Survey Of Firms Research Articles

The role of organizational ambidexterity and frugal innovation in enhancing circular supply chains: The effect of artificial intelligence capabilities

Integrating circular economy practices into supply chains is hailed as an effective pathway towards addressing pollution and resource depletion. However, implementing circular supply chains (CSCs) requires major shifts in current organizations' systems, processes, and competencies. Therefore, the successful implementation of CSCs depends largely on organizations' innovative and adaptive activities and capabilities; however, the role of such in the implementation of CSCs has largely been overlooked in the extant literature. To address this, this study investigates the impact of organizational ambidexterity activities (exploration and exploitation) on frugal innovation and, in turn, on the CSC. The study further examines the moderating role of artificial intelligence capabilities regarding the impact of frugal innovation on CSCs. We carried out a structured survey of textile manufacturing firms operating in Jordan, from which we gained 210 responses. The responses were analyzed using the SmartPLS software suite to assess the veracity of the measurement and test the hypothesized relationships. The analysis demonstrated that organizational ambidexterity activities (i.e., exploration and exploitation) positively influence frugal innovation. Additionally, the analysis uncovered that frugal innovation exerts a positive impact on the CSC, which is further enhanced when firm develop artificial intelligence capabilities. This provides valuable insights into the theoretical discourse and managerial practice on innovation and supply chain management.

Industrial robots and export product quality: evidence from China

ABSTRACT In this study, we first construct a theoretical framework for a heterogeneous product quality model to analyse how robot adoption affects international trade through quality upgrading. Then, we use micro-level data from Chinese Customs Trade Statistics and the Annual Survey of Industrial Firms to examine the heterogeneous effects of industrial robots on export product quality. Both theoretical analysis and empirical research show that industrial robots promote export product quality upgrading through effectively improving firms’ total factor productivity and reducing marginal production costs. Moreover, industrial robots have different effects on firms based on product types, ownership properties, and factor intensity. The results show that the effects of industrial robots on export product quality are stronger for homogeneous products, foreign and private enterprises for homogeneous products, foreign and private enterprises, and labour-intensive industries. These findings align with the literature on the wide-ranging impact of industrial robots, while offering a distinct opportunity to empirically investigate enterprises’ diverse responses to a uniform general-purpose technology. This study also diverges from previous research by examining a previously overlooked dimension: productivity-boosting and marginal cost-reducing effects.

Why hasty adoption of telework stick? Evidence from firms’ digitalization

ABSTRACT The pandemic, from 2020, was expected to be a catalyst for telework to permeate. Our study empirically examines the relationship between a firm’s digitalization and telework stickiness, utilizing the unique data from our firm survey conducted in Osaka, Japan. Our results show amongst the four digital technologies, online sharing of internal information impacts telework stickiness. This tendency is also true for firms that hastily adopted telework after the pandemic.

Marketing affordance of social media for product innovation: the role of organizational structures

PurposeDespite substantial research attention on the business use of social media in innovation literature, the action-based mechanisms through which social media affect firms' product innovation remain unclear. We address this gap by drawing on the affordance theory and examining the effects of social media applications on product innovations.Design/methodology/approachThe study was based on analyzing data collected through a questionnaire survey of Chinese firms. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was applied to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results show that social media applications have a positive effect on marketing affordances (including customer behavior pattern discovery, real-time market response and marketing ambidexterity), in turn positively influencing product innovation performance. Organizational structures shape the actualization of the marketing affordance of social media; while organizational formalization positively moderates the relationships between social media application and marketing affordances, organizational centrality weakens these relationships.Practical implicationsManagers will benefit from understanding how social media can be applied to help their firms achieve product innovation. When manufacturing firms engage in social media for product innovation, they may find it worthwhile to focus on marketing actions such as customer behavior pattern discovery, real-time market response and marketing ambidexterity.Originality/valueThis study elucidates the action-based mechanism of marketing affordance by which social media usage improves product innovation performance. This study also highlights the design of organizational structure as an important approach to realizing the potential benefits of social media in product innovation.

Business continuity management deployment, community resilience, and organisational resilience in private industry response to 2011 Ayutthaya flooding

AbstractThis research aims to investigate the role of community resilience in the relationship between business continuity management and organisational resilience, the focus on a real‐world event (flooding) and its impact on a community provides a concrete context that adds relevance to the study. To complete this research, a quantitative research design was used. A firm‐level survey of private industrial firms in Ayutthaya Province (n = 211) was conducted. Variables included three clusters of business continuity management practices, community resilience, and organisational resilience. The data were then analysed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modelling. The results showed that business continuity management practices contributed to organisational resilience. There were also interaction effects between community resilience and business continuity management practices, indicating that community resilience moderated the effect of business continuity management practices on organisational resilience following the floods. The study is the first to test the role of community resilience in the effectiveness of business continuity management practices on organisational resilience. This contributes to the research by providing a better explanation of how communities and organisations interact in organisational disaster response. The study only investigated a single context of disaster response (firms previously affected by the 2011 Ayutthaya flooding). The research focuses on industrial manufacturing and service firms and does not include retail firms. The research was conducted in historic perspective. Development of organisational resilience is affected by community resilience. Therefore, supporting community resilience through infrastructure, institutions, and other mechanisms is key for post‐disaster economic recovery. This provides a further reason for developing community resilience.

