Strategic agility and the effects of firm age and environmental turbulence

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan H. Reed

PurposeThe purpose of this empirical paper is to operationalize the Doz and Kosonen (2010) model of strategic agility, consisting of three dimensions and 15 subfactors and to test its relationship with firm performance under multiple contingencies.Design/methodology/approachA CEO-level survey is conducted to collect a sample of 73 firms from three industries in the US state of Florida. Factor analysis and convergence with similar criterion are used to validate the strategic agility construct. Multiple regression is used to test hypothesized relationships.FindingsThe findings support construct validity of Doz and Kosonen's model. Moreover, firm age and environmental turbulence are found to be important contingency factors. Environmental turbulence is found to moderate the relationship between firm age and strategic agility. Firm age and environmental turbulence are found to jointly moderate the relationship between strategic agility and firm performance.Research limitations/implicationsIt is evident that firms may benefit from strategic agility depending on their age and environment. The results encourage future longitudinal research addressing causality.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to research by validating a more comprehensive model of strategic agility and identifying contingency factors that help to explain prior mixed results on the relationship between strategic agility and performance.

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
M. A. Arokodare

Scholars in strategic management argued that strategic agility measures do enhance firm performance and mitigate environmental turbulence risks. This study therefore examined the moderating effect of environmental turbulence on the relationship between strategic agility and performance of oil and gas marketing companies in Lagos State, Nigeria. Population of the study was 515 managers of major oil and gas marketing companies in Lagos State. Cross-sectional survey research design was adopted with total enumeration. The research instrument was found reliable and valid with Cronbach’s alpha and KMO greater than 0.7 and 0.5 respectively. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple and hierarchical regression methods of analyses. Findings revealed that among oil and gas marketing companies in Lagos State, Nigeria, there was positive and significant relationship between strategic agility and performance; strategic agility had positive and significant effect on performance while environmental turbulence significantly moderated the relationship between strategic agility and performance. The study concluded that strategic agility affected and related with firm performance and also environmental turbulence moderated the relationship between strategic agility and performance of oil and gas marketing companies in Lagos State, Nigeria. Therefore, it is recommended that oil and gas marketing companies in Nigeria should fully and dynamically embrace strategic agility practices and continuously develop their capabilities for proper and timely sensing of and responding to changes in their business environment in order to improve their performance over their competitors. Limitations of the study and areas for future research were highlighted.


Author(s):  
Choi Sang Long

It is paramount that firms accurately assess the cost-effectiveness of WLB policies as initiatives to conduct such policies involve cost. WLB policies should be considered due to synergistic effects by employing a variety of policies. The benefits are usually under-estimated while the costs over-estimated, as the latter is easier to measure. Until longitudinal research is conducted, we cannot discount the possibility that successful organizations are more likely to offer WLB practices, and that the practices themselves are not exerting any favorable effect on organizational performance. Instead, it might simply be that organizations offering WLB practices are more predisposed to engaging in high-quality management practices and that this approach usually generates a positive effect on employees and performance outcomes. Thus, we can surmise that improved firm performance is a result of effective management usually associated with the implementation of WLB policies in the workplace, and not solely because of WLB per se.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Changli Feng ◽  
Ruize Ma ◽  
Lin Jiang

PurposeWith the rise of service economy, many companies are attempting to gain a competitive advantage through service innovation. However, the existing research has not drawn consistent conclusions about the relationship between service innovation and firm performance. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to provide a quantitative review on the service innovation-performance relationship based on research findings reported in the extant literature.Design/methodology/approachStudies from 46 peer-reviewed articles were sampled and analyzed. A meta-analytic approach was adopted to conduct a quantitative review on the relationship between service innovation and firm performance, and the effects of any potential moderators were further explored.FindingsThe results found that service innovation has a significant positive impact on firm performance. Additionally, the relationship between service innovation and firm performance is influenced by measurement moderators (economic region and performance measurement), and contextual moderators (firm type, innovation type, customer factors and attitudes toward risk).Originality/valueThe meta-analysis has been used to explore the relationship between service innovation and firm performance, and the findings have contributed to the literature on service innovation, as well as providing future research directions.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zaynab Dadzie ◽  
Ahmed Agyapong ◽  
Abdulai Suglo

