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on Economics of Strategic Management |
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Issue of 2026–02–16
fifteen papers chosen by João José de Matos Ferreira, Universidade da Beira Interior |
| By: | Seong-Young Kim (Rennes SB - Rennes School of Business); Phillip H Kim |
| Abstract: | We study how and why firms shift their interfirm network positions during the routinized regime of a mature high-technology industry. Firms seek benefits from network positions (structural holes or centrality) by forming alliances that move them into these positions and increase their innovation performance. However, during the routinized technology regime, inertia impedes such movements, leading firms a dilemma: whether to continue shifting between two network positions and determine if such shifts yield better outcomes. We analyzed firm network positioning behavior in the semiconductor industry from 1991-2007. Our findings indicate that firms shift toward more central positions, which, in turn, improves innovation performance. These results explain how firms actively shape their network strategy when external conditions discourage such shifts. |
| Keywords: | semiconductor industry, routinized technology regime, high-technology industries, innovation performance, interfirm network positioning |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05410602 |
| By: | Carlos Plata (TSM - Toulouse School of Management Research - UT Capitole - Université Toulouse Capitole - Comue de Toulouse - Communauté d'universités et établissements de Toulouse - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - TSM - Toulouse School of Management - UT Capitole - Université Toulouse Capitole - Comue de Toulouse - Communauté d'universités et établissements de Toulouse) |
| Abstract: | This article explores the complexities of intangible knowledge transfer in university- industry collaborations, offering a comprehensive view of the current landscape and its future direction. Using a bibliometric and systematic literature review of 1496 articles and 20 selected studies, the research identifies key trends and patterns. Despite differences between academic and practical domains, the study finds that informal networking and personal interactions facilitate mutually beneficial partnerships, regardless of industry type, firm size, or academic specialization. The paper highlights the crucial role of intangible knowledge transfer platforms in fostering effective collaborations and advocates for streamlined protocols to enhance knowledge exchange between academia and businesses. Introducing the Unity Index, the paper provides a novel tool to analyze key authors and relationships between variables, offering new insights and opportunities for future research. This study emphasizes the critical importance of intangible knowledge transfer in university-industry relationships, addressing gaps often overlooked in traditional analyses. |
| Keywords: | University-industry collaboration, Knowledge transfer, Intangible knowledge, Bibliometric analysis |
| Date: | 2024–07–25 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05454253 |
| By: | Vasilios Kanellopoulos |
| Abstract: | The present paper examines the effect of R&D spillovers on regional innovation in Greece over the 2002-2010 period. The approach taken goes beyond a regional knowledge production function and draws possible explanations from a more extensive pool of R&D related and regional structural variables. Having employed game theory techniques in order to describe the licensing of the patents through royalties and derived the subgame perfect Nash equilibrium under a Stackelberg duopoly, the results obtained accord with findings of previous studies when it comes R&D expenditure related variables and further suggest that the role of highly-qualified employment is instrumental in promoting regional innovation. The results also suggest the benefits of synergies between R&D personnel in manufacturing and other measures of highly-qualified employment as well as R&D expenditure of the public sector and employment in manufacturing business R&D for regional innovation. |
| Date: | 2026–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2602.02274 |
| By: | A. de Costa (University of Moratuwa); Vathsala Wickramasinghe (University of Moratuwa) |
| Abstract: | The objectives of the study were to investigate 1) whether paternalistic leadership affects exploitative and exploratory innovation, and 2) whether intrinsic motivation and environmental dynamism moderate the direct effects of paternalistic leadership on exploitative and exploratory innovation. The study was conducted in Sri Lanka by taking a sample of respondents from the information technology sector. The results indicate a notable distinction between the factors driving exploitative and exploratory innovation. Both types of innovations are significantly affected by paternalistic leadership. However, it has a positive influence on exploitation while it has a negative influence on exploration. Intrinsic motivation significantly predicts only the exploratory innovation, while environmental dynamism significantly predicts only the exploitative innovation. This divergence can be explained by the inherent differences in the nature of these two types of innovation. Overall, this research advances theoretical understanding and provides practical guidance. |