Unraveling the Factors Influencing Digital Transformation and Technology Adoption in High-Tech Firms: The Moderating Role of Digital Literacy

In an era of rapid technological advancement, digital transformation is crucial for high-tech firms to remain competitive and drive innovation. Digital transformation (DT) necessitates incorporating various technologies to enhance a firm’s capacity to collect, integrate, process, and utilize business data. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the factors influencing DT and the adoption of digital technology in the context of high-tech firm performance (FP) with the moderating role of digital literacy (DL). This study analyses the key factors influencing DT and the adoption of digital technologies, focusing on their impact on FP in high-tech firms, with DL as a moderating factor. The significance of this study lies in its comprehensive analysis of the perceived ease of use, time-saving, security risk, and financial risk, as well as their roles in driving DT. The hypothesis was investigated using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. The data was collected from 521 respondents through a self-administered survey of high-tech firms. The results describe that perceived ease of use, time-saving, security risk, and perceived financial risk have a significant and positive relationship with DT. Moreover, DT partially mediates the relationship between perceived time-saving and FP. The study’s practical implications emphasize the need for high-tech firms to address user perceptions and risks associated with digital technologies to implement DT and achieve improved performance successfully.

Strategic Agility in Global Markets: A Review of Business Strategy and Policy

This research investigates strategic agility in global markets to elucidate its dimensions, determinants, and implications for organizational success. Employing a mixed-methods approach, qualitative interviews with business leaders and a quantitative survey of firms across industries were conducted. Findings reveal that strategic agility encompasses sensing, seizing, and transforming capabilities, which is crucial for navigating volatile market landscapes. Organizational culture, leadership, strategic partnerships, and regulatory environments emerge as critical influencers of agility. Agile cultures and ambidextrous leadership foster adaptability, while strategic partnerships provide access to resources and expertise. Adaptive policymaking is essential for creating a conducive regulatory environment. These insights underscore the significance of fostering agile capabilities to thrive amidst global market complexities, offering valuable guidance for practitioners and policymakers alike.

An experiment on the stability of business environment perceptions in a firm survey

An experiment on the stability of business environment perceptions in a firm survey

How does data-driven supply chain analytics capability enhance supply chain agility in the digital era?

Supply chain analytics capability has recently gained more attention from both scholars and practitioners. Through the lens of information processing theory, this study examined how supply chain analytics capability impacts supply chain agility in the digital era with the associated adoption of digital technologies and platforms by companies. To obtain relevant data, a large-scale survey of Chinese manufacturing firms was conducted. Supply chain integration capability was evaluated as mediator and digital platform was evaluated as moderator. The results show that supply chain integration capability can mediate the effect of supply chain analytics capability on supply chain agility; moreover, supply chain analytics capability has a stronger impact on supply chain agility under a high level of digital platform adoption. These findings deepen the understanding of the role of supply chain analytics capability in supply chain management. This paper also provides managerial implications for enhancing supply chain agility in the digital era.

Enhancing Logistics Performance through Trust, Information Sharing, Commitment Level, and Supply Chain Agility

In today’s competitive business environment, the competitiveness of a supply chain is as crucial as that of the individual firms within it. Therefore, firms must continually enhance their supply chain competitiveness. This study identifies trust, information sharing, commitment levels, and supply chain agility as key factors in supply chain management and examines their impact on logistics performance. A survey of firms with established supply chains in South Korea was conducted, with 420 valid responses analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The SEM results indicate that trust, information sharing, and commitment levels positively influence supply chain agility, which significantly enhances logistics performance. These findings underscore the importance of cultivating mutual trust, smooth information sharing, commitment, and agile actions to improve logistics performance. Prioritizing supply chain agility is crucial for adapting to changes, mitigating risks, and securing a competitive edge in a dynamic market environment. This study empirically validates the roles of trust, information sharing, commitment, and agility in supply chain management and their collective impact on logistics performance. The findings are particularly relevant for supply chain managers and practitioners aiming to enhance overall performance and competitiveness. Future research should explore these relationships across different industries and regions to provide a broader understanding of the mechanisms driving supply chain performance.

