Spanish Business Research Articles

The Antecedents of Ethical Climates in the Spanish Business Higher Education Institutions

Ethical climate in organisations has been studied widely and its influence on ethical behaviour has been documented. However, little is known about the ethical climate at university context and about its antecedents. Universities are social change institutions and their ethical climate could influence the ethical behaviour of future economic, social and political leaders. The current study analyses the perceived ethical climate in Business Studies Higher Education Institutions in Spain and whether university’s ownership, size and signing up for international initiatives influence it. The study is based on survey responses of 385 lecturers of Spanish Business Studies Faculties to an ethical climate questionnaire and on survey responses of 33 Business Studies Deans to a questionnaire related to the commitment to ethics and social responsibility in each Faculty. An exploratory factor analysis has been used as well as ANOVA tests and lineal regressions. The results reveal the predominance of an instrumental ethical climate in Spanish Business Faculties, an ethical climate that does not promote ethical behaviour or organisational commitment among its members. The results also confirm the significant influence of university’s ownership and signing up for Principles for Responsible Management Education on the ethical climate in Business Higher Education institutions. This study advances the understanding of the ethical climate in Business Studies institutions, and suggests measures to be taken by university managers in order to improve ethical judgment and behaviour of the university community.

Slow Booms and Deep Busts: 160 Years of Business Cycles in Spain

Abstract This paper introduces an economically important new idea for detrending macroeconomic time series and examines the Spanish business cycle pattern with respect to potential asymmetries. To address difficulties in the trend and cycle decomposition, a nonparametric trend estimation approach is introduced and exemplary applied to the Spanish GDP data for the period 1850 to 2015. The application of an iterative plug-in (IPI) algorithm for endogenous bandwidth selection solves the problem of choosing an adequate smoothing parameter for nonparametric regression. The algorithm identifies continuously Moving Trends (MT) with a time length of 34 years. After we estimate the trend nonparametrically, we fit several time series models to the residuals for further analysis. Although asymmetry during expansion and recession phases is indicated, it is not unambiguous.

El papel de los trabajadores en las actuaciones de responsabilidad social empresarial. El caso español

Las acciones empresariales englobadas en el concepto de responsabilidad social se han acentuado en los últimos años con un relevante desarrollo normativo. Sin embargo, frente a este impulso de carácter normativo-institucional se constata el inadecuado avance de las actuaciones concretas en la materia. Ante esta situación es necesario analizar y reflexionar sobre las medidas promovidas desde el ámbito legal para el fomento de la responsabilidad social por parte de las empresas, desvelando los entramados legales en los que se asientan las prácticas empresariales. Igualmente, poner de manifiesto cómo se origina desde la propia norma el papel secundario que se da a los empleados y sus representantes en el propio diseño y puesta en práctica de la misma. Esta cuestión se estudia desde un doble posicionamiento, por una parte, el análisis del entramado normativo y, por otra, la situación actual en la realidad empresarial española.

Televised Entrepreneurial Discourse: Conversational Structure and Compliance Gaining Strategies

Discourse analysis has focused extensively on argumentative and manipulative discourse. In particular, this present paper considers the different information-processing constraints at play in comprehending elicitations and responses and their role in the persuasive success of arguments. I use both a quantitative and qualitative method to examine in detail the pragma-discursive strategies employed by a panel of English and Spanish business experts in negotiating a business proposal with an entrepreneur in a media driven event. My data suggest that both British and Spanish panels of experts exploit a specific number of social influence tactics, mainly based on the use of elicit: agree, that makes it possible to identify why the interaction is successful. It is further suggested that the study of the basic unit of conversational organisation may throw light on the effectiveness of positioning oneself and others in discourse and show how British and Spanish business experts attempt to exert social influence.

The Anglo-Germanic and Latin concepts of politeness and time in cross-atlantic business communication: from cultural misunderstanding to management success

