scholarly journals The impact of open innovation on SMEs’ innovation outcomes

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 558-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfonso Expósito ◽  
José Fernández-Serrano ◽  
Francisco Liñán

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of open innovation (OI) cooperation strategies on innovation outcomes of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), considering the mediating effect of firm age. The data come from six Spanish regions in the period 2009–2011. The authors analyse the impacts of two different types of innovation cooperation (with market and institutional agents) on four types of innovation outcomes: product, process, organisational and marketing.Design/methodology/approachThe analytical method is based on logit regressions in order to assess the impact of OI variables on SMEs’ innovation outcomes. The regressions include a number of control variables related to the characteristics of the business, the entrepreneur and the environment.FindingsThe empirical results show that OI plays a significant role in explaining the innovation outcome of SMEs. Firm age is found to moderate this relationship. R&D cooperation with market agents exhibits the highest relationship to innovation, while the impact of institutional cooperation is comparatively lower.Originality/valueThere are few studies on OI addressing OI practices in SMEs. This research contributes to shedding light on the role of OI in innovation processes in SMEs. It also shows how this relationship changes depending on the partner, the type of innovation and the age of the firm.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Hamdoun ◽  
Mohamed Akli Achabou ◽  
Sihem Dekhili

Purpose This paper aims to examine the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and financial performance in the context of developing countries. More specifically, the mediating role of a firm’s competitive advantage and intangible resources, namely, human capital and reputation are studied. Design/methodology/approach The study considered a sample of 100 Tunisian firms. The analysis makes use of the structural equation modelling method to explore the relationship between CSR and financial performance, by including mediator variables. Findings The results confirm that CSR has no significant direct effect on financial performance. In particular, they indicate that the social dimension of CSR has a negative impact on performance. However, CSR does have a positive impact on competitive advantage via the two intangible resources considered, human capital and company reputation. Research limitations/implications The research fills a gap that occurred in the previous literature. In effect, previous studies focussed only on the direct link between CSR and financial performance. In addition, it enriches the limited literature on CSR strategies in the context of developing countries. However, further studies should explore the opposite relationship, i.e. the impact of financial performance on CSR strategy. In addition, the authors believe that amongst other potential research avenues, it would be interesting to study the moderating role of the activity sector. Practical implications From a practical point of view, this study suggests new applications with respect to the link between CSR and financial performance. To enhance their company’s financial performance, managers need to ensure that intangible resources are managed efficiently. Originality/value The paper contributes to the literature by examining how a firm’s intangible resources mediate between CSR and competitive advantage and how competitive advantage mediates between intangible resources and financial performance. Second originality is related to the study of the link between CSR and the financial performance of business organisations in the context of a developing country.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fenika Wulani ◽  
Tarsisius Hani Handoko ◽  
Bernardinus Maria Purwanto

PurposeThis study investigates the effect of supervisor-directed organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) on leader–member exchange (LMX), the moderating role of impression management motives on this relationship, the effect of LMX on organizational and interpersonal deviance and the mediating effect of LMX on the relationship between supervisor-directed OCB and deviant behaviors.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a survey questionnaire to collect data. Respondents were 342 nonmanagerial employees working in Surabaya Raya, Indonesia. Hypothesis testing is done using Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsThe results show that supervisor-directed OCB is positively related to LMX, and LMX is negatively related to organizational deviance but not significantly related to interpersonal deviance. The study also finds that impression management motives moderate the positive relationship between supervisor-directed OCB and LMX. Furthermore, LMX mediates the relationship between supervisor-directed OCB and organizational deviance, but not interpersonal deviance.Practical implicationsThis study suggests the importance of human resource management (HRM) activities and managers being aware of subordinate OCB motives and the impact of LMX on interpersonal and organizational deviance, as well as what supervisors need to do to reduce these negative effects.Originality/valueFew studies examined the relationship between supervisor-directed OCB and workplace deviance behaviors (WDBs). This study provides a mechanism of their relationship by considering LMX as a mediator. Also, heretofore the existing studies tend to focus more on LMX as an antecedent of OCB. This study provides an understanding of OCB as an antecedent of LMX with the moderating effect of impression management motives.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 628-642 ◽  
Author(s):  
José L. Ruiz-Alba ◽  
Anabela Soares ◽  
Miguel A. Rodríguez-Molina ◽  
Dolores M. Frías-Jamilena