Beyond “buzz”: knowledge interactions, innovation, and neighborhood characteristics

Abstract We examine the link between neighborhood characteristics, the importance of knowledge exchange, and firm innovation in Montreal. To this end we combine two sources of data: place-of-residence census data from Statistics Canada and the results of an original firm survey. Through principal component analysis and subsequent clustering, we define five types of neighborhoods. The results revealed that firms assign higher importance to local knowledge exchange when located in dense, walkable neighborhoods with higher educated residents. Knowledge exchange, both local and global, correlates with incremental and radical innovation. Moreover, firms are innovative in any neighborhood, provided they engage in knowledge exchange.

Increasing informal sector business, does the impact of regulatory barriers? evidence from the enterprises survey

This study uses survey data from the 2015 World Bank Enterprises Survey of firms operating in 9 provinces in Indonesia. Barriers to doing business in Indonesia for companies are calculated and ranked, and then qualitative methods are used to complete the discussion. This study aims to provide an overview and basis for these constraints so that the central and regional governments can collaborate in making policies that can support the progress of the business world through identification and mapping out barriers to doing business in Indonesia. The aid results show that the main obstacles to doing business in Indonesia in 2015 were the practices of competitors from the informal sector, political instability, and tax rates. The results of this study indicate that since starting a business in Indonesia, firms have been faced with difficulties in obtaining permits that are not in accordance with applicable regulations. For instance, data processing results show that of the firms that apply for business licenses in Indonesia, only 51.41% obtain operating license issuance services following regulations.

The modern meaning of “quality”: analysis, evolution and strategies

PurposeBuilding upon the foundational eight dimensions of quality proposed by Garvin (1987), this research formulates a modern meaning of “quality.” This new meaning aligns with and encapsulates the evolving sophistication of consumers, the strategic quality investments made by firms, and the current dynamics of sales.Design/methodology/approachDue to the complexity of the concept of quality, a triangulation approach is used, which is composed of the following: a review of the literature, an analysis of consumers’ quality dimensions using both qualitative (interviews) and quantitative (survey) methods, as well as a quantitative investigation (survey) of firms’ investments in quality dimensions and the links to sales.FindingsOur findings reveal the existence of 21 new and emerging dimensions through which consumers measure product quality, all of which complement Garvin’s dimensions. These dimensions contribute to a fresh and modern interpretation of quality. Although there are 29 dimensions of quality in total, firms should shape their strategies by focusing on usability, customization, efficiency, innovation, performance, perceived quality, serviceability, pricing, conformance quality, ethics, and sustainability. These dimensions align with consumer wants and positively correlate with firms’ sales.Originality/valueThis research identifies novel and contemporary dimensions of quality, serving to complement the eight dimensions previously delineated by Garvin (1987). Consequently, it contributes to updating the operations management literature on Total Quality Management, 36 years subsequent to the introduction of Garvin’s foundational dimensions.

The role of social media in product innovation: a survey of small and medium-sized manufacturing firms

PurposePrevious studies investigating the effects of using social media in the innovation processes of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) yield mixed results, and the conditions for achieving innovation benefits from social media are unclear. The present study seeks to contribute to the understanding of this topic.Design/methodology/approachWith a basis in the literature on open innovation and SMEs, this study develops a model that explains the role of social media in product innovation processes where technological focus and abilities are converted into product innovations. The model is tested through a survey of 305 Danish manufacturing SMEs.FindingsFindings show that SMEs with higher technological orientation (TO) are more inclined to use social media in their product innovation processes and that social media use explains 22.4 percent of the relationship between TO and product innovation performance. On the other hand, the data did not support the assumption that SMEs with high TO achieve higher product innovation benefits than low TO SMEs for similar levels of social media use.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that SMEs with lower levels of TO could increase their product innovation performance through increased use of social media in their innovation processes.Originality/valueThe study provides new knowledge on the role of social media in SMEs’ product innovation processes. As the level of TO increases, the use of social media in the innovation process becomes an increasingly important mechanism for deriving the full innovation potential from technological focus and abilities.

Equity split evolution in entrepreneurial teams: Assessing financial contributions and human capital

ABSTRACT Proper equity splits play a vital role in the success of entrepreneurial teams, yet the literature lacks a comprehensive understanding of their evolving nature. This study addresses this gap by analyzing the dynamic and evolutionary process of equity splits using longitudinal data. Through the development of a game-theory model incorporating human-capital signals, we illuminate the impact of these factors. Utilizing data from the Kauffman Firm Survey and employing fixed- and mixed-effects modeling, we uncover significant findings. Initially, financial contributions shape equity splits, but their influence diminishes as hidden human capital gains prominence. Education attainment and work experience have no direct effect, while prior entrepreneurial experience influences the initial year but not subsequent equity resplitting. Our research offers practical insights for making informed equity-split decisions in the early and later stages of ventures. Nonetheless, it’s important to note some limitations in our research stemming from the lack of information on individual entrepreneurs’ performance within entrepreneurial teams, which could enrich the measurement of hidden human capital.