Bond and Hofstede (1989) have demonstrated that culture has a large impact on international business success. In Western cultures it would relate to individualism and in Oriental cultures to Confucian dynamism. Their conception of politeness as a leading principle in human relations and their use of time seems unlike that of Western cultures. Within the Western hemisphere, however, Anglo-Germanic and Latin cultures do not share the same concepts of politeness and time. Spanish business letters seem to be overpolite compared to American ones. Whereas Dutch people stick to one topic at the same time in their negotiations, Italians tend to interrupt to tackle as many issues as possible. Anglo-Germanic and Latin cultures seem to differ in their means of expression of politeness in negotiating and writing. The main source seems to be the striking difference in power distance between Anglo-Germanic and Latin management cultures, a phenonomenon which was observed in Hofstede’s first study with IBM (1980). Irrespective of its origin, politeness or the presumed lack of it could easily lead to intercultural misunderstanding.Hofstede’s work can be used as a framework to analyse some of the potential sources of misunderstanding caused by such differences. The purpose of this paper is to summarize some data to illustrate the importance of the above cultures on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, to evidence some politeness markers including the time concept, such as pausing and silencing in oral communication and courteous beginnings and endings of Latin business letters, and to retrace the perception of such behaviour by a person from the other culture. How can cultures respect each other and how can politeness be interpreted in a proper way without insulting the other party?How can cultures respect each other, learn from each other and cooperate effectively, for instance, in business and technology? What could be the consequences for the international practice of business management and communication in the Anglo-Germanic and Latin cultures of some EU and NAFTA countries? On the basis of those research findings we will present some guidelines for successful intercultural cooperation in the EU keeping an eye on new trade possibilities on the other side of the Atlantic.

Innovation ecosystem: a trigger for new product development? Exploring the acceptance of a sparkling red wine amongst Spanish small business actors

This paper contributes to the understanding of the role of innovation ecosystems in the development of new products. A concept test was conducted amongst business actors in the specific context of the Spanish sparkling wine industry, which can be considered a business ecosystem. The contributions are threefold. First, we provide conceptual research linking many of the stakeholder issues involved in a co-innovation process with new product development. Second, we test the relevance of bringing together various small business actors from an ecosystem to jointly develop a breakthrough product. Third, we discuss the benefits of adopting a co-innovation process for the development of an industry and explain the need for an innovative organisational process for using market information.

Innovation ecosystem: a trigger for new product development? Exploring the acceptance of a sparkling red wine amongst Spanish small business actors

This paper contributes to the understanding of the role of innovation ecosystems in the development of new products. A concept test was conducted amongst business actors in the specific context of the Spanish sparkling wine industry, which can be considered a business ecosystem. The contributions are threefold. First, we provide conceptual research linking many of the stakeholder issues involved in a co-innovation process with new product development. Second, we test the relevance of bringing together various small business actors from an ecosystem to jointly develop a breakthrough product. Third, we discuss the benefits of adopting a co-innovation process for the development of an industry and explain the need for an innovative organisational process for using market information.

Estudios críticos de la gestión: estudios culturales de los conflictos en el mundo del trabajo

Este artículo tiene dos objetivos principales. Por una parte, realizar una valoración de las principales aportaciones del movimiento de los Critical Management Studies (CMS) en el ámbito de las ciencias sociales, cuando se cumplen ya más de dos décadas desde su emergencia en el Reino Unido. Los CMS representan una corriente alternativa a las teorías organizacionales ortodoxas que se enseñan en las escuelas de negocios; frente a estas, pretende introducir a los estudiantes a análisis más críticos y profundos del mundo organizacional, de forma que estos se familiaricen con otros marcos teóricos que les permitan revisar su visión del mundo empresarial. En este sentido, se discutirá el legado de esta escuela y se reflexionará acerca de la dirección en que está reorientando su agenda investigadora, en un contexto de fuerte crisis económica y de cambios importantes en la gobernanza universitaria. Por otra parte, el texto va a realizar una reflexión adicional sobre el impacto que dicho movimiento ha tenido en el ámbito académico español, discutiendo las limitaciones para un proyecto de estas características en el marco organizacional y empresarial español.

Cross-sector social partnership success: A process perspective on the role of relational factors

The study employs partial least squares structural equation modelling to examine cross-sector social partnership success in the context of Spanish business (N = 102). Proposing the development of second-order models, the research identifies the role of relational factors that directly and indirectly affect partnership success. The study demonstrates that to increase partnership success, it is essential for socially responsible businesses to share the same values with their non-profit partners, thus contributing to trust and commitment and effectively enhancing relational effects. Employing relational factors for the conceptualisation of partnership success contributes an empirical quantitative process perspective that associates success with value creation processes.

