The structural capital, the innovation and the performance of the industrial SMES

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 913-945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolás Salvador Beltramino ◽  
Domingo García-Perez-de-Lema ◽  
Luis Enrique Valdez-Juárez

PurposeThe objective of this study is to analyze the influence of the structural capital of SMEs in the capacity of innovation and organizational performance, in the context of an emerging country.Design/methodology/approachThe sample consisted of 259 industrial SMEs from the province of Córdoba Argentina. The data was analyzed by Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS–SEM).FindingsThe study provided evidence that acquisition of information and knowledge management, organizational culture and structure, systems and processes have positive and significant effects on the innovation capacity of SMEs. Only the communication and cohesion component did not show positive and significant results on it. It also showed a positive and significant relationship between the capacity for innovation in processes and performance, contributing to the scarce empirical literature in the context of SMEs.Research limitations/implicationsThe research exposes some limitations that uncover a path for the development of future lines of research. In the first place, the work focuses on the use of a single source of information, the consultation at the managerial level of the company, without considering other representative variables to measure the capacity for innovation. Second, the study covered only companies in the industrial sector and country. Future studies should focus on other sectors and countries.Practical implicationsThe results of the study can have important practical implications for the owners and managers of SMEs. The results offer a vision of the dimensions of structural capital that most influence the innovative capacity of the organization. This is especially useful given that in the context of Argentina there is a low level of knowledge and structural capital is key to being more competitive. The managers of SMEs can thus increase the innovative potential of the company and favor the acquisition of information and knowledge and improve its processes and systems to contribute to the development of innovation capabilities to make SMEs more competitive.Social implicationsThe results obtained can be useful for those responsible for making public policy decisions, since in the knowledge of the economy to maintain a developed state and nation, it is necessary to include as one of the main issues on the national agenda the improvement of intellectual capital of its people to promote the competitiveness of companies.Originality/valueThe research contributes to the development of intellectual capital literature focused on the generation of innovation and performance in the perspective of SMEs in emerging countries.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Salvador Beltramino ◽  
Domingo Garcia-Perez-de-Lema ◽  
Luis Enrique Valdez-Juarez

PurposeThe objective of this study is to analyze the influence of the intellectual capital of SMEs on innovation and organizational performance in the context of an emerging country.Design/methodology/approachThe sample consisted of 259 industrial SMEs from the Cordoba, Argentina. The data were analyzed by partial least squares–structural equation modeling (PLS–SEM).FindingsThe study provides empirical evidence that the three components of intellectual capital generate positive and significant effects on innovation in processes and products. Structural capital is the component that has the greatest effect on innovation. It also showed a positive and significant relationship between innovation in processes and performance, contributing to the scarce empirical literature in the context of SMEs.Research limitations/implicationsThe research exposes limitations that uncover a path for future. First, the work uses as the only source of information, the consultation at the highest level of the company. Second, the study covered only industrial companies. Future studies should focus on other sectors and countries.Practical implicationsThe results may have important practical implications for SME owners and managers and offer a vision of the influence of intellectual capital on the innovative capacity of the organization.Originality/valueThe value of work lies in establishing the importance of intellectual capital in the environment of an emerging country such as Argentina, given the low level of knowledge that exists in this area.


2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariya Anatolievna Molodchik ◽  
Elena Anatolievna Shakina ◽  
Angel Barajas

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the plausibility of six elements of IC and justify the measurement ability of a set of indicators based on publicly available data for each of the proposed element in order to provide tools to managers for their decision-making process in knowledge management (KM). Design/methodology/approach – Core company's intangibles are combined into six intellectual capital (IC) elements that appear after the division of each of the traditional components (human, structural and relational capital (RC)). The human capital includes management and human resources capabilities (HRC). Structural capital is divided into innovation and internal process capabilities (IPC). RC contains networking capabilities and customer loyalty. In drawing on the relevant literature each element is described through a set of indicators collected from publicly available data. The validity of proposed IC model is justified through structural equation modeling. Each element is tested on a sample of more than 1,650 listed European companies over the period of 2004-2011. Findings – The study gives empirical support of three component IC structure and its decomposition into second level. The findings reveal that implementation of KM plays a significant role for HRC as well as for IPC. Research limitations/implications – The analysis was conducted for a particular sample that may restrict the conclusions. Practical implications – The proposed measurements for intangibles can be applied by any company for benchmarking and comparative analysis in KM. Originality/value – The study provides empirical justification of metrics for intangibles allowing a better route in an economy driven by knowledge.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 893-911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mírian Oliveira ◽  
Carla Curado ◽  
Andrea Raymundo Balle ◽  
Aino Kianto