Firms’ economic growth expectations and reactions to micro and macro news in Japan

ABSTRACT This study investigates whether firms’ expectations of aggregate output growth overreact or underreact to micro and macro news by examining firm surveys conducted by a Japanese newspaper company, Nikkei. We capture micro news measured by forecast revisions and macro news measured by a new variable, the Japanese government’s growth forecast and that of professional forecasters’ consensus. We found that firms’ economic growth expectations overreact only to macro news. Our results indicate the heterogeneity of firm expectations formation across target variables and news types. Our findings suggest that firms excessively rely on government forecasts in turbulent times. The overreaction of firms’ output growth expectations to the government’s forecast may be associated with their lower performance, and that the government’s macroeconomic forecasts play a role in macroeconomic performance through firms’ expectation channels.

Bridging versus buffering: how IT capabilities and dependence advantage shape responses to supply chain disruptions?

PurposeDrawing upon resource dependence theory, this study aims to examine how a firm’s information technology (IT) capabilities (i.e. IT integration and IT reconfiguration) influence its responses to disruptions – bridging with a current supplier and buffering with an alternative supplier. We further examine how such relationships are moderated by the firm–supplier relative dependence (i.e. firm dependence advantage and supplier dependence advantage).Design/methodology/approachBased on data from 141 match-paired surveys of firms in China, we test our model.FindingsOur study finds that IT integration positively influences bridging and IT reconfiguration positively influences buffering. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the positive impact of IT integration on bridging is negatively influenced by the firm’s dependence (FD) advantage but positively moderated by the supplier’s dependence advantage. By contrast, the positive impact of IT reconfiguration on buffering is negatively influenced by the FD advantage.Originality/valueOur study provides a more nuanced insight into the effects of IT capabilities on disruption responses and a better understanding of the buyer–supplier dependence boundary conditions under which these effects vary.

The pandemic push: Digital technologies and workforce adjustments

Using a novel firm survey matched to administrative employee records, we demonstrate that the COVID-19 pandemic was a push factor for the diffusion of digital technologies in Germany. Two out of three firms invested in digital technologies. Three quarters of those investing firms invested because of the pandemic, particularly in hardware and software to enable decentralized communication, management, and coordination. These investments also fostered additional firm-sponsored training, underscoring the complementarity between investments in digital technologies and training. We then show that the investments helped firms insure their workers against the economic downturn. Firms with additional digital investments retained more of their employees on regular working hours and relied less on short-time work. Low- and medium-skilled, as well as young workers, benefited the most from the insurance effect of digital investments.

Circular design strategies and economic sustainability of construction projects in china: the mediating role of organizational culture

This research aims to elucidate the relationship between circular design strategies (CDS) and the economic sustainability of construction projects (ESCP), examining the mediating role of organizational culture (OC). Motivated by the imperative to develop a sustainable circular economy (CE) model in the building industry, our study focuses on a crucial dimension of CE processes. Specifically, we investigate how construction firms’ organizational values shape their pursuit of desired economic outcomes within CE theory. Through a comprehensive analysis of 359 responses from a cross-sectional survey of Chinese construction firms employing Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), our findings reveal a positive albeit weakly impactful association between CDS and ESCP. Simultaneously, OC is identified as a factor detrimental to ESCP. Notably, this study unveils the influential roles of hierarchical culture (HC) and group culture (GC) in shaping the current state of ESCP in China. Emphasizing the significance of CDS, we propose that contract administrators proactively reposition their organizations to adopt strategies conducive to achieving the necessary economic output for construction projects. The originality aspect lies in this research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering empirical insights into the theoretical framework, marking the first such empirical study in northern China. We conclude by critically examining research outcomes and limitations while providing insightful recommendations for future research to foster sustainable construction practices in the Chinese context.

Uncertainty and Information Acquisition: Evidence from Firms and Households

We leverage the small open economy Switzerland as a testing ground for basic premises of macroeconomic models of endogenous information acquisition, using tailored surveys of firms and households. Firms and households perceiving a greater exposure to exchange rate fluctuations acquire more information about the exchange rate. Moreover, higher perceived costs of acquiring or processing information are associated with lower levels of information acquisition. Finally, an exogenous increase in the perceived uncertainty of the exchange rate increases firms’ demand for a report about exchange rate developments, but not households’. Our findings inform the modeling of information frictions in macroeconomics. (JEL D12, D22, D81, D83, D84, E71, F31)