Purpose This study aims to examine the mediating role of internationalization in the relationship between the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and performance, empirical study of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in a developing nation. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a sample of 158 exporting SMEs based in the sub-Saharan developing economy, Ghana. The use of hierarchical regression (ordinary least square analysis) was used by the researcher to assess the suggested model of the study. Findings Largely supporting the conjectural predictions, the study indicates that EO positively and significantly influences performance; internationalization fully mediates the relationship between innovativeness and performance of export firms; internationalization fully mediates the relationship between risk-taking and performance of export firms; and finally, internationalization partially mediates the relationship between competitive aggressiveness and performance of export firms. Managers are, therefore, encouraged to strategically develop both their EO and internationalization, as the study has confirmed that EO has both a direct and indirect relationship with performance. Originality/value This study integrated a resource-based view of the firm and international entrepreneurship theory as a theoretical foundation. Theoretically, internationalization’s mediating role reveals the relevance of this construct in the linkage between entrepreneurial orientation and firm performance. Furthermore, the study extends the entrepreneurial orientation concept to the international business literature by estimating and testing models of the mediating link between entrepreneurial orientation and performance. Moreover, the study seeks to broaden the knowledge of entrepreneurial orientation and its relationship with performance in small and medium businesses. The study further extends the limited studies on performance, driven by entrepreneurial orientation and internationalization in a developing nation (Ghanaian) context. This paper besides seeks to highlight the impact of entrepreneurial orientation on performance when channeled through internationalization. The study also reveals the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation to be important antecedents of internationalization, in attempts at unearthing the critical predictors of firm performance, especially those of international characteristics.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Imtiaz Mostafiz ◽  
Mathew Hughes ◽  
Murali Sambasivan

Purpose The purpose of this study is to test the thesis that the family firm’s success hinges on effective strategic knowledge management (SKM) capability coupled with an entrepreneurial orientation (EO). Contingency theory holds that entrepreneurial success is contingent on strategic capabilities and resource orchestration theory explains how well family firms nurture capabilities to structure, bundle and leverage resources that define competitive advantage (CA). This study combines these two theoretical viewpoints to propose the effects of EO and SKM capability on CA to achieve successful performance in family firms. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a hybrid approach applying structural equation modelling (SEM) and deep-learning artificial intelligence (DL-AI) analysis to survey data on 268 Malaysian family firms. Findings SEM results confirm that CA mediates the relationship between innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking dimensions of EO and firm performance. Autonomy and competitive aggressiveness have no bearing, however. The relationships among innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking with CA and performance are positively moderated by SKM capability, becoming more potent at higher levels. Moreover, four additional DL-AI models reveal the necessity of specific EO dimensions and the interacting effects of EO–SKM capability to influence CA and to attain performance success subsequently. Originality/value This study theorizes and presents two new boundary conditions to a knowledge-based theory of the family firm and its firm performance. First, CA mediates the relationship between EO and performance; and second, SKM capability moderates the relationships between EO and CA and between EO and family firm performance. Methodologically, this study uses DL-AI to embrace non-linearity and prioritize predictor variables based on normalized importance to produce greater accuracy over regression analysis. Hence, DL-AI adds methodological novelty to the knowledge management and family firm literature.


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 617-638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz Fernando de Paris Caldas ◽  
Fabio de Oliveira Paula ◽  
T. Diana L. van Aduard de Macedo-Soares

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze to what extent spending on innovation activities and collaboration at the industry level affects the relationship between firm innovation and performance. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model was proposed and empirically tested using multiple linear regression. The data were obtained from the Community Innovation Survey 2012, composing a sample of 890 Italian manufacturing firms. Findings The results provided full support for the positive moderating effect of intra-industry innovation spending and partial support for the positive moderating effect of intra-industry collaboration, both regarding the relationship between firm innovation spending and performance. Knowledge spillovers derived from intra-industry innovation spending and intra-industry collaboration affect firm performance. While this finding corroborates other studies that have found that the intra-industry R&D spending influences firms’ innovation and performance, it also contributes to improve the understanding about the complementarity of internal innovation activities and knowledge spillovers. Originality/value This study contributes to theory by filling a gap concerning the complementarity of internal innovation activities and the effect of knowledge spillovers to improve firm performance. Our findings suggested that intra-industry openness to collaboration and innovation spending, as proxies of knowledge spillovers, plays an important role in complementing firm level innovative efforts, even in the case of firms that spend less on innovation and have a lower degree of collaboration. This is especially relevant for small and medium enterprises, which can take advantage of access to the necessary information to overcome their internal resource constraints for R&D and innovation. The originality of these findings adds value in terms of furthering the understanding of this phenomenon.