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relations among knowledge sharing (KS), intellectual capital (IC), absorptive capacity (AC), innovation (IN) and organizational performance (OP).Design/methodology/approachThis paper empirically tests a model that uses structural equation modeling (SEM) based on a partial least squares (PLS). The sample is composed of 351 Brazilian and 135 Portuguese enterprises. They are micro, small and medium enterprises.FindingsThe results show that: the relation between KS and AC is partially mediated by IC; the relation between IC and IN is partially mediated by AC and the relation between KS and IN is mediated by AC and IC or both. There are relations among KS, IC, AC, IN and OP.Research limitations/implicationsThe study does not control for industry effects and technological differences among the firms.Practical implicationsThe use of KS mitigates the loss of knowledge associated to employees' retirement or job changes. The knowledge appropriation by the organization (turning human capital (HC) into structural capital (SC)), the knowledge achieved from connections (relational capital, RC) and the trust embedded in an organization's relation with employees are important for AC and IN. Moreover, KS can positively influence all elements of IC. OP depends directly on IN and indirectly on the others constructs.Originality/valueThis study is relevant because it explores the relations among KS, IC, AC, IN and OP in one model. Moreover, it focuses on small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs) with data from two countries.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 2417-2437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Namhyun Kim ◽  
Changsup Shim

PurposeThis study aims to identify the structural relationship among social capital, knowledge sharing, innovation and performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a tourism cluster.Design/methodology/approachA total of 199 valid questionnaires are collected from SMEs in the Bomun tourism cluster in South Korea. A structural equation modeling approach is used to test the research hypotheses.FindingsThe findings suggest that social capital constructs, including network density of structural capital, relational capital and cognitive capital, all positively influence knowledge sharing among SMEs in the cluster. This implies that creating social capital is critical to enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs. This study confirms that knowledge sharing positively affects SME performance through innovation.Research limitations/implicationsThis study suggests that social capital, consisting of structural, cognitive and relational capital, facilitates increased knowledge sharing and innovation in a tourism cluster, which in turn enhances SME business performance.Practical/implicationsThis study suggests that tourism cluster policies should focus on how to create a friendly operational climate to build social capital and support SME innovation.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature on social capital and innovation as well as the discourse on tourism clusters by addressing knowledge sharing among SMEs in a tourism cluster. It also expands the knowledge sharing and innovation literature by focusing on inter-organizational social networking among SMEs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 802-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gholamhossein Mehralian ◽  
Jamal A. Nazari ◽  
Peivand Ghasemzadeh

PurposeKnowledge is a key success factor in achieving competitive advantage in the current fast-paced and uncertain economic environment. Several studies in the literature have analyzed the relationship between knowledge creation (KC) and organizational success; however, the mechanisms by which KC leads to accumulation of intellectual capital (IC) and thereby affects various dimensions of organizational performance are understudied. The purpose of this paper is to examine how KC and IC and their relationship influence key dimensions of organizational performance.Design/methodology/approachA research model was developed and tested based on the literature in the areas of KC, IC and organizational performance. This study uses a survey sent to companies in an intensive knowledge-based industry. The balanced scorecard (BSC) approach was used to measure the key dimensions of organizational performance.FindingsThe results from structural equation modeling (SEM) on 470 completed questionnaires received from the pharmaceutical companies in Iran reveal that KC activities lead to the accumulation of organizational IC and IC has a crucial and positive impact on the BSC. Furthermore, the results from the path analysis indicate that IC mediates the effects of KC on the BSC.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study contribute to the extant literature on the relationship between knowledge and organizational performance by demonstrating that knowledge and KC lead to performance when organizations utilize KC activities and leverage them to accumulate IC. Once used effectively, IC will result in a better performance in the knowledge-intensive environments.Originality/valueThis is the first study that investigates how KC contributes to firm performance by incorporating the mediating impact of IC on the BSC. The proposed model and results will help organizations to identify the mechanisms through which KC initiatives improve organizational performance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1053-1084
Author(s):  
John Salinas-Ávila ◽  
René Abreu-Ledón ◽  
Johnny Tamayo-Arias

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence on the relationships between the dimensions of intellectual capital (IC) and the generation of knowledge in public universities.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was developed and administered in Colombia. A total of 209 researchers participated in the study. Data were collected through IC measurements concerning the research mission of the universities. Scientific publications from the respondents and the citations received were taken as proxies for the generation of knowledge. To test the hypotheses, structural equation modeling was used.FindingsHypotheses proposing a positive association between the dimensions of IC, namely, human capital, structural capital, and relational capital, and the generation of knowledge were tested. The findings highlight that human capital is indirectly and positively related to the generation of knowledge through relational capital, as well as through the path of structural capital-relational capital.Practical implicationsThe study suggests that directors of research at universities could improve the results of this activity by analyzing and understanding the dimensions of IC that contribute to the development of scientific capacities and the generation of knowledge.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies that has examined the interrelationships between the dimensions of IC at universities and the generation of knowledge.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hassan Saleh Al-Dhaafri ◽  
Abdullah Kaid Al-Swidi ◽  
Rushami Zien Bin Yusoff

