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Firm Size and Sustainable Innovation Management II

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2021) | Viewed by 77514

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Prof. Dr. Antonio Messeni Petruzzelli

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Politecnico di Bari, Via Edoardo Orabona, 4, 70126 Bari, BA, Italy
Interests: innovation management; alliances and networks; technology strategy; patenting, technology transfer; university-industry collaborations; search and recombination
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Dr. Lorenzo Ardito

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Department of Mechanics, Mathematics and Management, Politecnico di Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy
Interests: innovation; technology management; strategy
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Dear Colleagues,

The interest in the relationship between firm size and innovation management dates back to the pioneering studies by Schumpeter. So far, a wealth of research has been conducted on this topic. However, in-depth discussion about the influence of firm size on sustainable innovation management has been neglected, hence requiring further debates as highlighted by Messeni Petruzzelli and Ardito [1].

That is, in the context of sustainable innovation management, there has been the tendency to rely on the “conventional” theories regarding the role of firm size. However, such theories may be not completely valid in this context because of the specific peculiarities differentiating sustainable innovations from conventional ones (e.g., regulations, types of firms - e.g., family vs. non-family - ultimate goals, openness, ethics, and more complex innovation outcomes). Therefore, in the realm of sustainable innovation, a reassessment/repositioning of the role of firm size can be reasonable.

Specifically, it has been proven that firm size may directly affect innovation performance or how firms shape their strategic orientations, organizational structure, knowledge management system, etc. to innovate. Yet, whether these direct influences of firm size remain the same in the context of sustainable innovation management is still an open area of research. Furthermore, it has been shown that, in some cases, the direct effect of firm size is moderated/mediated by other factors (e.g., absorptive capacity) or, conversely, firm size acts as a moderating/mediating factor in explaining innovation performance.

This implies that the direct effects that firm size has on sustainable innovation management may be subject to some of its specificities. Likewise, the effects of factors already proved to influence sustainable innovation practices, processes, and outcomes, especially if they are contradictory, can be reassessed by distinguishing firms by their size.

All in all, we contend that there are many open issues in the literature regarding firm size and sustainable innovation management. In line with the above debate, we invite original contributions that increase our comprehension on this topic. We look for papers with theoretical insights, empirical data analysis, case studies or other suitable methods to shed new light on a variety of lines of inquiry, such as:

repositioning/reconceptualizing the role of firm size in the context of sustainable innovation management;
assessing which aspects of sustainable innovation management (strategic orientations, organizational structure, business models, firms’ openness, etc.) are mainly influenced by firm size;
assessing which are the specificities characterizing sustainable innovation practices, processes, and outcomes that may help to revisit the role of firm size;
reassessing the influence of factors affecting practices, processes, and outcomes related to sustainable innovations in light of the potential moderating influence of firm size;
evaluating the moderating/mediating factors of the relationship between firm size and sustainable innovation management practices, processes, and outcomes.

References

Messeni Petruzzelli, A., and L. Ardito. (2019). Firm Size and Sustainable Innovation Management. Sustainability 11(21), 6072, https://doi.org/10.3390/su11216072

Prof. Antonio Messeni Petruzzelli
Asst. Prof. Lorenzo Ardito
Guest Editors

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Keywords

firm size
sustainable innovation management
sustainable innovation practices, processes, and outcomes
innovation performance
strategic management

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 938 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Performance Measurement System: Implementation Process in SMEs

by Zuzana Papulová, Andrea Gažová, Maroš Šlenker and Jan Papula

Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 4794; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13094794 - 24 Apr 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6381

Abstract

There is still a considerable interest in the topic of business performance, both in scientific community as well as in managerial praxis. Especially, the area of performance measurement system (PMS) and its implementation is forming a considerable scope for improvement. However, the research of PMS implementation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been underestimated. Despite the significant contribution of SMEs to economic growth, employment share or predominance of SMEs over large companies, a very small amount of theoretical and empirical researches has been carried out focusing on implementation of PMS in SMEs. This paper is addressing the readiness and successfulness of SMEs in PMS implementation. The aim of our research was to analyze the process of PMS implementation in SMEs and to identify factors that influence the success and satisfaction with implemented PMS and to identify problematic factors that cause failure, dissatisfaction and create limits to PMS application. Sample of our research consisted of 336 SMEs operating in Slovakia of various ages, sizes, and different approach to performance measurement. Based on results of our research, we created suggestions and a set of the key success factors to each phase of PMS implementation process that respect the specifics and nature of SMEs. Within each phase, we found evidence that several factors significantly raise the potential of successfulness of PMS implementation, and others, in contrary, are contributing to the unsuccessfulness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Firm Size and Sustainable Innovation Management II)

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20 pages, 475 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Technological Capability on Financial Performance in the Semiconductor Industry

by Jun Hong Park, Hyunseog Chung, Ki Hong Kim, Jin Ju Kim and Chulung Lee

Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 489; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020489 - 6 Jan 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4880