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the moderating role of co-creation in the implementation of servitization strategies in the pharmaceutical industry in a business-to-business (B-to-B) context. More specifically, this investigation explores the impact of different levels of services (base, intermediate and advanced) on servitization and on performance by using co-creation as a moderating factor. Design/methodology/approach A research framework was developed and empirically tested in the pharmaceutical sector. Data collection was conducted through the online distribution of questionnaires. The final sample included 219 pharmacy stores, and the data were analysed using structural equation modelling. Findings Main findings suggest that when the level of co-creation of the design of services is high, there are significant effects of servitization on firm performance. The moderating effect of co-creation is illustrated in regard to intermediate and advanced services, but results referring to the impact of intermediate services on servitization appear non-significant with a low degree of co-creation. No significant effects could be found for the impact of base services on performance and servitization for both high and low degrees of co-creation. Findings show an impact of advanced services on performance through the mediating effect of servitization when the degree of co-creation is high. Originality/value Most research concerning servitization has been done from the perspective of manufacturers and service providers. This study adds value to the literature because it was designed from a customer’s perspective. Moreover, it contributes towards the conceptualization of the servitization research strategy and business models in a B2B context. This is accomplished through the investigation of the moderating effect of co-creation on the impact of the different levels of services on servitization and on performance.


2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 553-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Martinez-Conesa ◽  
Pedro Soto-Acosta ◽  
Elias George Carayannis

Purpose This study aims to shed light on the internal and external antecedents of open innovation (OI) in the context of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a special focus on the role of knowledge management (KM) capability. The paper develops and tests an integrative research model which assesses the effect of internal factors on KM capability; the impact of organizational and external factors, namely, KM capability and environmental dynamism, on OI; and whether environmental dynamism moderates the relationship between KM capability and OI. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the knowledge-based view and the social exchange and the contingency theories, this paper develops an integrative research model which analyzes several relations between organizational antecedents of KM capability and its effect on OI by using covariance-based structural equation modeling on a data set of Spanish SMEs. Findings Results confirm that information technology-supported operations and commitment-based human resource practices have a positive and significant influence on KM capability. In contrast, results do not find support for the relationship between interdepartmental connectedness and KM capability, whereas both KM capability and environmental dynamism have a direct influence on OI. Originality/value This paper adds to existing research on OI, as it is the first study that addresses the critical role of KM capability for the implementation of OI.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 607-631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tharwa Najar ◽  
Karima Dhaouadi

PurposeThis paper aims to study the impact of Chief Executive Officer's (CEO's) personality traits on open innovation (OI) strategies and the mediating effect of innovation climate by mobilizing the upper echelons theory and the OI literature. In fact, CEO's role in OI promotion has been under-investigated in the literature especially in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and in developing economies.Design/methodology/approachBased on the structural equation modeling, a survey is scheduled by administrating a questionnaire within 178 CEOs in Tunisian high-tech sector. The relevance of the empirical evidences is to disclose human levers to the success of OI strategies in the Tunisian context as a developing country.FindingsThe results show the importance of CEO's entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and attitude in promoting innovation climate and so then OI strategies. The study offers a reading grid for managers of high-tech SMEs to better lead and identify key factors for OI adoption. Innovative climate is found to be a relevant driver of OI encompassing the key role of attitude and EO of top managers.Practical implicationsResults highlight the relevance of the recruitment of appropriate top managers with high levels of EO and with positive attitude toward OI in order to facilitate OI integration and to enhance SMEs' competitiveness. Entrepreneurially oriented CEOs should be required in order to overcome "Not Invented Here" and "Not Shared Here" syndromes, to support innovative climate and to encourage knowledge import and export in the Tunisian SMEs.Originality/valueThis paper sheds light on the micro-foundation of OI by emphasizing the relevance of human factors and namely EO and attitude of CEOs in OI issue. It provides conceptual and empirical clarification of the extent to which CEO's traits affect OI through innovative climate. This would value initiatives exploring key individual's characteristics influence on OI strategies within SMEs.


