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on Economics of Strategic Management |
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Issue of 2012‒02‒27
nine papers chosen by Joao Jose de Matos Ferreira University of the Beira Interior |
| By: | Vincent Mangematin (MTS - Management Technologique et Strategique - Grenoble École de Management (GEM)); Khalid Errabi (MTS - Management Technologique et Strategique - Grenoble École de Management (GEM)); Caroline Gauthier (MTS - Management Technologique et Strategique - Grenoble École de Management (GEM)) |
| Abstract: | Nanotechnologies are reshaping the boundaries between industries, combining two aspects of innovation - both enhancing competences based on cumulative knowledge and experience and destroying competences by forcing the renewal of the firm's knowledge base. To analyze how worldwide R&D leaders adapt to this new technology, we conduct an econometric analysis of about 3,000 subsidiaries of the largest R&D spenders. We find that large groups are creating medium size subsidiary companies to explore nanotechnologies. Knowledge circulates mostly amongst subsidiaries within the same group and scientific clusters do not affect their involvement in nanotechnologies. Nanotechnologies remain marginal within these subsidiaries' knowledge bases and are distributed within corporate groups, stimulating recombination between nanotechnology and other technologies |
| Keywords: | incumbent; inflexibility; hybridization; nanotechnology; pre-adaptation |
| Date: | 2011 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:gemptp:hal-00526726&r=cse |
| By: | You-Na Lee; John P. Walsh |
| Abstract: | It is widely thought that intra-firm integration has a positive effect on organizational performance, especially in environments characterized by complex and uncertain information. However, counter arguments suggest that integration may limit flexibility and thereby reduce performance in the face of uncertainty. Research and development activities of a firm are especially likely to face complex and uncertain information environments. Following prior work in contingency theory, this paper analyzes the effects of intra-organizational integration on manufacturing firms’ innovative performance. Based on a survey of R&D units in US manufacturing firms and patent data from the NBER patent database, we examine the relation between mechanisms for linking R&D to other units of the firm and the relative innovativeness of the firm. Furthermore, we argue that the impact of integration may vary by the importance of secrecy in protecting firms’ innovation advantages. We find that intra-firm integration is associated with higher self-reported innovativeness and more patents. We also find some evidence that this effect is moderated by the appropriability regime the firm faces, with the benefits of cross-functional integration being weaker in industries where secrecy is especially important. These results both support and develop the contingency model of organizational performance. |
| Keywords: | Innovation; Organizations; Contingency theory; |
| Date: | 2012–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:icr:wpicer:20-2011&r=cse |
| By: | William Addessi; Enrico Saltari; Riccardo Tilli |
| Abstract: | We study the impact of R&D and innovation on the use of external numerical flexibility (ENF). R&D and innovation imply both a higher average and a higher volatile productivity. We investigate this ambiguous effect on the firm preference for using ENF in two steps. First, we use a simple model to show that a first-order stochastic dominance shift in the distribution function increases the probability of hiring permanent workers, while a second-order shift has ambiguous effects. Next, using a dataset based on a survey of Italian manufacturing firms, we run logit regressions to estimate the effect of R&D and innovation on the probability of employing a fixed-term or a TWA worker, finding a positive and always significant effect. We also consider internal and external R&D and different types of innovation. Results show that the former has a positive effect while the latter depends on the type of innovation. |
| Keywords: | Flexible employment, Labor contracts, Research and Development, Innovation. |
| JEL: | J41 O33 |
| Date: | 2011–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sap:wpaper:wp150&r=cse |
| By: | Takauchi, Kazuhiro |
| Abstract: | To examine the role of shipping firms in the international research and development (R&D) rivalry, we build a two-country (exporting and importing), two-firm (exporting and local) duopoly model with a shipping firm. The exporting firm competes with the local firm in the duopoly market of the local country but must pay a shipping fee to the shipping firm in order to sell its product in the local market. Similar to market competition, exporting and local firms engage in R&D competition. We compare two timing structures of the game: in one, the R&D stage is first, and in the other, the shipping firm is the leader. We show that when the R&D stage is first, there are ranges of parameter values such that the investment level of the exporting firm decreases as R&D becomes more efficient. When the shipping firm is the leader, we show that there are ranges of parameter values such that the profit of the local firm decreases as R&D becomes more efficient. Further, it is shown that consumers in the local country prefer the regime in which the shipping firm is the leader, whereas the government of the local country prefers the other regime. |
| Keywords: | International trade; R&D rivalry; Shipping firm |
| JEL: | L13 F12 |
| Date: | 2012–02–20 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:36843&r=cse |
| By: | John Van Reenen; Linda Yueh |
| Abstract: | Chinese economic growth has been spectacular in the last 30 years. We investigate the role of International Joint Ventures with Technology Transfer agreements, an understudied area. Technology transfer is the traditional mechanism for developing countries to "catch up" and has been a key component of Chinese economic policy. We collect original survey data on Chinese firms and their joint ventures and match this to administrative data on firm performance. To identify the causal effect of joint ventures we use time-varying and province-specific policies at the time when a firm was born. International joint ventures have large effects on productivity especially when combined with a technology transfer component. We estimate that without International joint ventures China's growth would have been about one percentage point lower per annum over the last three decades. |