Abstract

The modern semiconductor industry is going through rapid changes as new markets and technologies appear. In this paper, such technology-intensive firms’ relationship between technological capability and financial performance is analyzed with regression analysis. Revenue and market capitalization are used as dependent variables. For the independent variables, the technological intensity, technological diversity, technological asset, and technological efficiency are used. The analysis results revealed different effects of technological capability on financial performance. Also, regression analysis is conducted by dividing firms into high and low groups based on technological asset and technological efficiency, and the analysis result revealed different effects of technological intensity and technological diversity on financial performance. For technological asset, the financial performance in the high group is affected more by technological intensity, and the financial performance in the low group is affected more by technological diversity. For technological efficiency, only the financial performance in the high group is affected by technological intensity. Although both groups’ financial performance is somewhat affected by technological diversity, there was no statistically significant differences between the groups. By separating the effect of technological capability on financial performance, this research can provide more detailed analysis results compared to previous literature and the methods of managing technological capability for semiconductor firms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Firm Size and Sustainable Innovation Management II)

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15 pages, 314 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Foreign Ownership in Sub-Saharan Africa: Do Governance Structures Matter?

by Seth Nana Kwame Appiah-Kubi, Karel Malec, Sandra Boatemaa Kutin, Mansoor Maitah, Michael Chanda Chiseni, Joseph Phiri, Zdeňka Gebeltová, Sylvie Kobzev Kotásková and Kamil Maitah

Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7698; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187698 - 17 Sep 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3943

Abstract

It has been widely argued that governance structures have roles in the predominance of foreign ownership in Sub-Saharan African countries. Our paper sought to challenge this conventional wisdom by investigating the ways in which country-level governance structures influenced the predominance of foreign holdings in Sub-Saharan African countries for the period 2010–2015. The study used panel sampling annual data from thirty countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, with Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) as our discussion estimators. Our statistical results reveal that there is a significant positive relationship between government effectiveness and the predominance of foreign ownership in Sub-Saharan African countries. Furthermore, foreign ownership predominates in Sub-Saharan African economies that have sound political stability and embrace effective and efficient regulations. Moreover, the relationship between corruption and the prevalence of foreign ownership is negative but significant. However, the rule of law, and voice and accountability, are insignificant to the predominance of foreign ownership in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our results suggest that governments in Sub-Saharan Africa should adopt robust and efficacious measures, strengthen their policies and institutions to promote the control of corruption, provide quality regulations, and minimize political violence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Firm Size and Sustainable Innovation Management II)

24 pages, 2241 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Innovative Climate, a Determinant of Competitiveness and Business Performance in Chinese Law Firms: The Role of Firm Size and Age

by Sughra Bibi, Asif Khan, Hongdao Qian, Achille Claudio Garavelli, Angelo Natalicchio and Paolo Capolupo

Sustainability 2020, 12(12), 4948; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12124948 - 17 Jun 2020

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 4708

Abstract

In the past few decades, a firm’s innovative climate has received much attention in the context of innovative behavior, competitiveness, and business performance. The existing literature has relied to a great extent on innovative climate as an interacting factor and overlooked its role as an antecedent of various organizational phenomena. Furthermore, the interaction effects of the firm’s size and age on the relationships between innovative climate and other organizational variables have gone unnoticed. This study adds to the literature by empirically assessing the effects of the firm’s innovative climate on organizational learning and employees’ innovative behavior as well as its consequences on the firm’s competitiveness and business performance. Additionally, it addresses the interaction impacts of firm size and age on the relationships between the abovementioned variables. This research achieves its goal by developing an integrative research design that analyzes complex relations using covariance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) and regression techniques on a dataset of 408 Chinese law firms. The results indicate that the firm’s innovative climate has a significant positive relationship with organizational learning and employees’ innovative behavior. It is also found that organizational learning has a significant positive influence on employees’ innovative behavior. Meanwhile, organizational learning and employees’ innovative behavior have a significant positive influence on firm competitiveness and business performance. Another important finding is that contextual factors, i.e., firm size and age, strengthen these relations. Theoretical and managerial implications, including links to firm size and age, are provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Firm Size and Sustainable Innovation Management II)

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26 pages, 1508 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Uncovering Innovativeness in Spanish Tourism Firms: The Role of Transformational Leadership, OCB, Firm Size, and Age

by Asif Khan, Sughra Bibi, Jiaying Lyu, Achille Claudio Garavelli, Pierpaolo Pontrandolfo and Maria de Angeles Perez Sanchez

Sustainability 2020, 12(10), 3989; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12103989 - 13 May 2020