2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (11) ◽  
pp. 1601-1624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nisha Paul Kulangara ◽  
Sherry Avery Jackson ◽  
Edmund Prater

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the interrelationship between trust, socialization, and information sharing on the buying firm’s innovation capability in the context of the buyer-supplier relationship (BSR). A nomological model is developed that examines the mediating role of relational capital (supplier trust) on the relationship between structural capital (socialization and information sharing) and innovation capability. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted on 357 US executives. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the hypothesized relationships. Findings Information sharing and formal socialization activities increased the buying firm’s trust in its key supplier. However, formal socialization activities within the context of the business environment did not have a significant direct impact on buyer’s innovative capabilities; but when mediated by trust, it positively impacted innovation capabilities. Informal socialization within the context of the social environment directly impacted innovation capabilities but trust did not mediate the relationship. Information sharing impacted trust and innovation significantly and trust mediated the impact of information sharing on innovation capabilities. Originality/value This study defines the formal and informal aspects of socialization and investigates its impact on trust and buyer innovation capabilities. This is one of the few studies that highlights the mediating role of trust between firms to facilitate innovation capability.


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 553-580 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arshad Alam ◽  
Prabir K. Bagchi ◽  
Bumsoo Kim ◽  
Subrata Mitra ◽  
Fernando Seabra

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of individual logistics-related factors, namely, supplier involvement (SI), length of supplier relationship (LSR), use of information technology (IT), and logistics integration (LI) on a firm's supply chain performance (SCP) and test for the mediating effect of LI in a multi-country survey conducted in Brazil, Korea and India. The paper also develops a composite variable, supply chain competency (SCC), as an overall measure of the quality of a firm's supply chain and demonstrate its effect on a firm's SCP. Design/methodology/approach – The research methodology was based on designing and administering a survey instrument. Data collected from 187 organizations in Brazil, Korea and India were analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling methodology. Findings – Results show that for the combined data, the direct effects of SI, LSR and IT on SCP are insignificant while LI has a very significant direct effect on SCP. On the other hand, except for SI, LSR and IT have significant effects on SCP through LI establishing the mediating role of LI. The paper also finds that SCC has a significant effect on SCP. Further, when countries are considered individually the paper finds that IT has a significant indirect effect on SCP in the case of all the countries while LSR has a significant indirect effect on SCP, both in the case of Brazil and Korea. Additionally, in the case of Korea SI has a significant indirect effect on SCP. Research limitations/implications – Like other survey-based research, the findings of this paper are also limited by the sample size. Especially, the observations specific to individual countries are as good as the respective sample sizes. Also, since all the respondents belonged to manufacturing firms, the findings of this paper are relevant for the manufacturing sector. Practical implications – This paper establishes the mediating effect of LI in assessing the impact of logistics-related factors on a firm's SCP. It confirms that although logistics-related factors are necessary for a firm's superior SCP, they are not sufficient unless their interactions are taken into consideration, as evidenced by the significant positive relationship between SCC and SCP. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first paper to study the effect of logistics-related factors on a firm's SCP and establish the mediating role of LI in a multi-country setting. This paper also develops a composite variable SCC and examines its effect on SCP.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tariq Samarah ◽  
Pelin Bayram ◽  
Hasan Yousef Aljuhmani ◽  
Hamzah Elrehail