| Keywords: | China, technology transfer, joint ventures, productivity |
| JEL: | O32 O33 |
| Date: | 2012–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp1121&r=cse |
| By: | Ruane, Frances; Siedschlag, Iulia |
| Abstract: | A return to economic growth and higher employment requires growth in the number and sustainability of Irish enterprises. Innovation at enterprise level is essential for sustainability and competitiveness and plays a major role in increasing overall productivity. Understanding the determinants of enterprise innovation and how it affects productivity is important for designing effective innovation policies. The tight fiscal constraints and the urgency of achieving successful outcomes require that government policies aimed at enhancing enterprise innovation and raising productivity need to be very effective. This paper draws on recent international theoretical and empirical literature based on enterprise level data to explore four questions: Does innovation contribute to higher productivity? Which types of enterprises invest in innovation? Which enterprises have higher innovation expenditure per employee? Which types of enterprises are more likely to innovate successfully? We then look at what these findings imply for policy in relation to indigenous enterprises, whether the current policy mix is appropriate and how it might become more effective. |
| Keywords: | Productivity |
| Date: | 2011 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:esr:wpaper:ec3&r=cse |
| By: | Nina Pološki Vokić |
| Abstract: | The paper explores the relationship between the way organizations measure HRM and overall quality of HRM activities, as well as the relationship between HRM metrics used and financial performance of an organization. In the theoretical part of the paper modalities of HRM metrics are grouped into five groups (evaluating HRM using accounting principles, evaluating HRM using management techniques, evaluating individual HRM activities, aggregate evaluation of HRM, and evaluating HRM department). In the empirical part of the paper researched concepts are assessed through questionnaires distributed to Croatian organizations with more than 500 employees. Respondents (HRM managers) provided information about HRM metrics their organizations use, overall quality of HRM practice, and financial performance of their organizations. Based on the acquired data, relationships between modality of HRM metrics, quality of HRM and organizational performance are explored. |
| Keywords: | HRM metrics, HRM evaluation, HRM quality, organizational performance, Croatia |
| JEL: | M12 M5 |
| Date: | 2011–12–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zag:wpaper:1109&r=cse |
| By: | Juan Benavides; Felipe Castro; Lina Devis; Mauricio Olivera |
| Abstract: | La primera parte de este estudio caracteriza al sector de telecomunicaciones en Colombia, comparando a Colombia con otros países y regiones del mundo, mostrando la evolución de algunos de los principales indicadores de telecomunicaciones. En la segunda parte se hacen estimaciones cuantitativas del impacto socioeconómico del sector en la economía colombiana, a través de dos herramientas: la metodología insumo-producto y ejercicios estadísticos y econométricos. En la tercera parte se analiza el potencial de la banda ancha para la convergencia regional, partiendo de la universalización del servicio de internet, y a partir de este análisis se obtienen insumos útiles para que la política pública amplíe la cobertura de redes a municipios rurales y áreas urbanas de bajos ingresos. La cuarta parte revisa casos internacionales de masificación de servicios de telecomunicaciones y analiza las lecciones de política pública de países con experiencias relevantes en la expansión y masificación de banda ancha. Se destaca la importancia de la interacción entre múltiples actores, públicos y privados, en el fortalecimiento y expansión de redes de banda ancha, tanto fija como móvil, de última tecnología. La clave para que los cambios producidos por las TICS no sean ventajas transitorias sino permanentes dependerá de los avances simultáneos en ciencia básica, ingeniería, ciencias gerenciales y sociales que se hagan. |
| Date: | 2011–10–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:col:000124:009319&r=cse |
| By: | Rita Silva (ERSAR and ISCTE – IUL); Alexandra Ferreira Lopes (ISCTE - IUL, ISCTE Business School, UNIDE - IUL and CEFAGE-UBI) |
| Abstract: | In a report from 2008 the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development came to the conclusion that Portugal is still a country very much marked by regional asymmetries and in need of better regional governance mechanisms and policies. In the face of these conclusions it becomes important to address the issue of constructing an index of regional development for Portuguese regions to better assess the evolution of the differential between regions. We propose a regional human development index for Portugal at the NUTS III level, based on the methodology of the Human Development Index (HDI) from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Results show us a country that has most of the highest ranked NUTS III positioned in the coastline, although some interior NUTS III regions improve their relative positions in the ranking between 2004 and 2008. Additionally to the traditional dimensions of the HDI, we also added two dimensions, that we choose to include, given the main criticisms pointed in the literature to the HDI - governance and environment. Results show some significative differences when we add the environment dimension, but in terms of governance they don't change significantly. |
| Keywords: | Human Development Index, Regional Asymmetries, Portugal. |
| JEL: | C43 O15 O18 R11 |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cfe:wpcefa:2012_05&r=cse |