2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 1201-1216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjay Chaudhary ◽  
Safal Batra

Purpose Despite the recognized importance of knowledge management for small family firms, relatively little empirical research has been done so far to understand the mechanisms through which absorptive capacity (AC) assists their performance. The purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between absorptive capacity and performance in small family firms. Design/methodology/approach In this study, the authors theoretically argue and empirically validate that AC enables the creation of entrepreneurial, market and technology orientations in small family firms, which, in turn, lead to superior firm performance. They also tested the study’s hypotheses using mediation and multiple linear regression analyses on data collected from 272 small Indian family firms. Findings The study’s findings suggest indirect relationship between AC and performance. The strategic orientations provide a mechanism through which investments in small family firms’ AC results in firm performance. Practical implications This study offers crucial insights to practitioners and small firm managers regarding the use of knowledge-based capabilities in creating appropriate strategic postures, which, in turn, assist firm performance. Originality/value This study is among few research attempts in understanding the knowledge aspects of small family firms. The present research contributes to the existing literature by unravelling the relationship between knowledge management and small family firm performance. Also, by bringing in data from an under-studied context of an emerging economy, this study strengthens the theoretical applicability of knowledge management in different contexts.


2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (8) ◽  
pp. 971-987
Author(s):  
Vasiliki Kosmidou

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between family firm generational involvement and performance. Although researchers have studied this relationship extensively, a complete understanding of its true magnitude and sign is still lacking. Design/methodology/approach This meta-analysis sheds new light on this relationship, integrating the findings of 43 studies with 51 independent samples and 18,802 family firms. Findings The results reveal a small and negative relationship indicating that later-generation family firms perform worse compared to first-generation ones. The authors also show that the relationship is stronger for younger than older and for private than public firms. Finally, the measurements of both variables influence the relationship yielding critical research implications. Research limitations/implications This study suggests that future researchers examining the effects of generational involvement on family firm performance should conduct their analysis using multiple measures of both variables to ensure the accuracy of their results. It also highlights the need of family business scholars to converge to the use of a universal family firm definition, as findings differ significantly in strength and direction depending on which definition is used. Practical implications From a practitioners’ perspective, the findings imply that owners of young and private family firms should consider professionalizing and adopting a balanced top management team composition consisting of both family and non-family members as a way to mitigate the negative effects of “familiness” on performance. Originality/value This study empirically demonstrates the importance of adopting a generational perspective when examining differences in family firm performance.


Author(s):  
Sakhawat Ur Rehman Sahibzada Jawad ◽  
Sadaf Naushad ◽  
Seemab Yousaf ◽  
Zahid Yousaf

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of market orientation on firm performance of software houses and examine the mediating firm innovativeness in the relationship between market orientation and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from the employees of software houses located in two big cities of Pakistan. Mean, SD, correlation and regression analysis were conducted to check the relationship among variables. Findings Results show that the performance of software houses largely depends on firm innovativeness and market orientation. Research limitations/implications The authors recommend that further studies are required to test the propositions in longitudinal research design for achieving in-depth insights. Practical implications Software houses need to pay more attention toward market orientation and innovativeness. Originality/value It has been observed that software houses pay less attention toward market dynamics. This research discusses an implementation approach based on solid theoretical foundations to achieve the firm performance through market orientation and firm innovativeness.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (11) ◽  
pp. 1701-1714 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas L. Powers ◽  
Karen Norman Kennedy ◽  
Seongwon Choi

Purpose This paper aims to contribute industrial marketing literature by examining the relationship between market orientation and performance based on multiple perspectives and measures. Although the relationship between market orientation and firm performance has been examined in prior research a gap in the literature exists, as this relationship has not been examined from separate perspectives of managers, salespersons and customers. In addition to this gap in the literature, a further gap exists as these multiple assessments of market orientation have not been examined relative to both subjective and objectives measures of industrial firm performance. Design/methodology/approach The research is based on data obtained from 111 sales branches of a Fortune 500 industrial supplier. Findings The results indicate that managers, salespersons and customers all indicate a positive relationship between market orientation and perceived performance. Market orientation and actual branch performance were not related when assessed by any of the three respondent groups. Only salespersons were able to significantly relate perceived firm performance to actual performance. Research limitations/implications These findings add a new dimensions to the existing stream of literature on the industrial marketing orientation and performance relationship. Originality/value These findings add new dimensions to the existing stream of literature on the industrial marketing orientation and performance relationship.


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