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the joint effect of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and total quality management (TQM) on the organizational performance. In addition, this study aimed to examine the ability of TQM to transmit the effect of EO on the organizational performance. Design/methodology/approach – To examine the hypothesized model of the study, the survey questionnaire research design was employed. The data were collected from Dubai police department. The total number of questionnaires distributed was 320 out of which only 111 usable questionnaires were returned. The structural equation modeling partial least squares approach was used. Findings – The statistical results confirmed the effect of EO and TQM on the organizational performance. In addition, TQM was found to partially mediate the effect of EO on organizational performance. Practical implications – Further details and valuable implications of this study were discussed throughout the study. The results of this study have many practical implications. The results will help managers to make the proper decisions when deciding to implement TQM in their organizations. TQM can help managers with strong EO to achieve maximum performance in organizations and to remain competitive in the market. Originality/value – This study is a rare and unique empirical study that examines the effect of EO on TQM and the mediating effect of TQM on the EO-performance relationship.


2018 ◽  
Vol 118 (5) ◽  
pp. 1018-1032 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongyi Shou ◽  
Wenjin Hu ◽  
Yongmei Xu

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of intellectual capital (IC) in supply chain intelligence integration (SCII) and the interrelationships of the three components of IC (i.e. human capital (HC), structural capital (SC) and relational capital (RC)) in the supply chain context. Design/methodology/approach This paper conducted an empirical study by using primary data from 389 sample firms. The authors applied structural equation modeling to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings The results indicate that both HC and RC have direct impact on SCII, whereas SC only influences SCII through RC. Originality/value This study evidences that IC is an enabler of SCII. Furthermore, this study reveals the interrelationships of human, structural and RC.


2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 286-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Casas Novas ◽  
Maria do Céu Gaspar Alves ◽  
António Sousa

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of management accounting systems (MAS) in the development of intellectual capital (IC) – i.e. human capital (HC), structural capital (SC) and relational capital (RC) – and the resultant effects on organizational performance. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was developed to conduct a survey of high-level managers of Portuguese companies. The data collected were analyzed through the use of structural equation modeling with AMOS. Findings Statistical support was found for six out of nine hypothesized relationships. The findings confirm the role of MAS in the development of HC and SC. Results also showed positive and statistically significant relationships between the three dimensions of IC, in line with previous research. Finally, results indicated that SC has a positive and significant link with organizational performance, in keeping with some research. Research limitations/implications The estimation procedure allowed only a partial validation of the proposed model because, although positive, the relationships between MAS and RC, between HC and performance and between RC and organizational performance were not statistically significant. Practical implications The study highlights the role of MAS as information networks that collect, process and communicate information that influences the development of IC, as well as networks of relationships that support the establishment of conditions for the creation and integration of organizational knowledge and the development of IC. Originality/value In this research, an arguably more complete framework of the relations between MAS, IC and performance is developed and empirically tested. Despite the existence of some literature addressing the relationship between MAS and IC, this is the first study, of which authors are aware, that focuses specifically on the relationships between MAS and the three dimensions of IC (HC, SC and RC), as well as their effects on organizational performance.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 457-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aboobucker Ilmudeen ◽  
Yukun Bao ◽  
Ibraheem Mubarak Alharbi

Purpose Despite the conceptual, empirical and theoretical advances in alignment–performance relationship, there is a limited research on the alignment dimensions and organizational performance measures. Though strategic alignment is believed to improve organizational performance, the purpose of this paper is to develop conjectures for understanding how different alignment dimensions influence organizational performance measures. Design/methodology/approach The data were acquired from 161 senior IT and business managers paired responses in China and were analyzed by using a structural equation modeling technique. Findings The hypothesized relationships are largely supported. Thus, quality-oriented strategic alignment dimension has a significant relationship with all performance measures. Contrary to expectations, both product and marketing-oriented strategic alignment dimensions do not show a significant impact on financial return. The marketing-oriented strategic alignment dimension also has an insignificant relationship with operational excellence. Practical implications This study suggests that the business–IT alignment can be dimensioned to better combine business strategy and IT strategy. Hence, managers can focus specific alignment dimension instead of entire strategies of a firm for a better decision making. Originality/value Findings suggest guidance for formulating combined business and IT strategic alignment into dimensions and proposing insightful and practical implications.


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