| Keywords: | Employee motivation, Leadership and innovation, Innovation performance, Innovation management, Leadership styles, Environmental dynamism, Intrinsic motivation, Exploratory innovation, Exploitative innovation, Paternalistic leadership |
| Date: | 2026–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05479919 |
| By: | Dawood Al Hamdani (Sohar University, Sultanate of Oman Author-2-Name: Author-2-Workplace-Name: Author-3-Name: Author-3-Workplace-Name: Author-4-Name: Author-4-Workplace-Name: Author-5-Name: Author-5-Workplace-Name: Author-6-Name: Author-6-Workplace-Name: Author-7-Name: Author-7-Workplace-Name: Author-8-Name: Author-8-Workplace-Name:) |
| Abstract: | " Objective - This study examines educator perceptions, adoption behaviours, and institutional challenges related to emerging educational technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Learning Management Systems (LMS), analytics tools, and digital platforms, within higher education institutions in Oman for enhancing institutional readiness, digital competence, and sustainable technology integration by using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Diffusion of Innovation (DOI), and the Digital Competence Framework, the research integrates a structured survey with a comprehensive literature review. Methodology/Technique - Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Diffusion of Innovation (DOI), and the Digital Competence Framework, the research integrates a structured survey with a comprehensive literature review Findings - Findings reveal widespread LMS adoption, moderate AI uptake, limited use of immersive technologies, and persistent challenges, including privacy concerns, insufficient training, and resistance to change. Novelty - The study provides evidence-based recommendations to enhance institutional readiness, digital competence, and the integration of sustainable technologies. Type of Paper - Review" |
| Keywords: | institutional challenges; Learning Management Systems; comprehensive literature review; Technology Acceptance Model; Diffusion of Innovation; Digital Competence Framework. |
| JEL: | I21 I23 O33 |
| Date: | 2026–03–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gtr:gatrjs:jmmr358 |
| By: | Philipp Jonas Kreutzer; Josef Taalbi |
| Abstract: | Collaboration is expected to play a central role in the transition to a bioeconomy - a central pillar of a green economy. Such collaboration is supposed to connect traditional biomass processing firms with diverse actors in fields where biomass ought to substitute existing or create novel products and processes. This study analyzes the network of technology collaborations among innovating firms in Sweden between 1970 and 2021. The results reveal generally positive associations between direct and indirect ties, with meaningful increases in innovation output for each additional direct collaboration partner. Relationships between brokerage positions and innovation output were statistically insignificant, and cognitive proximity - while following theoretical expectations - materially insignificant. These associations are mostly equal between actors heavily invested in the bioeconomy and those focusing on other innovation areas, indicating that these actors operate under largely similar mechanisms linking collaboration and subsequent innovation output. These results suggest that stimulating collaboration broadly - rather than attempting to optimize collaboration compositions - could result in higher number of significant Swedish innovations, for bioeconomy and other sectors alike. |
| Date: | 2026–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2602.05112 |
| By: | Jacquemin, Philippe; Gräf, Miriam; Vetter, Oliver A. |
| Abstract: | The metaverse is reshaping how organizations create, capture, and deliver value by enabling novel, immersive forms of interaction within digitally mediated environments. However, the technological volatility, platform fragmentation, and institutional ambiguity that characterize metaverse ecosystems present significant challenges to the development and realization of viable business models. Moreover, there is limited guidance on how organizations can navigate these complexities. Therefore, this study adopts a dynamic capabilities perspective to examine how organizations develop the strategic capacities of sensing, seizing, and transforming in the context of metaverse initiatives. Drawing on a systematic literature review and 21 expert interviews across diverse industries, our study identifies thirteen microfoundations that underpin the development, implementation, and adaptation of metaverse-driven business models. These findings advance the understanding at the intersection of strategic management and digital innovation and provide actionable insights to support organizations in effectively designing and realizing metaverse-driven business models. |