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 3980

Abstract

Innovativeness in the tourism and hospitality sector is essential for competitiveness and survival. Leadership plays a key role in promoting (or hampering) firm innovativeness. This article intended to examine the role of transformational leadership (TL) and organization citizenship behavior (OCB) on Spanish tourism firms’ innovativeness (OI). It also investigated whether firm size and age moderate the relationship between TL, OI, and OCB. The cross-sectional survey method was used to collect data from 329 middle-level managers in Spanish tourism firms. The findings of the data revealed that TL and OCB have significant impacts on firm innovativeness; also, OCB mediates the relationship between TL and firm innovativeness. Firm size and age moderate the relationship between TL and firm innovativeness; also, firm size moderates the relationship between TL and OCB. It was found that large firms were more innovative than small ones; also, younger firms showed a higher level of innovativeness than old firms. Managerial and specific firm size and age implications were provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Firm Size and Sustainable Innovation Management II)

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15 pages, 965 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Corporate Governance Structures on Foreign Direct Investment: A Case Study of West African Countries

by Seth Nana Kwame Appiah-Kubi, Karel Malec, Mansoor Maitah, Sandra Boatemaa Kutin, Ludmila Pánková, Joseph Phiri and Orhan Zaganjori

Sustainability 2020, 12(9), 3715; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12093715 - 4 May 2020

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 7011

Abstract

A number of studies have been done to examine the factors that impact the level of foreign direct investment in African countries. However, most of them have not considered the effect corporate governance structures have on foreign direct investment (FDI) in their estimations. This research therefore pursued the investigation of the relationship between corporate governance structures at the national level and foreign direct investment concentrating mainly on West African economies for the period 2009–2018. The study constructed a panel, sampling annual data from 17 West African countries. The System generalized method of moments (GMM) was used in analyzing the panel data to attain the objective of the research. The results of the study reveal that countries characterized by greater protection of the interest of non-controlling parties are able to accumulate progressive FDIs. Economies with firms portraying high ethical values also generally generate increasing foreign direct investment, and the existence of effective boards also significantly improves the country’s FDI inflows. Finally, the findings report that the impact of regulations in securities and the stock exchange on FDI is insignificant. The study recommends that West African countries institute corporate governance structures purely independent of political influences in order to ensure effective utilization of foreign direct investment to mitigate poverty. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Firm Size and Sustainable Innovation Management II)

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22 pages, 277 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Government Background Customers and Private Enterprise Innovation from the Perspective of Supply Chain Risk Transmission

by Zhanguang Chen, Qiaowan Wang, Chao Dou and Tian Liang

Sustainability 2020, 12(8), 3193; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083193 - 15 Apr 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2698

Abstract

Private enterprises are major contributors to China’s market economy. In order to ensure the sustainability of economic development, China pays more attention to the role of science and technology in promoting the sustainability of the private economy. Based on a sample of all A-share listed companies in the Chinese capital market, we distinguished between government and non-government purchase order data, and examined the impact of large government background customers on private enterprise R&D innovation from the perspective of supply chain risk transmission. Due to the implementation of China’s new accounting standards and the delay in the public update of government procurement data, we selected samples from 2007‒2015. The research results show that the government background customers can significantly increase the R&D investment of private enterprises, and this relationship is more significant in the sample of mid-level government background customers and private enterprises in poor areas; further analysis found that government background purchase orders can promote innovation investment by mitigating the risks facing a company. From a practical point of view, the research findings of this paper are helpful for understanding the impact of customer structure on the innovation activities of enterprises in a market economy environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Firm Size and Sustainable Innovation Management II)

16 pages, 503 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gigafactory Logistics in Space and Time: Tesla’s Fourth Gigafactory and Its Rivals

by Philip Cooke

Sustainability 2020, 12(5), 2044; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12052044 - 6 Mar 2020

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 42934

Abstract

This paper concerns the spatial structure of Tesla’s four ‘gigafactories’ (‘giga’ is gigawatt hour, GWh) which are located in Tesla’s first Gigafacility (1) at Sparks, near Reno, Nevada; the Solar City Gigafactory (2) at Buffalo, New York state; the 2019 Tesla plant at Shanghai, China Gigafactory (3); and the new Tesla gigafactory Europe Gigafactory (4), which is a manufacturing plant to be constructed in Grünheide, near Berlin, Germany. The newest campus is 20 miles southeast of central Berlin on the main railway line to Wrocław, Poland. Three main features of the ‘gigafactory’ phenomenon, apart from their scale, are in the industry organisation of production, which thus far reverses much current conventional wisdom regarding production geography. Thus, Tesla’s automotive facility in Fremont California reconcentrates manufacturing on site as in-house own brand componentry, especially heavy parts, or by requiring hitherto distant global suppliers to locate in proximity to the main manufacturing plant. Second, as an electric vehicle (EV) producer, the contributions of Tesla’s production infrastructure and logistics infrastructure are important in meeting greenhouse gas mitigation and the reduction of global warming. Finally, the deployment of Big Data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and ‘predictive management’ are important. This lies in gigafactory logistics contributing to production and distribution efficiency and effectiveness as a primer for all future industry and services in seeking to minimise time-management issues. This too potentially contributes significantly to the reduction of wasteful energy usage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Firm Size and Sustainable Innovation Management II)

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