PurposeThis study explores central questions related to the connections between brand interactivity and involvement on brand-related outcomes (brand trust and loyalty) through understanding the role played by customer brand engagement (CBE) through social media platforms.Design/methodology/approachUsing an online survey, the data for this study were collected from 353 participants who follow Royal Jordanian Airlines on their Facebook page. A cross-sectional research approach was implemented using a partial least squares path modeling approach.FindingsThe study finds that perceived brand interactivity and involvement are positively associated with social media CBE. The authors also find that social media CBE is positively related to brand trust and that brand trust is positively associated with brand loyalty. Consequently, the authors observe that social media CBE is positively related to brand loyalty.Originality/valueThis study investigates the impact of perceived brand interactivity and involvement on social media CBE while accounting for the mediating role of brand trust through which social media CBE influences brand loyalty of airline brands in the Jordanian context. Finally, the findings have noteworthy theoretical and managerial implications.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Gligor ◽  
Sıddık Bozkurt

Purpose This study aims to investigate the effect of perceived brand interactivity on customer purchases along with the mediating effect of perceived brand fairness. To increase the explanatory power of the model, this study also examines the moderating role of brand involvement. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was conducted to measure the constructs of interest. The direct, indirect (mediation) and conditional (moderation) effects were evaluated using linear regression, PROCESS Model 4 and PROCESS Model 59, respectively. Further, the Johnson Neyman (also called floodlight analysis) technique was used to probe the interaction terms. Findings The study results indicate that perceived brand interactivity directly and indirectly (via perceived brand fairness) impact customer purchases. The results also reveal that the positive impact of perceived brand interactivity on perceived brand fairness is greater when brand involvement is lower. In the same vein, the positive impact of perceived brand fairness on customer purchases is greater when brand involvement is lower. However, brand involvement does not moderate the impact of perceived brand involvement on customer purchases. Originality/value This study examines the effect of perceived brand interactivity on customer purchases (as a customer engagement behavior) while accounting for the mediating role of perceived brand fairness and the moderating role of brand involvement. The results provide noteworthy theoretical and managerial implications.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (9) ◽  
pp. 2273-2297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deemah Alassaf ◽  
Marina Dabić ◽  
Dara Shifrer ◽  
Tugrul Daim

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to fill a significant research gap in academic literature pertaining to open innovation (OI). To do so, this paper empirically tests the impact of organizational culture, employees’ knowledge, attitudes and rewards as antecedents and mediators of OI adoption in organizations, facilitating a more thorough understanding by using an empirical multi-level approach. Design/methodology/approach This paper analyzes the results of the “Identification of Industrial Needs for Open Innovation Education in Europe” survey through a quantitative analysis using logistic regression models. This survey includes 528 employees working in 28 different industrial sectors in 37 countries, most of which are in Europe. Findings The results suggest a positive impact of organizational characteristics on the adoption of OI (i.e. including the adoption of outside-in and inside-out OI activities in participating organizations), showing that the openness of an organization’s culture increases its likelihood of adopting an OI paradigm. More importantly, the results highlight the positive mediating effect of employees’ knowledge and rewards on this relationship. Research limitations/implications The data set that was the basis of this paper was generated in European countries, the results of the analysis are limited and appropriate for this region and may vary when applied to other regions of the world. Practical implications The proposed multi-level approach offers new insight into organizational knowledge. It enables the improvement of OI and knowledge management practices in organizations by assisting practitioners and academics in recognizing the relationship between organizational culture; employees’ knowledge, attitudes and rewards; and the adoption of the OI paradigm. Social implications This paper offers a possible explanation on why open-border cultures are more likely to have a successful OI adoption, by relating it to factors that advance in the presence of an open-border culture, such as active participation of OI relative departments in knowledge sourcing and knowledge exchange, and rewarding employees for OI activities. Originality/value This paper presents a new framework which links organizational culture to OI, moving on from merely examining culture in terms of its positive or negative impact on OI adoption. It contributes to research on the OI paradigm and knowledge management by highlighting the significance of antecedents and mediators from a multi-level perspective using multiple units of analysis. Most previous studies focus on a single unit of analysis.


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