| Date: | 2025–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dar:wpaper:159186 |
| By: | Michael Balzer; Adhen Benlahlou |
| Abstract: | This paper develops a theory of scientific and technological peer effects to study how individuals' productivity responds to the behavior and network positions of their collaborators across both scientific and inventive activities. Building on a simultaneous equation network framework, the model predicts that productivity in each activity increases in a variation of the Katz-Bonacich centrality that captures within-activity and cross-activity strategic complementarities. To test these predictions, we assemble the universe of cancer-related publications and patents and construct coauthorship and coinventorship networks that jointly map the collaboration structure of researchers active in both spheres. Using an instrumental-variables approach based on predicted link formation from exogenous dyadic characteristics, and incorporating community fixed effects to address endogenous network formation, we show that both authors' and inventors' outputs rise with their network centrality, consistent with the theory. Moreover, scientific productivity significantly enhances technological productivity, while technological output does not exert a detectable reciprocal effect on scientific production, highlighting an asymmetric linkage aligned with a science-driven model of innovation. These findings provide the first empirical evidence on the joint dynamics of scientific and inventive peer effects, underscore the micro-foundations of the co-evolution of science and technology, and reveal how collaboration structures can be leveraged to design policies that enhance collective knowledge creation and downstream innovation. |
| Date: | 2026–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2602.02403 |
| By: | Mallardi, Giulio; Leogrande, Angelo; Drago, Carlo; Costantiello, Alberto |
| Abstract: | The current research aims to examine the reasons behind the higher ERP system integration in some European countries compared to others. This research conceptualizes ERP system integration not merely as a technological phenomenon but also as a strategic organizational capability. This research is based on the existing literature on Strategic Information Systems, digital transformation, and IT-Business alignment. This research aims to explore the impact of the external innovation ecosystem on ERP system diffusion and assimilation. This research utilizes a mixed research method that combines panel data analysis with machine learning algorithms and cluster analysis. This research utilizes panel data analysis by combining the ERP system integration data from the EUROSTAT database with the European Innovation Scoreboard. This research identifies that countries with higher innovation ecosystem maturity exhibit higher ERP system integration. This research also identifies different patterns of ERP system integration in various clusters of countries. This research has managerial implications that highlight the strategic importance of ERP system integration. This research also has implications for policymakers that highlight the importance of investing in the innovation ecosystem. This research contributes to the existing literature on Strategic Information Systems by combining macro-level data analysis with strategic insights on ERP system integration.Keywords: ERP integration, Strategic information systems, Innovation ecosystem, IT–business alignment, Digital transformation |
| Date: | 2026–01–29 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:rb2sz_v1 |
| By: | Antonin Bergeaud; Julia Schmidt; Riccardo Zago |
| Abstract: | Technology standards are defined by national and international organizations to select and disseminate the best technologies and practices. Using a measure of patent quality and a novel measure of the semantic proximity between patents and standards documents, this paper exploits the standardization process to disentangle the respective contributions of innovation and diffusion to firm value. Producing a patent increases a firm’s book value by 0.8% over the first eight years following the patent grant. However, this value deteriorates when the patent is not incorporated into a standard and diffused. In contrast, only firms whose patent specifications are included in a standard experience an additional increase in firm value of about 0.4% thereafter. Similar results are obtained when examining firms’ market-value and net worth. Finally, by studying firm-level productivity and markups, we show that the value gains associated with innovation stem from productivity improvements, whereas those associated with diffusion arise from rent extraction. |
| Keywords: | Standardization, Patents, Innovation, Firm Value |
| JEL: | G30 O31 O33 |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bfr:banfra:1031 |
