Innovative Companies Research Articles

Management Skills in Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): a Systematic Review

Objective: To analyze the level of knowledge generated by various authors on the managerial skills of SMEs between 2014 and 2024. Theoretical Framework: Managerial skills are very relevant for the strategic exercise of innovation and development in companies, where technical skills are not enough, and are composed of various knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors that a person requires to efficiently develop the responsibilities to lead a company (Leyva and Cavazos 2018; Leyva et al., 2017). Method: The research has a qualitative approach since the purpose is to present a general study on Managerial Skills in SMEs, aspects of scientific production are analyzed and evaluated, through research in the Scopus and Web of Science (WOS) databases. Results and Discussion: Managerial skills, management skills, human relations, such as business relations influence the leadership style of entrepreneurs, generating a positive and people-oriented impact to the extent that there are greater human and business interactions (Abdullah et al., 2023). Research Implications: The development of SME organizations today are involved in a fast-changing environment that requires strengthening managerial skills in order to achieve strategic business objectives effectively and efficiently. Originality/value: The research will contribute to a better understanding of business organizations and the importance of developing managerial skills, enhancing innovation, knowledge management and SME performance.

The paradox of aging population and firm digital transformation in China

Although a number researchers have acknowledged that the aging population inhibits firm digital transformation, others find it promoting digital transformation in some firms. As the relevant literature to clarify such paradox is still scare, this paper wants to fill the gap regarding the labor cost theory, the capital-skill complementarity hypothesis, and the human capital externality theory. Based on the empirical tests of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2001 to 2022, this study detected a U-shaped relationship between the aging population and digital transformation. In terms of the institutional environment, higher marketization strengthens the U-shaped relationship by making the slopes on either side of it steeper. However, higher minimum wage levels weaken the U-shaped relationship. In terms of firm strategy, firms with stronger marketing capabilities strengthened the U-shaped relationship. However, firms with higher customer concentration weakened the U-shaped relationship. Overall, we enriched scholarly understanding of the impact of the aging population on digital transformation and demonstrated the dual potential impact of aging populations. Instead of assuming they are detrimental to the economy and society, positive contributions in the form of innovation and progress for companies can be detected.

Interregional circulation of credit resources and company innovation.

Although the impact of interest rates, repayment periods, and loan scales on loan consequences has been extensively studied, little attention has been paid to the geographical distance involved in loan transactions. This study collects the addresses of borrowing companies, listed companies, and banks. Nonlocal loans can be distinguished because the regional segmentations in the lending industry reflect the features of provincial boundaries. Using data from Chinese A-share listed companies from 2007 to 2022, this research explores the causes of nonlocal loans and their impact on company innovation. Nonlocal loans are found to address the lack of local credit resources rather than financial constraints, supplementing disposable capital. This interregional circulation of credit resources facilitates innovation, particularly in financially undeveloped areas. This study does not detect research and development manipulation and recognizes the increase in innovation output. The findings have implications for credit resource allocation and balanced regional development.

The effect of manager's profile on the social innovation in Cameroonian industrial companies

The aim of this research is to highlight the role of manager's profile in the adoption of social innovation in industrial companies. It has used a quantitative methodology, with a questionnaire administered to 176 managers of Cameroonian industrial companies. The results of the hypotheses tests were derived from the multifactorial ANOVA and multiple linear regression analyses. The results show that among the sociodemographic profile variables, only the level of education and experience of the managers have a significant effect on social innovation, unlike gender and age which have no effect. In addition, the manager's personal values contribute to the adoption of social innovation through his ethical values and community ownership. The study therefore offers relevant implications for managers and owners of industrial companies who aspire to consider social innovation in their offerings to meet profitability objectives and create positive social impact.

Innovation and economic sustainability in small and medium-sized Latin American companies

Innovation and economic sustainability in small and medium-sized Latin American companies

Technological innovation, financing constraints, and carbon reduction in energy companies—From the perspective of the corporate lifecycle

Technological innovation, financing constraints, and carbon reduction in energy companies—From the perspective of the corporate lifecycle

Research on the Role of Platform Economy in Credit for Small and Micro Enterprises - A Case Study of Alibaba