Big boots to fill—the next generation continuing differently

This case history describes the challenge facing Carlos García, the third-generation successor of a Spanish family business, as he takes over the reins of Hispalis and prepares to continue the business ‘differently’. In two generations, Hispalis has morphed into a global conglomerate, with a portfolio of business ventures in multiple industries and countries. The case history facilitates discussion of business and family issues and is appropriate for beginning-level undergraduate students in the areas of entrepreneurial leadership, family business, strategic management and corporate governance.

Event review: Introduction to classification and description of knapped lithic remains, Madrid, Spain

From the 28th to 29th of November 2015, Dibujantes de Arqueología held the third edition of the “Introduction to classification and description of knapped lithic materials” in Madrid, Spain. It was an intensive course of 18 hours. Dibujantes de Arqueología is a well-known Spanish business entity of professional archaeologists and specialised drawers in practice since 2003. They have also organised training courses for archaeologists since 2009.

Harmonizing management accounting in international subsidiaries: beyond national borders

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore if and how companies strive for a harmonization of management accounting systems in their international business units to support company-wide consistent strategy implementation and to analyze the underlying drivers and pitfalls. Our paper is motivated by the tension between the need for consistent strategy implementation in the different international business units of multinational companies and the traditional differences in management accounting practices across countries. Design/methodology/approach – The field study comprised semi-structured in-depth interviews with management accounting experts in selected German and Spanish business units of 15 major German multinational companies. Findings – The authors identified strong efforts for company-wide harmonization of management accounting practices and found that beside explicit initiatives set by corporate headquarters, more implicit pressures such as the education of management accountants, the work of global consultancies and the use of standardized ERP-systems constitute strong drivers of the identified harmonization. Practical implications – The findings highlight implicit pressures as important drivers of the harmonization of management accounting systems in the international business units of multinational companies. Taking these implicit pressures into consideration can help multinational companies striving for a harmonization of business unit management accounting for consistent strategy implementation. Originality/value – Building on a unique sample of pairs of German and Spanish business units of 15 major German companies, the field study explores harmonization practices and its drivers in multinational companies.

Estrategias de diversificación en los grupos familiares y no familiares: principales diferencias según el tipo de grupo no familiar

In the last decade, the interest for the study of ownership structure as a determinant of diversification arises. However, there is a lack of researches that analyze the influence of the nature of the ultimate owner in the level and type of diversification. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to analyze the diversification strategies used by the main Spanish business groups whose parent company is listed on the stock markets, and to study the differences between family and non-family business groups, considering in these last, the type of ultimate owner. In the study a sample of ninety-nine listed companies is used, where companies that constitute the business group are identified. In the paper are used as econometric methodologies the binomial logistic models and panel data models. The results show that family nature of business group positively influences in specialization and related diversification and negatively on unrelated diversification. Family groups differ most form those non-family groups where there is not a reference shareholder than can exercise effective control and ownership dispersion is higher, the groups referred as “non effective control”. The research allows further analysis of differences between family and non-family groups, considering the nature of the ultimate owner for non-family groups.

The effect of product market competition on job security

This paper studies the impact of product market competition on job security. I use differences between types of labor contracts to measure job security. The effect of competition on the use of different types of labor contracts is identified by changes in legislation that lead to exogenous shifts in competition. Using both worker data from the Spanish Labor Force Survey and firm data from the Spanish Business Strategies Survey, I show that job security decreases with competition. A one standard deviation increase in competition decreases the probability that a worker switches to a more secure labor contract by at least 22%.

ACCOUNTING FOR SPANISH BUSINESS CYCLES

We apply the business cycle accounting methodology proposed by Chari, Kehoe, and McGrattan to identify the sources of Spanish business fluctuations during two outstanding cyclical episodes: the recession alongside the transition to democracy in 1977 and the great recession of 2008. We find that the labor wedge played a key role during both recessions and that taxes and labor market institutions are likely behind the wedge movements. We conclude that any model that tries to understand the causes of recessions that occurred in the last three decades should focus on the labor wedge.