| By: | Diego Ocampo-Corrales (AQR-IREA, University of Barcelona); Rosina Moreno (AQR-IREA, University of Barcelona) |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the role of regions’ recombinatorial technological capacity in shaping the technological space. To do so, we identify novel combinations of technologies and track their evolution by tracing all subsequent inventions that incorporate the same combination. Building on the concepts of relatedness and geographical proximity, we focus on the relevance of the technological antecedents of a pair of technologies combined for the first time in determining their success. This is due through the estimation of the likelihood of a new technological combination eventually becoming embedded within the broader knowledge space. Using patent data from 1976 to 2022 in the case of the European regions, we find strong evidence that a higher degree of relatedness between the technological antecedents of the two combined technologies significantly increases the likelihood that the combination will be reused in future inventions. Additionally, we find that the success of a new combination also benefits from the presence of dissimilar knowledge—not directly involved in the combination’s antecedents but accessible within the surrounding technological environment. In these cases, the greater the relatedness between the new invention’s antecedents and the broader regional knowledge base, the more likely it is to generate a high number of follow-on inventions and contribute meaningfully to the formation of the technological space |
| Keywords: | New combination of technologies, Regional innovation, European regions, Recombination capacity, Knowledge space, Technological antecedents JEL classification:O18, O31, O33, R11 |
| Date: | 2025–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:aqr:wpaper:202511 |
| By: | Shakirah binti Noor Azlan (UCYP University, Jalan Tanjung Lumpur, 26060, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. Author-2-Name: Shah Rollah bin Abdul Wahab Author-2-Workplace-Name: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia. Author-3-Name: Fatin Fazrida binti Peros Khan Author-3-Workplace-Name: UCYP University, Jalan Tanjung Lumpur, 26060, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. Author-4-Name: Author-4-Workplace-Name: Author-5-Name: Author-5-Workplace-Name: Author-6-Name: Author-6-Workplace-Name: Author-7-Name: Author-7-Workplace-Name: Author-8-Name: Author-8-Workplace-Name:) |
| Abstract: | " Objective - Workplace accidents are often underestimated, yet they significantly affect an organization's reputation, costs, productivity, and employee retention. This study investigates the role of employee engagement and its dimensions in influencing psychological empowerment, safety climate, and safety performance. Methodology/Technique - Data were collected via questionnaires from 400 operator-level employees across seven Malaysian electrical and electronics manufacturing companies. Findings - Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using Smart-PLS was used to examine the relationships. The results indicate that employee engagement significantly mediates the relationship between safety climate and psychological empowerment, contributing to improved safety performance. These findings underscore the importance of fostering employee engagement and its dimensions to enhance organizational safety and overall performance. Novelty - Furthermore, the study yielded a model encompassing safety climate, psychological empowerment, employee engagement, and safety performance. This study has demonstrated that workplace safety encompasses employees' views and behaviors in electrical and electronics manufacturing businesses. Type of Paper - Empirical" |
| Keywords: | Safety climate, psychological empowerment, employee engagement, SmartPLS. |
| JEL: | J24 J28 M12 |
| Date: | 2026–03–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gtr:gatrjs:jmmr359 |
| By: | K.L.B. Karavita (University of Moratuwa); V. Wickramasinghe (University of Moratuwa) |
| Abstract: | This paper presents findings of a study that investigated the determinants of performance of unionized shop-floor employees engaged in private sector firms operating with collective bargaining agreements in Sri Lanka. The specific objectives of the study were to investigate the effects of 1) HRM practices, 2) employee characteristics, and 3) firm characteristics on the performance of unionized shop-floor employees under collective bargaining agreements. The HRM practices under consideration were training, job security, employee empowerment, and employee relations. Age, gender, the duration of employment, the highest education qualification, and skill category were considered as employee characteristics, whereas firm size and firm age were considered as firm characteristics. Data were collected from unionized shop-floor employees attached to private sector firms that have active trade unions and maintain formal collective agreements. The results underscore a strong positive relationship between HRM practices and employee performance; training and employee relations practices had the strongest effects. Further, the years of business operation had a significant effect on employee performance. However, the effect of employee characteristics was not significant. The effect of firm size was also not significant. The findings have important implications for HRM professionals and business leaders working in unionized work environments. |