In the financial market, the financing needs of the micro-economy are concentrated at the long tail, and its development has always been a focus of social attention. In recent years, China has made significant efforts to address the financing challenges faced by small and micro enterprises. Despite these efforts, the financial support allocated to these enterprises remains disproportionate to their economic contributions. Unlike large and medium-sized enterprises, small and micro enterprises (SMEs) still struggle to obtain adequate financial resources, highlighting the incomplete coverage of the current Chinese financial system. As a result, these enterprises continue to encounter difficulties in securing necessary funding. Fintech can help these enterprises choose financing platforms and methods that match their development, enrich their financing channels, improve the loan issuance efficiency of financial institutions, precisely support their development, and ensure that the interests of stakeholders are realized. The report from the 20th National Congress emphasized the importance of establishing a supportive environment for the advancement of technology-driven SMEs. It also advocated for fostering the growth of specialized and innovative companies. This initiative sends a clear signal encouraging SMEs to innovate independently, which will undoubtedly have an important and far-reaching positive impact. However, SMEs are financially fragile, with prominent contradictions between their financing needs and the financial supply side. The integration of finance and technology has changed the operational mechanism of the financial industry. Fintech companies, through the application of emerging technologies, have expanded their business scope to long-tail small and micro clients, bringing new platforms for financing to these enterprises. This paper studies the case of Alibaba’s “Digital Hybrid Trade Show” initiative to further explore how fintech can be more effectively applied to the financing of SMEs, thereby aiding their stable and healthy development.

The influencing factors of green technology innovation in renewable energy companies based on hyper-network

Green technology innovation is a critical factor in ensuring the long-term stable development of renewable energy enterprises. Based on the super network theory, this paper constructs a network model of green technology innovation influencing factors of renewable energy enterprises, which includes the knowledge sub-network of green technology innovation of renewable energy enterprises, the research and development member sub-network of green technology innovation team of renewable energy enterprises and the policy sub-network of green technology innovation of renewable energy enterprises. It explores the mechanism of its influence on innovation in the preparation stage. Simulation analysis by Netlogo software concludes that innovation knowledge sharing, R&D membership, and innovation policy all have a significant positive impact on green technology innovation in renewable energy companies.

The role of knowledge management in enhancing innovation performance: a study on literature reviews

Determinant performance innovation can varies depending on context organization or industry certain. Many factors decider performance involving innovation combination internal and external aspects. Companies or organizations that succeed at innovation can often combine some or all of these factors to create an environment that supports the development and implementation of new ideas. This research aims to conduct a literature review study of company innovation performance. This research uses the literature study method to determine the measurement of company innovation performance of 56 articles related to innovation performance and its determining factors. The research was carried out by comprehensively identifying and conceptualizing the determinant framework for innovation performance in terms of (1) Innovativeness and attributes; (2) The impact of Ambidextrous Leadership On innovation performance; (3) Impact of knowledge management strategy on innovation performance; (4) The impact of creative self-efficacy on innovation performance; and (5) Conceptualization of determinants and their impact on innovation performance. The research results found that a company's ability to dynamically manage its resources is the main key to improving company performance. Thus, companies must have effective strategies in managing their resources and facing changes in the business environment to remain competitive.

The Innovation Society Constructs Ability Constitution Analysis

The Innovation Society Constructs Ability Constitution Analysis

The digital transformation, funding constraints, and the green innovation of transportation companies

The digital transformation, funding constraints, and the green innovation of transportation companies

Digital Finance, Research and Development Investment, and Corporate Green Technology Innovation

The development of digital finance is anticipated to alleviate the dilemma of corporate green technology innovation. This study selects manufacturing enterprises that are publicly listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges as well as the Growth Enterprise Market in China, as research samples, of which the data spans from 2011 to 2020. An empirical research using a matched dataset of this period demonstrates that the growth of digital finance has a significantly positive impact on the promotion of green technology innovation in Chinese manufacturing companies. This result remains valid even after conducting rigorous testing to ensure its reliability and taking into account the potential influence of endogeneity. Moreover, this promoting effect exhibits heterogeneity due to differences in enterprise size and property rights. In the future, governments, financial institutions, and enterprises should collaborate to promote the improvement of digital finance infrastructure, bolster policies and financial support for enterprise green technology research and development (R&D) investment, and effectively foster the improvement of corporate green technology innovation capabilities.

Are the media drivers of R&D?

