El Shafeey ◽  
Paul Trott

Purpose – The field of research on resource-based competition is full of nuanced terminology and misunderstandings. This has led to confusion, and thus the authors offer a critical review, which provides a structure and clarity to this subject. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This analysis structures the literature on resources, capabilities, and competences into three distinct schools of thought: the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm, the rational-equilibrium school; the dynamic capability-based view of the firm, the behavioural-evolutionary school; and the competence-based view of the firm, the social constructionist school. Findings – The authors uncover 13 criticisms of the most widely adopted theoretical framework of the RBV of the firm – Valuable-Rare-Imperfectly imitable-Organisation (VRIO). Research limitations/implications – The misinterpretation and neglect of the classic scholarly work may help to explain why the VRIO framework has been elevated from a view to a theory and why it has received so much attention. Practical implications – The authors show how the relative ease of measuring resources as compared to (dynamic) capabilities and (core) competencies has helped raise the profile of RBV. Originality/value – This analysis contributes to management research by illustrating the deviation among the three schools of thought; the authors show how this has contributed to wide terminological confusion and offer a structure to help researchers situate their work within the relevant school of thought.


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (8) ◽  
pp. 1038-1050 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nima Heirati ◽  
Aron O’Cass ◽  
Phyra Sok

Purpose Organizational ambidexterity is argued to be a prerequisite for successful new product development, especially for firms operating in highly competitive emerging markets. Despite growing attention to the importance of ambidexterity, the conditions under which specific forms of ambidexterity are more or less beneficial to new product performance (NPP) remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the contingent value of two specific resource conditions that favor the pursuit of the balanced dimension versus combined dimension of ambidexterity to achieve superior NPP. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were drawn from a sample of 156 high-tech large firms operating in the Middle East and tested through a hierarchical regression analysis. Findings This study highlights the important role of slack resources and social networking capability in enhancing the benefits of the combined dimension of ambidexterity over the balanced dimension of ambidexterity to drive NPP. Originality/value This study extends prior research which has mainly examined organizational characteristics that facilitates organizational ambidexterity and sheds light on the specific resource conditions under which high-technology firms operating in an emerging economy should pursue balanced dimension of ambidexterity or combined dimension of ambidexterity to achieve superior NPP.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Wang ◽  
Tao Jia ◽  
Jinliang Chen ◽  
Qiujun Chen

Purpose This study aims to explore the conditional relationships between supplier involvement and financial performance. From a problem-solving perspective, this study takes the focal firm as a problem-solving system. It is postulated that supplier involvement enhances financial performance by helping solve complex problems of new product development. Furthermore, product modularity and smartness are considered contingent factors to clarify the boundary conditions. Design/methodology/approach The ordinary least squares regression was conducted to test the hypotheses based on survey data from 136 high-tech firms in China. Findings Supplier involvement is positively related to financial performance. Product modularity weakens the impact of supplier involvement on financial performance. Furthermore, product smartness strengthens the negative influence of product modularity on the relationship between supplier involvement and financial performance. Originality/value This study combines supplier involvement with product attributes. It takes a problem-solving perspective to rethink suppliers’ roles in new product development as problem-solvers rather than resource holders. Furthermore, this study advances the encapsulation effects of product modularity and smartness to influence the supplier involvement–financial performance link.


2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 6-9

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 A dual focus on exploitation and exploration can help companies to enhance their new product development activities. Identifying factors with potential to facilitate or impede the process will enable closer collaborations both internally and with suppliers to increase the firm’s ambidexterity. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives 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):  
Adriana Andrea Amaya ◽  
Wann-Yih Wu ◽  
Ying-Kai Liao

PurposeAlthough previous studies noted the importance for organizations in establishing an innovation strategy, few have examined innovation orientation as a multidimensional knowledge configuration. Therefore, this study draws on the valuable theoretical underpinnings of the resource-based view and information processing theory to examine the mechanism through which an organization's innovation orientation (IO) and team unlearning (TU) can impact new product development (NPD) success.Design/methodology/approachA causal model was developed in order to analyze the role of innovation orientation and team unlearning on NPD success. This proposed model and several hypotheses were gauged using data from 255 NPD team members from Taiwanese high-tech and traditional companies.FindingsThe results indicate that both IO and TU relate to outcomes. Specifically, this study demonstrates that it is insufficient that firms simply establish the configurations needed to enhance their IO and TU, firms also need to find out the correct mechanism to enhance NPD success. The relationships between IO, TU and NPD success were fully mediated by team information processing.Originality/valueThis report sheds light on the importance of innovation orientation and team unlearning in today's NPD process and uncovers the underlying mechanism through which IO and TU contribute to NPD success. It also offers precise advice for the assessment of management of team information-processing to boost the performance of new products.


Author(s):  
Tino Woschke ◽  
Heiko Haase ◽  
Arndt Lautenschläger

Purpose – This study deals with waste in New Product Development (NPD) processes of SMEs. The purpose of this paper is to reveal opportunities for SMEs to overcome resource constraints in their NPD process. Design/methodology/approach – The authors employed qualitative key informant interviews. This design was chosen because research in this field is still limited. The authors performed 49 interviews in engineering-oriented German SMEs to examine the dimension of waste in NPD processes. The data were collected by conducting semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. Findings – The study highlights substantial waste types such as waiting times, rework and duplication of work. In contrast to contemporary literature, waste of material is considered to be relevant in particular for NPD processes of SMEs. In addition to that, the authors found that waste drivers differ to a great extent between the study and the hitherto literature on larger companies. Research limitations/implications – The overall outcome of this study can help organisations to address waste in NPD more thoroughly. The research presented was not specifically designed to draw statistical generalisations. For this reason, the results may not be applicable to all SMEs. Practical implications – Based on waiting times as the major waste type in NPD processes of SMEs, the authors claim that firms should pay special attention to disruptions of these processes. Originality/value – The paper gives insights into current waste types in the NPD processes of SMEs. Moreover, it uncovers the NPD activities which can lead to waste.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olimpia C. Racela

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify firm groups pursuing different configurations of customer-, entrepreneurial-, and information technology (IT) orientation and to compare their new product development (NPD) capability and NPD performance. Design/methodology/approach – Hierarchical cluster analysis was used on the sample of 156 firms on the basis of their mix of customer-, entrepreneurial-, and IT- orientation. Then, analysis of variance was used to compare the groups’ NPD capability (NPDCAP), NPD process efficiency (NPDPROC), new product effectiveness (NPEFF), and new product financial performance (NPPERF). Findings – Of the seven strategy configurations posited, four emerge and two unexpected configurations are revealed. Overall, firms simultaneously pursuing multiple strategic orientations have higher NPDCAP, NPEFF, and NPPERF. Interestingly, all six strategy groups have equally low levels of NPDPROC. Practical implications – To enhance NPDCAP and NPD performance, managers should consider more complex strategy configurations that act in complementary ways, in particular, customer-orientation complemented by either entrepreneurial- and/or IT-orientation. Moreover, more attention is needed to improving NPDPROC, as achieving gains in this area would contribute positively to firm performance. Originality/value – This study presents initial evidence that, at least for firms in Thailand, resources must be configured by pursuing several strategic orientations simultaneously to enhance their dynamic capabilities in NPD, a strategic issue that has not been given much attention in previous literature.


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