Characterization of cyclical phases in the manufacturing industry in Spain

120 Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to characterize the cyclical phases of the manufacturing industry in Spain and detect which industries have more influence on the Spanish business cycle. We assume that economic growth is a priority; we are going to determine which industries have a more/less appropriate cyclical behavior according this priority. We analyze if the industries with better cyclical behavior are the ones that achieve greater co-movement with the business cycle of the Spanish economy, as this means they have a positive influence on economic activity. Design/methodology/approach: We examine the disaggregated quarterly IPI data of 16 manufacturing industries. Our methodology follows three steps. Firstly, we define cycle turning points; we follow the Harding and Pagan (2002) methodology. Secondly, we characterize the cyclical phases of the manufacturing industries in terms of duration, amplitude, deepness and steepness. We also determine the degree of inter-industrial cyclical synchronization and between industries in the cycle of the Spanish economy. This analysis is performed in two ways. On the one hand, we use the concordance index and the correlation coefficient. On the other hand, we work with indicators based on a consistency table. In the Third step, we apply a multi-objective methodology, specifically the compromise programming, to determine which industries have a more/less appropriate cyclical behavior according to the growth priority. Findings and Originality/value: The business cycle of the Spanish economy is positively influenced by high- and medium-tech industries, which have demonstrated their competitive capacity in international markets, and by medium- low-tech industries, with major strengths in R&D, and in survival and consolidation strategies. These results enable manufacturing industries to exert a positive effect on the business cycle that is weakened because many of them show a high correlation between employment and cyclical fluctuations. Originality/value: The study is original and useful on various levels. Firstly, the study of sectoral cycles makes it possible to identify common trends in the growth of business activities and to see the interdependence of fluctuations. Secondly, it will be easy to deduce which sectoral disruptions generate the greatest impact on economic activity. Finally, because the analysis of the manufacturing industry cycle has not yet carried out. Normal 0 21 false false false

Corporate social responsibility perception in business students as future managers: a multifactorial analysis

This paper examines undergraduate business students' perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in cases in which they have not attended any specific course either dealing with CSR or providing training in ethics. A survey was conducted of 535 Spanish business students as future managers. The results show that the stakeholders' perspective deserves a huge attention for those students considering what the keys of business success are. Significant differences in perception were nevertheless identified when a multifactorial analysis was undertaken. Female students are more concerned about CSR issues. The maximization of value for shareholders is less valued by second‐ and third‐year students than by first‐year ones. The findings point to a number of important orientations for the future development of university curriculum.

Analysis of the profitability of the Spanish business sector with investment presence in China

Purpose – This article aims to compare the average profitability by sector for companies that have invested in China during 2008-2011, with the average profitability for Spanish firms from the same sector. Design/methodology/approach – Analysis done through Analysis System of Iberian Balances (SABI) database. Findings – The results show that companies that invest in China gain economic rewards that are greater than those that do not invest in China, with the most profitable sectors comparatively being the metallurgy and the wholesale trade. Originality/value – We have not found previous analysis in this way.

Evolución Del Tejido Empresarial Español De 2006 a 2014 (Evolution of the Spanish Business EnvironmentFrom 2006 to 2014)

Spanish Abstract: En el working paper, llevamos a cabo una comparacion entre la situacion de la empresa espanola en el ano 2006, antes de iniciarse la ultima crisis economica, y en el ano 2014, una vez superada ya esta recesion. En el, mostramos la evolucion del numero de empresas, el numero de empleados, el volumen de ventas, la productividad de los empleados y el tamano de las empresas, a nivel agregado y segun los distintos sectores de la economia espanola, tanto a nivel nacional como en las diecisiete comunidades autonomas. English Abstract: In the working paper, we carry out a comparison between the situation of the Spanish firms in 2006, before the beginning of the last economic crisis, and in 2014, once the already this recession. In it, we show the evolution of the number of companies, the number of employees, the volume of sales, the productivity of the employees and the size of the companies, at an aggregate level and according to the different sectors of the Spanish economy, both at the national level as in the seventeen autonomous communities.

Firm-Level Evidence of ICT Adoption among SMEs of the Social Economy in Spain

The paper analyzes the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the small and medium-size enterprises of the social economy in Spain, focusing on the ICT-related management of its organizations. Although ICT adoption is increasingly present in all areas of the so called Information Society, the perception of how and why the effective adoption of ICT takes place is relevant to the performance both of the social economy as whole and to their organizations. The authors study shows that the analyzed sample of social economy enterprises has, on the overall, a good ICT positioning in the Spanish business framework. The authors also found few differences on ICT adoption when size or geographical scope of the firms is considered. ICT adoption has been a priority of many social economy enterprises, allowing them to reach a fair level of ICT infrastructures and Internet presence. Furthermore, ICT adoption is seen as an opportunity to enhance their competitive advantage in the markets, mainly through electronic commerce. It is also an opportunity to improve internal management, taking advantage of the integration of electronic procedures.