Research exploring how extra-legal institutional aspects might impact corporate investment policy in innovation is still in its early stages. This lack of research is even greater when it comes to studying the role of media attention in corporate innovation. This study extends prior literature by investigating the relationship between media visibility and research and development (R&D) investment in a continental European context. Using a sample of Spanish listed firms in the 2008–2022 period, results indicate that media attention has a positive effect on corporate innovation. The results provide support for arguments that the media reduce agency conflicts, facilitate fundraising, and increase the reputational risk of internal agents as well as the pressure to meet stakeholder demands and the chances of obtaining external help to develop new ideas and projects. Moreover, we show that media attention encourages innovation in companies who are more isolated from stakeholder demands, who face greater agency conflicts, or who suffer from financial difficulties.

Product Development Anxiety: A Contingency Planning Model for Innovative Production Companies

This paper investigates the possible failure modes of the product development process in production companies that are active in the B2C markets with a focus on household products. Since these cases require short lead times and are difficult to differentiate, in many instances the result will not be the desired one and could affect profitability for a season or for good. A model of these possibilities is created and an approach to plan contingencies for their solutions is proposed in the article. The main guideline is to switch from failure probability determination to accepting failure as inevitable and using digital solutions to reinforce the development process to offset its impact. For this goal, an Industry 5.0 Abatement Factor (abbreviated IFAF) is introduced in the contingency planning approach, which factors in the evaluation of the low cost of digital instruments and the proper mix of Technology, Humans, and AI (abbreviated THAI). The new working procedure based on these concepts and their interlinkages is discussed based on specific examples.

University-industry open innovation: main enablers and practices based on a scoping review

Purpose Given their capacity to generate knowledge, universities can be the primary external source of knowledge and innovation for companies. Despite studies on the potential drivers of open innovation, the actors involved in these projects beyond academics and the most effective practices that universities follow for successful university–industry collaborations remain unclear. This study aims to identify the enablers and best practices universities follow to contribute to successful university–industry open innovation results, providing a conceptual framework for the management of such initiatives. Design/methodology/approach Articles from peer-reviewed academic journals identified in the Scopus and Web of Science databases were researched in this scoping review. The review used descriptive and thematic analyses and focused on 93 articles published between 2013 and 2023 that analysed universities’ enablers and practices for knowledge transfer to the industry. Findings Organisational factors, stakeholder attitudes, infrastructure, and external factors facilitate knowledge transfer from universities to companies. The most effective practices for promoting innovation are related to project management, policies and incentives and are relational and educational. Performance results can be evaluated through quantitative and qualitative indicators, measured at the different phases of the innovation process, considering the impacts achieved. Originality/value Previous reviews have focused on barriers, researchers’ motivations or specific enablers. The enablers and practices identified were analysed with a systemic vision, considering the university as a unit of analysis. This study suggests a comprehensive conceptual framework for the successful management of university–industry open innovation.

Opportunities and risks of the blue economy for innovative companies in the sustainable aquaculture sector

The oceans play a crucial role in the global ecosystem and offer solutions to meet the growing demand for food, water, and energy. However, a new economic concept is needed to regulate and sustainably exploit the maritime resources offered by the marine ecosystem to ensure sustainable development. It is in this initiative that the concept of the blue economy has emerged, in response to the inadequacy of measures taken by States to meet their obligations and achieve their objectives in terms of marine biodiversity conservation. This is how the blue economy concept was born, in response to the inadequacy of state measures to conserve marine biodiversity. This concept proposes an innovative solution integrating aquatic and human resources into sustainable economic activities. The aim of this study is to understand the opportunities and threats that the blue economy represents for innovative companies. This short literature review, based on a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) diagnosis of innovative companies, identified a number of obstacles to the development of the blue economy, such as climate change, lack of financing and the lack of instruments for measuring the performance of the blue economy. Action strategies could be implemented to mitigate risks, threats and hazards, and consider an economic approach that reconciles marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

Green investor behavior and corporate green innovation: Evidence from Chinese listed companies

Businesses embracing green innovation can encourage high-quality green economic development in addition to reducing emissions. In this paper, we use the Difference-in-Differences (DID) to investigate the influence of green investor behavior on the green innovation of companies, using the first-ever green investor investment in a company as a quasi-natural experiment. According to research, green investors have the power to accelerate corporate green innovation greatly. Three key strategies that green investors can use to do this include raising institutional investment levels, enhancing the green perception of executives, and bringing in top talent. Heterogeneity analysis shows that non-high-polluting, big, and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are more likely to benefit from green investors' green innovation effects. Further analysis reveals that (ⅰ) green investors' influence on an enterprise's level of green innovation can help it improve its ESG ratings; (ii) green investors can encourage green innovation in source control but have little effect on green innovation in end-of-pipe treatment; (ⅲ) green investors can support both non-green and green innovation in enterprises, but have a greater influence on green innovation. This study strengthens the micro relationship between green investors and corporate green innovation. It also supports the theoretical underpinnings of corporate green innovation, which is significant for advancing green innovation, environmental protection, and high-quality economic development in emerging economies.