| Keywords: | Collective bargaining, Unionized employees, Collective bargaining agreements, Employee characteristics, Employee performance, Employment conditions, Firm characteristics, HRM strategies for unionized employees, Labor unions, labour relations, Trade unions, shop-floor employees, HRM practices |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05482877 |
| By: | Dr Chinnasamy Agamudai Malarvizhi (Multimedia University, Cyberjaya, 63100, Selangor, Malaysia Author-2-Name: Theshmah Janarthanan Nambiar Author-2-Workplace-Name: Multimedia University, Cyberjaya, 63100, Selangor, Malaysia Author-3-Name: Author-3-Workplace-Name: Author-4-Name: Author-4-Workplace-Name: Author-5-Name: Author-5-Workplace-Name: Author-6-Name: Author-6-Workplace-Name: Author-7-Name: Author-7-Workplace-Name: Author-8-Name: Author-8-Workplace-Name:) |
| Abstract: | "Objective - The human resources (HR) teams in information technology (IT) organizations have begun adopting AI solutions to enhance workforce management, improve communication, and increase productivity, given the emergence of remote and hybrid working models. Methodology/Technique - These calls for further research into the effects of artificial intelligence (AI) tools on employee performance in IT firms in Malaysia, particularly in the context of remote and hybrid work. Hence, this study aims to examine how AI-based platforms, such as automated performance appraisals, employee engagement tools, and virtual collaboration services, affect work productivity, job satisfaction, and overall morale. Findings - The independent variables of work-life balance, communication satisfaction, and organizational support are examined via convenience sampling. The three exogenous variables are linked to a single endogenous variable, employee performance. Moreover, the research investigates the limitations and potential of these resources in remote or hybrid settings by assessing their impact on organizational culture, employee relations, and well-being. Novelty - This empirical work aims to aggregate and analysis empirical information on the risks involved in AI-driven hybrid working environments. The elicited data could be used to develop an AI-driven tool to assist workers and employers in recognizing, assessing, and mitigating risks. Existing legislation should be analyzed to determine how HR technology can reinforce guidelines to safeguard remote workers. Type of Paper - Empirical" |
| Keywords: | Remote and hybrid working, AI tools, Work-life balance, Organizational support, Communication Satisfaction, Employee performance |
| JEL: | M1 M15 |
| Date: | 2026–03–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gtr:gatrjs:jmmr357 |
| By: | K.C.U. Jayarathne; W.A.J.S. Kularathne; H. Ayeshmantha; K.V.J.M. Karunapala; V.M. Wickramasinghe (University of Moratuwa) |
| Abstract: | Sri Lanka's apparel industry is acknowledged as a key contributor to the Sri Lankan economy in terms of national GDP and providing employment. However, the sector continues to face operational challenges in relation to employee performance management (EPM), considering many areas like inconsistent evaluation criteria and having limited feedback mechanisms in PE processes. Thus, by conducting this study, the authors have attempted to address the underexplored potential of integrating Lean process improvement with a special focus on employing Value Stream Mapping (VSM) into EPM systems to enhance productivity and engagement of the apparel employees. The whole study was guided by three objectives, including exploring existing EPM processes, assessing the applicability of Lean/VSM, and providing practical recommendations considering the use of process improvement using VSM within PE processes. This study was conducted as a qualitative single-case study based on a medium-sized apparel firm. The required data were collected through 12 semi-structured interviews with management and operational staff, complemented by document analysis of HR policies, appraisal forms, and training records. Thematic analysis and review of documents were used as the analysis tools. The thematic analysis results revealed five key weaknesses: lack of standardization, narrow feedback channels, training gaps, process inefficiencies, and communication barriers in the existing employee performance management process. Findings indicate that VSM could streamline appraisal processes, reduce delays, standardize evaluation, and link performance outcomes to targeted training. The given recommendations through the study were included: baseline VSM mapping, phased implementation, digital feedback systems, and fostering a continuous improvement culture. These insights offer a replicable framework for Lean-based EPM adoption in labour intensive sectors of developing economies. |
| Keywords: | Operations management, Industrial engineering, Manufacturing industry, Operational efficiency, Lean management, Performance management systems, Value Stream Mapping, Lean process improvement, Process Standardization, Process Optimization |
| Date: | 2025–11–25 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05478121 |