Do incubatees form more alliances? Nature of the alliance and start-up ownership as contingencies

ABSTRACT Incubators are reputed to be key institutions for the creation and growth of viable and successful entrepreneurial ventures. One mechanism through which their beneficial action should unfold is that incubatees could be more likely to stipulate alliances with third parties. We explore, both theoretically and empirically, the possibility that this crucial bridging function performed by incubators is indeed contingent on both (a) the type of alliance that start-ups are seeking for, where we distinguish between R&D and commercial alliances; (b) the specific ownership structure of the start-ups. Our analysis is based on a dataset of 1766 incubatees and non-incubatees young innovative companies. Results highlight that incubators accomplish their bridging role depending on the two above-mentioned contingencies. In particular, incubated start-ups show higher probabilities than non-incubates to stipulate R&D alliances only if they are university-backed, while commercial alliances figure as a prerogative of incubatees only when these latter are business-backed.

Political Parties Reform In Developing The Competence And Professionalism Of The Legislative Members Of The House Of Representatives Of The Republic Of Indonesia (DPR RI)

PT Pembangkitan Jawa-Bali (PJB), in developing its company, does many things, such as innovating which incidentally is believed to be able to encourage a company to improve its economic performance. One form of innovation carried out by PT PJB is partnering with several universities in Indonesia. The collaboration is expected to be able to build synergies between agencies through the empowerment of facilities and human resources. This research aims to determine the relationship between inter-organizational partnerships on corporate innovation (incremental innovation type) and determine the relationship between inter-organizational partnerships on corporate innovation (radical innovation type). This research is a research with a quantitative approach using statistical analysis tools in testing hypotheses. To measure the relationship between organizational partnership and innovation, this research uses an ordered probit model approach. The research uses the inter-organizational partnership variable as the independent variable along with several other control variables. The research uses data obtained from the results of questionnaires have been distributed to several employees from various levels randomly from PT PJB. Furthermore, the research also uses data obtained from the results of researchers' observations of key informants have been selected. Partnerships between organizations (with educational institutions) can contribute to company performance. Company performance is described through the birth of innovation (both incremental and radical types). The research indirectly implies the statement that partnerships between organizations can affect the company's performance through the innovations developed within the company. Furthermore, the research also seeks to create an effective partnership design in generating company innovation. The limitation of this research is data source of this research is only based on PT PJB, in order to the future an analysis of partnerships with educational institutions can be carried out on the performance of other companies. The novelty of this research is focus to analyze the relationship of partnerships with educational institutions on the performance of companies, especially in PT PJB which has not been carried out by other studies.

Foresight and the scamper technique: a combination of collective intelligence strategies for building innovation capacity

Purpose The aim of this research paper is to present a new model of innovation management under the approach of anticipatory collective intelligence strategies to improve the innovation capacity of products and business processes. The paper presents a case study of Café Galavis, one of the oldest family-owned companies in the Colombian coffee sector. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive mixed-methods research design was used. Ten experts and the general manager of the organization were interviewed using a semi-structured format. Additionally, a creativity and innovation workshop were conducted with the participation of 140 young people between the ages of 21 and 28. The traditional product of the company was evaluated using the SCAMPER technique. On the other hand, a strategic approach was taken to address the complex problem. This involved conducting a bibliometric analysis using Vosviewer software, prioritizing key variables and actors’ game through MICMAC and MACTOR software, seeking expert judgment, conducting morphological analysis, generating scenarios under the Peter Schwartz axes and designing a strategic plan. Findings The paper presents a new approach to developing innovation processes by connecting foresight and the SCAMPER technique as a strategy for anticipatory collective intelligence. Furthermore, it was found that the use of these methods enhances the innovation capacity of both products and business processes. Organizations can implement this model to create plans with disruptive and sustainable horizons. Practical implications The paper presents methods to enhance the adoption and performance of innovation in companies through collective anticipatory intelligence and the use of digital tools. Originality/value This paper proposes a novel approach to combining two future methods to promote innovation. This study makes a theoretical and practical contribution to the field of foresight.